EP2AGX45DF29I3G - Arria II GX FPGA, 42K LE, 780-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX45DF29I3G β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1100 | $1,100.00 |
| 10 | $990 | $9,900.00 |
| 100 | $880 | $88,000.00 |
| 500 | $780 | $390,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $690 | $690,000.00 |
EP2AGX45DF29I3G Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a reconfigurable integrated circuit that combines programmable logic blocks, programmable interconnect, and configurable I/O on a single die. Arria II GX specifically sits in the mid-range "transceiver-equipped" category between Cyclone (low-cost) and Stratix (high-performance) families, optimized for protocol bridging, video processing, and wireless baseband DSP. Within Altera's product hierarchy, the Arria II GX family is a low-power 40 nm FPGA line targeting applications that demand multi-gigabit transceivers without the power and cost of a Stratix.
Key features of the EP2AGX45DF29I3G include up to 8 integrated multi-gigabit transceivers supporting rates up to 6.375 Gbps (PCI Express Gen2, Gbps Ethernet, CPRI/OBSAI, Serial RapidIO), dedicated DSP blocks for high-throughput signal processing, embedded hard IP for PCIe Gen1/Gen2, eight configurable PLLs, and robust clock management. The FC-FBGA package is Flip-Chip BGA technology offering superior thermal and electrical performance compared to wire-bond BGAs.
The Arria II GX architecture uses 8-input adaptive logic modules (ALMs), TriMatrix embedded memory blocks (MLAB, M512, M4K, M-RAM), and variable-precision DSP blocks. Hard IP cores for PCIe Gen2 x4 endpoints and dedicated SERDES make this device attractive for system-level integration.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing, radar signal processing, broadcast video encoders/decoders, PCI Express expansion cards, and military/aerospace signal processing. The mid-density 42K LE range suits data planes where logic density matters but power must remain moderate.
When designing with this device, pay close attention to transceiver reference clock jitter (typically requires dedicated PLL routing), PCB stack-up for 6 Gbps SERDES (loss-controlled dielectric recommended), and IBIS-AMI simulation for backplane links. Thermal management at sustained transceiver utilization requires the FC-BGA's thermal ball array.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in compatible Arria II GX speed-grade alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX45DF29I3G 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 EP2AGX45DF29I3G (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Transceivers.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX45DF29C6N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C6G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$121.75 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C5N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$510 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C5G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$335 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$335.45 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C4G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$430 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29I3G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GX |
| Series | Arria II GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 42,959 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 3,517,440 |
| User I/O Count | 364 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 1805 |
| Number of Logic Elements / Cells | 42,959 |
| Total RAM Bits | 3,517,440 |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Speed Grade | 3 |
| Voltage - Supply (Core) | 0.9 V |
| Voltage - Supply (I/O) | 1.2 V to 3.3 V |
| Package | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (FC-FBGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes (suffix G) |
EP2AGX45DF29I3G 780-bbga, fcbga (fc-fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX45DF29I3G (780-bbga, fcbga (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 EP2AGX45DF29I3G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX45DF29I3G is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband Signal Processing, PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint Cards, Broadcast Video Processing / Encoding, Radar / Electronic Warfare Signal Processing, Industrial Motor Control / Drive Systems, High-Speed Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
Wireless Baseband Signal Processing
The EP2AGX45DF29I3G fits wireless baseband applications through its 42,959 logic elements and dedicated variable-precision DSP blocks, which accelerate complex baseband arithmetic such as FFT, channel estimation, and equalization. Its integrated multi-gigabit transceivers support CPRI/OBSAI links at up to 6.375 Gbps, connecting the baseband FPGA to RF front-end cards in LTE and small-cell deployments. The industrial temperature range (-40C to +100C) suits outdoor base-station enclosures and remote radio heads (RRH). With 3,517,440 bits of TriMatrix memory and 364 user I/O, the device has ample headroom for multi-antenna (MIMO) processing and beamforming weights, while the 0.9 V core keeps dynamic power low enough for thermally constrained RRH chassis without exotic cooling.
