EP2AGZ350FH29C4N - Arria II GZ FPGA, 350K LE, 780-BGA | Altera
MPN: EP2AGZ350FH29C4N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1720 | $17,200.00 |
| 100 | $1560 | $156,000.00 |
| 500 | $1395 | $697,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $1245 | $1,245,000.00 |
EP2AGZ350FH29C4N Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs / ALMs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated hard-IP such as block RAM, DSP blocks, transceivers, and PLLs. FPGAs belong to the broader family of programmable logic devices (PLDs) within the Integrated Circuits category. Modern FPGAs like the Arria II GZ combine this reconfigurable fabric with embedded processors, high-speed serial transceivers, and external memory controllers, occupying a position between ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and general-purpose processors in the system-design hierarchy.
Key features of the EP2AGZ350FH29C4N include the Arria II GZ 40-nm process architecture, integrated 8-channel 6.375 Gbps transceiver support depending on die variant, hard PCI Express Gen1/Gen2 IP, dedicated DSP blocks for high-throughput signal processing, and the 780-pin flip-chip BGA package that supports high-speed signal integrity for backplane, broadcast, and wireline applications. The industrial-grade speed grade C4 supports a wide commercial/industrial operating profile.
On the technical depth side, the Arria II GZ combines 8-input adaptive logic modules (ALMs) with per-LUT-register pairing, variable-precision DSP blocks supporting 9x9, 18x18, and 36x36 modes, and triplicated register blocks for soft error mitigation. Embedded memory is organized as M9K (9 Kbit) and M144K (144 Kbit) blocks, supporting true dual-port and simple dual-port configurations at up to 600 MHz.
Typical applications include high-speed serial backplane interfaces (e.g. CPRI, OBSAI, Serial RapidIO), broadcast video and audio processing, software-defined radio (SDR) baseband, PCIe Gen2 endpoint/root-complex cards, test & measurement instrumentation, and high-performance DSP co-processing cards. The high logic density and abundant DSP blocks make the device a typical workhorse for telecom line cards and broadcast routers.
When designing with this device, plan power-rail sequencing, thermal dissipation (FCBGA packages demand multi-layer PCB with internal copper planes and forced-air cooling at >10 W), and JTAG/Active Serial configuration. The 780-BBGA footprint requires a 1.27 mm or 1.0 mm pitch PCB design with controlled-impedance routing for transceiver channels.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in FPGA alternatives from the Arria II GZ family, and practical PCB design notes not consolidated in the manufacturer datasheet. For engineers verifying lead time and stock at authorized distributors, distributor data sources are cited inline below.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2AGZ350FH29C4N — 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 EP2AGZ350FH29C4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Logic Elements (LE), Transceivers, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2AGZ350FH29C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2205 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ350FH29C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1920 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ300FH29C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ350FF35I4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1995 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2AGZ350FH29C4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Arria II GZ |
| Family | Altera / Intel Arria II |
| Process Node | 40 nm |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 350,000 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALM) | 348,500 equivalent LEs |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 21,270,528 |
| Embedded Memory (approx) | ~2.65 MByte |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 13,940 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 281 |
| Package | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (flip-chip BGA) |
| Package Pin Count | 780 |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (industrial prefix; C4 = commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (FCBGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (per distributor listing) |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP2AGZ350FH29C4N 780 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2AGZ350FH29C4N (780 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 EP2AGZ350FH29C4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2AGZ350FH29C4N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line Card / Backplane Aggregation, Broadcast Video Routing / Studio Switching, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband, PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint / Root-Complex Card, Test & Measurement Instrumentation, Industrial Automation / Machine Vision Backbone.
