EP2A40F33C-7 - Altera APEX II FPGA, 1500K Gates | Altera
MPN: EP2A40F33C-7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $185 | $185.00 |
| 10 | $165 | $1,650.00 |
| 100 | $145 | $14,500.00 |
| 500 | $128 | $64,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $112 | $112,000.00 |
EP2A40F33C-7 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable logic device that engineers can configure after manufacture to implement custom integrated-circuit functionality. The taxonomy flows: FPGA -> programmable logic device (PLD) -> logic IC -> integrated circuit -> semiconductor. Within the broader programmable logic hierarchy, FPGAs sit above CPLDs (smaller, non-volatile, typically used for glue logic) and alongside mask-programmed gate arrays and structured ASICs. APEX II is positioned between older APEX 20K series and the later Stratix/Stratix II families, and was Altera's flagship high-density platform before being superseded.
The defining features of the EP2A40 include up to 40,960 logic elements (LEs), embedded memory blocks totaling approximately 342 Kbits of dual-port RAM, support for LVDS, LVPECL, and various single-ended I/O standards, and up to four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management. The FineLine BGA-33 package supports high I/O count while preserving signal integrity for high-speed serial and parallel interfaces. The device operates from a 1.5 V core supply with separate VCCIO banks for I/O flexibility across mixed-voltage system designs.
Architecturally, APEX II combines a fine-grained logic fabric with ESBs that can be configured as memory, multipliers, or CAM. The LUT-based approach allows efficient mapping of state machines, datapaths, and pipelined arithmetic. The high-speed MultiTrack interconnect minimizes routing congestion for designs that would otherwise require a structured ASIC, making the EP2A40 well-suited for prototyping and low-to-medium volume production.
Typical applications include high-speed telecommunications line cards, video and image processing pipelines, ASIC prototyping, DSP co-processing, and networking equipment where parallel processing throughput is essential. It is also used in industrial control and instrumentation requiring rapid custom logic implementation.
When designing with the EP2A40F33C-7, ensure proper decoupling on all supply pins (per Altera's AN75 reference), follow IBIS models for signal-integrity analysis on high-speed nets, and use the Quartus II design software (version 6.0 or later, in legacy maintenance mode) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the APEX II family, and practical design notes that complement the manufacturer datasheet and Quartus II device support files.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F33C-7 — 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 EP2A40F33C-7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40B724C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$650 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B652C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP2A40F1020C7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$138 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40B724C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$615 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25F672C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$118 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP20K600CF672C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2267.89 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F33C-7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Logic Elements | 40,960 LEs |
| Typical Gates | 1,500,000 system gates |
| Embedded Memory | 342 Kbits dual-port RAM |
| Speed Grade | -7 |
| Package | 33 mm FineLine BGA (F33) |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| I/O Voltage Support | 1.5 V / 1.8 V / 2.5 V / 3.3 V (multi-bank) |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm CMOS |
| PLLs | Up to 4 |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0 °C to +85 °C) |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level | MSL 3 |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 °C |
| Design Software | Quartus II (legacy) |
| Configuration Method | Passive serial / parallel / JTAG |
EP2A40F33C-7 33 mm fineline bga (f33) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40F33C-7 (33 mm fineline bga (f33) 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 EP2A40F33C-7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40F33C-7 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Cards, ASIC Prototyping, Video and Image Processing, DSP Co-Processing, Networking Equipment, Industrial Control and Instrumentation.
Telecommunications Line Cards
The EP2A40F33C-7's 40,960 logic elements and 342 Kbits embedded dual-port RAM make it well-suited for telecommunications line card designs where high gate count is required to implement multiple protocol engines concurrently. With up to 4 PLLs and multi-bank I/O supporting LVDS/LVPECL standards, the device can handle high-speed serial backplane interfaces and parallel TDM datastreams simultaneously. Compared to an ASIC, the APEX II lets telecom OEMs iterate on framing, switching, and queuing algorithms in days rather than months. Engineers typically use the -7 speed grade when targeting 155 Mbps POS-PHY or 622 Mbps SPI-4.2 interfaces in legacy SDH/SONET line cards.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping
The EP2A40F33C-7 offers roughly 1.5M system gates, allowing engineers to prototype ASIC designs up to several hundred thousand gates in a single FPGA. The APEX II ESB architecture provides dual-port RAM blocks that map naturally to ASIC register-file and FIFO requirements, and the LUT-based fabric accommodates combinational glue logic. Quartus II synthesis tools provide netlist export back to ASIC flows, accelerating design verification before tapeout. For ASIC prototyping of networking ASICs, DSP pipelines, or video processing chips, the -7 speed grade supports verification at near-ASIC clock rates on representative IO interfaces.
Recommended
Video and Image Processing
The EP2A40F33C-7's parallel architecture and abundant LUTs enable real-time video and image processing pipelines, including color-space conversion, motion estimation, and JPEG/MPEG codec pre-processing. Each ESB can be configured as dual-port RAM to implement line buffers and frame stores, and the LUT fabric maps efficiently to pixel-parallel arithmetic operators. The -7 speed grade supports typical clock rates above 100 MHz on representative datapaths. For legacy broadcast equipment and industrial machine-vision systems, the APEX II remains a viable option when migration to newer Intel FPGAs is not cost-justified.
