EP2AGX190EF29I3G - Arria II GX 190K LEs FPGA 6G Transceiver | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX190EF29I3G ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1680 | $16,800.00 |
| 100 | $1495 | $149,500.00 |
| 500 | $1320 | $660,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $1195 | $1,195,000.00 |
EP2AGX190EF29I3G Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reprogrammable logic device that combines configurable logic blocks, programmable interconnect, and dedicated hard IP such as transceivers, PLLs, and memory controllers. Within the system hierarchy, an FPGA sits between general-purpose microcontrollers (which execute software sequentially) and ASICs (which implement fixed logic). FPGAs are widely used for parallel DSP, custom interfaces, and prototyping, and the Arria II GX family specifically targets cost-sensitive multi-gigabit serial applications including wireless baseband, broadcast video, and high-end industrial imaging. (Source: Intel Arria II GX Family Overview)
Key features of the EP2AGX190EF29I3G include 181,165 logic elements, 10,177,536 bits of embedded memory, sixteen 6.375 Gbps transceivers supporting protocols such as PCIe Gen2 and Serial RapidIO 2.1, dedicated PLL and DSP blocks, and 372 general-purpose I/O supporting LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, and 1.5 V HSTL/SSTL memory interfaces. The 780-pin FC-FBGA package provides signal integrity for high-speed transceivers and dense parallel I/O.
Architecturally, the device combines an FPGA fabric, hardened transceivers, and high-performance I/O on a single die. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers include built-in clock-data recovery (CDR), pre-emphasis, and equalization, allowing the FPGA to drive backplanes and SFP/SFP+ optical modules directly. The 0.9 V core Vcc is supplied through the FC-BGA substrate with multiple power/ground balls to minimize SSO noise.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing with CPRI/OBSAI fronthaul, broadcast and pro-AV serial interfaces (SDI, HDMI, DisplayPort via FPGA bridging), PCI Express Gen1/Gen2 endpoint or root-complex designs, and industrial imaging pipelines that require multi-gigabit sensor links. The combination of transceiver count and I/O width also makes it a strong fit for protocol bridging in telecom line cards. (Source: Altera Arria II GX Handbook, Chapter 1)
When designing with this part, plan power sequencing for the 0.9 V core, 1.5 V/2.5 V/3.3 V I/O banks, and transceiver PLLs independently; consult the Arria II GX pin connection guidelines for unused-pin termination. Use the Quartus II design software (version 11.0 or later) for place-and-route and PowerPlay early power estimation to avoid thermal surprises in air-cooled enclosures. (Source: Altera AN583 reference note)
This page synthesizes current distributor pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives, and practical design notes drawn from the manufacturer handbook - content that goes beyond the bare datasheet and serves engineers evaluating the part for new designs or legacy second-source decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX190EF29I3G — 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 EP2AGX190EF29I3G (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Family, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Logic Elements (LE).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX190EF29I5G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1900 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX190EF29C6G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1010 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX190EF29C5G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1071.99 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX190EF29C4G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$2510 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX190EF29I3G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Arria II GX |
| Family | Altera Arria II GX |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Logic Elements | 181,165 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 10,177,536 |
| User I/O Count | 372 |
| Transceiver Count | 16 |
| Max Transceiver Data Rate | 6.375 Gbps |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 500 MHz |
| Operating Temperature (Industrial, -I3) | -40C to +100C TJ |
| Package | 780-Ball FC-FBGA (EF29), 29 mm body |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP2AGX190EF29I3G 780-ball fc-fbga (ef29), 29 mm body Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX190EF29I3G (780-ball fc-fbga (ef29), 29 mm body 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 EP2AGX190EF29I3G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX190EF29I3G is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband with CPRI/OBSAI Fronthaul, PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint / Root Complex, Broadcast Video and Pro-AV Bridging, Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision, Telecom Line Card Protocol Bridging, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
Wireless Baseband with CPRI/OBSAI Fronthaul
The EP2AGX190EF29I3G fits CPRI/OBSAI fronthaul baseband processing because its sixteen 6.375 Gbps transceivers carry CPRI rates up to option 6 (4.915 Gbps) with margin, and the 181,165 logic elements host FFT, channel estimation, and digital predistortion at LTE and 5G NR bandwidths. The industrial -I3 grade (-40C to +100C) supports outdoor remote-radio-head thermal envelopes without derating. Implementation tips: assign one transceiver per RRH link and use the hard PCS for 8b/10b line coding; place-and-route with Quartus II TimeQuest to close setup margins at baseband clock rates.
Recommended
PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint / Root Complex
The EP2AGX190EF29I3G's transceivers natively support PCIe Gen2 at 5 Gbps and the hard IP block implements PIPE-compliant PHY plus MAC, transaction layer, and DMA. With 181,165 logic elements it can host both PCIe logic and user application logic (custom accelerators, DMA engines) on a single device. The 780-ball FC-FBGA provides the supply integrity required for 5 Gbps SERDES lanes. Design tip: route the PCIe reference clock with controlled-impedance 100 ohm differential, follow PCIe CEM layout, and validate with Quartus II PCIe Hard IP example designs.
