EP2A25F672C9N - 900K Gates APEX II FPGA, 672-BGA | Intel (Altera)
MPN: EP2A25F672C9N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $295 | $295.00 |
| 10 | $268 | $2,680.00 |
| 100 | $240 | $24,000.00 |
| 250 | $215 | $53,750.00 |
| 500 | $195 | $97,500.00 |
EP2A25F672C9N Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit that can be reconfigured by the customer after manufacture. FPGAs belong to the broader Programmable Logic Device (PLD) family, sitting hierarchically between fixed-function ASICs (which are mask-programmed and non-reusable) and software-programmable microcontrollers. The APEX II architecture combines embedded memory blocks, embedded multiplier blocks, and LUT-based logic, allowing it to map datapath, control, and interconnect functions into a single device. Modern successors such as Stratix, Cyclone, and Agilex inherit the architectural innovations introduced by APEX II, including true-LVDS support and high-speed I/O.
Key features include 492 user I/O pins, an internal core operating at up to 236 MHz per the part decoder, and support for multiple I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+, SSTL-2/3, LVDS, LVPECL, PCML, HyperTransport). The device contains embedded ESBs (Enhanced System Blocks) for fast on-chip RAM, and dedicated phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock synthesis and skew management. Configuration can be performed via serial or parallel PROM, JTAG, or the Altera passive parallel scheme using the enhanced configuration interface.
The 0.15-µm eight-layer copper interconnect process is engineered to maximize signal integrity and reduce die-level resistance for high-performance routing, while embedded multiplier blocks accelerate DSP operations such as FIR filters and FFT engines. The PLD provides abundant routing resources for high-utilization designs, with the 25-series being the densest member of the APEX II family.
Typical applications include high-speed data acquisition, telecom baseband processing, network switching fabrics, industrial imaging pipelines, and ASIC prototyping for ASIC emulation. The combination of LVDS support, large logic capacity, and embedded multipliers makes the EP2A25 particularly suitable for DSP-intensive designs.
When designing with EP2A25F672C9N, use the Quartus II design software (version 5.1 or later) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Ensure adequate decoupling on the 1.5 V core supply and provide proper LVDS termination networks.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A25F672C9N — 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 EP2A25F672C9N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, System Gates.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A25F672C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$205 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25F672C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25F672C9
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$700 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25F672C9ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$122 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25F672C9N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 24320 |
| System Gates | Approx. 900000 |
| Maximum User I/O | 492 |
| Operating Frequency | 236 MHz |
| Core Supply Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.425 V to 1.575 V (nominal 1.5 V) |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm all-layer copper, up to 8 metal layers |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F672), 27 × 27 mm, 1.00 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Seated Height (max) | 2.100 mm |
| Propagation Delay | 2.23 ns |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial, C9 grade) |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+, SSTL-2/3, LVDS, LVPECL, PCML, HyperTransport |
| LVDS Data Rate | Up to 1 Gbps (True-LVDS) |
| Configuration Interface | Serial / Parallel PROM, JTAG, passive parallel (enhanced) |
| Embedded Memory | Enhanced System Blocks (ESBs) for dual-port RAM |
| Design Software | Quartus II (v5.1 or later) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per distributor listings) |
EP2A25F672C9N 672-ball fineline bga (f672), 27 × 27 mm, 1.00 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A25F672C9N (672-ball fineline bga (f672), 27 × 27 mm, 1.00 mm pitch 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 EP2A25F672C9N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A25F672C9N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Baseband Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems, Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision, Network Switching Fabric, DSP-Intensive Scientific Instrumentation.
Telecom Baseband Processing
The EP2A25F672C9N is well-suited to telecom baseband processing because its 24,320 logic elements and embedded multiplier blocks can sustain multi-channel DSP kernels (FIR, FFT, equalizers) while its 492 user I/O pins aggregate parallel baseband data. True-LVDS support at up to 1 Gbps per channel allows direct connection to backplane serdes without external buffering, reducing BOM cost. Designers typically run the device at the C9 maximum of 236 MHz internal Fmax to meet symbol-rate timing budgets, with the 1.5 V core supply helping keep power dissipation manageable in fan-cooled line cards.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The ~900K system gates of the EP2A25F672C9N make it a common target for ASIC prototyping and emulation, where large customer RTL must be validated on real silicon before tape-out. The 672-ball FineLine BGA gives designers 492 user I/O pins to break out all chip signals for at-speed verification, and the embedded ESB memory blocks model register files and small SRAMs. Quartus II provides industry-standard synthesis with timing-driven place-and-route, while True-LVDS I/O emulates high-speed serializer-deserializer interfaces of modern ASICs.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems
The EP2A25F672C9N's combination of 1 Gbps True-LVDS receivers, 492 I/O pins, and large logic capacity makes it ideal for high-speed data acquisition systems that aggregate ADC data from multiple channels into FPGA fabric for real-time DSP. The embedded multipliers accelerate FFTs and digital down-conversion, while 24,320 logic elements permit per-channel signal conditioning. The FineLine BGA package supports controlled-impedance PCB routing required for sub-nanosecond LVDS edges, keeping the signal-integrity budget within typical ADC-FPGA interface specifications.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision
In industrial imaging, the EP2A25F672C9N aggregates high-speed Camera Link, LVDS, or parallel CMOS sensor data streams and processes them through embedded multipliers and ESB memories to perform real-time filtering, color conversion, and edge detection. The 492 I/O allow direct interfacing to multiple image sensors simultaneously without an external bridge ASIC. Quartus II reference designs for video pipelines shorten time-to-prototype for machine vision systems used in factory automation and inspection.