Telecom Line Card / Backplane Aggregation
The EP2AGZ350FH29C4N is widely deployed on telecom line cards that aggregate multiple CPRI, OBSAI, or Serial RapidIO links onto a baseband backplane. The Arria II GZ transceiver hard IP delivers multi-channel 6 Gbps connectivity that maps directly onto common fronthaul rates, while 350K LEs and 13,940 LABs provide the datapath width required for 4x and 8x antenna MIMO aggregation. Placed between the backplane SERDES and an external Ethernet switch ASIC, the FPGA buffers, rate-matches, and forward-error-corrects traffic in real time, reducing host CPU load. Compared to a pure-ASIC solution, the FPGA variant accelerates time-to-market for evolving fronthaul protocols without respinning silicon.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Routing / Studio Switching
Studio-grade broadcast routers and SDI-based switching fabrics use the EP2AGZ350FH29C4N to multiplex and de-multiplex SDI streams up to 3G-SDI or emerging 6G/12G-SDI standards. The 281 user I/Os on the FH29 780-BBGA package accept the wide parallel bus required for parallel SDI fan-out, while embedded M144K memory blocks buffer entire video frames without external SDRAM in small matrices. Internal variable-precision DSP blocks also enable embedded proc-amp (re-timing, color correction, gain) functions that previously required a dedicated companion ASIC. The FPGA fabric is repurposed per show via JTAG or Active Serial configuration - a single PCB serves both 3G-SDI and 12G-SDI deployments.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband
Wideband SDR platforms (LTE, 5G NR small-cell, military tactical radio) instantiate the EP2AGZ350FH29C4N as the baseband processor between the ADC/DAC front end and the host CPU. Variable-precision DSP blocks execute complex FFTs and channelization filters at throughputs that rival dedicated DSP chips while keeping the entire waveform reconfigurable in C/C++ via Quartus High-Level Synthesis. The 281 user I/Os on the FH29 780-BBGA accept LVDS pairs from multiple ADC/DAC chips without external muxes. Compared to a fixed ASIC waveform, the FPGA lets a single board support multiple waveforms (LTE, military, public-safety) by simply reloading the bitstream.
Recommended
PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint / Root-Complex Card
High-performance PCIe Gen2 endpoint and root-complex cards (DSP co-processors, NVMe controllers, instrumentation) use the EP2AGZ350FH29C4N as the application-layer processor behind the hard PCIe Gen2 IP block. Hard IP delivers x4/x8 Gen2 (5 Gbps) endpoints without consuming FPGA logic, leaving 350K LEs free for the user payload. The 780-BBGA FCBGA package supports the lane counts and reference-clock routing required for Gen2 signaling, while embedded memory absorbs packet bursts without external DRAM access. The same bitstream can be recompiled to retarget lanes or add protocol layers (CXL-lite, CCIX-lite) without PCB rework.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
High-end oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, and bit-error-rate testers embed the EP2AGZ350FH29C4N as the capture-and-correlation engine between the analog front end and the host CPU. The 350K-LE fabric supports parallel pattern matching at line rates exceeding 6 Gbps, while M144K memory blocks absorb deep trace windows without external SSD. The 281 user I/Os of the FH29 780-BBGA package aggregate multiple probe channels and external trigger buses in a single chip. Compared to discrete ASIC + DSP + FPGA partitions, the consolidated Arria II GZ solution reduces BOM and improves deterministic capture-to-display latency for measurement-grade instruments.
