EP2AGX65CU17C4G - 65nm Arria II GX FPGA, 156 I/O, 358-UBGA | Altera
MPN: EP2AGX65CU17C4G ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $420 | $420.00 |
| 10 | $395 | $3,950.00 |
| 100 | $360 | $36,000.00 |
| 500 | $320 | $160,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $285 | $285,000.00 |
EP2AGX65CU17C4G Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device built from a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), dedicated DSP blocks, embedded memory blocks, programmable I/O, and (in GX-class parts) multi-gigabit transceivers, all wired through a programmable interconnect. FPGAs sit at the intersection of ASIC efficiency and processor flexibility within the broader semiconductor hierarchy: programmable logic > FPGA > configurable logic device > integrated circuit. Arria II GX is positioned as the mid-density, transceiver-rich node in the Arria II family, above Cyclone but below Stratix in Altera's portfolio.
Key features of the EP2AGX65CU17C4G include: 60,214 logic elements, 5,371,904 bits of embedded RAM, 312 (18x18) multipliers, support for DDR2/DDR3/QDRII external memory interfaces, eight 3.125 Gbps transceivers, and an operating temperature range of 0 °C to 85 °C. The "C4" speed grade denotes a specific Fmax tier relative to other C-speed parts in the family. The 17 mm × 17 mm 358-ball FCBGA package is the standard footprint for the EP2AGX65 family in this ballout, preserving pin-compatibility with other C-speed and I-speed EP2AGX65 devices in the same ball array.
The architecture combines an 8-input adaptive logic module (ALM), embedded RAM blocks (M9K and M144K), variable-precision DSP blocks, and PLL-based clock management with up to 12 global clock networks. The transceiver hard IP supports PCI Express Gen1/Gen2, Gigabit Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, and CPRI protocols, removing the need for external PHY silicon in many designs.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing, video broadcast and image processing pipelines, industrial protocol bridging, and PCI Express endpoint cards. The transceiver density is well matched to designs requiring two or three 3G-SDI links, dual GbE ports, or single x4 PCIe endpoints. Compared with pure logic-only FPGAs of the era, the integrated transceivers reduce BOM count and board area for serial-interface designs.
When designing with this device, plan power sequencing early - the EP2AGX65 requires multiple supply rails (core, I/O, transceiver, auxiliary) and a smart power controller such as an Altera Enpirion or compatible LDO/DC-DC solution. Pin-compatible speed-grade and temperature variants allow Fmax or temperature upgrades without PCB rework.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, comparison data, and practical design guidance not found in a single manufacturer document, providing engineers with a consolidated reference for sourcing and designing around the EP2AGX65CU17C4G.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX65CU17C4G — 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 EP2AGX65CU17C4G (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Embedded Memory Bits.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX65CU17C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$178.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65CU17C6N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2AGX65CU17I3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2AGX65CU1713N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65CU17C4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1125 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65CU17C4G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GX |
| Device | EP2AGX65 |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 60,214 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 5,371,904 bits |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 312 |
| User I/O Count | 156 |
| Transceiver Channels | 8 (3.125 Gbps) |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C |
| Package | 358-ball UBGA (FCBGA) |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Supply Voltage - Core | 0.9 V (typical) |
| Supply Voltage - I/O | Multiple rails (LVDS, LVCMOS, HSTL, SSTL) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2AGX65CU17C4G Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O bank reference ball (per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O bank reference ball (per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O bank reference ball (per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin 4 | VCC — Core supply voltage rail |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O bank reference ball (per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin 6 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin 7 | I/O — User I/O bank reference ball (per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O bank reference ball (per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O bank reference ball (per datasheet ball map) |
| Pin 10 | VCCIO — I/O supply voltage rail |
Typical Applications
EP2AGX65CU17C4G is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband Processing, Video Broadcast and Image Processing, PCI Express Endpoint Cards, Industrial Protocol Bridging, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Software Defined Radio (SDR) Front-End.
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP2AGX65CU17C4G's 60,214 logic elements and 312 18x18 DSP multipliers make it well suited for wireless baseband signal processing at small-cell and pico-cell form factors. Its 5.37 Mbit embedded RAM and 8 multi-gigabit transceivers support CPRI or OBSAI links to a baseband unit at up to 3.125 Gbps, eliminating external PHY silicon. The 0C-85C operating range fits standard radio equipment environmental specs; for harsher outdoor cabinets, the industrial I-temp EP2AGX65CU1713N is the recommended upgrade.
Recommended
Video Broadcast and Image Processing
For HD-SDI and 3G-SDI video routers, the EP2AGX65CU17C4G's 8 transceivers handle up to eight 3G-SDI channels simultaneously while the DSP blocks perform real-time color-space conversion and scaling. Compared with pure ASSP video processors, this part offers configurable pipeline depth and on-the-fly protocol changes. Use of the 5.37 Mbit embedded RAM as line buffers removes the need for external SDRAM in many mid-resolution designs, reducing BOM and board area.
Recommended
PCI Express Endpoint Cards
The EP2AGX65CU17C4G implements a x4 Gen1 (2.5 Gbps) or x2 Gen2 (5 Gbps) PCI Express endpoint with hard IP blocks, eliminating the need for an external PCIe PHY. Combined with its 156 user I/Os and rich external memory support, it is appropriate for data-acquisition cards, software-radio front-ends, and industrial control cards. Power sequencing requires a dedicated controller such as an Enpirion EN63A0QI for the 0.9V core rail; bypass capacitors follow the Arria II GX pin connection guidelines.
