EP2A40B724C8ES - 38,400 Logic Elements FPGA, 540 I/O, 724-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP2A40B724C8ES ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $245 | $2,450.00 |
| 100 | $198.5 | $19,850.00 |
| 500 | $175 | $87,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $162 | $162,000.00 |
EP2A40B724C8ES Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reconfigurable integrated circuit that combines programmable logic blocks, programmable interconnects, and programmable I/O cells on a single die. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, FPGAs sit under programmable logic devices (PLDs), which are part of the digital logic IC family. APEX II devices extend the PLD hierarchy with embedded memory blocks (EABs) and dedicated high-speed interconnect, positioning them between mid-density CPLDs and high-end structured ASICs in design density and capability.
Key features of the EP2A40B724C8ES include 38,400 logic elements, approximately 655K gates of usable logic, embedded array blocks for memory implementation, dedicated carry chains for arithmetic, and a MultiCore interconnect that routes signals across rows and columns of logic. The device supports LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, SSTL, and GTL+ I/O standards, and includes on-chip PLL circuitry for clock multiplication and skew management.
The APEX II architecture uses a sea-of-LABs (Logic Array Blocks) fabric with embedded ESB (Embedded System Block) memory, allowing efficient implementation of wide datapath functions, FIFOs, and dual-port RAM. The -8 speed grade and 724-pin FCBGA package indicate this device targets performance-critical applications where high I/O count and thermal headroom are essential.
Typical applications include telecom line-card processing, high-speed network routers, ASIC prototyping, digital signal processing for radar and imaging, and test equipment requiring rapid logic reconfiguration. The 540 available I/Os make it particularly suited for parallel bus bridging and protocol conversion roles.
When designing with this part, careful PCB layout is essential: the 724-ball FCBGA package requires microvia or HDI PCB technology, and decoupling capacitance must be placed close to every power pin. Power estimation tools should be run early because a fully utilized APEX II device can consume significant current across multiple supply rails.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40B724C8ES — 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 EP2A40B724C8ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Package, Series, Mounting Type, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40B724C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$615 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B724C7ES
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$155 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B724C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B724C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$650 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B724C8ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | APEX II (EP2A) |
| Family | Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 38,400 |
| Number of Gates (typical) | 655,360 |
| Number of I/O | 540 |
| Package | 724-BBGA / FCBGA |
| Speed Grade | -8 (C8) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Embedded Memory | Embedded System Blocks (ESB) |
| Programmable Logic Type | SRAM-based, in-system reconfigurable |
| Architecture | MultiCore interconnect with LABs and ESBs |
EP2A40B724C8ES 724-bbga / fcbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40B724C8ES (724-bbga / fcbga 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 EP2A40B724C8ES.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40B724C8ES is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line-Card Processing, ASIC Prototyping, DSP and Image Processing Pipelines, High-Speed Network Routers and Switches, Industrial Test and Measurement Equipment, Aerospace and Defense Signal Processing.
Telecom Line-Card Processing
The Intel EP2A40B724C8ES delivers 38,400 logic elements and 540 user I/Os, making it well suited for telecom line-card processing where multiple serial and parallel interface streams must be aggregated. Its APEX II MultiCore interconnect sustains high fan-out routing between embedded system blocks, which is required for TDM/SONET framing, ATM cell processing, and HDLC controllers running concurrently. The 724-ball FCBGA package provides the thermal headroom needed for sustained traffic loads at industrial ambient temperatures.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping
ASIC prototyping is one of the canonical uses for the EP2A40B724C8ES: with 38,400 logic elements and 655K typical gates, the silicon can map large multi-block ASIC RTL before committing to mask costs. The APEX II LAB/ESB fabric preserves synthesized register, memory, and arithmetic behaviour with predictable timing, which lets RTL sign-off be performed against real hardware instead of simulation only. Engineering teams can probe any internal signal via the JTAG boundary-scan path, dramatically improving debug productivity over gate-level simulation alone.
Recommended
DSP and Image Processing Pipelines
The EP2A40B724C8ES is well matched to digital signal processing pipelines such as FFT engines, image convolution, and radar pulse compression, where its 38,400 logic elements combined with dedicated carry chains sustain high MAC throughput. Each LAB integrates adders and registers that map efficiently to FIR filter taps, while the embedded system blocks (ESBs) hold coefficient tables and windowing RAM. With 540 user I/Os the device can accept multi-channel video or 16-bit ADC data without external bus multiplexing.