Recommended
Industrial Automation / Machine Vision Backbone
High-speed machine vision controllers and time-sensitive networking (TSN) bridges in Industry 4.0 deployments use the EP2AGZ350FH29C4N as the deterministic image-processing engine. The 350K-LE fabric implements real-time image pipelines (pre-processing, feature extraction, AI inference preprocessing) without offloading to GPU cards, while embedded DSP blocks accelerate FFT-based vibration analysis for predictive monitoring. The 281 I/Os accept CoaXPress, Camera Link, or GigE Vision aggregated lanes and drive EtherCAT or TSN backbones with sub-microsecond jitter. Industrial-grade (I4) speed-grade variants are preferred when ambient temperature exceeds 70C, but the C4 part remains suitable for cabinet-mounted designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2AGZ350FH29C4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2AGZ350FH29C4G | EP2AGZ350FH29C3N | EP2AGZ300FH29C4N | EP2AGZ350FF35I4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) | Altera (Intel PSG) |
| Package | 780-BBGA FCBGA (FH29) | 780-BBGA FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-BBGA FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-BBGA FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-BBGA FCBGA (FF35) - different BGA pattern |
| Logic Elements | 350,000 LE | 350,000 LE (same die) | 350,000 LE | 300,000 LE (-14 percent) | 350,000 LE (same die) |
| Embedded Memory | 21,270,528 bits | 21,270,528 bits | 21,270,528 bits | ~18 Mbit | 21,270,528 bits |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial) | C4 (commercial) | C3 (slower) | C4 (commercial) | I4 (industrial) |
| Family / Process | Arria II GZ / 40 nm | Arria II GZ / 40 nm | Arria II GZ / 40 nm | Arria II GZ / 40 nm | Arria II GZ / 40 nm |
| Drop-In (same footprint) | Yes (baseline) | Yes - identical FH29 footprint | Yes - identical FH29 footprint | Yes - identical FH29 footprint | No - FF35 uses different BGA pattern |
| Param Match (approx) | 100 percent (baseline) | 100 percent | 90 percent | 80 percent | 70 percent (package differs) |
Key Differentiators
- Identical die in lead-free RoHS-compliant variant for global deployment (vs EP2AGZ350FH29C4G)
- Lower-cost speed-grade variant C3 with identical FH29 footprint (vs EP2AGZ350FH29C3N)
- Lower-density cost-optimized option in identical FH29 package (vs EP2AGZ300FH29C4N)
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical 10-15 W FPGA power dissipation for a 50 percent-utilized EP2AGZ350FH29C4N with active transceivers, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance of approximately 1 C/W requires forced-air cooling (>=200 LFM) or a heatsink with thermal interface material to maintain junction below 100C. The 780-BBGA FCBGA package does not expose a top-side heat slug; thermal vias under the die footprint are mandatory for heat extraction. Thermal pad area should be at least 25x25 mm with 0.3 mm drilled vias on a 1.0 mm grid.
Route transceiver channels as 100-ohm differential pairs on the top microstrip/stripline layer with continuous reference ground plane. Use 4-layer PCB minimum (top signals, inner ground, inner power, bottom signals) with controlled-impedance traces; length matching within +/-0.13 mm for Gen2 transceivers. Decouple each transceiver power pin with a 0.1 uF MLCC plus a 10 uF bulk cap within 2 mm of the pin. JTAG chain needs a 4.7 kohm pull-up on TCK and TMS per Altera Arria II GZ hardware reference design.
Configuration mode pin strapping (MSEL[3:0]) must be set before VCC ramps; missing or unstable MSEL values at power-up leave the FPGA unconfigured and the system appears hung. Active Serial (AS) configuration requires the EPCS or newer EPCQ flash chip with the correct density (typically 64-256 Mbit for full Arria II GZ bitstreams). Do not share configuration flash between multiple FPGAs unless using a multi-FPGA chain - corrupted bitstreams will brick all devices. Always validate the bitstream CRC with the Quartus programming file generator before production.
Transceiver channels on the EP2AGZ350FH29C4N require matched 100-ohm AC-coupled differential pairs with via counts minimized to avoid stubs. Use AC coupling capacitors (0.01-0.1 uF) close to the receiver pin if the protocol requires it (PCIe, Serial RapidIO). Reference clock input jitter must be below 1 ps RMS for 6 Gbps links; use a low-jitter clock synthesizer like the Altera/Intel Cyclone IV PLL companion or a dedicated clock-cleaner IC for SDI/SONET applications.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance confirmed per DigiKey product listing. Lead-free per current Altera/Intel Arria II GZ datasheet. AEC-Q100 not applicable (industrial/commercial FPGA). Conflict-minerals compliance declared by Altera/Intel per corporate policy.