Recommended
PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint Cards
For PCI Express Gen2 endpoint designs the EP2AGX45DF29I3G offers hard PCIe IP supporting x4 Gen2 (5 Gbps) operation through the integrated multi-gigabit transceivers, eliminating soft-IP resource overhead and delivering lower latency. With 42,959 logic elements the device fits application logic such as protocol bridges, DSP accelerators, and data-acquisition front ends; 3.5 Mbits of embedded memory supports packet buffering and descriptor tables. The 780-ball FC-FBGA (F29) package provides the dedicated transceiver balls required for PCIe x4 lane operation and the thermal mass for sustained Gen2 link training. Designers typically pair this FPGA with a PCIe edge connector, external clock buffer, and EEPROM for configuration storage.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing / Encoding
The EP2AGX45DF29I3G's combination of 42,959 logic elements, 3.5 Mbits of TriMatrix memory, and high-speed transceivers (SDI rates up to 6.375 Gbps for 3G-SDI) makes it well suited for broadcast video processing applications such as up/down/cross-conversion, frame-rate conversion, and H.264 encoding pre-processing. The industrial temperature grade supports broadcast equipment installed in unconditioned outside-broadcast truck environments. The 364 user I/O pins connect to external DDR2/DDR3 memory for line/frame buffers and to SDI PHY chips (e.g., Gennum GS2970). Designers can implement multi-channel HD-SDI processing in a single device with margin for color-space conversion and de-interlacing pipelines.
Recommended
Radar / Electronic Warfare Signal Processing
Military and aerospace EW2G systems leverage the EP2AGX45DF29I3G's variable-precision DSP blocks for high-throughput radar signal processing such as pulse compression, MTI filtering, and direction-of-arrival computation. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers support digital-RF interfaces to ADC/DAC back ends, while 364 user I/O enable parallel LVDS connections to legacy RF digitizers. Industrial temperature (-40C to +100C) operation is essential for avionics and shipboard radar enclosures. With 42K LE and 3.5 Mbits of memory the device typically fits single-channel processing chains; multi-channel systems migrate to the EP2AGX125 or EP2AGX190 in the same F29 FC-FBGA footprint for higher integration.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control / Drive Systems
Industrial motor drives use the EP2AGX45DF29I3G for high-bandwidth field-oriented control (FOC), encoder feedback processing, and communication bridging (EtherCAT, Profinet, SERCOS III) over the integrated transceivers. The 364 user I/O accommodate multiple ADC channels for current/voltage sensing, PWM outputs for IGBT gate drivers, and encoder interfaces (EnDat, BiSS, resolver). Industrial temperature operation (-40C to +100C) supports cabinet-less mounting on motors and machine tools. The 0.9 V core keeps dissipation within enclosed drive enclosures; 3.5 Mbits of embedded memory caches lookup tables for space-vector modulation and adaptive control parameters.
Recommended
High-Speed Test & Measurement Instrumentation
Test and measurement equipment such as protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, and bit-error-rate testers (BERT) leverage the EP2AGX45DF29I3G's 6.375 Gbps transceivers and 364 user I/O for high-speed data capture, pattern generation, and protocol decoding. The 42,959 logic elements implement deep capture buffers and trigger logic, while 3.5 Mbits of embedded memory support real-time correlation. The FC-FBGA (F29) package is suitable for high-channel-count probe cards where signal integrity at multi-gigabit rates is critical. Designers commonly pair this FPGA with high-speed ADC/DAC front ends, external DDR3 memory for deep capture, and USB 3.0 or PCIe host interfaces.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX45DF29I3G β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX45DF29C6N | EP2AGX45DF29C6G | EP2AGX45DF29C5N | EP2AGX45DF29C5G | EP2AGX45DF29C4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-FCBGA (F29) | 780-FCBGA (F29) - same | 780-FCBGA (F29) - same | 780-FCBGA (F29) - same | 780-FCBGA (F29) - same | 780-FCBGA (F29) - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel FPGA) | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Logic Elements | 42,959 | 42,959 | 42,959 | 42,959 | 42,959 | 42,959 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 3,517,440 | 3,517,440 | 3,517,440 | 3,517,440 | 3,517,440 | 3,517,440 |