Recommended
DSP Co-Processing
The EP2A40F33C-7's 1.5M gates and ESB-based multipliers (when configured in multiplier mode) enable efficient DSP co-processing for FFT, FIR, and convolutional operations. The FPGA acts as a hardware accelerator alongside a host processor, offloading compute-intensive kernels with deterministic latency. For radar signal processing, software-defined radio baseband, and ultrasound beamforming, the -7 speed grade supports pipelined DSP throughput at multi-million samples per second. Legacy DSP co-processing boards using APEX II remain in service in aerospace, defense, and medical imaging systems.
Recommended
Networking Equipment
The EP2A40F33C-7 is widely deployed in legacy networking equipment, including routers, switches, and protocol converters that require parallel processing of multiple packet streams. The APEX II architecture supports custom CAM/TCAM implementations in ESBs for fast lookup tables, and the high I/O count of the F33 package enables multiple gigabit Ethernet ports via external PHYs. For network equipment vendors, the -7 speed grade offers adequate timing margin for packet-processing pipelines at 100 Mbps and gigabit rates, and the FineLine BGA's signal integrity supports GMII/RGMII interfaces with proper PCB stackup design.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Instrumentation
The EP2A40F33C-7 (commercial temperature) suits factory automation controllers, test and measurement instruments, and motor control applications where deterministic custom logic is needed. Its programmable nature lets OEMs implement proprietary control algorithms, encoder interfaces, and safety interlocks without spinning an ASIC. The APEX II's JTAG-based configuration and boundary-scan support simplify production testing, and the FineLine BGA enables compact PCB layouts in space-constrained instruments. For industrial applications requiring -40 °C to +85 °C operation, the EP2A40FI33 industrial variant should be specified.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F33C-7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40B724C7 | EP2A40B652C7 | EP2A40F1020C7 | EP2A40B724C8 | EP2A25F672C7 | EP20K600CF672C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 33 mm FineLine BGA (F33) | BGA-724 | BGA-652 | 1020-ball BGA | BGA-724 | BGA-672 | BGA-672 |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Family | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX II | APEX 20K |
| Logic Elements | 40,960 LEs | 40,960 LEs | 40,960 LEs | 40,960 LEs | 40,960 LEs | 25,920 LEs | ~23,520 LEs |
| System Gates | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | ~900,000 | ~600,000 |
| Embedded Memory | 342 Kbits | 342 Kbits | 342 Kbits | 342 Kbits | 342 Kbits | ~200 Kbits | ~320 Kbits |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -7 | -7 | -7 | -8 | -7 | -7 |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Largest APEX II die with maximum logic capacity (vs EP2A25F672C7)
- Compact FineLine BGA package for high-speed designs (vs EP2A40B724C7)
- Mid-tier -7 speed grade for balanced performance (vs EP2A40B724C8)
Design Notes
The F33 FineLine BGA package requires controlled-impedance PCB stackup design with matched trace lengths for LVDS/LVPECL interfaces. Use microstrip or stripline geometry with characteristic impedance of 50 ohm for single-ended and 100 ohm differential per Altera application note AN75. Place decoupling capacitors as close as possible to each power pin pair, using 0.1 µF ceramic in parallel with 10 µF bulk per quadrant of the BGA. The 1.5 V core supply must be decoupled from VCCIO bank supplies to prevent switching noise coupling through the die substrate.
FineLine BGA ball pitch (typically 1.0 mm) requires PCB via-in-pad or dog-bone fanout routing to escape the inner balls. For high-speed signal balls, use microvia or via-in-pad construction with filled and plated-over vias to minimize stubs and maintain signal integrity at >100 MHz operation. Layer stackup should place high-speed signals on adjacent layers to ground planes, and ground returns must be continuous beneath all high-speed traces to control impedance and reduce EMI.
The EP2A40F33C-7 is rated MSL 3 with a peak reflow of 220 °C, so pre-bake the device per JEDEC J-STD-033 before assembly if the moisture-barrier bag has been open beyond the floor-life limit. In-system configuration via JTAG is required after each power-up; do not assume the FPGA retains its configuration without external configuration memory (EPC2 or compatible). Also note that the APEX II is obsolete and not recommended for new designs; for new development, target Stratix II/III/IV or Cyclone IV/V families with active Intel lifecycle support.
Estimated: at maximum toggle activity and 1.5 V core supply drawing 1.5 A, the EP2A40 dissipates roughly 2.25 W; with the F33 FineLine BGA theta_JA of approximately 12 °C/W (per Altera package thermal characteristics), junction temperature rise is approximately 27 °C above ambient. Provide adequate PCB copper area beneath the BGA - typically a full ground plane on the top layer plus thermal vias to inner ground planes - to maintain junction temperature within commercial 0 °C to +85 °C limits under worst-case ambient conditions.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per distributor listings; commercial grade (0 °C to +85 °C) - not automotive qualified; lead-free reflow at 220 °C peak per JEDEC J-STD-020. APEX II family has been EOL'd by Intel/Altera; current production devices are in the Stratix/Cyclone/Agilex families.
