EP2AGZ225FF35C3G - 225K LE Arria II GZ FPGA | Intel (Altera)
MPN: EP2AGZ225FF35C3G β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1070.58 | $1,070.58 |
| 10 | $1018.5 | $10,185.00 |
| 100 | $965 | $96,500.00 |
| 500 | $912.25 | $456,125.00 |
| 1,000 | $868.4 | $868,400.00 |
EP2AGZ225FF35C3G Overview
Arria II GZ FPGAs belong to the mid-to-high-end programmable logic family from Intel/Altera, positioned above Cyclone and below Stratix in the legacy Altera hierarchy. They are built on a 40 nm TSMC process and combine high logic density with multi-gigabit transceivers and dedicated DSP blocks, making them a workhorse for telecom infrastructure, broadcast video, and high-speed serial interfacing designs. Arria II GZ bridges the gap between cost-optimized mid-range FPGAs and full-featured high-end transceiver-rich FPGAs.
Key features include up to 16 transceivers supporting data rates of up to 6.375 Gbps, dedicated hardware DSP blocks for high-throughput multiplication and accumulation, embedded memory blocks for buffer/buffering, and flexible PLL/clocking infrastructure. The FF35C3G speed grade indicates commercial temperature range (0C to 85C), C3 transceiver speed grade, and a flip-chip BGA package (FF = Fine-pitch Flip-chip BGA). The 1152-ball BGA package exposes the device's high I/O count for dense board-level routing.
The architecture features dedicated transceiver channels (GX), embedded PCIe hard IP, and 8-input adaptive logic modules (ALMs) that improve logic utilization versus older 4-input LUT architectures. Multiple hard memory controllers support DDR3, DDR2, and QDR II+ external memory interfaces for high-throughput data movement, and integrated PCI Express hard IP blocks simplify endpoint and root-port designs in telecom blade systems.
Typical applications include high-speed serial interface bridging (e.g., 6G/10G Ethernet MAC-to-PHY bridging), ASIC prototyping with high pin-count and logic density, broadcast video processing, radar signal processing, and test and measurement instrumentation requiring high sample-rate DSP. The Arria II GZ is commonly specified when designers need more logic and transceiver performance than Cyclone but more cost-effectiveness than full Stratix-tier FPGAs.
When designing with EP2AGZ225FF35C3G, ensure proper PCB layout for the flip-chip BGA - a minimum 12-layer stack-up with continuous ground planes below the device is recommended for transceiver signal integrity. Thermal management via heat sink or high airflow is required for sustained transceiver operation at full data rate. Use Quartus II design software (legacy 13.0 or earlier recommended for Arria II) for synthesis and timing closure.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing across 7 sources, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes for transceiver signal integrity and BGA thermal management not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGZ225FF35C3G 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 EP2AGZ225FF35C3G (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Transceivers, Embedded Memory, Logic Elements (LE).
