EP2AGX260FF35C4G - Arria II GX FPGA 244K LE, 6.375Gbps, FC-FBGA-1152 | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX260FF35C4G β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1720 | $17,200.00 |
| 100 | $1580 | $158,000.00 |
| 500 | $1495 | $747,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $1420 | $1,420,000.00 |
EP2AGX260FF35C4G Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and I/O elements that the designer can reconfigure after manufacturing. Within the broader taxonomy, the EP2AGX260FF35C4G belongs to the Arria II GX mid-range transceiver family, which sits between Cyclone (low-cost) and Stratix (high-performance) in Intel/Altera's portfolio. Arria II GX parts integrate transceivers and PCML-capable I/O on-chip, replacing what would otherwise require a discrete PHY plus an FPGA.
Key features include 244,188 logic elements, 612 user I/O, 12 Mbits of embedded memory, 4 PCI Express hard IP blocks, and 8 transceivers supporting protocols such as PCI Express Gen1/Gen2, Serial RapidIO, and CPRI. The device supports up to 1,152 pins in a wire-bond-compatible FC-FBGA with high-speed serial channels, allowing a single-chip implementation for high-bandwidth serial links. Additional silicon features include dedicated DSP blocks, variable-precision multipliers, and embedded memory blocks configurable as RAM, ROM, or FIFO.
The Arria II GX architecture combines hard intellectual property (PCIe Gen2, 10-Gbps-capable transceivers, and external memory controllers) with a fabric of 8-input adaptive logic modules (ALMs) that optimize register and LUT packing. This yields high logic efficiency and lets the device hit DSP throughput targets (up to ~300 GMACs at 500 MHz) without consuming excessive fabric resources. The transceiver blocks incorporate adaptive equalization and clock-data-recovery to handle backplane losses at multi-Gbps rates.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing (LTE, WiMAX, CPRI front-haul), industrial video and broadcast interfaces, PCI Express Gen1/Gen2 endpoint and root-port designs, and high-speed serial backplane bridges in telecom and defense equipment. The combination of integrated transceivers and hard PCIe cores eliminates companion chips in many systems, reducing both BOM and board complexity.
When designing with this device, ensure the PCB supports the FC-FBGA-1152 ball grid with controlled-impedance routing for the transceiver channels. Reference design guidance for transceiver channel layout, decoupling, and JTAG is provided in the device handbook, and designers should plan power sequencing around the 0.9V core rail with the supported 1.1V / 2.5V / 3.0V auxiliary rails.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives (Arria II GX speed-grade variants), and practical design notes that go beyond what is summarized in the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers shortlist a part number without having to compare datasheets line-by-line.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX260FF35C4G β 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 EP2AGX260FF35C4G (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, Embedded Memory Bits.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX260FF35C4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2580 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX260FF35I5N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$1325 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX260FF35C5G
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$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX260FF35C6G
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$1320 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX260FF35C4G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Arria II GX |
| Family | Intel (Altera) Arria II GX |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Logic Elements | 244,188 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 12,038,144 (approximately 12 Mbit) |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 10,260 |
| User I/O | 612 |
| Number of Transceivers | 8 (up to 6.375 Gbps) |
| PCI Express Hard IP Blocks | 4 |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 500 MHz |
| Package | 1152-BBGA, FC-FBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2AGX260FF35C4G 1152-bbga, fc-fbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX260FF35C4G (1152-bbga, 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 EP2AGX260FF35C4G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX260FF35C4G is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband / Backhaul Processing, PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint / Root Port, Industrial Video Bridge / Broadcast Routing, High-Speed Serial Backplane Bridge, Test & Measurement Instrumentation, Defense / Aerospace Signal Processing.
Wireless Baseband / Backhaul Processing
The EP2AGX260FF35C4G fits wireless baseband processing because it combines 244,188 logic elements (sufficient for LTE PHY and channel cards) with 8 transceivers at up to 6.375 Gbps (which directly serve CPRI, OBSAI, and Serial RapidIO front-haul links). Designers place the FPGA between the RF front end and the baseband DSP, mapping DSP blocks to FFT/iFFT paths and routing CPRI traffic through the on-chip transceivers. This avoids the cost, power, and jitter of an external PHY plus a separate protocol controller. The 612 user I/O expose additional LVDS lanes for backplane connectivity. Estimated: at 500 MHz fabric clock, the part delivers roughly 300 GMACs of DSP throughput, enough for 20-MHz LTE sectors.
Recommended
PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint / Root Port
The EP2AGX260FF35C4G integrates 4 hard PCI Express Gen2 IP blocks plus 8 transceivers, making it a natural choice for PCIe Gen2 endpoint and root-port designs. Designers instantiate the hard PCIe cores via Quartus II IP Catalog, saving roughly 20K logic elements per Gen2 endpoint versus a soft implementation. The transceiver channels handle the 5 Gbps physical layer directly, eliminating an external PCIe PHY. The 1152-ball FC-FBGA package supports the lane count plus side-band signals (PERn, REFCLK+, JTAG). Use this part for adapter cards, RAID controllers, and embedded host systems needing Gen2 throughput.
