EP2A40F33I-8 - APEX II FPGA, 1.5M gates, 672 IO, F33 BGA
MPN: EP2A40F33I-8 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $118 | $11,800.00 |
| 500 | $105 | $52,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $95 | $95,000.00 |
EP2A40F33I-8 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit that can be reconfigured by the customer after manufacture to implement arbitrary digital logic. APEX II FPGAs belong to the broader programmable-logic hierarchy: FPGA -> programmable logic device (PLD) -> digital logic IC -> integrated circuit. They differ from CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices) by offering higher logic density, distributed RAM, dedicated DSP blocks, and high-speed I/O, making them the platform of choice for parallel datapath and high-bandwidth designs.
Key features include four phase-locked loops (PLUs), four high-speed clock networks, support for multiple I/O standards (LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, GTL+, SSTL-2/3, HSTL, LVDS, LVPECL), and 16 high-speed clock pins. Embedded system memory can be configured as FIFO, RAM, or ROM with parity support. The F33 package exposes 672 user I/O pins, providing massive pin density for memory-rich interfaces and parallel processing fabrics.
The EP2A40F33I-8's architecture combines Look-Up Table (LUT) based logic elements with dedicated carry chains, cascade chains, and embedded memory blocks. This hybrid datapath is well suited to DSP, filtering, and bus-bridging applications that exceed the capacity of smaller FPGAs such as the Cyclone family. Configuration is volatile SRAM-based, requiring a serial or parallel configuration PROM such as the Altera EPC16 or EPC8 at power-up.
Typical applications include high-speed telecommunications line cards, parallel image-processing pipelines, ASIC prototyping, bus-bridging between processor and high-speed memory, and industrial control designs that benefit from abundant I/O. Designers commonly pair the EP2A40F33I-8 with Altera Quartus II design software for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing analysis.
When designing with the EP2A40F33I-8, ensure that the 672-ball FineLine BGA land pattern is matched by the PCB and that an appropriate external configuration device is selected for SRAM-based volatile configuration. Industrial temperature grade (-40 °C to +85 °C) and moisture sensitivity level 3 (MSL3) with peak reflow temperature of 220 °C per JEDEC J-STD-020 require controlled storage and reflow profiles.
This page synthesizes verified distributor pricing, drop-in same-brand variants from the same Altera APEX II family, and practical PCB-layout and configuration-design notes that complement - rather than duplicate - the official Altera APEX II datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F33I-8 — 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 EP2A40F33I-8 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40F33I-7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$119 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F33C-9
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$78 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F33C-8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP2A40F33C-7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$112 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A25F672I8
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$125 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A15F672I8
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$680 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F33I-8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Device Type | FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) |
| Typical Gates | 1,500,000 |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 40,960 |
| Embedded System Memory | 425,984 bits |
| Maximum User I/O | 672 |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F33) |
| Speed Grade | -8 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40 °C to +85 °C) |
| PLLs | 4 |
| High-Speed Clock Pins | 16 |
| Configuration Method | SRAM (volatile) - external PROM required |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level | MSL 3 |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 °C |
EP2A40F33I-8 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | IO — User I/O pin (function varies by Quartus pin assignment) |
| Pin A2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin A3 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage bank |
| Pin A4 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin A5 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin A6 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage |
| Pin A7 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin A8 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin A9 | GND — Ground |
| Pin A10 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin A11 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage bank |
| Pin A12 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B1 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B2 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage |
| Pin B3 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B4 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B5 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B6 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B7 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B8 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage bank |
| Pin B9 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B10 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin B11 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B12 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin C2 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C3 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C4 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage bank |
| Pin C5 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C6 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C7 | VCCINT — Core supply voltage |
| Pin C8 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C9 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C10 | GND — Ground |
| Pin C11 | IO — User I/O pin |
| Pin C12 | IO — User I/O pin |
Typical Applications
EP2A40F33I-8 is suitable for 7 applications: High-Speed Telecommunications Line Card, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Parallel Image Processing Pipeline, Industrial Motor and Servo Control, High-Speed Bus Bridge (PCI/PMC to Local Bus), Radar Signal Pre-Processing, Legacy Industrial Control System Upgrade.
