EP2A70B724C7ES - Altera APEX II FPGA 3M Gates 67200 Cells | Intel
MPN: EP2A70B724C7ES ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3218.67 | $3,218.67 |
| 10 | $2950 | $29,500.00 |
| 100 | $2680 | $268,000.00 |
| 500 | $2420 | $1,210,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $2190 | $2,190,000.00 |
EP2A70B724C7ES Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and I/O cells that can be re-programmed in-system after manufacturing. APEX II sits in the high-density tier of pre-Cyclone Altera families, between the APEX 20K and the Stratix line, and is characterized by its MultiCore architecture combining fine-grain logic with embedded ESB (Embedded System Block) memory blocks. Within the broader taxonomy, this places EP2A70B724C7ES in the programmable logic family, which sits above ASICs and CPLDs in flexibility/cost trade-off, and below modern SoC FPGAs in integrated features.
Key features of the EP2A70B724C7ES include 3,000,000 typical gates (3M gates), 67,200 logic elements (cells), a maximum operating frequency of 420 MHz, on-chip ESB memory, support for multiple I/O standards including LVTTL, LVCMOS, PCI, and GTL+, and dedicated clock management with up to 8 PLLs per device. The 724-pin FCBGA package exposes 540 user I/O pins, enabling high-bandwidth parallel interfaces such as 64-bit PCI, DDR memory controllers, and multi-channel DSP pipelines.
The architecture is based on Altera's MultiCore building block with a high-speed interconnect fabric and Look-Up Table (LUT) based logic cells. The 1.5 V core with 0.15 µm process technology reflects the APEX II generation's focus on balancing performance-per-watt with density, while the high I/O count supports wide external buses and multiple high-speed serial/parallel interfaces simultaneously. The C7 speed grade indicates a commercial temperature rating, with the 'ES' suffix denoting an engineering sample.
Typical applications include high-speed telecommunications line cards, ASIC prototyping and replacement, ASIC emulation platforms, multi-channel DSP processing, video/image processing pipelines, and high-speed industrial data acquisition. The combination of high gate count and 420 MHz performance makes it suitable for designs previously requiring multiple FPGAs.
When designing with this device, ensure your Quartus II design tool version supports the APEX II device family (Quartus II 5.0 or later is recommended) and verify BSDL files for boundary-scan programming. Note that APEX II is an older, mature family and may have limited long-term availability - confirm lifecycle status with authorized distributors before committing to new designs.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2A70B724C7ES — 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 EP2A70B724C7ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Configuration Method, Family, System Gates.
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EP2A70B724C7
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View Datasheet →EP2A70B724I7
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View Datasheet →EP2A70B724C9
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View Datasheet →EP2A70B724C7ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | APEX II |
| Typical Gates | 3,000,000 (3M) |
| Logic Elements (Cells) | 67,200 |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 420 MHz |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V |
| Package | 724-pin FCBGA |
| User I/O Pins | 540 |
| Speed Grade | C7 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (C) |
| Memory Type | Embedded System Block (ESB) |
| PLLs | Up to 8 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Programming Interface | JTAG / ByteBlaster |
| Device Marking Suffix | ES (Engineering Sample) |
EP2A70B724C7ES 724-pin fcbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2A70B724C7ES (724-pin 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 EP2A70B724C7ES.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2A70B724C7ES is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Speed Telecommunications Line Cards, Multi-Channel DSP Processing, Video and Image Processing Pipelines, Industrial High-Speed Data Acquisition, Legacy Avionics and Defense Systems.
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP2A70B724C7ES is well-suited to ASIC prototyping and emulation thanks to its 3M gates and 67,200 logic elements, which can map complex ASIC RTL blocks at near-original timing. Operating at 420 MHz with up to 8 PLLs, the device supports multiple clock domains and high-speed internal buses needed to validate multi-million-gate ASICs before tape-out. Its 540 user I/O pins expose wide external interfaces for connecting to memory and logic analyzer probes during bring-up. Compared with newer emulation ASICs, the EP2A70B724C7ES trades lower per-device logic density for mature Quartus II tool flow and proven IP library support.
Recommended
High-Speed Telecommunications Line Cards
In telecom line-card designs the EP2A70B724C7ES serves as the central traffic-shaping and protocol-processing engine, leveraging its 540 I/O pins to interface with multiple S/UNI framers, SERDES devices, and external PHY chips. The 420 MHz fabric provides throughput for OC-192 (10 Gbps) class processing and ATM/Ethernet aggregation. PLLs on the APEX II die generate the multiple low-jitter clocks needed for synchronous SONET/SDH and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces. Its 1.5 V core keeps per-port power manageable in high-density line-card racks.
