EP2AGX45DF29I5 - Arria II GX FPGA 42.9K LEs 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX45DF29I5 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $412 | $412.00 |
| 10 | $380 | $3,800.00 |
| 100 | $348 | $34,800.00 |
| 500 | $312 | $156,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $285 | $285,000.00 |
EP2AGX45DF29I5 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a type of integrated circuit whose digital logic function is defined after manufacturing by the user. Within the semiconductor hierarchy, FPGAs sit between general-purpose CPUs and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), offering a balance of flexibility, time-to-market, and parallel-processing performance. The Arria II GX family in particular belongs to the mid-range class, optimized for applications that require integrated high-speed transceivers and protocol hard IP but at lower cost than high-end Stratix-class parts.
Key features of the EP2AGX45DF29I5 include 8 full-duplex transceiver channels supporting data rates from 600 Mbps to 3.75 Gbps, a hard PCIe Gen2 x4 IP block for direct host interface, 564 18x18 multipliers suitable for DSP-intensive signal processing, and 3.5 Mbits of on-chip RAM distributed between M9K blocks and MLABs. The 780-FBGA package supports high-speed I/O and transceiver ball assignments, with -I5 speed grade indicating a specific commercial operating temperature range and performance bin.
The device is fabricated on TSMC's 40nm process node, which balances static power consumption against performance. The transceiver and PLL blocks are hardened, meaning they occupy dedicated silicon that does not consume programmable logic resources, leaving the 42.9K logic elements available for user-defined state machines, control logic, and datapath applications.
Typical applications include video broadcast and professional video processing where 3G-SDI/HD-SDI transceivers can be implemented on-chip, industrial and medical imaging requiring mid-density DSP performance, and high-speed serial interface bridging (PCIe Gen2, Serial RapidIO, Gigabit Ethernet). The 780-FBGA package is also well-suited to test and measurement equipment where multiple protocol interfaces must be supported simultaneously.
When designing with the EP2AGX45DF29I5, engineers should pay close attention to transceiver reference-clock routing and PCB stack-up, because the 3.75 Gbps serial links demand controlled-impedance differential pairs. Power-rail sequencing for the 0.9 V core and transceiver analog supplies is also critical; Altera's PowerPlay early power estimator must be run before board layout to confirm thermal envelope and decoupling strategy.
This page consolidates distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes that complement the official Arria II GX Device Handbook, giving procurement and design teams a single reference for evaluation.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX45DF29I5 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 EP2AGX45DF29I5 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Mounting Type, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX45DF29C6N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C5N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$510 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29I3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$215 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29I3G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$690 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29C6G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$121.75 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF25I5
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$372 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45CU17I5G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$526.7882 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX45DF29I5 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GX |
| Device Logic Elements | 42,959 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,805 |
| User I/Os | 364 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 3,517,440 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 564 |
| Transceivers | 8 full-duplex channels |
| Transceiver Data Rate (max) | 3.75 Gbps |
| Hard PCIe Gen2 IP Block | 1 x PCIe Gen2 x4 |
| Process Node | 40 nm (TSMC) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial, I5 speed grade) |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2AGX45DF29I5 780-ball fc-fbga (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX45DF29I5 (780-ball fc-fbga (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) 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 EP2AGX45DF29I5.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX45DF29I5 is suitable for 6 applications: 3G-SDI / HD-SDI Video Broadcast Processing, PCIe Gen2 Endpoint Cards for Industrial / Medical Imaging, Serial RapidIO / GigE Protocol Bridging, Test & Measurement Instrumentation with Multi-Protocol I/O, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband Processing, Industrial Motion-Control / Servo Drive Controller.
3G-SDI / HD-SDI Video Broadcast Processing
The EP2AGX45DF29I5 is well-matched to multi-channel 3G-SDI and HD-SDI video broadcast equipment because its 8 hardened transceivers at 3.75 Gbps can carry four 3G-SDI links or eight HD-SDI links simultaneously without consuming programmable logic resources. The 564 18x18 multipliers handle real-time chroma resampling and scaler datapaths for 1080p60 video, while 3,517,440 bits of embedded memory buffer line-rate video at the 148.5 MHz pixel clock. Industrial -40C to +100C operation allows deployment in outdoor broadcast trucks and stadium-side equipment where ambient temperature is uncontrolled.
Recommended
PCIe Gen2 Endpoint Cards for Industrial / Medical Imaging
The hard PCIe Gen2 x4 IP block in the EP2AGX45DF29I5 delivers 4 lanes at 5 Gbps line rate to a host CPU, freeing the 42,959 LEs for image-sensor interface logic (LVDS, SLVS, or MIPI via soft PHY) and real-time pixel processing. Industrial temperature grade and 364 user I/Os support frame-grabber cards that aggregate multiple camera links, while the 3.5 Mbits of embedded memory provide line buffers for up to 4K sensor streams. Power consumption is roughly 30 percent lower than equivalent soft-PCIe implementations because the hardened block does not consume general logic or routing resources.