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGZ225FF35C4G
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Contact for price
View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35I5N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2AGX260FF35C6G
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$1320 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX190FF35C5G
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$1245 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGX125EF35C5G
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View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35C5G
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2AGZ225FF35C3G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GZ |
| Series | Arria II |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 225,000 |
| Package | 1152-ball Flip-Chip BGA (FF35) |
| Package Size | 35 mm x 35 mm |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Speed Grade | C3 |
| Transceivers | Up to 16 channels |
| Transceiver Data Rate (max) | 6.375 Gbps |
| Process Technology | 40 nm TSMC |
| Memory Controller Support | DDR3, DDR2, QDR II+ |
| PCI Express Hard IP | Yes (Gen1/Gen2) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP2AGZ225FF35C3G 35 mm x 35 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGZ225FF35C3G (35 mm x 35 mm 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 EP2AGZ225FF35C3G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGZ225FF35C3G is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Serial Interface Bridging, ASIC Prototyping and Validation, Broadcast Video Processing, Radar and DSP Signal Processing, Telecom Backhaul Infrastructure, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Serial Interface Bridging
The EP2AGZ225FF35C3G's up to 16 transceivers at 6.375 Gbps per channel make it ideal for high-speed serial interface bridging applications such as 10G Ethernet MAC-to-PHY bridging, CPRI fronthaul between baseband units and remote radio heads, and Serial RapidIO chip-to-chip interconnect. The device's PCIe Gen1/Gen2 hard IP simplifies endpoint integration for telecom blade systems, while its high logic density supports complex protocol state machines. Place the FPGA between line cards and switch fabric ASICs to convert between protocols like XAUI, SFI, and KR; this avoids the cost of dedicated bridging ASICs while supporting late-protocol updates via FPGA reconfiguration. Performance trade-off: FPGA bridging consumes more power than dedicated ASSPs but offers field-programmable protocol flexibility.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Validation
The EP2AGZ225FF35C3G's 225K logic elements, embedded memory, DSP blocks, and high I/O count make it a strong ASIC prototyping platform for gate-count-equivalent ASIC designs. The FF35 1152-ball BGA package exposes a high pin count suitable for prototyping ASICs with hundreds of signal pins. Use it for full-system ASIC validation in pre-tapeout phases including functional verification, timing closure on representative workload, and software-driven hardware verification. Multiple FPGAs can be chained for partition-based prototyping of larger ASICs. Compared to ASIC tape-out, FPGA prototyping reduces iteration cost and time but operates at lower clock frequency (typically 1/3 to 1/5 of target ASIC speed).
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP2AGZ225FF35C3G's combination of high logic density, DSP blocks for video codec acceleration, multi-gigabit transceivers for SDI/HDMI serial interface, and embedded memory for frame buffering makes it well-suited for broadcast video processing equipment. Common applications include SD/HD/3G-SDI input/output processing, broadcast format conversion (up/down/cross-conversion), and real-time video effects processing. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers support 3G-SDI and emerging 6G-SDI standards used in broadcast studios. Pair the FPGA with external DDR3 memory for frame buffer storage. This application typically requires careful PCB layout for the high-speed serial interface to maintain signal integrity at multi-gigabit rates.
Recommended
Radar and DSP Signal Processing
The EP2AGZ225FF35C3G's dedicated DSP blocks accelerate high-throughput multiplication and accumulation operations central to radar signal processing, including FFT computation, pulse compression, beamforming, and Doppler processing. Combined with 6.375 Gbps transceivers for high-speed ADC data capture, the device enables real-time processing of wide-bandwidth radar signals in defense and aerospace applications. Use it for phased-array radar digital beamforming where multiple ADC data streams must be coherently combined across hundreds of antenna elements. Compared to GPU-based processing, FPGA-based radar processing offers lower latency and deterministic timing critical for real-time beamforming.
Recommended
Telecom Backhaul Infrastructure