Recommended
High-Speed Network Routers and Switches
Networking routers and switches demand deep packet buffering plus flexible lookup logic, and the EP2A40B724C8ES provides both via 38,400 logic elements and the embedded system block memory. The 540 user I/Os route directly to multiple SPI-4.2, SGMII, or parallel LVDS interfaces without external bus-bridge logic, while the APEX II MultiCore interconnect maintains non-blocking paths between ingress, fabric, and egress stages. Designers typically achieve multi-gigabit line-rate forwarding on this device in conjunction with external TCAM or DDR memory.
Recommended
Industrial Test and Measurement Equipment
Test and measurement platforms such as protocol analysers, logic-analyser back-ends, and high-channel-count ATE pin-electronics cards benefit from the EP2A40B724C8ES's 540 I/Os and large logic capacity. The device can simultaneously drive multiple parallel buses (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI), implement stimulus generators, and capture waveforms into on-chip ESB memory. The 724-ball FCBGA's exposed-die thermal path keeps junction temperature manageable even when many channels toggle simultaneously at 100 MHz.
Recommended
Aerospace and Defense Signal Processing
Aerospace and defense platforms require radiation-tolerant, high-throughput FPGA logic, and the EP2A40B724C8ES fits many line-replaceable units where throughput exceeds that of older rad-hard ASICs. The 38,400 logic elements implement FFT, encoder/decoder, and cryptographic pre-processing, while the 540 user I/Os accommodate multi-channel MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, or Radar data links. ES screening (-8C8ES suffix) targets the extended-temperature ranges common in avionics bays and ground-mobile deployments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40B724C8ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40B724C8 | EP2A40B724C7ES | EP2A40B724C7N | EP2A40B724C7 | EP2A40B652C9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 724-BBGA / FCBGA | 724-BBGA / FCBGA - same | 724-BBGA / FCBGA - same | 724-BBGA / FCBGA - same | 724-BBGA / FCBGA - same | 652-BBGA / FCBGA - different (smaller footprint, requires PCB rework) |
| Logic Elements | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 | 38,400 |
| Number of Gates (typical) | 655,360 | 655,360 | 655,360 | 655,360 | 655,360 | 655,360 |
| Speed Grade | -8 (C8) | -8 (C8) | -7 (C7) - faster | -7 (C7) - faster | -7 (C7) - faster | -9 (C9) - slower |
| Screening | ES (extended screening) | Commercial | ES | Commercial, lead-free | Commercial | Commercial |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Largest APEX II device with 38,400 logic elements (vs EP2A25F672 (lower-density APEX II at 25K logic elements))
- Highest I/O count in the EP2A40 family (vs EP2A40B652C8 (652-ball FCBGA with fewer user I/Os))
- ES screening for industrial / aerospace temperature ranges (vs EP2A40B724C8 (commercial screening, no ES suffix))
- SRAM-based in-system reconfigurability (vs CPLD alternatives (non-volatile, slower, smaller))
Design Notes
The 724-ball FCBGA package has a fine ball pitch that mandates high-density interconnect (HDI) PCB technology with microvia stack-ups (typically 4-6 layers with laser-drilled microvias). Use 1 oz copper on outer layers for power and ground flood, and place a full array of thermal vias under the package center to conduct heat from the exposed die to an inner ground plane. BGA fan-out should follow escape routing for 0.8 mm pitch or smaller, and trace impedance must be controlled to 50 ohms for LVDS or GTL+ signals.
Estimated: A fully utilized EP2A40B724C8ES design can draw 1-3 A from VCCINT and several hundred milliamps from VCCIO, depending on clock frequency and toggle rate. Use a dedicated linear or DC-DC regulator for VCCINT (low-noise) and separate bulk decoupling (10 uF tantalum + 0.1 uF ceramic per power pin group). Place a 100 uF bulk capacitor near the device power inlet to absorb switching transients. Power estimation in the Quartus II PowerPlay tool should be run before PCB layout.
Separate high-speed differential pairs (LVDS, GTL+) from slower LVTTL/PCI buses with at least 4x dielectric spacing on the same layer. Route configuration signals (MSEL, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) with short, guarded traces; pull-up resistors on nCONFIG and nSTATUS are mandatory. Place the JTAG chain header within 2 inches of the device, and add series damping resistors on clock inputs to limit overshoot.
Do not assume the EP2A40B724C7 (faster grade) part will boot in place of EP2A40B724C8ES with zero design changes: although pin-compatible, the C7 grade may exhibit different I/O timing margins and the Quartus II timing analyzer must be re-run for any C-to-C swap. Avoid mixing EP2A40 with EP2A25 silicon in the same JTAG chain because their IDCODEs differ and configuration software will reject the mixed chain.
Compliance Information
Compliance information was not available in the verified web data. APEX II devices predate many modern compliance mandates; check legacy Altera/Intel PCN history for specific substance declarations. AEC-Q100 is not applicable because this is an FPGA, not a discrete automotive IC.