Recommended
Network Switching Fabric
The EP2A25F672C9N is deployed in network switching fabric line cards, where its 492 I/O pins aggregate multiple SGMII, LVDS, or SPI-4.2 lanes while the 24,320 logic elements implement queue managers, lookup engines, and packet-classification state machines. True-LVDS at 1 Gbps delivers wire-speed forwarding on GbE uplinks. The 1.5 V core supply combined with 0.15 µm process keeps per-port power low, which matters when a single line card hosts multiple FPGAs. Embedded memory blocks implement CAM and TCAM-equivalent lookup structures for L2/L3 forwarding.
Recommended
DSP-Intensive Scientific Instrumentation
Scientific instruments such as digital oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, and medical imaging systems use the EP2A25F672C9N for real-time DSP on multi-gigasample ADC data streams. Embedded multipliers accelerate FFTs and convolution kernels; ESB memory blocks implement deep sample buffers; 492 I/O aggregate multiple ADC channels. The 1.5 V core and 672-ball FineLine BGA provide a good thermal envelope for sealed instrument enclosures where fan noise must be minimized, while C9 speed grade sustains real-time triggering algorithms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A25F672C9N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A25F672C8N | EP2A25F672C7N | EP2A25F672C9 | EP2A25F672C9ES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F672), 27×27 mm, 1.0 mm pitch | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F672) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F672) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F672) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F672) - same |
| Speed Grade | C9 (fastest) | C8 | C7 | C9 | C9 |
| Logic Elements | 24320 | 24320 | 24320 | 24320 | 24320 |
| Maximum User I/O | 492 | 492 | 492 | 492 | 492 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C | 0 °C to +85 °C |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V (1.425 V - 1.575 V) | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| Packaging Format | Tray (C9N suffix = tape & reel variant) | Tape & reel | Tape & reel | Tray | Engineering sample |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest commercial speed grade in the APEX II 25-series 672-ball F672 package (vs EP2A25F672C8N)
- Highest density member of the APEX II family in 672-ball BGA (vs EP2A15F672C9N)
- True-LVDS support at up to 1 Gbps (vs Lower-density APEX II EP20K600CF672C9N)
Design Notes
The EP2A25F672C9N is a high-density FPGA in a 672-ball FineLine BGA. Estimated: at typical utilization (~70% logic, 50% toggle, 236 MHz), core dissipation can exceed 2 W; combined with I/O power this often reaches 4-6 W. The package θJA must be checked against the system thermal budget, and an 8-layer PCB with continuous ground/power planes directly under the BGA is recommended. Without a heatsink or sufficient copper pour, junction temperature may exceed 100 °C in sealed enclosures.
Use a minimum 8-layer PCB stack-up with dedicated ground and 1.5 V core planes under the BGA. Place low-ESR ceramic decoupling (0.1 µF + 10 µF bulk) within 2 mm of every power ball. Matched-impedance (100 Ω differential) routing is required for all LVDS pairs; keep LVDS traces length-matched within 150 mil to preserve 1 Gbps signal integrity. The FineLine BGA requires NSMD pads with a 0.4-0.5 mm solder-mask opening per Altera packaging guidelines.
Do not substitute EP2A25F672I8 (industrial temp) for EP2A25F672C9N (commercial temp) in commercial systems without re-validating timing - industrial parts have different speed-grade test conditions. Ensure Quartus II software version 5.1 or later is used; earlier versions do not support the APEX II family. Pin 1 of the F672 BGA is identified by a dot on the package top, and the orientation must be respected when designing the PCB land pattern.
When using 1 Gbps True-LVDS, maintain 100 Ω differential impedance on every LVDS pair and place a 100 Ω termination resistor at the receiver end. For LVPECL and PCML I/O, follow the AC-coupling and bias-network requirements from the APEX II handbook chapter 7. Ground-plane splits under high-speed traces cause impedance discontinuities and must be avoided. Series damping resistors (10-33 Ω) may be required on long PCB traces to control ringing at >500 Mbps.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status per distributor listings; halogen-free status not explicitly stated in available data. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial-grade FPGA. Conflict-minerals compliance per Intel/Altera standard disclosures.
