EP2AGX45DF29C6N - Arria II GX FPGA 45K LE 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX45DF29C6N β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $261 | $2,610.00 |
| 100 | $232 | $23,200.00 |
| 500 | $198 | $99,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $175 | $175,000.00 |
EP2AGX45DF29C6N Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field Programmable Gate Array is a programmable logic device containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated hardened IP such as transceivers, memory blocks, and DSP slices. FPGAs occupy a tier above CPLDs in complexity and below ASICs in non-recurring engineering cost, allowing designers to implement custom digital logic, signal processing pipelines, and high-speed serial protocols after fabrication. Arria II GX sits in Intel's mid-range FPGA family, between the lower-cost Cyclone series and the high-end Stratix series, balancing logic density, transceiver performance, and power consumption.
Key features of the EP2AGX45DF29C6N include 1,805 LABs (logic array blocks), 3,517,440 bits of embedded memory, and 42959 (presumed adaptive logic modules / DSP-related count as listed in the datasheet). The integrated transceivers support protocols such as PCI Express Gen1/Gen2, Gigabit Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, and XAUI. The device operates from a 0.9V core supply with multiple I/O voltage standards supported.
The architecture combines an 8-input adaptive logic module (ALM) fabric with per-channel transceiver PLLs and dedicated PHY hard IP. This allows designers to amortize the silicon area of common interfaces rather than implementing them in soft logic, reducing power and improving timing closure on multi-gigabit links.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing, broadcast video equipment, military radar, and high-speed serial protocol bridging. Designers select Arria II GX when they need proven 6.375 Gbps transceivers with mid-range logic density at lower power than Stratix IV.
When designing with this FPGA, plan power sequencing for the 0.9V core, PLL supplies, and transceiver supplies independently. The 780-FBGA package requires high-layer-count PCB stack-ups with microvia technology for breakout; signal-integrity-aware layout is essential for the transceiver channels.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, drop-in FPGA variants, and practical PCB design guidance synthesized from the Intel Arria II GX device handbook β information not aggregated on any single distributor product page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX45DF29C6N 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 EP2AGX45DF29C6N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX45DF29C5N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$510 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$335.45 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$178 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C6G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$121.75 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C5G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$335 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Arria II GX |
| Logic Elements | 45,000 |
| Number of LABs | 1,805 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 3,517,440 bits |
| User I/O Count | 364 |
| Maximum Transceiver Data Rate | 6.375 Gbps |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Package | 780-FBGA (DF29), 29 mm body |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C6 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Pb-Free / Lead-Free | Yes |
EP2AGX45DF29C6N 780-fbga (df29), 29 mm body Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX45DF29C6N (780-fbga (df29), 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 EP2AGX45DF29C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX45DF29C6N is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband Processing, Broadcast Video Processing, High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging, Military Radar Signal Processing, Test and Measurement Equipment, Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision.
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP2AGX45DF29C6N's 45,000 logic elements and 6.375 Gbps transceivers make it well-suited for wireless baseband signal processing in 4G LTE small cells and WiMAX base stations. The 3,517,440 embedded memory bits accommodate cyclic-prefix buffers and FFT working memory without external SRAM access. Compared to a DSP + ASSP architecture, the Arria II GX allows algorithmic upgrades in the field β useful as LTE evolved toward LTE-Advanced. The 780-FBGA package supports the high-density board layout required for multi-antenna (MIMO) designs where four transceiver channels feed parallel processing paths.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP2AGX45DF29C6N is widely deployed in broadcast video routers, format converters, and SDI/HDMI bridging equipment. Its 6.375 Gbps transceivers handle 3G-SDI and 6G-SDI (2160p30) data rates natively, while the 45,000 logic elements provide capacity for color-space conversion, scaling, and frame-rate adaptation. The 364 user I/Os allow connection to multiple parallel video buses plus external DDR2/DDR3 memory for frame buffers. Broadcast equipment manufacturers value the Arria II GX family because the IP cores (SDI, HDMI, DisplayPort) are mature and certified against broadcast industry standards.
Recommended
High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridging
The EP2AGX45DF29C6N is an excellent fit for protocol bridging applications where multiple serial standards must be converted between. Typical deployments include PCIe Gen1/Gen2 to XAUI bridges, Serial RapidIO to Ethernet gateways, and custom backplane protocol converters. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers support all common multi-gigabit protocols, and the FPGA fabric allows custom packet processing, DMA engines, and protocol-aware logic. The 780-FBGA package keeps board area small enough for adapter card form factors while still delivering 364 user I/Os for parallel side-band interfaces.
