EP2AGX260EF29C6G - Arria II GX FPGA 244K LE, 780-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX260EF29C6G ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1720 | $17,200.00 |
| 25 | $1620 | $40,500.00 |
| 100 | $1485 | $148,500.00 |
| 250 | $1395 | $348,750.00 |
EP2AGX260EF29C6G Overview
What is a mid-range FPGA? A Field Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), dedicated DSP blocks, on-chip memory, and programmable interconnect that can be reconfigured by the customer after manufacture. The Arria II GX family occupies the mid-density, mid-performance segment between Intel's low-cost Cyclone and high-end Stratix families, balancing logic capacity, transceiver performance, and cost for mainstream applications. With 244K logic elements, it provides substantial DSP and memory resources in a single device.
Key features include integrated transceivers supporting multi-gigabit serial protocols, 12 Mb of embedded RAM for buffering high-bandwidth data streams, 372 hardware DSP blocks accelerating fixed- and floating-point operations, and dedicated PLL and clocking infrastructure for jitter-sensitive designs. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package enables high I/O density on multi-layer PCBs with controlled-impedance routing. The -6 speed grade designates a faster commercial-temperature timing bin than the -7 or -8 grades.
The Arria II GX architecture combines a logic fabric, M9K/M144K memory blocks, variable-precision DSP blocks, and PCI Express hard IP, optimized for data-path heavy applications where deterministic throughput matters more than absolute peak frequency. The 40 nm process provides favorable power-performance scaling relative to earlier 65 nm and 90 nm FPGA generations.
Typical applications include broadcast video processing and encoding, wireless baseband and RF signal processing, industrial imaging and machine vision, high-speed serial protocol bridging, military radar and signal intelligence, and PCI Express endpoint or root-complex designs. The combination of density and embedded transceivers makes the EP2AGX260EF29C6G well-suited for prototyping of mid-volume designs.
When designing with this device, careful attention must be paid to transceiver channel placement to meet signal-integrity requirements, and the Quartus II / Intel Quartus Prime toolchain must be used for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Power estimation via the PowerPlay early power estimator should precede PCB layout to avoid post-layout surprises.
This page consolidates real-time distributor pricing, drop-in compatible Arria II GX variants, and Quartus Prime design considerations that complement the official datasheet. Cross-references and lifecycle status are kept current against Intel product change notifications.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX260EF29C6G — 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 EP2AGX260EF29C6G (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Speed Grade, Mounting Type, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX260EF29C5G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2515 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260EF29C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1955.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260EF29C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1565 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260EF29C5
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1870 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260EF29C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1295 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260EF29C4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$339.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260EF29C6G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GX |
| Logic Elements | 244,188 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 12,038,144 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 372 |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Speed Grade | -6 |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP2AGX260EF29C6G 780-ball fc-fbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX260EF29C6G (780-ball fc-fbga 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 EP2AGX260EF29C6G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX260EF29C6G is suitable for 7 applications: Broadcast Video Processing and Encoding, Wireless Baseband and RF Signal Processing, Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision, High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging, Military Radar and Signal Intelligence, PCI Express Endpoint and Root Complex, Software Defined Radio Prototyping.
Broadcast Video Processing and Encoding
The EP2AGX260EF29C6G fits broadcast video applications through its 244,188 logic elements, 372 dedicated 18x18 multipliers, and integrated multi-gigabit transceivers that support SDI/HD-SDI/3G-SDI serial connectivity. The DSP blocks accelerate real-time video codec operations such as H.264/MPEG-2 encoding, color space conversion, and deinterlacing pipelines. With 12 Mb of embedded RAM, the device holds multiple HD frames in transit without external memory pressure. Typical designs process 4-8 channels of HD video simultaneously, fitting within the device's logic and transceiver budget.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband and RF Signal Processing
The EP2AGX260EF29C6G serves wireless baseband and digital predistortion (DPD) applications via its high logic density and embedded transceivers supporting CPRI and OBSAI fronthaul links. The 372 18x18 multipliers enable real-time crest factor reduction (CFR) and digital predistortion linearization of power amplifiers, critical for multi-carrier GSM/LTE base stations. The 12 Mb RAM provides sufficient buffering for symbol-rate processing at 20 MHz LTE bandwidths. Commercial-grade 0C to +85C operation matches indoor base-station thermal envelopes.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision
The EP2AGX260EF29C6G supports multi-camera machine vision systems through its high logic density and parallel DSP throughput for image preprocessing, edge detection, and pattern recognition. The 12 Mb embedded RAM captures full-resolution frames from CoaXPress, GigE Vision, or Camera Link interfaces at line rates up to 10 Gbps using the integrated transceivers. The 372 multipliers accelerate Sobel, Laplacian, and FFT kernels for real-time inspection pipelines. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package supports the high pin density required for parallel image sensor interfaces.
Recommended
High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging
The EP2AGX260EF29C6G bridges between serial protocols such as PCI Express Gen1/Gen2, Serial RapidIO, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and custom Aurora links. The integrated transceivers support data rates up to 6.375 Gbps, sufficient for PCIe Gen2 x4 and 10GbE XAUI interfaces. The 244K logic elements implement protocol state machines, DMA engines, and protocol-aware routing logic. Designers use the device as a system-on-chip bridge between ASIC/ASSP endpoints and host processors.
