EP2AGX260FF35I5 - Arria II GX FPGA, 244K LE, 612 IO | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX260FF35I5 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3073.63 | $3,073.63 |
| 10 | $2920 | $29,200.00 |
| 100 | $2750 | $275,000.00 |
| 500 | $2580 | $1,290,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $2400 | $2,400,000.00 |
EP2AGX260FF35I5 Overview
What is a FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device containing programmable logic blocks (logic elements, LABs, DSP blocks, and memory blocks) interconnected by a configurable routing matrix. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic hierarchy (PLD -> CPLD -> FPGA) and deliver hardware-level parallelism that microcontrollers cannot match. The Arria II GX family specifically targets mid-range applications that require embedded transceivers, making them part of the transceiver-equipped FPGA category alongside Stratix and Cyclone families.
Key specifications include up to 16 transceivers with rates from 600 Mbps to 6.375 Gbps, dedicated DSP blocks for high-performance fixed/floating-point math, embedded hard IP for PCIe Gen2 and external memory interfaces (DDR3, QDRII+, RLDRAM2), and 12.5 Gbps LVDS support. The 35x35mm FCBGA package uses flip-chip technology for high pin density and superior thermal performance, enabling sustained operation in industrial environments.
The Arria II GX architecture combines a logic fabric with hard IP for transceivers, PCI Express, and memory controllers, balancing flexibility with deterministic performance. Its 40nm low-power process reduces static and dynamic power relative to the prior Stratix IV generation, while the GX variant's integrated transceivers eliminate the need for external PHY chips in serial-protocol designs.
Typical applications include high-speed serial-protocol bridging (PCIe, SATA, CPRI, XAUI), wireless baseband processing, broadcast video processing, military/aerospace signal processing, and industrial imaging. The combination of 244K logic elements and embedded transceivers suits mid-volume designs where ASIC NRE cost is prohibitive but microcontrollers or DSPs lack required throughput.
Design consideration: the 0.9V core and multiple auxiliary rails require careful power-sequence design; failure to follow Intel's recommended ramp ordering may cause latch-up. The 1152-ball BGA also demands controlled-impedance PCB stackup and assembly via X-ray inspection.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in Arria II GX alternatives, and practical design considerations beyond the datasheet - giving engineers a fast procurement and selection reference for high-density FPGA designs.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX260FF35I5 — 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 EP2AGX260FF35I5 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Transceivers, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX260FF35I5N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1325 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35I3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1390 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1320 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35I3G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1985 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35C6G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1320 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35C6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1795 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35I5 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Type | FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array |
| Series | Arria II GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 244188 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 10260 |
| User I/Os | 612 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 12038144 |
| Number of Pins | 1152 |
| Package Type | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (Flip-Chip BGA) |
| Package Code | FF35 (35 mm, Flip-Chip) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Industrial (I5: -40C to +100C) |
| Speed Grade | 5 |
| Transceivers | Up to 16 channels, 600 Mbps to 6.375 Gbps |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lifecycle Status | Not Recommended for New Designs (NRND) |
EP2AGX260FF35I5 ff35 (35 mm, flip-chip) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX260FF35I5 (ff35 (35 mm, flip-chip) 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 EP2AGX260FF35I5.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX260FF35I5 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging, Wireless Baseband Processing, Broadcast Video Processing, Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging
The EP2AGX260FF35I5's 16 transceivers at 600 Mbps to 6.375 Gbps and hard PCIe Gen2 IP make it ideal for protocol-bridging designs that translate between PCIe, SATA, XAUI, CPRI, and Serial RapidIO. The 244K logic elements provide ample headroom for protocol state machines, DMA engines, and packet buffering, while 12 Mbits of embedded memory supports buffer management without external SRAM. Placed on a board between a host processor and downstream serial links, the FPGA offloads protocol stacks and aggregation tasks at line rate. Performance trade-off: a Xilinx Kintex-7 in the same density class offers higher transceiver rates (12.5 Gbps) but requires full board redesign for migration.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP2AGX260FF35I5's dedicated DSP blocks deliver hundreds of GMACs of fixed/floating-point throughput for wireless baseband signal processing - channel estimation, FFT/iFFT, MIMO decoding, and digital predistortion. The 612 user I/Os interface with RF front-end ADCs/DACs and baseband converters, while 16 transceivers handle CPRI/OBSAI fronthaul backhaul links. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) suits outdoor base-station and small-cell deployments. Performance consideration: at 0.9V core, dynamic power scales with utilization; typical LTE baseband designs run at 60-70% utilization to balance throughput and thermals.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP2AGX260FF35I5's high logic density and 12.5 Gbps LVDS support suit broadcast video processing designs - SD/HD/3G-SDI embedding, de-embedding, frame-rate conversion, and HDR processing. The 1152-ball FCBGA package provides sufficient I/O for parallel video buses (16-32 bit at 148.5 MHz for 3G-SDI). Internal memory supports line buffers and lookup tables for color space conversion. Compared to ASIC alternatives, the FPGA enables in-field firmware updates for evolving video standards. Trade-off: per-unit cost is high vs ASIC at scale, but the FPGA eliminates $500K-2M ASIC NRE.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision
The EP2AGX260FF35I5's 244K LEs and DSP blocks enable real-time processing of high-resolution industrial camera streams - Bayer demosaicing, color correction, defect detection, and compression. Multiple Camera Link or CoaXPress interfaces can be implemented using the 16 transceivers at up to 6.375 Gbps. The industrial temperature range suits factory-floor deployment. Embedded memory acts as frame buffers for line-scan cameras. Trade-off: a Xilinx Spartan-6 or Lattice ECP5 may suffice for single-channel cameras at lower cost; the Arria II GX is justified only when multi-channel or high-throughput processing is required.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP2AGX260FF35I5's industrial temperature grade and 244K LEs make it suitable for radar, electronic warfare, and signals-intelligence subsystems where mid-range density is required. The DSP blocks perform pulse compression, MTI filtering, and beamforming on wideband radar returns. Transceivers support serial interfaces to ADCs and down-conversion chains. Industrial-grade qualification suits many non-space defense applications. For space-grade programs, radiation-hardened parts from Xilinx (XQ7VX690T) or Microsemi (RTG4) are required instead. Trade-off: this part lacks formal MIL-PRF-38535 qualification, so military programs must perform additional environmental screening.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2AGX260FF35I5 enables high-end test equipment - protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, BER testers, and arbitrary waveform generators - where 244K LEs provide flexibility for customer-defined protocols and measurement algorithms. Transceivers capture or generate serial traffic at 1-6 Gbps for compliance testing of PCIe, SATA, USB 3.0, and DisplayPort. Industrial temperature ensures stable operation in lab and field environments. Trade-off: instrumentation designers typically need faster transceivers (10+ Gbps) for next-gen standards, so Stratix V or Xilinx Kintex-7 migration is planned for newer product generations.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX260FF35I5 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX260FF35I5N | EP2AGX260FF35I3N | EP2AGX260FF35C6N | EP2AGX260FF35I3G | EP2AGX260FF35C6G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1152-BBGA FCBGA (FF35) | 1152-BBGA FCBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-BBGA FCBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-BBGA FCBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-BBGA FCBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-BBGA FCBGA (FF35) - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 244188 | 244188 | 244188 | 244188 | 244188 | 244188 |
| Speed Grade | 5 | 5 | 3 (faster) | 6 (slower) | 3 (faster) | 6 (slower) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Lead-Free | Standard (SnPb or Pb-free variant) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) | Yes (Pb-free) |
| Transceivers | 16 ch, up to 6.375 Gbps | 16 ch, up to 6.375 Gbps | 16 ch, up to 6.375 Gbps | 16 ch, up to 6.375 Gbps | 16 ch, up to 6.375 Gbps | 16 ch, up to 6.375 Gbps |
| User I/Os | 612 | 612 | 612 | 612 | 612 | 612 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade at slow speed grade (vs EP2AGX260FF35I3N)
- High logic density with transceiver integration (vs EP2AGX190FF35I5G)
- Active availability despite NRND status (vs Older Altera Stratix II EP2A70F1508C9)
Design Notes
The EP2AGX260FF35I5 requires multiple power rails: 0.9V core, 1.2V/1.5V/1.8V/2.5V/3.3V for I/O banks, and dedicated transceiver analog supplies (1.4V VCCT, 2.5V VCCR). Power sequencing must follow Intel's recommended ramp order - transceiver supplies before core to prevent latch-up. A power-on reset (POR) circuit holds all rails until the slowest supply stabilizes. Use the Altera PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet to size decoupling capacitors and switching regulator current budget. Estimated: at 70% utilization and 500 MHz logic, total power is approximately 8-12W requiring airflow or thermal vias to the FCBGA center ball grid.
The 1152-ball FCBGA at 35mm body requires a 1.0 mm ball pitch PCB land pattern with non-solder-mask-defined (NSMD) pads for reliable joint formation. Stackup must use low-loss dielectric (Df < 0.012) at high-speed serial rates; recommend 8-12 layer board with continuous ground planes. Use Intel's symbol library for Altium/Cadence to ensure correct pad dimensions and ball-side assignments. Assembly requires X-ray inspection (2D or 3D CT) to verify joint integrity; 5G base-station and defense customers typically require per-board inspection reports.
Transceiver channels at 6.375 Gbps require 100-ohm differential routing with intra-pair skew under 0.15 mm and length matching to within 0.5 mm across all 16 channels. Use the Quartus II Transceiver Toolkit to tune pre-emphasis, de-emphasis, and equalizer settings per channel. DC-blocking capacitors on serial pairs must be 0402 or 0201 size with broadband performance (100 nF X7R to 0.1 uF C0G above 6 GHz). Common pitfall: routing serial pairs over plane splits introduces impedance discontinuities; keep pairs over a continuous reference ground plane from FPGA ball to connector.
Configuration bitstream loading from EPCS or EPCQ flash must match the device ID and compression settings; mismatched compression causes configuration failures. The I5 temperature grade operates -40C to +100C junction but the FCBGA package dissipates heat primarily through the center thermal balls - place thermal vias directly under these balls on inner ground planes. JTAG chain order matters: place the FPGA before other JTAG devices or use the Quartus programming file generator to specify scan chain order. Estimated: configuration bitstream size for typical 70% utilization design is 8-12 Mbits, requiring at least EPCQ16 (16 Mbit) configuration flash.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (automotive-qualified FPGAs are Cyclone V Auto and Arria V Auto). Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in provided data. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) but no formal MIL-PRF-38535 qualification.