Recommended
Industrial Protocol Bridging
The transceiver and LVDS I/O capability of the EP2AGX65CU17C4G makes it a strong fit for industrial protocol bridges - for example, converting between Profinet, EtherCAT, and serial RapidIO, or bridging legacy fieldbus to Ethernet. The 60K LEs accommodate full protocol stacks in soft logic while the transceivers handle the physical layer. Plan for industrial temperature operation by selecting the I-temp speed-grade variant (e.g., EP2AGX65CU1713N) instead of the C-temp C4 part.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
For digital oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers, the EP2AGX65CU17C4G's DSP resources enable FIR filters, FFT engines, and symbol-rate conversion, while its transceivers capture high-speed serial data streams up to 3.125 Gbps. The 5.37 Mbit embedded RAM supports deep sample buffers and on-chip correlation. Compared with DSP-only processors, the FPGA's parallelism delivers deterministic latency critical for triggering and timestamping.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Front-End
In SDR platforms, the EP2AGX65CU17C4G sits between the analog front-end and a host processor, performing digital down-conversion, channelization, and decimation in its 312 18x18 multipliers. The transceiver array captures ADC data at multi-gigabit rates. The Altera (Intel) DSP Builder toolchain accelerates MATLAB-to-FPGA design iteration. For very-high-bandwidth SDRs, step up to the EP2AGX125 family; for narrowband IoT radios, the EP2AGX45 is more cost-effective.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX65CU17C4G — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX65CU17C5N | EP2AGX65CU17C6N | EP2AGX65CU1713N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 358-ball UBGA (FCBGA) | 358-ball UBGA (FCBGA) - same | 358-ball UBGA (FCBGA) - same | 358-ball UBGA (FCBGA) - same |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Logic Elements | 60,214 | 60,214 | 60,214 | 60,214 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 5,371,904 | 5,371,904 | 5,371,904 | 5,371,904 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C5 (slower ~10-15%) | C6 (slowest) | I3 (industrial temp) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C | -40 C to +100 C (industrial) |
| Transceiver Channels | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| DSP Blocks (18x18) | 312 | 312 | 312 | 312 |
| User I/O | 156 | 156 | 156 | 156 |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade (C4) in the EP2AGX65 family within the 358-ball FCBGA package (vs EP2AGX65CU17C5N)
- Commercial temperature grade (0C-85C) suitable for indoor/controlled environments (vs EP2AGX65CU1713N)
- Integrated multi-gigabit transceivers eliminate external PHY silicon (vs Cyclone V GX (5CGXFC5C7F23C8N))
- Pin-compatible upgrade/downgrade path across speed and temperature grades (vs EP2AGX125EF35C4G)
Design Notes
The EP2AGX65CU17C4G requires multiple supply rails (core ~0.9 V, I/O banks at 1.2-3.3 V, transceiver analog/pll supplies, and an auxiliary rail). Per the Arria II GX pin connection guidelines, decouple each rail with a 0.1 uF X7R ceramic placed within 100 mil of the relevant balls, plus bulk polymer capacitors. Use a power sequencing controller such as an Enpirion EN63A0QI or compatible LDO/DCDC to enforce proper core-before-I/O startup. Estimated: worst-case core current for this device at full utilization is on the order of 3-5 A - consult Quartus PowerPlay for design-specific numbers.
Estimated: At full transceiver utilization (8 channels at 3.125 Gbps) and high toggle rate on 60K LEs, junction power can reach 6-10 W. The 358-ball FCBGA package has a theta-JA of approximately 12-15 C/W with a properly designed 4-layer PCB thermal via array under the exposed die region. Use at least a 6x6 thermal via grid on 1.0 mm pitch with 0.3 mm drill to keep Tj below 85 C in 0C-85C ambient operation. For sealed enclosures, derate or upgrade to the I-temp speed grade.
Use a high-density interconnect (HDI) PCB stack-up with microvias on the 1.0 mm BGA pitch - standard 8 mil vias will not fit between balls. Per Altera layout guidelines, route all high-speed transceiver pairs with 100 ohm differential impedance, matched within 5 mil pair-to-pair length, and keep total length under 6 inches to maintain 3.125 Gbps signal integrity. Provide a continuous ground reference plane under the entire BGA footprint.
Common pitfalls with the EP2AGX65CU17C4G include: (1) using a non-I-temp speed grade in outdoor enclosures - migrate to EP2AGX65CU1713N for industrial deployments; (2) ignoring configuration mode pin strapping (MSEL[3:0]) which determines AS/PS/JTAG mode and can brick the board if wrong; (3) missing the external reference clock jitter requirement (<300 fs RMS for 3.125 Gbps transceivers) - poor clocking fails link training; (4) assuming sufficient decoupling without placing bulk capacitors on the AUX rail.
Recommended: separate analog transceiver ground (GNDA) from digital ground (GND) at the IC and join them only at the board-level ground plane via a single connection point, as described in the Arria II GX hardware design guidelines. Keep the reference clock oscillator within 250 mils of the REFCLK ball, and shield the clock trace with GND vias. For JTAG chain debugging, bring TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO to a header accessible without disturbing the board.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Altera (Intel) product page; MSL Level 3 per JEDEC J-STD-020. AEC-Q100 not applicable for industrial/consumer-grade FPGA. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified data.
