EP2AGZ300FH29I4N - Arria II GZ FPGA, 298K LE, 780-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2AGZ300FH29I4N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1750 | $17,500.00 |
| 100 | $1620 | $162,000.00 |
| 500 | $1495 | $747,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $1380 | $1,380,000.00 |
EP2AGZ300FH29I4N Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a programmable logic device built from an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory blocks, digital signal processing (DSP) blocks, and high-speed transceivers, all interconnected by a programmable routing fabric. FPGAs occupy a unique position in the digital semiconductor hierarchy: more flexible than Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) but more integrated than microcontroller + external logic designs. They sit between general-purpose processors and custom silicon, serving as the workhorse for hardware acceleration, parallel processing, and high-speed I/O bridging. The Arria II GZ family in particular bridges the gap between Cyclone (low-cost) and Stratix (high-performance) families, making it suitable for high-bandwidth applications such as wireline communications, broadcast video, and high-end industrial imaging.
Key features of the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N include 11,920 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), dedicated high-speed serial transceivers, support for external memory interfaces including DDR3, and on-chip PLLs for clock management. The device is hardened for industrial operating conditions (the -I4 speed/temperature grade indicates industrial temperature range with the slowest speed bin), and integrates hard IP for PCI Express Gen1/Gen2 and memory controllers.
Architecturally, the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N uses the Altera (now Intel) Quartus II / Quartus Prime design flow, with logic synthesis, place-and-route, and timing analysis targeting the Adaptive Logic Module (ALM) based fabric. The 8-input ALM is more efficient than the older 4-input LUT architecture, allowing denser logic packing per LE and improved DSP block utilization for fixed- and floating-point workloads.
Typical applications include high-speed serial protocol bridging (PCIe, Serial RapidIO, Gigabit Ethernet), digital video broadcasting equipment, radar and signal processing front-ends, software-defined radio (SDR) platforms, and ASIC prototyping. The combination of high logic density, transceiver-rich I/O, and DDR3 memory support also makes the device attractive for medical imaging processing, factory automation controllers, and high-end test-and-measurement instrumentation.
When designing with the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N, allocate sufficient PCB layer count (typically 8 to 12 layers) to maintain signal integrity for the 780-ball FCBGA breakout, and follow Intel's reference design guidelines for transceiver channel routing and decoupling. Power sequencing must respect the 0.9 V core rail ramp requirements specified in the Arria II GZ handbook.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, drop-in same-family FPGA alternatives, and practical FPGA design guidance not aggregated in the Intel Arria II GZ datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGZ300FH29I4N — 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 EP2AGZ300FH29I4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Logic Elements (LE), Transceivers, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGZ300FH29I4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1350 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ300FH29I3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1380 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ300FH29I3G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1340 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ300FH29C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ300FH29C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1700 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ300FH29I4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria II GZ |
| Logic Elements | 298,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 11,920 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 18,854,912 |
| User I/Os | 281 |
| Operating Frequency (max) | 500 MHz |
| Process Technology | 40 nm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Package | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) |
| Package Code | BGA / FC-HFBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Industrial (I4 speed/temperature grade) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
| Number of Cells | 298,000 |
EP2AGZ300FH29I4N bga / fc-hfbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGZ300FH29I4N (bga / fc-hfbga 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 EP2AGZ300FH29I4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGZ300FH29I4N is suitable for 6 applications: High-Bandwidth Wireline Communication Bridge, Digital Video Broadcasting Equipment, Radar and Signal Processing Front-End, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Platform, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision.
High-Bandwidth Wireline Communication Bridge
The EP2AGZ300FH29I4N's 298,000 logic elements and hard PCI Express Gen2 IP make it well-suited for wireline protocol bridging between PCIe, Serial RapidIO, and Gigabit Ethernet. The integrated transceivers deliver multi-gigabit serial links without consuming fabric logic, preserving the 298K-LE fabric for protocol state machines and data-path processing. Compared with mid-density FPGAs, the Z300 provides roughly 3x the logic capacity, enabling full-duplex multi-port bridges in a single device. PowerPlay power estimation tools are required to size the 0.9 V core regulator; reference designs are available from Intel's wireline reference design library.
Recommended
Digital Video Broadcasting Equipment
Broadcast video infrastructure including MPEG transport stream processing, SDI multiplexing, and video-over-IP gateways typically uses the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N's 18.9 Mbit embedded memory for line buffers and frame stores. The DDR3 controller hard IP supports the high-bandwidth external memory required for uncompressed HD/3G-SDI processing. The 281 user I/Os in the FH29 780-ball package expose enough parallel I/O for multiple SDI transceivers plus Ethernet and PCI Express control planes, all handled on a single FPGA. Reference SDI IP cores from Intel partners are designed for this density tier.
