EP2A40F33I-9 - APEX II FPGA 1.5M gates 33-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP2A40F33I-9 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $118.5 | $11,850.00 |
| 250 | $109 | $27,250.00 |
| 500 | $99.5 | $49,750.00 |
EP2A40F33I-9 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit that can be reprogrammed by the customer after manufacture to implement arbitrary digital logic. FPGAs sit hierarchically above CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices) in density and below ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) in per-unit cost. The APEX II family, launched in the early 2000s, targets high-performance networking, telecommunications, and DSP applications where designers need hundreds of thousands of logic elements plus embedded memory and high-speed I/O in a single device. The architecture combines look-up-table (LUT) based logic with embedded array blocks (EABs) for memory and DSP functions.
Key features of the EP2A40F33I-9 include 1.5M typical gates, embedded system blocks, multi-voltage I/O support (1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V), and LVDS I/O capability for high-speed chip-to-chip signaling. The FineLine BGA-33 package provides a compact footprint suitable for space-constrained designs while still offering sufficient pin count for the device's signal I/O requirements. The industrial temperature range supports operation in harsh environments including outdoor telecommunications and industrial automation.
The APEX II architecture combines LUT-based logic with embedded array blocks providing on-chip memory and dedicated carry chains for arithmetic. MultiVolt I/O allows mixed-voltage interfacing without external level shifters, which simplifies board design when the FPGA bridges legacy 5V peripherals and modern 1.8V cores. The combination of high density and flexible I/O made APEX II popular for protocol bridge, packet processing, and high-speed serial interface designs in the early-to-mid 2000s.
Typical applications for this part include telecommunications line cards, industrial control systems, DSP co-processing, custom interface bridging, and legacy ASIC replacement designs. The BGA package is generally chosen where PCB real estate is at a premium and the design can accommodate the reflow and inspection challenges of BGA assembly.
When designing with this FPGA, ensure your CAD tool flow supports the APEX II family (Quartus II versions up to v9.0, or third-party legacy flows). Verify BGA pad design follows IPC-7351 guidelines and that your PCB fabrication can achieve the required laser-drilled microvia or via-in-pad stackup for the 0.8 mm ball pitch typical of FineLine BGA packages.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical sourcing notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers evaluate availability and second-source options for this legacy Altera device.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A40F33I-9 — 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-9 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Configuration Method, Process Technology, Peak Reflow Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2A40F33I-8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$95 / Unit
View Datasheet →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 →EP2A40F1508
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$185 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2A40F33I-9 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Typical Gate Count | 1,500,000 |
| Logic Elements | 40,000 (per legacy marketing) |
| Package | 33-ball FineLine BGA (F33) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Speed Grade | -9 (fastest grade for this package) |
| I/O Voltage Support | 1.5V / 1.8V / 2.5V / 3.3V (MultiVolt) |
| Differential I/O | LVDS (per APEX II family features) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) | 3 |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 220 C |
| RoHS Status | ROHS3 Compliant (per Alibaba listing) |
| Device Family Prefix | EP2A40 (APEX II, density 40) |
| Manufacturer | Altera (now Intel Programmable Solutions Group) |
EP2A40F33I-9 33-ball fineline bga (f33) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A40F33I-9 (33-ball 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 EP2A40F33I-9.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A40F33I-9 is suitable for 7 applications: Telecommunications Line Card Design, Industrial Control and Automation, DSP Co-Processing and FIR Filtering, Legacy ASIC Replacement, Custom Interface Bridging, Embedded System Prototyping, Test and Measurement Equipment.
Telecommunications Line Card Design
The EP2A40F33I-9's 1.5M typical gates and MultiVolt I/O (1.5V/1.8V/2.5V/3.3V) make it suitable for legacy telecom line card applications such as TDM bus aggregation, HDLC framing, and protocol conversion. Its 100 MHz+ internal Fmax on the -9 speed grade supports channelized DS3/E3 processing, and LVDS I/O enables high-speed chip-to-chip links to framer/MAPPER ASICs without external transceivers. Industrial temperature operation allows deployment in outdoor DSLAM or DLC cabinets where ambient swings are wide.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Automation
Factory automation controllers benefit from the EP2A40F33I-9's industrial -40C to +100C temperature range and high gate count for integrating multi-axis motion control, PLC scan engines, and fieldbus protocol stacks (Profibus, DeviceNet, CANopen) on a single device. The 33-ball FineLine BGA package provides a compact footprint for DIN-rail mounted controller boards, and APEX II's embedded array blocks (EABs) can be configured as dual-port RAM for inter-task messaging.
Recommended
DSP Co-Processing and FIR Filtering
The APEX II architecture's embedded system blocks (ESBs) can implement high-throughput parallel FIR filters, FFTs, and correlators by configuring EABs as multiplier-accumulators. At the -9 speed grade, the EP2A40F33I-9 sustains 100+ MHz on 18x18 multiplier chains, suitable for software-defined radio baseband preprocessing or radar pulse compression. MultiVolt I/O simplifies interface to legacy 5V ADC/DAC converters common in defense DSP systems.
