EP2AGX45CU17C5G - Arria II GX FPGA 45K LEs 3.5Mb | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX45CU17C5G ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $271.5 | $2,715.00 |
| 100 | $256.75 | $25,675.00 |
| 500 | $242 | $121,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $228.5 | $228,500.00 |
EP2AGX45CU17C5G Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor IC containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable routing channels, and dedicated hardware IP such as block RAM, DSP blocks, and high-speed transceivers, all controlled by SRAM-based configuration memory. FPGAs occupy a unique tier between general-purpose microcontrollers (which execute software sequentially) and fixed-function ASICs (which are silicon-permanent) — they reconfigure their hardware fabric in milliseconds, enabling hardware-level parallelism for compute-intensive workloads. The Arria II GX family sits in the mid-range, targeting applications that need integrated multi-gigabit transceivers without the cost of a Stratix-class device.
Key features of the EP2AGX45CU17C5G include up to 156 general-purpose user I/O pins spread across 9 I/O banks, integrated 3.125 Gbps CPRI/OBSAI-compatible transceivers for backplane and chip-to-chip serial links, dedicated 18x18 multipliers and DSP blocks for signal-processing acceleration, programmable PLLs for clock synthesis, and hard PCI Express Gen1 hard IP blocks. The 358-pin FCBGA package provides high-density I/O escape routing for high-speed differential pairs and supplies the low-inductance power/ground distribution required by the transceiver analog supply rails.
The Arria II GX architecture pairs a 40nm low-power process with adaptive logic modules (ALMs) that implement 8-input fracturable look-up tables, a tightly integrated hard memory controller subsystem, and a transceiver physical media attachment (PMA) layer supporting protocols such as PCIe Gen1 x1/x4, Gigabit Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, and CPRI. Hard IP blocks for memory interfaces and PCIe Gen1 free fabric logic for application code, while the transceiver PMA/PCS stack supports data rates commonly used in 3G/4G wireless baseband, broadcast video, and industrial backplane aggregation.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing (CPRI link aggregation for radio equipment controllers), high-resolution broadcast video routing and processing, military and industrial radar front-end preprocessing, machine-vision frame grabbers, test and measurement digitizers, and PCIe Gen1 endpoint cards in industrial PCs and embedded computing platforms. Engineers typically pair the EP2AGX45CU17C5G with external DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM and flash configuration memory.
When designing with this part, pay particular attention to the four transceiver analog supply rails (VCCA_GXB, VCCL_GXB, VCCP, VCCR) — they require filtering and isolation from the digital core supply to meet jitter and bit-error-rate budgets. Configuration must use a supported scheme (fast passive parallel, fast passive serial, or JTAG) with a valid configuration bitstream. This page consolidates distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX45CU17C5G — 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 EP2AGX45CU17C5G (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Logic Elements, Device Type, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX45CU17C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$145.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX45CU17C6G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$178 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX45CU17I5G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$526.7882 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX45CU17I3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$268.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX45CU17C5G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GX |
| Device Type | FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 42959 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 3517440 |
| Number of User I/Os | 156 |
| Number of I/O Banks | 9 |
| Package | 358-LFBGA / FCBGA (U358) |
| Package Code | U358 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (Commercial, TJ) |
| Supply Voltage Core | 0.9 V (nominal) |
| Speed Grade | -C5 (speed grade 5) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free / Halogen-Free | Pb-free (G suffix) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Memory | SRAM-based (volatile, external config device required) |
EP2AGX45CU17C5G u358 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX45CU17C5G (u358 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 EP2AGX45CU17C5G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX45CU17C5G is suitable for 7 applications: Wireless Baseband / CPRI Aggregation, Broadcast Video Routing and Processing, Military / Industrial Radar Front-End, PCIe Gen1 Endpoint Industrial Cards, Machine Vision Frame Grabbers, Test and Measurement Digitizers, Industrial Automation Backplane Aggregation.
