EP2A25F1020C8ES - APEX II 24K LE FPGA 1020-BBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2A25F1020C8ES ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $252.5 | $2,525.00 |
| 100 | $215 | $21,500.00 |
| 500 | $188 | $94,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $165 | $165,000.00 |
EP2A25F1020C8ES Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device whose logic fabric, interconnect, and I/O behavior are defined by a user-supplied configuration bitstream. APEX II specifically combines look-up table (LUT)-based logic with embedded memory blocks and a MultiCore architecture that supports both fine-grained combinatorial logic and coarse-grained datapaths. Within the broader taxonomy, the EP2A25 sits at FPGA & CPLD -> programmable logic -> logic IC -> integrated circuit, occupying the high-density tier of the APEX II family and bridging the gap between discrete gate arrays and ASICs in pre-production and prototyping designs.
The EP2A25F1020C8ES features 622,592 bits of embedded RAM, embedded LVDS support on selected I/O banks, dedicated clock-management circuitry, and a high-speed interconnect fabric that supports up to 735 user I/O. The 1020-ball FineLine BGA package uses a 1.27 mm ball pitch with controlled-impedance escape routing, making it suitable for multi-layer PCBs with buried vias. Compared to ASICs, this FPGA offers design-time flexibility at the cost of higher per-unit pricing and higher dynamic power consumption.
Typical applications for the EP2A25 include telecommunications line cards, custom bus-bridging glue logic, video processing pipelines, prototyping of ASIC designs, and high-density DSP co-processing. The large user-I/O count makes it particularly attractive for system-level integration where multiple parallel interfaces, memory controllers, and arithmetic blocks must coexist on a single device. The Engineering Sample (ES) suffix indicates an early-revision part intended for design validation rather than volume production deployment.
When designing with this part, ensure that PCB layout supports the 1020-ball BGA escape pattern with appropriate microvia technology and that the configuration PROM is selected to match the device bitstream size. Power-supply sequencing must follow the APEX II multi-rail requirement (VCCINT before VCCIO) to prevent in-rush current damage to the I/O cells.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A25F1020C8ES — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with EP2A25F1020C8ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Logic Elements, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A25F1020C8
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2A25F1020C7ES
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2A25F1020C9ES
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2A25B724C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$760 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25B652C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$285 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A15F672C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$98 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25F1020C8ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Logic Elements | 24,320 |
| System Gates | 2,750,000 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 622,592 |
| Maximum User I/O | 735 |
| Package | 1020-ball FineLine BGA |
| Package Code Suffix | F1020 |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0 C to +85 C) |
| Suffix Code | ES (Engineering Sample) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| MSL Level | 3 (168 Hours) |
| Packaging | Tray |
EP2A25F1020C8ES f1020 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A25F1020C8ES (f1020 package). This digital IC includes GPIO, communication interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C), and power pins. Refer to the manufacturer datasheet for alternate pin functions and configuration options. Essential for embedded system design and PCB layout.
No detailed pinout data available for EP2A25F1020C8ES.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A25F1020C8ES is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Card Logic, High-Resolution Video Processing Pipeline, ASIC Prototyping Platform, DSP Co-Processor, Industrial Control System Backplane, Custom Bus-Bridging and Protocol Conversion.
Telecommunications Line Card Logic
The EP2A25F1020C8ES's 24,320 logic elements and 735 user I/O make it well-suited for telecommunications line card design, where it implements custom serial-protocol engines, ATM/SONET framers, and high-density glue logic between network processors and PHY devices. With 622,592 bits of embedded RAM, the device can buffer packet payloads and lookup tables on-chip, reducing external memory cost. The APEX II MultiCore architecture supports both fine-grained control logic and coarse-grained datapaths in a single fabric. Placed on the line card between the framer ASIC and the backplane SERDES, it absorbs protocol-conversion overhead while maintaining deterministic latency; trade-off versus an ASIC is higher per-unit cost but full design-time flexibility.
Recommended
High-Resolution Video Processing Pipeline
In a video processing pipeline the EP2A25F1020C8ES provides the parallel arithmetic capacity needed for pixel-rate color-space conversion, motion compensation, and scaling operations. Its 735 user I/O pins support wide parallel video buses (RGB 4:4:4, dual-link LVDS) plus auxiliary control channels, while the 622,592-bit embedded RAM functions as line buffers to smooth pixel-throughput mismatches between input and processing stages. APEX II datapath mode enables efficient implementation of multiply-accumulate chains used in motion estimation. Placed between the video decoder ASIC and the DDR memory controller, it handles real-time 1080p streams at 60 Hz; trade-off versus a dedicated video ASIC is somewhat higher power consumption and unit cost.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EP2A25F1020C8ES is a popular target for ASIC prototyping because its 2,750,000 system gates allow large RTL designs to be partitioned and validated in real time before committing to silicon. The 735 user I/O pins permit break-out of all internal ASIC signals to physical headers for logic-analyzer and oscilloscope probing, while the embedded RAM emulates on-chip SRAM blocks. Quartus II synthesis supports automatic gate-level mapping to APEX II primitives. Used as the prototype vehicle for an ASIC before mask-tapeout, it provides bit-accurate validation at full system clock; trade-off versus FPGA-based emulation farms is limited gate capacity but very low cost per prototype board.
