EP2AGZ225FF35I3N - Arria II GZ FPGA, 224K LE, 1152-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2AGZ225FF35I3N β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3328.71 | $3,328.71 |
| 10 | $3195 | $31,950.00 |
| 100 | $2995 | $299,500.00 |
| 500 | $2825 | $1,412,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $2655 | $2,655,000.00 |
EP2AGZ225FF35I3N Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory, DSP slices, and high-speed I/O transceivers that can be re-programmed after manufacture. The Arria II GZ sits within the broader taxonomy of programmable logic: FPGA -> programmable logic device (PLD) -> logic IC -> integrated circuit. Arria II GZ is positioned between the lower-cost Cyclone family and the higher-end Stratix family in Intel's (formerly Altera's) mid-to-high-end portfolio, targeting applications that need transceiver bandwidth and DSP resources without the premium cost of Stratix V/VII devices.
Key differentiating specifications include 24 transceiver channels at data rates up to 6.375 Gbps supporting protocols such as PCI Express Gen2, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, CEI-6G, and CPRI; 1,152 user I/O pins; 1.4 Mbit of internal block RAM distributed across M9K and M144K blocks; and dedicated variable-precision DSP blocks. The device supports hot-socketing, 8B/10B encoding, and dynamic reconfiguration. Core voltage is 0.9 V with transceiver PLLs supplied from separate analog rails.
Architecturally, the EP2AGZ225FF35I3N implements a logic array of 224,000 8-input adaptive logic modules (ALMs) organized into 8960 LABs, paired with 8-input fracturable look-up tables (LUTs), dedicated carry chains, and 20 Kbit MLAB blocks. Memory is implemented through a combination of 9 Kbit M9K blocks and 144 Kbit M144K blocks. Transceiver channels include physical coding sublayer (PCS) and physical medium attachment (PMA) hard IP that simplifies protocol implementation.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing, military radar and signal intelligence, test and measurement equipment with high-speed serial interfaces, medical imaging pipelines, broadcast video processing, and 40G/100G line-card prototyping. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers also make the device suitable for backhaul links and proprietary chip-to-chip interconnect on advanced compute boards.
When designing with this part, allocate sufficient PCB layers (typically 14 to 20) and dedicated transceiver power-supply filtering; ball-grid-array escape routing demands microvia and via-in-pad capability from the PCB fabricator. Power estimation with the Quartus II Early Power Estimator before PCB commitment is strongly recommended because worst-case core current can exceed 10 A at 0.9 V on the highest-utilization designs.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, lifecycle status, drop-in same-package variants, and practical PCB guidance not found in any single manufacturer datasheet, helping procurement and FPGA design engineers make faster, more informed decisions on the Arria II GZ family.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGZ225FF35I3N 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 EP2AGZ225FF35I3N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Logic Elements, RoHS Status, Logic Elements (LE).
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EP2AGZ225FF35I4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1390 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35I3G
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$4400 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35C4N
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$1750 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35C4G
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Contact for price
View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35C3N
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$2200 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35C3G
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$868.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2AGZ225FF35I3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GZ |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 224,000 |
| Embedded Memory | 14,248,960 bits (approx. 14.25 Mbit) |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 8,960 |
| User I/O Count | 554 |
| Maximum Transceiver Data Rate | 6.375 Gbps |
| Transceiver Channels | 24 |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Package | 1152-ball FC-FBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Method | SRAM-based (volatile, requires external config device) |
| Maximum User I/O | 554 |
EP2AGZ225FF35I3N 1152-ball fc-fbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGZ225FF35I3N (1152-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 EP2AGZ225FF35I3N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGZ225FF35I3N is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband Processing, Military Radar and Signal Intelligence, Test and Measurement Equipment, Broadcast Video Processing, Medical Imaging Pipelines, Backhaul and Telecom Line Cards.
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP2AGZ225FF35I3N is well suited to wireless baseband processing in 3G/4G remote-radio-head (RRH) and small-cell platforms. Its 224,000 logic elements and dedicated variable-precision DSP blocks deliver the throughput needed for crest-factor reduction, digital pre-distortion, and channel filtering at LTE and LTE-Advanced sample rates. The 24 transceiver channels at up to 6.375 Gbps support CPRI and OBSAI fronthaul links to baseband units. Industrial temperature rating (-40C to +100C) allows deployment in outdoor enclosures. Quartus II DSP Builder and the integrated FIR Compiler accelerate time-to-prototype for symmetric finite-impulse-response filters and complex multiplications typical of baseband datapaths.
