EP2AGX65DF29C5N - Arria II GX FPGA, 60K LE, 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2AGX65DF29C5N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1725 | $17,250.00 |
| 100 | $1620 | $162,000.00 |
| 500 | $1495 | $747,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $1380 | $1,380,000.00 |
EP2AGX65DF29C5N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a type of integrated circuit whose logic function is defined by the user after manufacturing, occupying the same engineering role as a programmable ASIC. FPGAs sit within the semiconductor hierarchy as reconfigurable logic devices between standard logic ICs and fully-hardened ASICs. The Arria II GX family adds hardened transceivers and DSP blocks to the general FPGA fabric, positioning it for mid-range protocol bridging and DSP applications.
Key features include up to 12 transceivers at 3.75 Gbps, 256 18x18 multipliers for DSP, 4 PLLs, dedicated memory controllers (DDR2/DDR3/LPDDR2), and PCI Express hard IP. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package supports high pin density and high-speed signal integrity while providing thermal headroom for transceiver operation.
The architecture combines Look-Up Tables (LUTs), block RAM (M9K/M144K), variable-precision DSP blocks, and IOE (IO element) banks with calibrated on-chip termination (OCT). Hardened PHY macros for PCIe Gen1/Gen2 reduce soft-logic overhead. This combination delivers deterministic high-speed serial I/O alongside flexible programmable fabric for glue logic, state machines, and protocol adaptation.
Typical applications include PCI Express endpoint cards, telecommunications backplane bridges, video broadcasting infrastructure, radar signal preprocessing, and industrial protocol converters. The 3.75 Gbps transceivers suit Serial RapidIO, SATA, and CPRI links common in wireless baseband processing.
When designing with this device, engineers should pay close attention to transceiver reference-clock jitter, PCB impedance control for the FC-BGA breakout, and thermal coupling between transceivers and core logic. Quartus II software is required for synthesis, place-and-route, and configuration bitstream generation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from the same Arria II GX family, and practical design notes not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet, enabling faster component selection and supply-chain decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGX65DF29C5N — 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 EP2AGX65DF29C5N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Mounting Type, Transceivers.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGX65DF29C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$218.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65DF29C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$605 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65DF29I5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1015 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65DF29C5G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$245 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65DF29C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$219 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX65DF29C5N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GX |
| Series | Arria II GX |
| Device Type | FPGA |
| Number of Logic Elements | 60,214 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 2,530 |
| Total RAM Bits | 5,371,904 |
| Number of User I/O | 364 |
| Max Transceiver Data Rate | 3.75 Gbps |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Supply Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Speed Grade | 5 |
| Configuration | Unknown |
EP2AGX65DF29C5N 780-ball fc-fbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGX65DF29C5N (780-ball 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 EP2AGX65DF29C5N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGX65DF29C5N is suitable for 6 applications: PCI Express Endpoint Card, Telecommunications Backplane Bridge, Video Broadcasting Infrastructure, Radar Signal Preprocessing, Industrial Protocol Converter, Medical Imaging DSP Front-End.
PCI Express Endpoint Card
The EP2AGX65DF29C5N is well suited for PCI Express Gen1/Gen2 endpoint applications because it integrates a hardened PCIe IP core that supports x1/x4/x8 lane configurations without consuming fabric logic. Its 3.75 Gbps transceivers match PCIe Gen2 line rates, and the 60,214 logic elements plus 256 18x18 multipliers provide ample headroom for DMA engines and protocol stacks. Place the device between the PCIe edge connector and system memory, with reference clock routing per Arria II GX guidelines. Compared to soft-IP PCIe in older FPGAs, the hardened PHY saves approximately 15K logic elements and reduces configuration bitstream size, making this part ideal for cost-sensitive but performance-critical endpoint cards.
Recommended
Telecommunications Backplane Bridge
In telecom backplanes, the EP2AGX65DF29C5N serves as a protocol-bridge FPGA between legacy TDM/Ethernet and packet-based fabrics. Its 12 transceivers running up to 3.75 Gbps support CPRI, Serial RapidIO, and SATA links simultaneously, enabling multi-protocol aggregation. The 364 user I/O pins provide sufficient parallel connectivity to framer/MAC ASICs and backplane SERDES. Power consumption is moderate at 0.9 V core, and the FC-FBGA package enables dense backplane layouts. Compared to discrete SERDES plus FPGA designs, this integrated approach reduces BOM cost by 30-40% and simplifies PCB routing for high-density telecom line cards.
Recommended
Video Broadcasting Infrastructure
The EP2AGX65DF29C5N fits video broadcasting infrastructure by providing SDI/HD-SDI/3G-SDI transceiver support, frame buffer memory, and real-time video processing logic. Its 5.37 Mbit embedded RAM is sufficient for line buffers and chroma-key compositing, while the 256 hardware multipliers accelerate color-space conversion and scaling algorithms. The 364 user I/O pins accommodate multiple parallel video interfaces (BT.656, BT.1120, DisplayPort). Quartus II design tools support standard video IP cores. Compared to ASIC-based broadcast processors, this FPGA enables rapid feature updates and protocol migration without respin cost.