Wireless Baseband / CPRI Aggregation
The EP2AGX45CU17C5G is well-suited for wireless baseband processing and CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) link aggregation between radio equipment controllers (REC) and radio equipment (RE) in 3G/4G base stations. Its integrated multi-gigabit transceivers support up to 3.125 Gbps per lane, matching CPRI Option 3 data rates commonly used in macro-cell deployments. With 42,959 logic elements and dedicated 18x18 multipliers, the FPGA can preprocess IQ samples, perform digital up/down-conversion, and run MAC-layer functions in parallel. Compared to a pure DSP-ASIC approach, the EP2AGX45CU17C5G allows protocol upgrades (CPRI v4, eCPRI) via bitstream update without silicon respin.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Routing and Processing
The EP2AGX45CU17C5G serves as the heart of mid-density broadcast video routers and SDI/HD-SDI frame synchronizers. Its 3.5 Mbits of embedded memory can buffer full HD frames for cross-point switching, while the 156 user I/O pins enable multi-channel SDI input aggregation with embedded audio de-embedding. The dedicated transceiver channels handle 3G-SDI (2.97 Gbps) with sufficient margin for cable-equalized long-reach deployments in studio and outside-broadcast vans. Quartus II's hard PCIe Gen1 IP allows the same card to host a host-bus interface for centralized switching control.
Recommended
Military / Industrial Radar Front-End
The EP2AGX45CU17C5G handles front-end radar signal processing in phased-array and ground-based surveillance systems. The 42,959 logic elements and DSP blocks enable real-time pulse compression, MTI filtering, and CFAR detection on digitized IF samples. Transceiver lanes digitize raw antenna outputs at up to 3.125 Gbps, while the 156 user I/O pins provide GPIO for synchronization with the RF front-end, servo motors (for phased-array steering), and host CPU. For deployments requiring extended temperature, the EP2AGX45CU17I5G variant covers -40C to 100C industrial range.
Recommended
PCIe Gen1 Endpoint Industrial Cards
The EP2AGX45CU17C5G integrates hard PCIe Gen1 x1/x4 endpoint IP, making it a natural fit for industrial PCIe add-in cards such as data-acquisition boards, frame grabbers, and protocol analyzers. The hard IP block eliminates the need to consume fabric logic for transaction-layer and data-link-layer handling, freeing the 42,959 LEs for application-specific DSP and control logic. The 156 user I/O pins route directly to on-board sensors, ADCs, DACs, or external connector headers. PCIe Gen1 at 2.5 Gbps per lane is sufficient for most industrial PC bandwidth requirements.
Recommended
Machine Vision Frame Grabbers
The EP2AGX45CU17C5G supports high-throughput machine-vision frame grabbers by aggregating Camera Link, CoaXPress, or GigE Vision streams into host PCs. Its multi-gigabit transceivers accept CoaXPress uplink at up to 3.125 Gbps per lane (with up to 4 lanes bonded), while the embedded memory buffers full frames for host-side processing. The hard PCIe Gen1 IP pushes aggregated pixel data to the host CPU/GPU at 2.5 Gbps per lane with minimal software overhead. The 156 GPIO pins route directly to camera trigger outputs, strobe controls, and encoder feedback for vision-guided robotics.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Digitizers
The EP2AGX45CU17C5G is widely deployed in mid-range test and measurement instruments including oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol testers. Its 42,959 LEs support complex trigger logic, real-time protocol decoding, and statistical analysis, while the high-speed transceivers capture serial bus traffic at 3.125 Gbps. The embedded 3.5 Mbits of RAM functions as deep capture memory for segmented acquisition. With PCIe Gen1 endpoint IP, captured data streams directly to host software for offline analysis — eliminating USB or Ethernet bottlenecks in the test pipeline.
