EP2AGZ225FF35C4N - Arria II GZ FPGA 224K LE | Intel (Altera)
MPN: EP2AGZ225FF35C4N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2300.41 | $2,300.41 |
| 10 | $2180 | $21,800.00 |
| 50 | $2050 | $102,500.00 |
| 100 | $1920 | $192,000.00 |
| 500 | $1750 | $875,000.00 |
EP2AGZ225FF35C4N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs/LABs), programmable routing channels, and dedicated hard IP such as transceivers, memory controllers, and DSP blocks. FPGAs sit in the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLDs) alongside CPLDs, and are used when designs require high logic density, parallel processing, or hardware-level customization beyond what a microcontroller or DSP can deliver. The Arria II GZ family specifically targets mid-range, transceiver-rich applications bridging the gap between Cyclone and Stratix devices.
Key features of the EP2AGZ225FF35C4N include 24 transceivers supporting data rates up to 6.375 Gbps, 1,152 Kbits of distributed RAM, dedicated 18x18 multipliers for DSP workloads, and up to 1,067 Mbps external memory interfaces for DDR3. The flip-chip BGA-1152 package provides a high-pin-count solution for I/O-intensive designs while the 40 nm process balances performance and power efficiency.
The architecture integrates transceiver circuitry, PCI Express hard IP blocks, and high-speed memory interfaces alongside the general-purpose logic fabric, making the device well suited for protocol bridging, video processing, and high-bandwidth telecommunications infrastructure. The C4 speed grade and -4 transceiver grade combination targets commercial temperature operation at enhanced timing margins.
Typical applications include 6G backplane transceivers, broadcast video switching, medical imaging accelerators, military radar signal processing, and high-performance compute test equipment. The Arria II GZ is particularly attractive for systems migrating from ASIC prototypes to mid-volume FPGA production where transceiver density and on-chip memory matter most.
When designing with this device, plan power sequencing for the 0.9 V core and 1.5 V/2.5 V/3.0 V auxiliary rails, and verify PCB escape routing for the 1 mm-pitch BGA. Use the Quartus II design suite for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, verified datasheet specifications, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes for the EP2AGZ225FF35C4N, providing unique information gain beyond standard manufacturer documentation.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGZ225FF35C4N — 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 EP2AGZ225FF35C4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, RoHS Status, Package Type, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGZ225FF35C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ225FF35C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2200 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ225FF35C3G
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$868.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35C4N
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$3125 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX190FF35C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2350 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ225FF35C4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GZ |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 224,000 |
| LABs/CLBs | 8,960 |
| Total RAM Bits | 14,248,960 (14.25 Mbit) |
| Number of I/O | 554 |
| Number of Transceivers | 24 |
| Transceiver Data Rate | Up to 6.375 Gbps |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 500 MHz |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Package | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (Flip-Chip BGA) |
| Package Size | 35 mm x 35 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Lead Free | Yes |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) | MS-034 compliant |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2AGZ225FF35C4N 35 mm x 35 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGZ225FF35C4N (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 EP2AGZ225FF35C4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGZ225FF35C4N is suitable for 6 applications: 6G Backplane Transceiver Systems, Broadcast Video Processing and Switching, Medical Imaging Accelerators, Military Radar Signal Processing, High-Performance Compute Test Equipment, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation.
6G Backplane Transceiver Systems
The EP2AGZ225FF35C4N is purpose-built for 6G backplane transceiver cards in telecommunications infrastructure. Its 24 integrated transceivers support data rates up to 6.375 Gbps, enabling CPRI, OBSAI, and serial RapidIO links between baseband units and remote radio heads. The 224K logic elements provide ample headroom for forward error correction (FEC) and protocol stack implementation, while 14.25 Mbit of embedded memory buffers packet bursts during congestion events. Placed on a line card with SFP+ cages, it consolidates what previously required an FPGA plus external PHY chips into a single BGA-1152 device, reducing BOM and board area by approximately 30 percent.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing and Switching
The EP2AGZ225FF35C4N excels in broadcast video routers, format converters, and multi-viewer applications. The 554 user I/Os accommodate dozens of SDI input/output channels with embedded audio, while the 18x18 multipliers and DSP blocks handle color space conversion, scaling, and de-interlacing in real time. The 14.25 Mbit embedded RAM serves as line buffers for 3G-SDI and HD-SDI streams at 2.97 Gbps. Unlike GPU-based solutions, the deterministic latency of the FPGA fabric is critical for live broadcast production where frame-accurate switching is mandatory. The C4 speed grade provides timing headroom for 4K processing pipelines.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Accelerators
The EP2AGZ225FF35C4N powers CT, MRI, and ultrasound image reconstruction accelerator cards in medical imaging equipment. The 224K logic elements implement iterative reconstruction algorithms and back-projection kernels, while the dedicated 18x18 multipliers deliver the throughput needed for real-time 3D volume rendering. The 14.25 Mbit embedded memory holds projection data and intermediate slices without external SRAM access penalties. The Arria II GZ 40 nm process offers deterministic performance required for medical device certification, and the 500 MHz fabric clock supports multi-channel parallel processing. PCI Express hard IP enables direct host CPU coupling for hybrid CPU/FPGA reconstruction pipelines.