Recommended
Serial RapidIO / GigE Protocol Bridging
The 8 transceivers of the EP2AGX45DF29I5 are well-suited to multi-protocol bridging applications such as Serial RapidIO to Gigabit Ethernet, or Aurora to PCIe Gen2, which are common in wireless base-station backhaul and defense signal-processing platforms. The 3.75 Gbps data rate comfortably supports SRIO x4 at 3.125 Gbps plus two GigE links simultaneously, while the hard PCIe Gen2 block provides the host interface. Industrial temperature range and 0.9 V core supply enable deployment in sealed outdoor enclosures and military-spec rack-mount systems.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation with Multi-Protocol I/O
Test and measurement platforms such as protocol analyzers, oscilloscope front-ends, and bit-error-rate testers require flexible multi-protocol I/O that the EP2AGX45DF29I5 provides through its 8 transceivers and 364 user I/Os. Engineers can implement custom PHY interfaces (LVDS, SLVS, sub-LVDS, or differential PECL) on the user I/Os while dedicating the transceivers to standard protocols like PCIe, SRIO, or Aurora. The 564 18x18 multipliers also enable on-chip DSP for FIR decimation filters in ADC-based front-end designs, replacing an external DSP chip in space-constrained bench instruments.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband Processing
The 42,959 logic elements and 564 18x18 multipliers of the EP2AGX45DF29I5 can implement a complete 4x4 MIMO LTE baseband receiver or a 100 MHz bandwidth DVB-T2 demodulator. The 8 transceivers accept four 3.75 Gbps digital IF streams from external ADCs, and the 3,517,440 bits of embedded memory provide the de-interleaver and FFT twiddle-factor storage needed for OFDM processing. The -40C to +100C industrial range supports field-deployed SDR equipment in defense and public-safety applications where standard commercial parts would fail thermal qualification.
Recommended
Industrial Motion-Control / Servo Drive Controller
Industrial multi-axis servo drives combine a real-time EtherCAT or SERCOS III master, encoder interfaces, and torque-loop control loops. The EP2AGX45DF29I5 fits this role with its 8 transceivers supporting two EtherCAT ports plus one SERCOS III link, 364 user I/Os for 16-axis encoder channels (EnDat 2.2, BiSS, SSI), and 564 18x18 multipliers executing 32 kHz torque-loop math in a single FPGA. Industrial temperature grade -40C to +100C handles the cabinet ambient of a typical factory-floor servo amplifier without derating, and 780-FBGA package enables dense PCB layout for multi-axis drives.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX45DF29I5 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX45DF29C6N | EP2AGX45DF29C5N | EP2AGX45DF29I3N | EP2AGX45DF29I3G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-FBGA (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | 780-FBGA (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 780-FBGA (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 780-FBGA (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 780-FBGA (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Logic Elements | 42,959 | 42,959 | 42,959 | 42,959 | 42,959 |
| Transceivers (3.75 Gbps) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Hard PCIe Gen2 Block | 1 x PCIe Gen2 x4 | 1 x PCIe Gen2 x4 | 1 x PCIe Gen2 x4 | 1 x PCIe Gen2 x4 | 1 x PCIe Gen2 x4 |
| Speed Grade | I5 (industrial) | C6 (commercial, faster Fmax) | C5 (commercial) | I3 (industrial, slower Fmax) | I3 (industrial, slower Fmax) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to 85C (commercial) | 0C to 85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Typical 1000pc Price (USD) | 285 | 310 (commercial, faster) | 275 | 240 (I3 lower cost) | 240 (I3 lower cost) |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature range with full transceiver performance (vs EP2AGX45DF29C6N)
- I5 speed grade for high-Fmax industrial designs (vs EP2AGX45DF29I3N)
- Hard PCIe Gen2 IP block eliminates soft-PCIe resource cost (vs Cyclone IV GX (EP4CGX-series) with no hard PCIe)
Design Notes
The 780-FBGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch, which requires a 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with at least one dedicated ground plane directly under the FPGA. Use microvia-in-pad technology to fan out the inner balls; for boards manufactured without microvia-in-pad capability, route signals through a 4-mil laser-drilled via on a 0.5 mm BGA breakout pitch. The 1.0 mm ball pitch is at the practical limit of 4-mil via design rules, so plan your stack-up before committing the layout. Source: Arria II GX Device Handbook, Board Design Guidelines.
The 3.75 Gbps transceiver channels require 100-ohm differential impedance with pair-to-pair skew under 2 ps. Route each transceiver pair on a dedicated layer with continuous reference ground; avoid crossing reference plane splits. AC-coupling capacitors (100 nF 0402 size) must be placed within 200 mils of the transmitter pins per Intel's guidelines. Pre-emphasis and equalization settings are configured via the Quartus II Transceiver Toolkit, which should be used during board bring-up to verify eye margin.
The EP2AGX45DF29I5 requires multiple supply rails: 0.9 V core, 1.1 V transceiver analog, 1.8 V/2.5 V/3.3 V I/O banks, and 3.3 V configuration. Use a sequencer or supervisor IC (such as the LTC2923) to enforce power-rail sequencing - core voltage must rise before I/O voltages to prevent latch-up. Decoupling: place one 0402 100 nF capacitor per power pin pair, plus 4-8 bulk 10-47 uF polymer capacitors around the package perimeter. Estimate: at 50 percent resource utilization and 3.75 Gbps transceivers active, the device dissipates approximately 5-7 W requiring 100 cm^2 of 2-oz copper pour for thermal management.
Estimated: Do not reuse the configuration bitstream from an I5 part on a C6N part - the speed-grade ID is checked by the Quartus programmer and an invalid combination will fail configuration silently. Always re-generate the .sof file with the correct device and speed grade selected in the Quartus II Device Settings dialog. Similarly, the I3G and I3N suffixes differ only in lead-free finish; either can be used for the same bitstream if the device is set to industrial I3 in the project settings.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliance per Intel FPGA product page. AEC-Q100 not applicable for industrial-grade FPGA; AEC-Q100 is an automotive standard not invoked for Arria II GX parts. Use the EP2AGX45DF29I5G or EP2AGX45DF29I3G suffix for explicit lead-free finish.