Recommended
Industrial Video Bridge / Broadcast Routing
The EP2AGX260FF35C4G is well suited for broadcast video routers and SDI-to-IP bridges because it offers high logic density for cross-point switching plus transceivers that can carry SDI over coax or SMPTE 2022 IP packets. Designers map a 32x32 SDI cross-point to the FPGA fabric while using the transceiver channels for IP/Ethernet transport. The 12 Mbits of embedded memory provides FIFO buffering for clock-domain crossing between SDI clocks and IP networks. Industrial temperature variants (I5N, I5G) extend the part to outdoor broadcast installations. Estimated: a single 244K-LE device can replace multiple Spartan-6 FPGAs in legacy broadcast routers.
Recommended
High-Speed Serial Backplane Bridge
For telecom backplanes that aggregate serial links between line cards, the EP2AGX260FF35C4G provides 8 transceivers plus enough logic to implement custom link-layer protocols (Aurora, custom SerDes framing). Designers place the FPGA between a switch ASIC and the backplane connectors, with the transceivers driving 6.375 Gbps signals over the backplane. Adaptive equalization inside each transceiver compensates for channel loss. The 612 user I/O expose additional LVDS pairs for low-speed control and status signals. This use case is typical in central-office and data-center switching fabric designs.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2AGX260FF35C4G is used in test and measurement instruments (protocol analyzers, logic-analyzer probe heads, bit-error-rate testers) because of its high logic capacity and integrated transceivers. Designers map parallel data capture plus a custom protocol decoder to the FPGA fabric and use the transceivers to handle multi-gigabit serial capture with on-chip clock-data recovery. The 12 Mbits of embedded memory is sufficient to buffer multiple frames at full line rate. The FC-FBGA package supports instrument-grade signal integrity for high-channel-count probe heads.
Recommended
Defense / Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP2AGX260FF35C4G is suitable for defense and aerospace signal processing where high logic density, integrated transceivers, and established long-term reliability are required. Designers implement radar pulse compression, electronic-warfare channelization, or software-defined-radio baseband using the device's DSP blocks and transceivers. Specialist distributors (Lisleapex, FPGAX) actively trace stock for aerospace and defense programs. Note that the commercial temperature grade EP2AGX260FF35C4G is not flight-qualified; designers should select the industrial-temperature variant and verify MIL-STD compliance through the distributor chain.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX260FF35C4G β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX260FF35C4 | EP2AGX260FF35I5N | EP2AGX260FF35C5G | EP2AGX260FF35C6G | EP2AGX260EF29C4G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel (different package) |
| Package | 1152-BBGA FC-FBGA (FF35) | 1152-BBGA FC-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-BBGA FC-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-BBGA FC-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-BBGA FC-FBGA (FF35) - same | 780-BBGA FC-FBGA (EF29) - different |
| Logic Elements | 244,188 | 244,188 | 244,188 | 244,188 | 244,188 | 244,188 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C4 (same) | I5 (slower, industrial temp) | C5 (faster) | C6 (fastest) | C4 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Lifecycle Status | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy |
Key Differentiators
- Highest density Arria II GX with full 1152-ball FC-FBGA footprint (vs EP2AGX260EF29C4G (780-BBGA EF29))
- Green (Pb-free / RoHS) tray-packaging compliance (vs EP2AGX260FF35C4 (non-Green))
- Last Time Buy status with active distributor trace stock (vs Cyclone V or newer mid-range FPGAs)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 0.9V core and full 244K-LE utilization running the 8 transceivers at 6.375 Gbps, the device can dissipate 8 to 12 W depending on toggle rate. The FC-FBGA-1152 package requires a thermal-pad footprint with at least 6 thermal vias tied to inner-plane copper. Designers targeting industrial temperature should budget for the worst-case industrial junction (100C) and confirm heatsink or airflow is sufficient. Reference the Arria II GX device handbook thermal management section for the FF35 package theta_JA.
The FC-FBGA-1152 package demands microvia or HDI PCB stack-up to break out the 1.0 mm pitch ball grid. Place transceiver channels on the package edge closest to the SMA or backplane connectors, and keep the AC-coupling caps within 200 mil of the device pin. Match impedance to 100 ohm differential for transceiver lanes and 50 ohm single-ended for LVDS. Use the Quartus II pin-planner to verify escape routing before committing the PCB layout. Estimated microvia cost adds roughly 10 to 15 percent to the bare PCB versus a 4-layer through-hole board.
Transceivers running at 6.375 Gbps require board-level simulation of insertion loss and return loss. Reference the Arria II GX device handbook for the recommended channel loss budget. Use the transceiver's adaptive equalization (CTLE + DFE) to compensate for backplane loss, but plan for at least 6 inches of FR-4 channel between the FPGA and the nearest connector. Pair with a HyperLynx or Ansys SIwave simulation to validate eye margins.
Do not confuse the EP2AGX260FF35C4G (commercial Green tray) with the EP2AGX260FF35C4 (non-Green tray) or the EP2AGX260EF29C4 (smaller 780-BBGA package) - all three share the same part-number prefix but differ in package and environmental coding. Power sequencing must follow the Arria II GX handbook: 0.9V core first, then 1.1V/2.5V/3.0V auxiliary rails with monotonic ramp. Failing to sequence correctly can lock the configuration flash and require a power cycle to recover.
Compliance Information
RoHS / lead-free per the trailing G suffix in the MPN. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (FPGA targeting commercial and industrial; not automotive). REACH compliance stated by Altera/Intel for the Arria II GX family.