Recommended
Radar Signal Preprocessing
The EP2AGX65DF29C5N supports radar signal preprocessing through its 256 18x18 multipliers, which enable FFT, pulse compression, and digital beamforming in real time. The 60,214 logic elements implement control logic for ADCs, DACs, and timing subsystems, while the 3.75 Gbps transceivers handle high-speed digital IF data from RF front ends. The FC-FBGA package supports the thermal demands of phased-array radar modules. Compared to GPU-based processing, this FPGA delivers deterministic latency under 100 microseconds essential for radar tracking loops. Industrial temperature variants extend deployment to outdoor phased-array installations.
Recommended
Industrial Protocol Converter
The EP2AGX65DF29C5N excels at industrial protocol conversion between EtherCAT, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, and Modbus TCP using its hardened transceivers and abundant logic. The 364 user I/O pins handle multiple industrial bus interfaces (RS-485, CAN, SPI, I2C) simultaneously, while embedded RAM supports message queuing and timestamp management. Its commercial temperature range suits factory-floor deployments. Compared to microcontroller-based protocol stacks, the FPGA delivers deterministic sub-microsecond response times and parallel protocol handling on a single chip, reducing board complexity and BOM cost by approximately 40%.
Recommended
Medical Imaging DSP Front-End
The EP2AGX65DF29C5N supports medical imaging DSP front-end functions including ultrasound beamforming, MRI pre-processing, and CT reconstruction pre-filtering. Its 256 18x18 multipliers accelerate FIR filtering and Hilbert transforms, while 5.37 Mbit embedded RAM accommodates line buffers for image reconstruction. The 364 user I/O pins interface to high-speed ADCs from ultrasound transducers. Deterministic low-latency DSP processing is critical for real-time imaging. Compared to CPU-based imaging systems, this FPGA delivers 10x faster beamforming throughput at lower power per channel, enabling portable ultrasound cart platforms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGX65DF29C5N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGX65DF29C6N | EP2AGX65DF29C4N | EP2AGX65DF29I5N | EP2AGX65DF29C5G | EP2AGX65DF29C4G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-FBGA (DF29) | 780-FBGA (DF29) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29) - same | 780-FBGA (DF29) - same |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 60,214 | 60,214 | 60,214 | 60,214 | 60,214 | 60,214 |
| Speed Grade | 5 | 6 (faster) | 4 (slower) | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| User I/O Count | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 |
| Pb-Free (G suffix) | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Transceiver Data Rate | 3.75 Gbps | 3.75 Gbps | 3.75 Gbps | 3.75 Gbps | 3.75 Gbps | 3.75 Gbps |
| Unit Price (1 qty USD) | $1,850 | $1,950 | $1,775 | $2,150 | $1,870 | $1,795 |
Key Differentiators
- Hardened PCIe Gen2 IP core saves 15K logic elements (vs EP2AGX125EF35C6N (Cyclone-based PCIe soft IP))
- Faster Fmax at speed grade 5 vs C4 variant (vs EP2AGX65DF29C4N)
- Pb-free option available with G suffix variant (vs EP2AGX65DF29C5G)
Design Notes
The 780-ball FC-FBGA DF29 package requires a 1.0 mm ball pitch PCB land pattern with microvia (laser-drilled) stack-up. Use at least 4 PCB layers with a dedicated ground plane beneath the BGA to control impedance for the 3.75 Gbps transceiver channels. Reference the Arria II GX handbook for via-in-pad and back-drill recommendations to maintain signal integrity above 2.5 Gbps.
Estimated: With 12 transceivers active at 3.75 Gbps and 60K LE utilization near 70%, total power dissipation typically reaches 8-12 W. The DF29 package theta_JA is approximately 12 C/W with a standard 4-layer PCB and adequate airflow. For forced-air-cooled chassis, design for 2 m/s airflow minimum. Add a thermal pad or heat spreader for fully sealed enclosures.
The EP2AGX65DF29C5N requires multiple supply rails: 0.9 V core, 1.1 V PLL, 1.2 V/1.5 V transceiver analog, and 2.5 V/3.3 V I/O. Use a dedicated sequencer such as the LTC2974 to enforce proper power-up order; sequencing violation can cause latch-up or inrush current damage. Decouple each rail with 0.1 uF + 10 uF ceramic capacitors within 5 mm of the supply balls.
Configuration mode selection (AS, PS, JTAG, FPP) must be set via MSEL[3:0] pins at power-up; incorrect MSEL strapping leaves the device unable to configure. For production, always program the configuration flash with the Quartus II-generated .pof or .jic file, and verify the CRC checksum before deployment. Unused GPIO pins should be set to tri-state with weak pull-up to avoid inrush during configuration.
Compliance Information
Standard EP2AGX65DF29C5N is not lead-free (non-RoHS); for RoHS compliance use the G-suffix variant EP2AGX65DF29C5G. FPGAs are not AEC-Q100 qualified unless explicitly noted.