Recommended
Military Radar and Signal Intelligence
The EP2AGZ225FF35I3N's high DSP throughput, large on-chip memory, and 6.375 Gbps transceivers make it a strong fit for phased-array radar beamforming, electronic-warfare signal intelligence, and SIGINT capture cards. The M9K and M144K memory blocks provide high-bandwidth buffering of ADC samples at GSPS rates when paired with external JESD204B converters. Industrial temperature rating supports ruggedized enclosures. The 1152-ball FC-FBGA package is available in industrial screening flows from authorized distributors, although fully MIL-PRF-38535 qualified variants must be requested through Intel Hi-Rel programs. The combination of high logic density and DSP makes this device a development platform for many defense prototypes.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Test and measurement instruments such as protocol analyzers, logic-analyzer probe heads, and high-speed serial BERTs leverage the EP2AGZ225FF35I3N's combination of 6.375 Gbps transceivers, 224K logic elements, and 14.25 Mbit embedded memory. The transceivers handle protocols like USB 3.0, SATA, XAUI, CEI-6G, and 10 GbE at half rate, while the large memory buffers captured packet or symbol data for offline analysis. PCI Express Gen2 hard IP simplifies integration with host CPUs. Industrial temperature rating supports laboratory and field-instrument enclosures. The SRAM-based configuration enables rapid firmware updates for protocol test suites.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP2AGZ225FF35I3N handles uncompressed HD/3G-SDI routing, conversion, and processing in broadcast studio and outside-broadcast trucks. The 24 transceivers support multiple SMPTE 424M/425M streams at 2.97 Gbps, while the high logic density and DSP resources enable color-space conversion, scaling, and overlay operations on parallel video streams. The 1152-ball FC-FBGA package offers sufficient I/O for multi-channel designs. Industrial temperature rating accommodates the wider thermal envelope of mobile broadcast equipment. Quartus II Video and Image Processing Suite IP cores shorten development of de-interlacers and scalers.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Pipelines
Computed-tomography (CT), magnetic-resonance (MRI), and ultrasound imaging pipelines benefit from the EP2AGZ225FF35I3N's large embedded memory for image-line buffering, its DSP slices for back-projection and beamforming, and its 6.375 Gbps transceivers for high-speed sensor data ingest. Designs use JESD204B converters paired with the FPGA's transceivers to capture raw RF data, then reconstruct image frames in on-chip memory before forwarding via Ethernet to the host computer. Industrial temperature rating supports integration into medical-cart equipment. Compliance with IEC 60601 must be evaluated by the system integrator.
Recommended
Backhaul and Telecom Line Cards
The EP2AGZ225FF35I3N's 6.375 Gbps transceivers support up to 24 channels of CPRI, OBSAI, or proprietary backhaul links in small-cell aggregation and edge-router line cards. The 224K logic elements provide packet-classification, deep-packet-inspection, and traffic-management fabric, while the 14.25 Mbit embedded memory holds packet headers and statistics counters. The 1152-ball FC-FBGA and industrial temperature rating support dense line-card layouts in environmentally-controlled central offices. The Quartus II Ethernet MAC and OTN framer IP blocks accelerate telecom-protocol development.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGZ225FF35I3N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGZ225FF35I4N | EP2AGZ225FF35I3G | EP2AGZ225FF35C4N | EP2AGZ225FF35C4G | EP2AGZ225FF35C3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1152-ball FC-FBGA | 1152-ball FC-FBGA | 1152-ball FC-FBGA | 1152-ball FC-FBGA | 1152-ball FC-FBGA | 1152-ball FC-FBGA |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 224,000 | 224,000 | 224,000 | 224,000 | 224,000 | 224,000 |
| Speed Grade | I3 (industrial) | I4 (faster industrial) | I3 (industrial) | C4 (commercial) | C4 (commercial) | C3 (commercial) |
| Temperature Range | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Embedded Memory | 14,248,960 bits | 14,248,960 bits | 14,248,960 bits | 14,248,960 bits | 14,248,960 bits | 14,248,960 bits |
| Transceiver Data Rate | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps | 6.375 Gbps |
Key Differentiators
- Largest logic density in Arria II GZ family (vs EP2AGX260FF35I3N)
- Industrial temperature rating across full speed grade (vs EP2AGZ225FF35C3N)
- Lead-free (G suffix) variant available (vs EP2AGZ225FF35I3G)
Design Notes
The EP2AGZ225FF35I3N dissipates substantial power under high utilization - up to 10 A on the 0.9 V core at worst-case clocking per the PowerPlay Early Power Estimator. The 1152-ball FC-FBGA exposes a thermal pad to the bottom of the package that must be soldered to a copper pour spanning at least 25 cm square on the top layer. Forced-air cooling with at least 200 LFM airflow is recommended for industrial-temperature deployments in sealed enclosures.
The 1152-ball FC-FBGA escape routing demands microvia-in-pad and via-stitching capability from the PCB fabricator. Use a 14- to 20-layer stackup with 0.4 mm pitch escape, HDI (High Density Interconnect) build-up layers, and continuous reference planes for each high-speed transceiver lane. Place 0.1 uF and 10 uF decoupling capacitors within 100 mil of each power pin; the Arria II GZ datasheet pinout specifies the recommended bulk capacitor placement per quadrant.
Do not assume the EP2AGZ225FF35I3N is 100G-ready: the 6.375 Gbps transceivers cannot drive 100GBASE-R lanes directly. Migrate to Arria V GT or Stratix V for 10.3125 Gbps applications. Also note that configuration is SRAM-based and volatile - always pair the device with an EPCQ configuration flash or a microcontroller-driven passive serial loader; otherwise firmware is lost on power-down.
Transceiver reference clocks must be supplied from a low-jitter oscillator; per the Arria II GZ datasheet, the maximum allowable reference-clock jitter is 4 ps RMS for 6.375 Gbps operation. Match PCB trace lengths within 5 mil on differential pairs and avoid right-angle bends. Use IBIS-AMI or Hspice models from Intel during channel pre-layout simulation; do not rely on rule-of-thumb route-only design for 6G transceivers.
Compliance Information
Compliance data was not available in the verified web data. The G-suffix variants (e.g., EP2AGZ225FF35I3G) are marketed as lead-free per industry convention; confirm with Intel's material-declaration documents. AEC-Q100 is not applicable to FPGAs (automotive-grade certification standard does not apply to high-density programmable logic).