Recommended
Military Radar Signal Processing
Defense and aerospace integrators have long qualified the EP2AGX45DF29C6N for radar front-end preprocessing, beamforming, and I/Q demodulation. The device's combination of mid-range logic density, 6.375 Gbps serial links (useful for digitizer-to-processor backplanes), and 0.9V low-power operation makes it attractive for size, weight, and power-constrained (SWaP) applications. Although Intel has NRND-flagged Arria II GX, many defense programs have long lifecycles and continue to source the part through established authorized channels. The 780-FBGA package supports the ruggedized PCB stack-ups used in Mil/Aero hardware.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Test equipment manufacturers use the EP2AGX45DF29C6N as the core processing element in protocol analyzers, bit-error-rate testers (BERTs), and logic analyzers. Its 6.375 Gbps transceivers capture and analyze high-speed serial traffic in real time, while the 45,000 logic elements implement pattern generators, error injectors, and protocol decoders. The 780-FBGA package allows integration into benchtop form factors, and the C6 speed grade gives consistent timing margins across production builds. The mature Quartus II design flow (still supported for Arria II) provides reliable synthesis and timing closure.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision
The EP2AGX45DF29C6N enables high-speed industrial cameras, frame grabbers, and machine vision controllers. Its 6.375 Gbps transceivers interface with CoaXPress, Camera Link HS, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet vision standards, while the FPGA fabric performs image preprocessing (white balance, gamma, edge detection) before forwarding frames to a host processor. The 364 user I/Os accommodate multiple parallel image sensors plus GPIO for trigger and strobe signals. Industrial designers value the long-term availability of Arria II GX and the deterministic latency of the FPGA fabric for real-time vision pipelines.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX45DF29C6N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX45DF29C5N | EP2AGX45DF29C4N | EP2AGX45DF29C3N | EP2AGX45DF29C6G | EP2AGX45DF29C5G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 780-FBGA (DF29, 29mm) | 780-FBGA (DF29, 29mm) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29, 29mm) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29, 29mm) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29, 29mm) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29, 29mm) - same |
| Speed Grade | C6 | C5 (faster) | C4 (faster) | C3 (fastest) | C6 (same) | C5 (faster) |
| Logic Elements | 45,000 | 45,000 | 45,000 | 45,000 | 45,000 | 45,000 |
| User I/Os | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 |
| Transceiver Data Rate | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
| Lead-Free / Green | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Green suffix) | Yes (Green suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Faster speed grade option available in identical package (vs EP2AGX45DF29C5N)
- Lead-free / Green compliant variant available (vs EP2AGX45DF29C6G)
- Same silicon, multiple speed bins allow cost/timing trade-off (vs EP2AGX45DF29C3N)
Design Notes
The 780-FBGA (DF29, 29 mm body) package requires a high-layer-count PCB (typically 10+ layers) with microvia technology for breakout routing. Use a 1.0 mm or 1.27 mm pitch BGA fanout with staggered or dog-bone via patterns. Pair each transceiver channel with a continuous reference ground plane on the layer immediately beneath the BGA breakout to control impedance and suppress crosstalk between channels. Estimated: a 14-layer stack-up with 0.4 mm laser-drilled microvias is typical for 6.375 Gbps designs in this package.
The Arria II GX EP2AGX45DF29C6N requires independent power rails for VCC (0.9V core), VCC_PLL, VCCPT (programmable technology voltage), and per-bank VCCIO supplies for the I/O banks. Sequence the core voltage before the I/O voltages to avoid latch-up during power-up; many designs use a power management IC (e.g., LTC3612 or TI TPS5430 family) with PG (power-good) feedback to the FPGA's nCONFIG pin. Decoupling: place 0.1 Β΅F X7R ceramic capacitors within 2 mm of every VCC/VCCPT/VCCIO ball, plus bulk decoupling at the voltage regulator outputs. Estimated: total core current at typical utilization is 1.5-3 A depending on clock rate and toggle activity.
The 780-FBGA package has a typical theta_JA in the range of 12-18 C/W with appropriate PCB thermal design (thermal vias under the BGA, inner copper planes). In still air, the EP2AGX45 at full transceiver utilization can dissipate 5-8 W. For forced-air or enclosed chassis designs, attach a heatsink via thermal interface material (TIM) directly to the top of the BGA package; some BGA variants expose a thermal slug for this purpose. Estimated: junction temperature rise of 7-10 C per watt of dissipation with the recommended thermal via array.
Each 6.375 Gbps transceiver channel requires AC-coupling capacitors (typically 100 nF X7R 0402) on the TX serial output lines, placed as close as practical to the FPGA ball. Match the differential trace length within 5 mils (0.127 mm) and maintain 100 ohm differential impedance over the entire channel. Keep the transceiver power supply (VCCT, VCCR) isolated from noisy digital supplies using a ferrite bead or pi-filter network. Reference the Intel Arria II GX Transceiver User Guide for the full channel budget and recommended PCB stack-up.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Altera/Intel product documentation. Lead-free per N/G suffix conventions. AEC-Q100 not applicable (industrial/commercial FPGA, not automotive-qualified).