Recommended
DSP Co-Processor
In DSP co-processing applications the EP2A25F1020C8ES provides parallel arithmetic resources for FIR filters, FFT engines, and matrix operations that would otherwise consume the host DSP's MIPS. APEX II datapath blocks implement efficient multiply-accumulate chains, and the 622,592-bit embedded RAM serves as coefficient and scratch memory. The 735 user I/O permits a wide host-processor bus plus dedicated data paths to the analog front end. Placed alongside a TI TMS320 DSP, it accelerates block-processing kernels; trade-off versus dedicated DSP silicon is more flexible but less power-efficient for sustained high-duty-cycle computation.
Recommended
Industrial Control System Backplane
The EP2A25F1020C8ES integrates custom backplane glue logic in industrial control systems, replacing multiple discrete PLDs and bus-translator chips with a single programmable device. The 735 user I/O support ISA, VME, or proprietary parallel backplane standards simultaneously, while the 24,320 logic elements handle address decoding, interrupt arbitration, and watchdog timing. The commercial temperature grade (0 C to +85 C) suits most factory-floor enclosures. Mounted on the backplane adapter card, it consolidates discrete glue logic into a single package; trade-off versus discrete logic is higher unit cost but simplified BOM and easier field upgrades via JTAG reconfiguration.
Recommended
Custom Bus-Bridging and Protocol Conversion
The EP2A25F1020C8ES excels at custom bus-bridging applications where it converts between mismatched parallel buses (PCI to local bus, VME to VXI, GPIO to memory-mapped ASIC registers). The 24,320 logic elements implement full state-machine-based protocol engines with FIFO-style flow control, and the 735 user I/O accommodate wide bidirectional data buses on both sides of the bridge. The embedded RAM stores bridging tables and elastic buffers. Placed on an adapter card between two incompatible buses, it acts as a transparent protocol converter; trade-off versus an ASSP bridge is higher per-unit cost but full customisation for legacy systems.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A25F1020C8ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A25F1020C8 | EP2A25F1020C7ES | EP2A25F1020C9ES | EP2A25B724C7 | EP2A25B652C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same | Intel (Altera) - same |
| Package | 1020-ball FineLine BGA | 1020-ball FineLine BGA - same | 1020-ball FineLine BGA - same | 1020-ball FineLine BGA - same | 724-ball BGA - different | 652-ball BGA - different |
| Logic Elements | 24,320 | 24,320 - same | 24,320 - same | 24,320 - same | 24,320 - same | 15,840 (-35%) |
| System Gates | 2,750,000 | 2,750,000 - same | 2,750,000 - same | 2,750,000 - same | 2,750,000 - same | 1,600,000 (-42%) |
| Speed Grade | 8 | 8 - same | 7 (slower) | 9 (faster) | 7 (slower) | 7 (slower) |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 622,592 | 622,592 - same | 622,592 - same | 622,592 - same | 622,592 - same | 425,984 (-32%) |
| Maximum User I/O | 735 | 735 - same | 735 - same | 735 - same | ~540 (-27%) | ~492 (-33%) |
| Suffix / Status | ES (Engineering Sample) | Production | ES (Engineering Sample) | ES (Engineering Sample) | Production | Production |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density member of the APEX II family (vs EP2A15F672C7)
- Speed grade 8 - balanced performance/cost position (vs EP2A25F1020C7ES)
- Engineering Sample status enables pre-production validation (vs EP2A25F1020C8)
Design Notes
The 1020-ball FineLine BGA package with 1.27 mm ball pitch requires PCB microvia technology (laser-drilled or photo-defined) for escape routing. Standard through-via technology is unsuitable for inner-row balls. Use a 1+N+1 or 2+N+2 stack-up with buried vias for the inner rows, and follow APEX II BGA land-pattern guidelines for non-solder-mask-defined (NSMD) pads to maximize assembly yield. A daisy-chain test coupon is strongly recommended for first-article PCB validation.
Power-supply sequencing must follow APEX II requirements: VCCINT (core) must reach stable regulation before VCCIO (I/O bank) is applied. Reverse sequencing can cause high in-rush currents that damage I/O cells. Decoupling requires bulk capacitors (47-100 uF tantalum or polymer) plus 0.1 uF and 0.01 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 100 mils of each power ball. PLL analog supply (VCC_PLL) requires an additional ferrite bead and 10 uF decoupling network. Total power dissipation for a fully-utilized EP2A25 can exceed 5 W; thermal management via thermal vias and a heatsink may be necessary.
Configuration bitstream size must be matched to a compatible EPC-series PROM (typically EPC16 for a fully-utilized EP2A25 design). A smaller PROM will fail configuration mid-stream and lock the device. JTAG programming via ByteBlasterMV or USB-Blaster must be connected with TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, and a ground reference. Engineering Sample (ES) silicon may exhibit minor parametric differences versus production silicon; re-run timing analysis and full regression test suites before volume ramp. Estimated: VCCINT for APEX II EP2A25 is typically 1.5 V nominal per the family datasheet - verify against your specific revision before PCB layout.
Compliance Information
APEX II is a legacy Altera/Intel FPGA family in last-time-buy status. Compliance certifications should be requested from Intel's documentation archive or the authorized distributor providing the parts. The commercial temperature grade (C suffix) is not AEC-Q100 qualified - choose I (industrial) or A (automotive) grades for those applications.