Recommended
Radar and Signal Processing Front-End
Phased-array radar and electronic-warfare front-ends demand the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N's combination of high logic density, embedded DSP blocks, and multi-gigabit transceivers. The 298K-LE fabric supports FFT engines, pulse compression filters, and beamforming weights; the transceivers carry digitized RF data to back-end processors over Serial RapidIO or 10 Gigabit Ethernet. Industrial temperature grade (I-suffix) and the 0.9 V low-power core suit deployed airborne and shipboard platforms where thermal management is constrained. Designers should budget 8-12 PCB layers for the 780-ball FCBGA breakout.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Platform
Software-defined radio platforms leverage the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N's transceiver-rich I/O and large logic capacity to host multi-standard waveform processing (LTE, WiMAX, custom OFDM). The hard IP for PCI Express and DDR3 simplifies the host interface and sample buffer, freeing fabric for the digital down-conversion, channelization, and demodulation pipelines. The I4 industrial speed/temperature grade suits outdoor base-station enclosures and vehicular deployments. Intel's DSP Builder blocks accelerate fixed- and floating-point DSP implementation within the Quartus Prime flow.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The 298,000 logic elements and 18.9 Mbit of embedded memory make the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N a useful vehicle for ASIC and SoC prototyping, particularly for designs targeting the 40 nm process node. Multiple prototypes can be partitioned across the Arria II GZ fabric, with on-chip transceivers emulating ASIC SerDes and the DDR3 controller hard IP emulating external DRAM PHYs. Quartus Prime supports incremental compilation flows that map RTL blocks to fixed design partitions, accelerating bring-up. Industrial temperature grade suits lab and field validation across extended environmental sweeps.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision
High-speed line-scan cameras, X-ray imaging, and machine vision systems benefit from the EP2AGZ300FH29I4N's combination of high logic density and fast transceiver I/O for Camera Link, CoaXPress, and 10 GigE Vision aggregation. The DDR3 controller hard IP serves as a frame buffer for multi-stream aggregation, while the 281 user I/Os accommodate multiple camera interfaces plus gigabit Ethernet uplink. Industrial operating temperature (I-suffix) supports factory floor installations. Reference designs for CoaXPress and 10 GigE Vision are available from third-party IP partners via the Altera Design Solutions Network.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGZ300FH29I4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGZ300FH29I4G | EP2AGZ300FH29I3N | EP2AGZ300FH29I3G | EP2AGZ300FH29C4N | EP2AGZ300FH29C4G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (FH29) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 298,000 | 298,000 | 298,000 | 298,000 | 298,000 | 298,000 |
| Embedded Memory | 18,854,912 bits | 18,854,912 bits | 18,854,912 bits | 18,854,912 bits | 18,854,912 bits | 18,854,912 bits |
| Speed/Temperature Grade | Industrial I4 | Industrial I4 (Pb-free) | Industrial I3 (faster) | Industrial I3 (faster, Pb-free) | Commercial C4 (0°C to +85°C) | Commercial C4 (Pb-free) |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V |
| User I/Os | 281 | 281 | 281 | 281 | 281 | 281 |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
| Unit Price (qty 1, USD) | 1850.00 | 1850.00 | 1820.00 | 1820.00 | 1790.00 | 1790.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in the FH29 FCBGA package (vs EP2AGZ300FH29C4N)
- 298K LE is the largest density tier in the Arria II GZ family (vs EP2AGZ225FH29I4N)
- 780-ball FCBGA FH29 package fits mid-density I/O requirements (vs EP2AGZ300FF35I4N)
Design Notes
The 780-ball FCBGA FH29 package requires 8-12 PCB layers to route the breakout. Use Intel's Arria II GZ device handbook pin table to map bank assignments; place 0.1 uF and 10 uF decoupling capacitors directly beneath the package on the opposite PCB side. Maintain a continuous reference plane under the entire BGA footprint to control impedance for high-speed transceiver channels, and follow Intel's via-in-pad or dogbone fanout recommendations in the device handbook.
Estimated: power dissipation for a typical 70-80% utilization design is 6-9 W at 298K-LE density, peaking to 12 W in worst-case DDR3 + transceiver workloads. The 0.9 V core rail must be sequenced before the 1.0 V and 1.5 V auxiliary rails per the Arria II GZ power-up sequence; a small RC delay on the enable pins is recommended. Use the PowerPlay Early Power Estimator before final regulator selection - a 4 A synchronous buck is a reasonable starting point.
Transceiver channels on the Arria II GZ family are tuned for 100-ohm differential impedance with AC-coupling capacitors in-line. Maintain through-rates consistent with the Arria II GZ Transceiver User Guide (chapter 4), keep stubs on transceiver nets to less than 200 mils, and use length-matching within the budget specified for each protocol (PCIe Gen2 requires 5 ps tolerance per inch). Reference Intel's IBIS-AMI models for channel simulation.
Do not confuse the FH29 package (780-ball) with the FF35 package (1152-ball) - they are NOT pin-compatible despite both being FCBGA. Mixing speed grades across drops (e.g., I4 design compiled and then substituted with I3 silicon) is supported but degrades timing margin; the reverse (I3 compiled and substituted with I4 silicon) will fail timing and must be avoided. Configuration scheme (AS, PS, JTAG) must be selected before PCB layout because MSEL pins are dedicated.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Intel Arria II GZ product family page. AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA industrial grade, not automotive-qualified). Halogen-free status not stated in the verified data - marked unknown.