Recommended
Broadcast Video and Pro-AV Bridging
The sixteen 6.375 Gbps transceivers of the EP2AGX190EF29I3G enable multi-channel HD-SDI, 3G-SDI, and emerging UHD-SDI bridging, plus HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 conversion via FPGA fabric. Designers typically use the transceiver hard PCS for SDI scrambling/encoding and dedicate 181K logic elements to color-space conversion, scaling, and HDR processing. Industrial temperature range supports broadcast equipment in studio and outdoor venues. Design tip: use the dedicated clock networks to phase-align SDI outputs and isolate SERDES supplies with ferrite beads.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision
The EP2AGX190EF29I3G suits CoaXPress and Camera Link HS high-speed image pipelines because its transceivers handle 6.25 Gbps CXP-6 lanes and the dense logic supports Bayer demosaic, HDR fusion, and pre-DSP. The 372 user I/O accommodate parallel sensor buses for multi-camera aggregation. Industrial -I3 grade supports factory-floor deployments up to +100C junction. Design tip: reserve transceivers exclusively for image data and route GPIO separately to minimize crosstalk on parallel buses.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card Protocol Bridging
With sixteen 6.375 Gbps transceivers and 372 user I/O, the EP2AGX190EF29I3G bridges OTU2/OTU2e, 10G Ethernet, and legacy telecom interfaces within the same device, eliminating external bridge chips. The 10,177,536 bits of embedded memory buffer packet bursts at line rate. Industrial temperature range and Intel's extended product longevity suit telecom OEM deployments. Design tip: use the hard PCS for SONET/SDH framing and the embedded M20K memory blocks for FIFO buffers between protocols.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2AGX190EF29I3G's mix of 16 high-speed transceivers and high logic density makes it suitable for bit-error-rate testers, protocol analyzers, and arbitrary waveform generators. Transceivers generate and check 8b/10b scrambled PRBS patterns at 6.375 Gbps, while the FPGA fabric implements protocol-aware golden reference logic. The industrial -I3 grade supports bench and field instruments. Design tip: use the dedicated refclk inputs and on-chip PLLs to synthesize jitter-compliant test patterns.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX190EF29I3G — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX190EF29I5G | EP2AGX190EF29C6G | EP2AGX190EF29C5G | EP2AGX190EF29C4G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 780-Ball FC-FBGA (EF29) | 780-Ball FC-FBGA (EF29) - same | 780-Ball FC-FBGA (EF29) - same | 780-Ball FC-FBGA (EF29) - same | 780-Ball FC-FBGA (EF29) - same |
| Speed / Temperature Grade | -I3 (industrial -40C to +100C TJ) | -I5 (industrial, faster) | -C6 (commercial 0C to +85C) | -C5 (commercial 0C to +85C) | -C4 (commercial 0C to +85C) |
| Logic Elements | 181,165 | 181,165 | 181,165 | 181,165 | 181,165 |
| Transceiver Count | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Max Transceiver Data Rate | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 10,177,536 | 10,177,536 | 10,177,536 | 10,177,536 | 10,177,536 |
| User I/O | 372 | 372 | 372 | 372 | 372 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density Arria II GX member with 181,165 logic elements (vs EP2AGX125EF29I5G (125K LE))
- Industrial -I3 grade for harsh environments (vs EP2AGX190EF29C6G (commercial grade))
- 6.375 Gbps transceiver count at low static power (vs Xilinx Virtex-6 LXT FPGAs in similar density)
Design Notes
Estimated: a fully populated EP2AGX190EF29I3G with all 16 transceivers at 6.375 Gbps and high toggle rates on the FPGA fabric can dissipate 12-18 W. Use Intel PowerPlay Early Power Estimator with realistic activity factors before committing to a thermal solution; air-cooled 780-ball FC-FBGA designs typically require a heat spreader or heatsink above 8 W. Provide separate 0.9 V VCC (core), VCCD_PLL (PLL analog), and VCCERAM (M20K memory) rails with bulk and decoupling per the Arria II GX pin connection guidelines.
The 780-ball FC-FBGA requires microvia stack-up (typically 4-6 layers with 1-2-1 microvia build-up) and controlled-impedance routing for transceiver differential pairs (100 ohm differential, 85 ohm common-mode). SerDes transmit (PCIE_TX, GXB_TX) and receive (GXB_RX) pairs should be length-matched within 0.127 mm; consult Altera AN 583 and AN 596 for transceiver layout guidance. Reference clock inputs must be guarded against noise with a clean 100 MHz or 156.25 MHz oscillator routed with controlled impedance.
Place decoupling capacitors on the bottom side of the PCB directly under the BGA balls using 0201 or 0402 sizes to minimize loop inductance. Group power pins by rail and stitch ground returns with a continuous plane layer beneath the device. For unused transceivers, terminate per Arria II GX pin connection guidelines (typically AC-coupled, pulled to ground) rather than leaving them floating.
Avoid the common mistake of selecting the -C6 (commercial) speed/temperature grade for outdoor telecom or industrial deployments - it only supports 0C to +85C junction. Also, do not confuse the EF29 (780-ball) package with the FF35 (1152-ball) variant used by larger Arria II GX parts; they have different ballmaps and pin counts (372 I/O vs 612 I/O). Validate ordering code against the full Altera ordering information table before placing the order.
Use HyperLynx or similar pre-layout signal integrity tools to validate 6.375 Gbps SERDES channel loss budgets before tape-out; the typical FR-4 channel can support 6.375 Gbps only over short distances (< 6 inches) with proper dielectric selection (low-loss DF > 0.01). For backplane or longer cable applications, consider switching to Cyclone V GT or Arria V GX with hardened 10 Gbps transceivers.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH/lead-free status not explicitly stated in provided distributor data; consult Intel's product declaration documents for definitive compliance information. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs (automotive qualification is not a standard FPGA qualification track).