The EP2AGZ225FF35C3G's CPRI-compatible transceivers (up to 6.375 Gbps supporting 6G CPRI), high logic density for protocol stack processing, and PCIe Gen2 hard IP for host CPU connectivity suit it for telecom backhaul infrastructure equipment including base station baseband units, fronthaul multiplexers, and small-cell gateways. Use it to bridge CPRI from remote radio heads to Ethernet backhaul, with protocol conversion, packet aggregation, and timing distribution handled by FPGA logic. The C3 commercial temperature grade suits indoor central office and outdoor cabinet deployments with controlled thermal environments.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2AGZ225FF35C3G's high-speed transceivers, abundant logic for instrument control, and DSP blocks for signal processing make it valuable in test and measurement equipment including protocol analyzers, BERT (bit error rate testers), and high-speed oscilloscope signal acquisition subsystems. The 6.375 Gbps transceiver data rate supports testing of multi-gigabit serial protocols including PCIe, SATA, and 10G Ethernet. Use the FPGA to implement pattern generation, error detection, and protocol-aware analysis. Embedded memory blocks serve as deep capture buffers for long-pattern testing. The FF35 BGA package supports the high pin count needed for multi-channel instrument architectures.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGZ225FF35C3G β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGZ225FF35C4G | EP2AGZ225FF35I5N | EP2AGX260FF35C6G | EP2AGX190FF35C5G | EP2AGX125EF35C5G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 1152-ball FF35 BGA 35x35mm | 1152-ball FF35 BGA 35x35mm - same | 1152-ball FF35 BGA 35x35mm - same | 1152-ball FF35 BGA 35x35mm - same | 1152-ball FF35 BGA 35x35mm - same | 1152-ball FF35 BGA 35x35mm - same |
| Logic Elements | 225,000 | 225,000 | 225,000 | 260,000 (+15.6%) | 190,000 (-15.6%) | 125,000 (-44.4%) |
| Family | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GX | Arria II GX | Arria II GX |
| Max Transceiver Rate | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 3.75 Gbps (-41%) | 3.75 Gbps (-41%) | 3.75 Gbps (-41%) |
| Speed Grade | C3 | C4 (slower) | I5 (industrial, faster) | C6 | C5 | C5 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| PCIe Hard IP | Gen1/Gen2 | Gen1/Gen2 | Gen1/Gen2 | Gen1 only | Gen1 only | Gen1 only |
| Process Technology | 40 nm TSMC | 40 nm TSMC | 40 nm TSMC | 40 nm TSMC | 40 nm TSMC | 40 nm TSMC |
Key Differentiators
- 6.375 Gbps transceiver performance in FF35 BGA package (vs EP2AGX260FF35C6G)
- PCIe Gen2 hard IP integration (vs EP2AGX260FF35C6G)
- Industrial temperature drop-in option (vs EP2AGZ225FF35I5N)
Design Notes
The FF35 1152-ball flip-chip BGA requires a minimum 12-layer PCB stack-up with continuous ground planes directly below the device to maintain transceiver signal integrity at 6.375 Gbps. Use a 1 oz copper power plane adjacent to a 1 oz ground plane for the core supply decoupling, and route high-speed serial differential pairs with 100 ohm differential impedance with matched length to within 5 mils. Via count for BGA breakout demands microvia or via-in-pad technology; standard through-hole vias cannot escape the 1 mm pitch BGA ball grid. Implement length matching on all DDR3 byte lanes with serpentine routing to within 25 mils.
Estimated: At full transceiver utilization (16 channels at 6.375 Gbps) and typical logic utilization (~70%), the EP2AGZ225FF35C3G can dissipate 12-15W. With the FF35 BGA's typical theta_JA of 12-15 C/W (still-air, JEDEC 4-layer test board), junction temperature rise above ambient can reach 180C. A heat sink with thermal interface material (TIM) is mandatory for sustained full-load operation, or active airflow of at least 200 LFM. Monitor junction temperature via the on-chip temperature sensing diode using an external ADC such as the MAX31760 or LM95233.
Multi-gigabit transceiver channels at 6.375 Gbps require AC-coupling capacitors (0.01 uF to 0.1 uF) on each serial data line, placed close to the FPGA pin. Reference clock inputs must use a low-jitter oscillator (less than 1 ps RMS jitter); the Silicon Labs SiT9102 or SiTime SiT9120 series are recommended. For SFI/SFP+ interface implementation, use linear equalization on the receiver side and pre-emphasis on the transmitter side as configured in the Quartus II transceiver toolkit. Channel-to-channel skew must be measured and compensated in the FPGA fabric.
Do not confuse Arria II GZ with Arria II GX - both share the same FF35 BGA package option but GZ supports up to 6.375 Gbps transceivers versus GX's 3.75 Gbps. The 'Z' suffix in EP2AGZ225 denotes GZ, while 'X' in EP2AGX260 denotes GX. Verify the part number carefully when sourcing from distributors - the pinout is identical but the transceiver performance differs significantly. Also confirm Quartus II version 13.0 or earlier for design compilation; Quartus Prime (newer) does not support Arria II GZ.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per Altera/Intel product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is a commercial-grade FPGA intended for telecom and industrial (non-automotive) applications. Choose the EP2AGZ225FF35I5N for industrial temperature range if needed.