Recommended
Legacy ASIC Replacement
When a mature ASIC reaches end-of-life and a full mask re-spin is not economically justified, the EP2A40F33I-9 offers 1.5M gates of reprogrammable logic as a drop-in functional substitute. Industrial temperature operation preserves original deployment environments, and Quartus II legacy flows (up to v9.0) support importing the original ASIC netlist via EDIF for quick prototype conversion. This is a common bridge strategy for medical device, instrumentation, and avionics refresh programs.
Recommended
Custom Interface Bridging
Multi-voltage I/O support (1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V) on the EP2A40F33I-9 enables single-chip bridging between legacy peripherals (3.3V TTL) and modern processors (1.5V/1.8V cores) without external level shifters. LVDS capability adds high-speed serial link bridging for LCD panels, camera sensors, and backplane interconnect. This makes it ideal for industrial panel PCs, medical imaging carts, and avionics display controllers.
Recommended
Embedded System Prototyping
For embedded systems requiring custom coprocessors or peripheral controllers, the EP2A40F33I-9 provides 1.5M gates plus on-chip memory to prototype custom instruction sets, hardware accelerators, or peripheral cores (I2C, SPI, UART variants). The -9 speed grade allows cycle-accurate emulation of ARM or MIPS bus cycles, useful for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test rigs. Quartus II supports soft-core processor IP (Nios II) targeting this family.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
The EP2A40F33I-9's combination of high logic density, LVDS I/O, and industrial temperature range suits bench-top and rack-mount test equipment such as logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, and ATE load boards. At 100+ MHz internal speeds, it can drive parallel stimulus generation at sub-nanosecond resolution when paired with external high-speed DACs. APEX II EABs double as pattern memory for arbitrary waveform generators.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A40F33I-9 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A40F33I-8 | EP2A40F33I-7 | EP2A40F33C-9 | EP2A40F33C-8 | EP2A40F33C-7 | EP2A40F1508 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 33-ball FineLine BGA (F33) | 33-ball FineLine BGA (F33) - same | 33-ball FineLine BGA (F33) - same | 33-ball FineLine BGA (F33) - same | 33-ball FineLine BGA (F33) - same | 33-ball FineLine BGA (F33) - same | 1508-ball FineLine BGA (F1508) - different pin count |
| Brand | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) - same | Altera (Intel PSG) - same | Altera (Intel PSG) - same | Altera (Intel PSG) - same | Altera (Intel PSG) - same | Altera (Intel PSG) - same |
| Family | APEX II | APEX II - same | APEX II - same | APEX II - same | APEX II - same | APEX II - same | APEX II - same |
| Typical Gate Count | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 - same | 1,500,000 - same | 1,500,000 - same | 1,500,000 - same | 1,500,000 - same | 1,500,000 - same |
| Speed Grade | -9 (fastest) | -8 (~10-15% slower) | -7 (~20-25% slower) | -9 (identical) | -8 (~10-15% slower) | -7 (slowest) | -8 (per F1508 marketing) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Fastest speed grade (-9) in the 33-ball FineLine BGA APEX II lineup (vs EP2A40F33I-8)
- Industrial temperature range with same speed as commercial-grade (vs EP2A40F33C-9)
- Compact 33-ball FineLine BGA with full APEX II feature set (vs EP2A40F1508)
Design Notes
Estimated: The FineLine BGA-33 package uses a 0.8 mm ball pitch, which typically requires a 4-layer or 6-layer PCB stackup with laser-drilled microvias or via-in-pad construction to fan out the BGA to escape traces. Verify that your board fab house supports the required drill aspect ratio and that your assembly line can handle BGA-33 X-ray inspection. Per IPC-7351, allow 0.4 mm pad-to-pad spacing for clean solder joint formation. An inadequate stackup is the most common cause of BGA-33 assembly failures.
Estimated: APEX II MultiVolt I/O banks must each be powered from a dedicated voltage rail (1.5V / 1.8V / 2.5V / 3.3V) and the bank reference voltage pins (VREF) must be properly bypassed with 0.1 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 5 mm of each VREF pin. Mixing reference voltages in one bank is not allowed. Place at least one 10 uF bulk capacitor per I/O bank within 25 mm of the package to handle simultaneous-switching-output (SSO) current transients.
Do not assume the EP2A40F33I-9 is still in active production - the APEX II family was officially discontinued by Altera/Intel. Always qualify a second source (EP2A40F33I-8 or EP2A40F33C-9 in the same F33 footprint) before committing to a new design. Also note that the device requires a configuration device (EPC16 or larger) - the F33 package does not include enough pins for JTAG-only configuration in multi-device chains. Confirm configuration scheme with Quartus II v9.0 or earlier legacy flow before finalizing BOM.
Compliance Information
ROHS3 compliance confirmed via Alibaba listing (2026-09-08). Other compliance fields not explicitly stated in verified web data - flagged as unknown. AEC-Q100 not applicable as this is an FPGA, not an automotive-grade IC.
