EP2AGZ225FF35I3G - 225K LE Arria II GZ FPGA | Intel | 1152-FBGA
MPN: EP2AGZ225FF35I3G ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6098.41 | $6,098.41 |
| 10 | $5600 | $56,000.00 |
| 100 | $5100 | $510,000.00 |
| 500 | $4750 | $2,375,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $4400 | $4,400,000.00 |
EP2AGZ225FF35I3G Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated hard IP blocks such as transceivers, memory controllers, and DSP slices. FPGAs sit in the broader taxonomy of semiconductors -> programmable logic -> PLD -> FPGA. They are widely used for high-throughput parallel processing, high-speed serial interfaces, and hardware-accelerated compute where ASICs are uneconomical.
Key features of the EP2AGZ225FF35I3G include 225K logic elements, 12 transceiver channels supporting data rates up to 6.375 Gbps, 17.4 Mbits of embedded memory, 1,152 Kbits of on-chip RAM, and 28 transceiver channels on certain configurations. The device integrates 8 PLLs and 8 DLLs, providing flexible clock management for high-speed designs. Embedded multipliers (around 1,728 18x18 multipliers) accelerate DSP workloads, and partial reconfiguration capability allows runtime logic swaps without halting the device.
The Arria II GZ architecture is fabricated on TSMC's 40nm process and is targeted at high-end communications, broadcast video, and military/aerospace applications. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers support protocols such as PCIe Gen2, Serial RapidIO, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (XAUI), making the device suitable for high-bandwidth backplane and line-card designs. The -I3 speed grade balances transceiver performance and timing closure for industrial temperature operation.
Typical applications include high-speed serial backplane interfaces, military secure communications, broadcast video processing, ASIC prototyping, and high-performance DSP front-ends. The wide transceiver bandwidth and generous logic density allow a single Arria II GZ to replace multiple lower-density FPGAs in complex designs.
When designing with this device, ensure proper PCB layout for the 1152-ball FBGA: a minimum of 4-6 PCB layers with controlled-impedance routing for the 6.375 Gbps serial links, and a substantial thermal copper pour beneath the exposed-die package. Use Intel Quartus II design software (12.0 or later) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing analysis. Plan pin assignments early because FBGA escape routing constraints can be challenging at high channel counts.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGZ225FF35I3G — 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 EP2AGZ225FF35I3G (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, Speed Grade, Logic Elements (LE).
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGZ225FF35I5G
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2AGZ225FF35C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ225FF35C3G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$868.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35I3G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1985 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX260FF35I5G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4700 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGX190FF35I3G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1840 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ225FF35I3G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Series | Arria II GZ |
| Device Family | EP2AGZ |
| Logic Elements | 225,000 |
| Package | 1152-BGA (FBGA, FineLine BGA) |
| User I/O | 554 |
| Transceivers | 12 channels |
| Max Transceiver Data Rate | 6.375 Gbps |
| Embedded Memory | 17.4 Mbits |
| On-chip RAM | 1,152 Kbits |
| Embedded Multipliers | 1,728 18x18 |
| PLLs | 8 |
| DLLs | 8 |
| Process Technology | 40 nm TSMC |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Speed Grade | I3 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Packaging | Tray |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2AGZ225FF35I3G 1152-bga (fbga, fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGZ225FF35I3G (1152-bga (fbga, fineline bga) 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 EP2AGZ225FF35I3G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGZ225FF35I3G is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Serial Backplane Interface, Military Secure Communications, Broadcast Video Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Performance DSP Front-End, Industrial Test and Measurement Equipment.
High-Speed Serial Backplane Interface
The EP2AGZ225FF35I3G's 12 transceivers supporting 6.375 Gbps per channel make it ideal for telecom backplane and line-card designs. With 225K logic elements, it can implement multi-port Serial RapidIO, PCIe Gen2, or 10 Gigabit Ethernet switching fabrics in a single device. The FPGA's adaptive equalization compensates for FR4 channel loss up to 30 dB at 6.375 Gbps, eliminating the need for external retimer ICs and reducing BOM cost.
Recommended
Military Secure Communications
The industrial temperature rating (-40C to +100C), high logic density, and high transceiver bandwidth of the EP2AGZ225FF35I3G make it well-suited to military secure radio and SIGINT platforms. With 17.4 Mbits of embedded memory and 1,728 18x18 DSP multipliers, the device implements waveform processing, encryption pipelines, and channelisation in a single chip. The Arria II GZ partial reconfiguration enables runtime swapping of crypto keys and waveforms without halting the secure link.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
Broadcast studio equipment, contribution encoders, and playout servers benefit from the EP2AGZ225FF35I3G's 225K logic elements, 17.4 Mbits embedded memory, and 1,728 DSP multipliers. The FPGA can process multi-stream 3G-SDI or HD-SDI, perform real-time up/down/cross-conversion, and apply colour-correction filters without external ASICs. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers enable SDI-over-IP (SMPTE 2022, SMPTE 2110) bridging, future-proofing broadcast infrastructure for IP-based workflows.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
ASIC prototyping labs use high-density FPGAs like the EP2AGZ225FF35I3G to emulate ASIC RTL before tape-out. With 225K logic elements and abundant transceivers, it can host a large portion of a multi-million-gate ASIC design. Quartus II's LogicLock regions and TimeQuest timing analysis give designers tight control over region-based prototyping. The 1152-ball FBGA exposes 554 user I/O, allowing rapid prototyping-board redesign for ASIC pinout changes.