Recommended
Military Radar and Signal Intelligence
The EP2AGX260EF29C6G handles military radar pulse compression, MTI filtering, and electronic warfare signal processing at commercial temperature. The 372 DSP blocks and 12 Mb embedded RAM execute real-time FFT, convolution, and adaptive beamforming across multiple phased-array channels. Designers select the -6 speed grade for deterministic timing in safety-critical signal chains. Note that for deployed military systems, the industrial-grade EP2AGX260FF35I5N or similar -I speed grade variant is typically required.
Recommended
PCI Express Endpoint and Root Complex
The EP2AGX260EF29C6G implements PCI Express Gen2 x4/x8 endpoints and root-complex designs using the hard PCIe IP blocks integrated in the Arria II GX family. The 244K logic elements provide ample room for application-layer logic, DMA engines, and protocol stacks above the PCIe transaction layer. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package supports the SERDES pin-out mandated by the specification. Typical applications are DSP accelerator cards, frame grabbers, and storage controllers in industrial and medical imaging systems.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio Prototyping
The EP2AGX260EF29C6G supports software defined radio prototyping platforms where DSP resources are consumed by baseband demodulation, channel coding, and adaptive filtering. The 372 18x18 multipliers and 12 Mb RAM enable multi-carrier OFDM baseband processing at 20-40 MHz bandwidths. The transceivers accept direct-conversion ADC inputs at IF frequencies, simplifying the RF front-end. The 40 nm process provides favorable power efficiency for portable SDR prototypes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX260EF29C6G — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX260EF29C5G | EP2AGX260EF29C4G | EP2AGX260EF29C5N | EP2AGX260EF29C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 244,188 | 244,188 | 244,188 | 244,188 | 244,188 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 12,038,144 | 12,038,144 | 12,038,144 | 12,038,144 | 12,038,144 |
| DSP Multipliers (18x18) | 372 | 372 | 372 | 372 | 372 |
| Speed Grade | -6 | -5 | -4 | -5 | -5 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial |
| Lead-Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (N-suffix) | No (no N-suffix) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant | Compliant |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade in the 780-ball FC-FBGA Arria II GX family (vs EP2AGX260EF29C5G)
- Maximum density in the 780-ball FC-FBGA Arria II GX family (vs EP2AGX190EF29C6G)
- Mid-range positioning between Cyclone and Stratix families (vs EP4SGX230KF40C2N (Stratix IV GX))
Design Notes
Estimated: the 780-ball FC-FBGA package requires a 1.0 mm or finer BGA pitch PCB with microvia or laser-drilled via stack-up for breakout routing. Use a 12-layer or thicker stack-up with continuous ground planes beneath the device to control impedance for the integrated transceivers. Decoupling capacitors must be placed directly beneath the BGA in the via-in-pad land pattern, typically 0402 size 100 nF and 10 uF combinations, following the Intel power distribution network (PDN) guidelines for the Arria II GX family.
The integrated multi-gigabit transceivers on the Arria II GX family require careful channel placement and matched-length routing. AC coupling capacitors on transceiver TX/RX pairs must be placed close to the device pins with controlled-impedance differential routing (typically 85 ohm or 100 ohm differential). Reference clock jitter must be below the transceiver specification (typically < 1 ps RMS) for jitter-sensitive protocols like PCIe Gen2 and 10GbE. Use the Quartus Prime Transceiver Toolkit for channel characterization and eye-diagram analysis.
Estimated: a fully utilized Arria II GX EP2AGX260 design can consume 10-15 W depending on clock rate and toggle activity. Use the PowerPlay early power estimator in Quartus Prime before PCB layout to size the power supply and cooling solution. The 0.9 V core supply must deliver up to 15 A with tight regulation (typically +/- 3 percent). Multi-rail supplies (VCCIO banks, VCCPD, VCCAUX, VCCRT, transceiver supplies) require independent switching regulator rails with sequenced enable timing per the device handbook.
Estimated: at 10-15 W total power, the FC-FBGA package requires thermal vias beneath the die and adequate airflow or heatsinking for commercial-temperature operation. Without forced airflow, expect a 30-40 C junction-to-ambient thermal resistance based on standard 4-layer JEDEC test boards. For sealed industrial enclosures, a small heatsink (15x15 mm or larger) bonded with thermal interface material is recommended. Verify thermal margin using the FPGA junction temperature sensor accessible via the Quartus Prime system console.
Common design mistakes on the Arria II GX include incorrect MSL handling - the FC-FBGA package is moisture-sensitive and requires dry-pack storage and pre-bake before reflow. Configuration scheme selection (AS, PS, JTAG, FPP) must be decided early because configuration pins are multiplexed with general-purpose I/O. Pin-out files (.pin) must be regenerated when changing device variants because I/O bank assignments differ between -4, -5, and -6 speed grades even within the same package. Always validate the pinout against the latest Quartus Prime device support update.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance confirmed via distributor listings. Commercial temperature grade (0C to +85C) only; industrial variants require -I suffix. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs.