Recommended
Multi-Channel DSP Processing
Multi-channel DSP applications benefit from the EP2A70B724C7ES's 67,200 logic elements, which can implement 32 to 64 parallel FIR/IIR filter taps or FFT engines with sufficient headroom for coefficient scaling. Embedded ESB memory blocks deliver on-chip data buffering, while the 420 MHz fabric supports high sample-rate processing. Compared with dedicated DSP chips, the APEX II device offers configurable precision and word-length at the cost of absolute peak MHz-per-MAC throughput. Industrial and instrumentation DSP systems frequently pair this FPGA with external ADC/DAC front ends for software-radio or sonar-class signal chains.
Recommended
Video and Image Processing Pipelines
Video processing pipelines using the EP2A70B724C7ES exploit its high I/O count (540 pins) to ingest wide parallel video buses such as 64-bit ITU-R BT. 656 or Camera Link interfaces. The 3M-gate fabric can implement real-time color-space conversion, scaling, de-interlacing, and motion compensation blocks in a single device. ESB memory blocks buffer multiple video lines without external SRAM. With NRND status the device is now commonly seen in legacy broadcast, surveillance, and medical-imaging systems where design re-validation cost exceeds FPGA refresh cost.
Recommended
Industrial High-Speed Data Acquisition
In industrial data-acquisition systems the EP2A70B724C7ES acts as a front-end aggregator, capturing parallel samples from multiple high-speed ADCs and performing real-time pre-processing before forwarding data to a host processor. The 540 user I/O pins accommodate 8 to 16 parallel LVDS data ports plus GPIO, while PLLs generate the low-jitter ADC sampling clocks. C7 commercial temperature grade suits factory-floor and laboratory environments. Migration from this NRND device to Cyclone IV/V is feasible for new designs using the same Quartus II toolchain.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics and Defense Systems
Defense and avionics programs that designed in the EP2A70B724C7ES continue to use it in deployed systems, where design re-qualification cost is high and long-life-cycle support is mandatory. Its 3M-gate density supports radar signal preprocessing, encrypted communications interfaces, and multi-standard avionics bus bridges (MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429). Industrial-temperature variants like the EP2A70B724I7 extend operating range to -40C to +100C. With APEX II now NRND, defense customers typically secure multi-year inventory and lifecycle-extension contracts via authorized distributors.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2A70B724C7ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2A70B724C7 | EP2A70B724I7 | EP2A70B724C9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) |
| Package | 724-pin FCBGA | 724-pin FCBGA - same | 724-pin FCBGA - same | 724-pin FCBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 67,200 | 67,200 | 67,200 | 67,200 |
| Typical Gates | 3M | 3M | 3M | 3M |
| Speed Grade | C7 | C7 | I7 | C9 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial |
| Device Suffix | ES (Engineering Sample) | No suffix (Production) | No suffix (Production) | No suffix (Production) |
| Process Technology | 0.15 µm | 0.15 µm | 0.15 µm | 0.15 µm |
| Core Voltage | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V | 1.5 V |
| User I/O | 540 | 540 | 540 | 540 |
Key Differentiators
- Engineering Sample qualification enables early silicon validation (vs EP2A70B724C7)
- Industrial temperature variant extends operating range (vs EP2A70B724I7)
- Faster C9 speed grade available for headroom (vs EP2A70B724C9)
Design Notes
The EP2A70B724C7ES in 724-pin FCBGA requires careful thermal management because high utilization at 420 MHz can dissipate several watts. Recommended: use at least a 4-layer PCB with a solid ground plane under the BGA, and provide thermal vias in the ball-grid footprint for heat transfer to inner copper layers. Without thermal vias, junction temperature rise can exceed 30 C/W, limiting usable operating frequency in enclosed enclosures.
FCBGA-724 fine-pitch (typically 1.0 mm ball pitch) demands strict PCB layout discipline: controlled-impedance routing for high-speed signals, matched-length traces for DDR/parallel interfaces, and via-in-pad or microvia technology for breakout. Use 4 to 6 mil trace/space and at least 8 mil via pad to maintain manufacturing yield. Place decoupling capacitors (0.1 µF and 10 µF) within 100 mils of every power pin.
Do not assume the EP2A70B724C7ES 'ES' engineering sample has identical timing as production-grade EP2A70B724C7 - sample units may exhibit slightly lower Fmax due to process spread. For pre-silicon validation in production programs, use the production C7 variant. Also, confirm Quartus II tool version supports APEX II (Quartus II 5.0 SP1 or later) before committing design IP; newer Quartus versions have dropped APEX II support.
Compliance Information
Compliance flags marked [DATA_NEEDED] - APEX II is a legacy family predating widespread RoHS/REACH documentation. RoHS status should be confirmed with the supplier per shipment.