Recommended
Military Radar Signal Processing
The EP2AGZ225FF35C4N suits military radar baseband processing where deterministic latency and high compute density are mandatory. The device's 24 transceivers ingest raw ADC data at multi-gigabit rates, while the 8,960 LABs implement pulse compression, MTI filtering, and Doppler processing algorithms. The 14.25 Mbit of block RAM serves as range-bin and FFT-window storage for SAR and phased-array systems. Extended temperature screening is typically performed at the system level rather than relying on commercial-grade FPGAs, but the C4 speed grade provides timing margin for harsh-environment operation. The BGA-1152 package is compatible with ruggedized PCB stack-ups used in defense electronics.
Recommended
High-Performance Compute Test Equipment
The EP2AGZ225FF35C4N serves as the programmable logic heart of protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, and bit-error-rate testers in test and measurement instrumentation. The 554 user I/Os support dozens of probe channels at LVDS or LVCMOS levels, while the 24 transceivers enable multi-lane protocol compliance testing for PCIe, SATA, and USB 3.0. The 224K logic elements implement state machines, pattern generators, and protocol decoders in a single device. The C4 speed grade provides timing margin for 500 MHz state-machine operation, and Quartus II's TimeQuest timing analyzer ensures deterministic capture across all probe lanes. Engineers value the device's mature toolchain for instrument firmware development.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP2AGZ225FF35C4N is widely deployed in ASIC prototyping and hardware emulation systems where multiple FPGAs partition and emulate a large ASIC design. The 224K logic elements can map approximately 1.5 million ASIC gates when accounting for FPGA overhead, while the 14.25 Mbit embedded memory emulates embedded SRAM macros. The 24 transceivers provide chip-to-chip inter-FPGA links at multi-gigabit rates, essential for partitioning large SoC designs across FPGA arrays. The BGA-1152 package's high pin count enables fine-grained partitioning with abundant debug access. Quartus II's incremental compile and LogicLock regions accelerate the bring-up of complex multi-FPGA prototypes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGZ225FF35C4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGZ225FF35C4G | EP2AGZ225FF35C3N | EP2AGZ225FF35C3G | EP2AGX260FF35C4N | EP2AGX190FF35C4G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Family | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GX | Arria II GX |
| Logic Elements | 224,000 | 224,000 | 224,000 | 224,000 | 260,000 | 190,000 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C4 | C3 | C3 | C4 | C4 |
| Number of Transceivers | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 16 | 16 |
| Maximum User I/O | 554 | 554 | 554 | 554 | 524 | 524 |
| Packaging Format | Tray (N suffix) | Tape and Reel (G suffix) | Tray (N suffix) | Tape and Reel (G suffix) | Tray (N suffix) | Tape and Reel (G suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest transceiver count in 35x35mm BGA-1152 Arria II family (vs EP2AGX260FF35C4N)
- C4 speed grade timing headroom over C3 (vs EP2AGZ225FF35C3N)
- Tray packaging (N suffix) preferred for prototype and low-volume builds (vs EP2AGZ225FF35C4G)
Design Notes
The EP2AGZ225FF35C4N requires multiple power rails: 0.9 V core, 1.5 V/2.5 V/3.0 V auxiliary, and 1.2 V/1.5 V/1.8 V transceiver supplies depending on protocol. Power sequencing must follow the Arria II GZ handbook requirement that core voltage rises before auxiliary. Use a dedicated PMIC such as the LTM4677 or Enpirion EN6362 with power-good output to drive the FPGA's nCONFIG pin only after all rails stabilize. Decoupling: place 0.1 uF and 10 uF ceramic capacitors within 5 mm of every power pin, with bulk capacitance on each rail sized to handle inrush during configuration bitstream loading.
The FCBGA-1152 package with 1.0 mm ball pitch requires a PCB stack-up of at least 8 layers with HDI microvia technology. Fan-out routing under the BGA must escape all 1,152 balls using a combination of dog-bone and via-in-pad techniques. Signal integrity on transceiver channels demands loss-controlled dielectric (Dk 3.2 to 3.5, Df 0.005) with characteristic impedance of 85 ohm differential for 6.375 Gbps SERDES links. Apply reference plane continuity across all transceiver routes; never route signals over plane splits.
Estimated: at full transceiver utilization (24 lanes at 6.375 Gbps, 80% logic utilization), the EP2AGZ225FF35C4N dissipates approximately 8 to 12 W. The FCBGA-1152 junction-to-ambient thermal resistance is approximately 12 C/W with a standard 8-layer JEDEC test board, yielding a 100 to 145 C junction temperature rise. For sustained high-power operation, attach a heatsink with thermal interface material (TIM) at 0.5 C/W or better, and consider forced airflow of 200 LFM. Use Quartus II's PowerPlay early power estimator to validate thermal envelope before PCB layout finalization.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP2AGZ225FF35C4N: (1) Forgetting to instantiate the JTAG chain correctly in Quartus II Pin Planner, which causes configuration failure that mimics a bad device. (2) Mixing C3 and C4 speed grades on the same multi-FPGA PCB, creating timing closure headaches. (3) Insufficient decoupling causing core voltage droop during configuration bitstream loading, which can brick the device. (4) Not following the Arria II GZ handbook's transceiver PCB layout guidelines, resulting in eye-diagram failures at 6.375 Gbps. (5) Configuring the device in passive serial mode with the wrong MSEL pin strapping.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant and lead-free per Altera product page. MS-034 moisture sensitivity compliant. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial-grade FPGA. For automotive applications, contact Intel FPGA about AEC-Q100 qualification status. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in available data.