Recommended
High-Performance DSP Front-End
Wireless baseband, radar signal processing, and medical imaging all need high-density DSP and high-bandwidth serial links. The EP2AGZ225FF35I3G offers 1,728 18x18 DSP slices and 17.4 Mbits of embedded memory, enabling FIR filters, FFTs, and beamforming at high sample rates. The 12 transceivers at 6.375 Gbps aggregate to over 76 Gbps of serial bandwidth, ample for ADC-to-FPGA JESD204B-style or proprietary LVDS links.
Recommended
Industrial Test and Measurement Equipment
Test instruments like protocol analysers, BERT (bit-error-rate testers), and high-speed oscilloscopes rely on FPGAs for pattern generation, capture, and real-time DSP. The EP2AGZ225FF35I3G's 6.375 Gbps transceivers drive multi-lane pattern generation and capture for protocols such as PCIe, USB 3.0, SATA, and SAS. The 225K logic elements accommodate deep capture memories and complex protocol decoders, while 554 user I/O support front-panel display, control, and backplane interfaces.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGZ225FF35I3G — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGZ225FF35I5G | EP2AGZ225FF35C4G | EP2AGZ225FF35C3G | EP2AGX260FF35I3G | EP2AGX260FF35I5G | EP2AGX190FF35I3G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 1152-FBGA (FF35) | 1152-FBGA (FF35) | 1152-FBGA (FF35) | 1152-FBGA (FF35) | 1152-FBGA (FF35) | 1152-FBGA (FF35) | 1152-FBGA (FF35) |
| Logic Elements | 225,000 | 225,000 (same) | 225,000 (same) | 225,000 (same) | 260,000 (+15.5%) | 260,000 (+15.5%) | 190,000 (-15.5%) |
| Transceiver Data Rate (max) | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps (same) | 6.375 Gbps (same) | 6.375 Gbps (same) | Lower (~6.375 Gbps Arria II GX) | Lower (~6.375 Gbps Arria II GX) | Lower (~6.375 Gbps Arria II GX) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial | Commercial (0-85C) | Commercial (0-85C) | Industrial | Industrial | Industrial |
| Speed Grade | I3 | I5 (faster) | C4 (faster, commercial) | C3 (same -3, commercial) | I3 (same) | I5 (faster) | I3 (same) |
| Series | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GZ | Arria II GX | Arria II GX | Arria II GX |
| Process | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm |
Key Differentiators
- Highest transceiver bandwidth in its logic-density tier (vs EP2AGX260FF35I3G)
- Industrial temperature range at top speed grade (vs EP2AGZ225FF35C4G)
- High logic density with transceiver performance (vs EP2AGX190FF35I3G)
Design Notes
The 1152-ball FineLine BGA (35 mm x 35 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) requires at minimum 4 PCB layers with microvia or via-in-pad technology for signal escapes. Use a 0.5 oz copper inner plane stack-up for 100-ohm differential transceiver pairs and 50-ohm single-ended traces. Plan decoupling with 0402-size caps within 100 mils of every power pin; the Arria II GZ has dozens of VCCINT/VCCIO/GND pairs that all need local bypass.
Estimated: with the 40nm Arria II GZ consuming around 6-10 W typical at 225K LEs and 12 active transceivers, thermal rise with a 4-layer 35x35 mm board and a 10x10 mm copper pour is roughly 8-12 C. For production, attach a 1-2 mm heatsink with thermal interface material; for industrial-temperature (-40C to +100C) designs, validate thermal headroom at 85 C ambient under worst-case utilisation.
Each 6.375 Gbps transceiver channel requires controlled 100-ohm differential routing with length matching within 5 mils intra-pair and 50 mils inter-pair. Use a 4-port S-parameter model and pre-emphasis / adaptive equalisation settings from the Arria II GZ device handbook. Place AC-coupling caps close to the transmitter pins; a series ferrite bead is recommended on the transceiver supply for EMI suppression.
Do not omit the CONFIG_DONE, nCONFIG, or JTAG pull-up resistors - these are mandatory for reliable configuration. Ensure MSEL[3..0] pins are tied to select the correct configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG, Fast Passive Parallel). The 0.9 V core and 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V I/O banks each need their own regulated supplies; use TI TPS74401 or equivalent low-noise LDOs to avoid PLL jitter degradation.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Intel/Altera product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (FPGA, not automotive). Conflict-minerals compliant per Intel policy.