| User I/O Count | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | 3 (mid-tier) | 6 (fastest commercial) | 6 (fastest commercial) | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Lead-Free Suffix | G (lead-free) | N (Pb-free matte tin) | G (lead-free) | N (Pb-free matte tin) | G (lead-free) | N (Pb-free matte tin) |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy (same family) | Last-time-buy (same family) | Last-time-buy (same family) | Last-time-buy (same family) | Last-time-buy (same family) |
Key Differentiators
- Mid-density 42K LE Arria II GX with integrated transceivers up to 6.375 Gbps (vs EP4CGX22BF14C6N (Cyclone IV GX, 22K LE, lower-cost family))
- Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) in F29 FC-FBGA package (vs EP2AGX45DF29C6N (commercial 0C to +85C, same F29 package))
- 780-ball FC-FBGA Flip-Chip BGA package (vs EP2AGX45CU17I3G (484-ball UBGA, same silicon))
- Hard PCIe Gen2 x4 IP block integrated (vs Soft PCIe IP on smaller FPGAs)
Design Notes
The FC-FBGA (Flip-Chip BGA) F29 package exposes a thermal ball array on the bottom side. At sustained transceiver utilization (e.g. 6.375 Gbps x 8 channels), junction temperature can approach 95C in still-air enclosures. Estimated: with theta_JA of approximately 12 C/W (4-layer JEDEC test board, no heatsink), 4 W dissipation yields a 48C rise above ambient. For industrial-temperature designs targeting +100C ambient, designers MUST attach a thermal-management solution: a heatsink with thermal interface material, embedded copper heat-spreader in the PCB stack-up, or forced-air cooling. The FC-FBGA bottom thermal balls must be soldered to thermal vias that connect to inner copper planes for heat extraction.
Multi-gigabit transceiver channels at 6.375 Gbps require a controlled-impedance PCB stack-up. Recommended: loss-controlled dielectric (e.g. Isola FR408HR or equivalent with Df < 0.012 at 5 GHz), 100-ohm differential striplins or coplanar waveguide with ground, and via optimization (back-drilling for stub reduction beyond 3 Gbps). Reference clock jitter for the transceiver PLLs must be kept below 1 ps RMS; use a dedicated low-jitter clock buffer and place the clock IC close to the FPGA's refclk pins. The Altera Arria II GX Transceiver Link Design Guide provides eye-mask templates that should be validated with post-layout IBIS-AMI simulation.
Estimated: the EP2AGX45DF29I3G draws approximately 0.5-2.5 W from the 0.9 V core rail depending on logic utilization and toggle rate. Designers should budget for a 3-4 W power budget per FPGA. A multi-rail supply (e.g. Linear Technology LTM4644, Texas Instruments TPS54320) is recommended for the 0.9 V core, 1.2 V PLL, 1.8 V/2.5 V/3.3 V I/O banks, and 1.5 V/2.5 V transceiver auxiliary supplies. Power-on sequencing must follow the Altera Arria II GX handbook sequence: 3.3 V first, then 2.5 V, then 1.8 V, then 1.2 V, then 0.9 V core - violating this sequence can cause latch-up or permanent damage.
Common pitfalls with the EP2AGX45DF29I3G include: (1) attempting to drive 6 Gbps SERDES through standard FR-4 without loss control - this fails link training; (2) ignoring transceiver reference-clock duty-cycle requirements (typically 45-55%); (3) omitting the MSEL pin configuration resistors - the FPGA will not enter the correct configuration mode; (4) forgetting the nCONFIG / nSTATUS / CONF_DONE pull-ups; (5) using non-Intel/Altera programming files (e.g. SVF) without verifying the silicon ID match. Designers should always reference the Arria II GX Device Handbook pin connection guidelines for unused-pin termination.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant per Altera/Intel product page; lead-free finish indicated by "G" suffix. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) does not equate to AEC-Q100 automotive qualification. Halogen-free status not specified in distributor data.