Recommended
Industrial Automation Backplane Aggregation
The EP2AGX45CU17C5G aggregates multiple industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT, PROFINET, SERCOS III, Modbus TCP) on a single PCIe card for factory automation controllers. Its transceivers handle fieldbus uplinks at industrial data rates while the hard PCIe Gen1 IP pushes decoded process data to the host PLC. The 156 user I/O pins route directly to local digital I/O modules, encoder interfaces, and servo drives. The -C5 speed grade provides sufficient timing margin for deterministic cycle times under 250 microseconds required by high-end motion-control applications.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX45CU17C5G — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX45CU17C4G | EP2AGX45CU17C6G | EP2AGX45CU17I5G | EP2AGX45CU17I3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 358-LFBGA (U358) | 358-LFBGA (U358) - same | 358-LFBGA (U358) - same | 358-LFBGA (U358) - same | 358-LFBGA (U358) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 42959 | 42959 | 42959 | 42959 | 42959 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 3517440 | 3517440 | 3517440 | 3517440 | 3517440 |
| User I/O Count | 156 | 156 | 156 | 156 | 156 |
| Speed Grade | -C5 | -C4 (~30% faster) | -C6 (~15% slower) | -I5 (industrial) | -I3 (industrial, faster) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | -40C to 100C (Industrial) | -40C to 100C (Industrial) |
| Transceiver Data Rate | up to 3.125 Gbps | up to 3.125 Gbps | up to 3.125 Gbps | up to 3.125 Gbps | up to 3.125 Gbps |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes (Pb-free, G suffix) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Balanced mid-density position in Arria II GX family (vs EP2AGX260FF35C5G (260K LEs))
- Hard PCIe Gen1 IP block saves fabric logic (vs Lattice ECP5-series FPGAs)
- 356-ball FCBGA package with 156 user I/O pins (vs Xilinx Kintex-7 XC7K160T-FFG676)
- Ongoing Intel support and third-party ecosystem (vs Older Altera Cyclone III family)
Design Notes
The Arria II GX transceiver channels require four dedicated analog supply rails (VCCA_GXB, VCCL_GXB, VCCP, VCCR) that must be filtered and isolated from the digital 0.9V core supply. Per the Arria II GX handbook, a ferrite bead or pi-filter is recommended between the switching regulator output and each analog pin, with bulk and decoupling capacitors placed within 100 mils of the BGA balls. Estimated: at maximum transceiver utilization, analog rail current draw can exceed 800 mA — verify regulator headroom and thermal dissipation on the PCB before layout freeze.
The 358-ball FCBGA package requires a 4-6 layer PCB with microvia stackups to escape the 0.8 mm pitch BGA balls to inner signal layers. Per the Arria II GX handbook pin connection guidelines, route transceiver differential pairs with 100 ohm differential impedance, length-matched within 5 mils, and keep them on the top or adjacent layers only — avoid vias on high-speed serial pairs. Reference the Intel-provided U358 land pattern and via-in-pad recommendations in the package mechanical drawing document for PCB fabrication notes.
Do not omit the external configuration memory — the EP2AGX45CU17C5G is volatile and loses its bitstream on every power cycle. MSEL pin settings sampled at power-on must match the chosen configuration mode (FPP, FPS, AS, or JTAG). A common pitfall is leaving JTAG TCK floating, which can cause random configuration failures; pull TCK high through a 1-10 kohm resistor. Always validate the configuration bitstream checksum in software before declaring the FPGA operational — the nSTATUS and CONF_DONE pins indicate bitstream load status.
Estimated: at full fabric utilization (~80% LEs active at 250 MHz) and three transceiver channels operating at 3.125 Gbps, the EP2AGX45CU17C5G can dissipate 4-6 W through the FCBGA thermal pad. The 358-ball package has a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) of approximately 12-15 C/W with a 6-layer PCB and adequate thermal vias under the exposed pad. For sealed enclosures or high-ambient industrial deployments, derate the operating frequency or add a heatsink bonded to the top-side exposed pad with thermal interface material.
For SDI, CPRI, or CoaXPress deployments where the EP2AGX45CU17C5G drives long PCB traces to external connectors, use signal conditioners or redrivers at the connector side to meet the relevant eye-mask requirements. Per the Arria II GX handbook, on-die termination (OCT) is available for LVDS and HSTL I/O standards — enable differential OCT on transceiver reference clock inputs (REFCLK) to reduce reflections. Run signal-integrity simulation with the IBIS models published in the Arria II GX device documentation before committing to layout.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Intel / Altera product page. Pb-free (G suffix) and halogen-free per modern Intel FPGA packaging standards. Not AEC-Q100 qualified — this is a commercial/industrial-grade FPGA, not automotive. AEC-Q100 qualification is not applicable to FPGA logic devices in the traditional sense.