High-Speed Telecommunications Line Card
The EP2A40F33I-8's 40,960 logic elements and 672 user I/O make it well suited to telecommunications line cards that aggregate DS3/E3/STM-1 traffic and process HDLC or ATM frames in hardware. Its multi-standard I/O support (LVTTL, LVDS, LVPECL) allows direct connection to framer ICs and backplane transceivers without glue logic. The four on-chip PLUs provide the multiple clock domains required for inverse multiplexing across parallel TDM trunks. Designers typically target 30-50% logic utilization on this device to balance timing closure against headroom for late-stage feature adds. APEX II also supports source-synchronous interfaces via its 16 high-speed clock pins, which is essential for gapped-clock telecom buses.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
With 1.5 million typical gates and 40,960 LEs, the EP2A40F33I-8 is widely used for ASIC prototyping and logic emulation where full-design verification requires a high-density programmable fabric. Compared to ASICs, the F33 BGA variant offers 672 I/O for high-pin-count emulation targets and supports LVDS/LVPECL for high-speed probing. Quartus II synthesis and incremental compile flows let design teams partition large ASIC RTL across multiple APEX II FPGAs. The industrial temperature grade enables prototyping in field environments outside climate-controlled labs. Designers should plan for configuration time from external PROMs at every power-cycle because SRAM-based configuration is volatile.
Recommended
Parallel Image Processing Pipeline
The EP2A40F33I-8's 425,984 embedded memory bits and 16 high-speed clock pins are ideal for parallel image-processing pipelines that buffer multiple video frames in on-chip FIFO while applying pixel-level algorithms. The four PLUs synchronize camera-sensor clocks, SDRAM burst clocks, and display refresh rates from independent sources. APEX II's LVDS I/O enables direct connection to high-speed CMOS image sensors without external serializer ICs. The 672-ball F33 package provides the ground/power ball density required to keep the 32-bit wide pixel bus free from simultaneous switching noise. Compared to smaller FPGAs, the EP2A40F33I-8 doubles the LE budget per pipeline stage, reducing fabric latency.
Recommended
Industrial Motor and Servo Control
The EP2A40F33I-8's industrial temperature grade (-40 °C to +85 °C), high-noise-immunity LVDS I/O, and dedicated PLUs make it a robust platform for multi-axis motor and servo controllers that generate PWM waveforms with sub-microsecond resolution. Designers implement encoder feedback decoding, PI/D current loops, and field-oriented control on the same fabric to consolidate what would otherwise require multiple microcontrollers. The 672 I/O easily accommodate 8-16 axes of quadrature encoder and PWM feedback. APEX II's embedded memory supports fast current-loop sample buffers. Designers should isolate the F33 BGA's sensitive analog I/O from high-current drive stages using the abundant GND balls.
Recommended
High-Speed Bus Bridge (PCI/PMC to Local Bus)
The EP2A40F33I-8 implements bus-bridging and protocol-conversion logic between legacy PCI/PMC mezzanine cards and modern local buses such as VME, cPCI, or proprietary backplanes. Its PCI-compliant I/O cells and 672 user I/O pins allow dual-bus bridges with extensive FIFO depth using embedded memory. The four on-chip PLUs generate the independent clocks required for asymmetric read/write paths. APEX II's track-based routing fabric simplifies timing closure on 33/66 MHz PCI segments. Compared to ASSP bridges, the EP2A40F33I-8 allows in-the-field firmware updates that adapt the bridge to new payloads. The industrial temperature grade suits factory-floor installations.
Recommended
Radar Signal Pre-Processing
The EP2A40F33I-8's 425 Kbits of embedded memory and high-clock-domain PLU count make it well suited to radar-signal pre-processing stages where ADC samples are buffered, windowed, and FFT-prepped before downstream DSP. APEX II's LVDS and LVPECL inputs directly accept differential ADC outputs up to several hundred Msps. The F33 BGA exposes 672 I/O to fan out into multiple analog front-end channels simultaneously. The industrial temperature grade supports ground-mobile and shipboard installations. Designers typically cascade multiple EP2A40F33I-8 devices for higher channel counts, sharing configuration PROMs via the FLEX configuration chain.
Recommended
Legacy Industrial Control System Upgrade
The EP2A40F33I-8 is commonly used as a drop-in replacement controller in legacy industrial control systems originally designed around APEX II 672-ball BGA footprints. Its 40,960 LEs and 425 Kbits of embedded memory provide enough headroom to consolidate multiple legacy PAL/PLD functions onto a single FPGA, reducing board complexity and inventory. The SRAM-based volatile configuration supports frequent firmware updates for evolving control algorithms. Compared to microcontrollers, the FPGA fabric executes deterministic parallel logic within bounded clock cycles - critical for hard-real-time industrial loops. The industrial temperature grade and obsolete status mean designers should plan EOL transitions to newer Cyclone or MAX 10 families, but the EP2A40F33I-8 itself remains a stable, well-characterized platform for brownfield retrofits.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F33I-8 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40F33I-7 | EP2A40F33C-9 | EP2A40F33C-8 | EP2A25F672I8 | EP2A15F672I8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Package | F33 (672-ball FineLine BGA) | F33 (672-ball FineLine BGA) - same | F33 (672-ball FineLine BGA) - same | F33 (672-ball FineLine BGA) - same | F33 (672-ball FineLine BGA) - same | F33 (672-ball FineLine BGA) - same |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 40,960 | 40,960 | 40,960 | 40,960 | ~25,000 (-39%) | ~15,000 (-63%) |
| Typical Gates | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 | ~900,000 | ~600,000 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 425,984 | 425,984 | 425,984 | 425,984 | ~266,000 | ~166,000 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +85C) |
| Speed Grade | -8 | -7 (faster) | -9 (slower) | -8 (same) | -8 | -8 |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
| Configuration | SRAM (volatile, external PROM) | SRAM (volatile, external PROM) | SRAM (volatile, external PROM) | SRAM (volatile, external PROM) | SRAM (volatile, external PROM) | SRAM (volatile, external PROM) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-pin-count APEX II die in F33 BGA package (vs EP2A40F1020I8 (F1020 1020-ball BGA))
- Industrial temperature grade for harsh-environment deployment (vs EP2A40F33C-8 (commercial temperature F33 sibling))
- Speed grade -8 balances timing margin and cost (vs EP2A40F33I-7 (faster speed grade -7))
- Larger logic density than smaller APEX II family members (vs EP2A25F672I8 and EP2A15F672I8)
Design Notes
The EP2A40F33I-8 requires two separate supply rails: VCCINT for the core logic (typically 1.8 V for APEX II) and VCCIO for the I/O banks (1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V depending on the I/O standard). Designers should provide at least four 0.1 µF decoupling capacitors per VCCIO bank placed as close as possible to the F33 BGA balls. Estimated quiescent current for the F33 package is approximately 1.2 A on VCCINT and up to 1 A on VCCIO depending on switching activity; bulk decoupling of 100 µF is recommended.
The 672-ball FineLine BGA has a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) of approximately 12 °C/W with 1 m/s airflow. APEX II FPGAs at full utilization can dissipate 5-8 W; designers must verify junction temperature stays below 125 °C. Add thermal vias under the package center thermal pad array and ensure copper pours cover at least 50% of the BGA footprint. At industrial temperature grade (105 °C max junction), this leaves roughly 10 °C margin without additional cooling.
The F33 BGA uses a 1.27 mm ball pitch and requires a 6/6 mil trace/space PCB process for escape routing. Designers should use microvia technology (stacked or staggered) for inner-row signal escapes. The BGA has dedicated GND balls distributed throughout; connect these to a continuous ground plane with multiple vias per ball to minimize inductance. All VCCIO and VCCINT balls must be connected to power planes (not traces) to handle transient currents. Use a split-plane layout to isolate analog and digital VCCIO domains.
Because the APEX II is SRAM-based, configuration is volatile - if the external PROM (EPC16/EPC8) is mis-programmed or absent, the device will not function after power-up. Designers should connect the nCONFIG pin high and verify CONF_DONE rises within 100 ms. Do not assume that all 672 I/O balls are user I/O; some are dedicated clock, JTAG, or configuration pins. The JTAG chain (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) must be pulled to known states during normal operation to avoid spurious Boundary-Scan events.
The F33 BGA exposes 16 high-speed clock pins that support LVDS, LVPECL, and HSTL I/O standards. Source-synchronous interfaces must match trace lengths within ±50 ps across a byte lane to meet APEX II setup/hold requirements. Use differential pair routing with 100 Ω differential impedance and continuous reference planes on adjacent layers. For LVDS receivers, place 100 Ω termination resistors within 7 mm of the BGA balls. Multiple PLUs should be cascaded with their compensation modes matched to avoid jitter accumulation.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, halogen-free, and conflict-mineral status were not specified in the verified web data. The Altera APEX II family was originally released in the early 2000s, before RoHS became universal, so individual date codes vary; engineers requiring RoHS-compliant builds should request certificates of compliance from the distributor.
