EP2S180F1508C5 - 179K LEs Stratix II FPGA, 1170 I/O, 1508-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP2S180F1508C5 β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6069.7 | $6,069.70 |
| 5 | $5820.5 | $29,102.50 |
| 10 | $5550 | $55,500.00 |
| 25 | $5210 | $130,250.00 |
| 100 | $4880 | $488,000.00 |
EP2S180F1508C5 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and dedicated hard IP such as block RAM, DSP blocks, PLLs, and high-speed transceivers. FPGAs occupy the middle ground between fixed-function ASICs and software-driven processors, offering hardware-level parallelism with full design-time reconfigurability. The Stratix II family is part of the broader programmable logic device (PLD) hierarchy, sitting above CPLDs and below structured ASICs in terms of integration, performance, and cost.
Key features of the EP2S180F1508C5 include 8,970 Logic Array Blocks (LABs) for fine-grained logic implementation, 96 dedicated DSP blocks for fixed- and floating-point arithmetic, and on-chip memory organized as 512-bit M512, 4-Kbit M4K, and 512-Kbit M-RAM blocks for distributed buffering. The device supports up to 12 global clock networks, multiple phase-locked loops (PLLs), and the Stratix II Adaptive Logic Module (ALM) architecture that delivers up to 1.4Γ the logic capacity of the previous Stratix generation at the same die area. High-speed differential I/O supports LVDS, LVPECL, and HyperTransport signalling for backplane and memory interfaces.
Typical applications for the EP2S180F1508C5 include high-end telecommunications baseband processing, ASIC prototyping, high-performance image and video processing pipelines, radar and signal-intelligence front ends, and storage area network controllers. The combination of 1,170 user I/Os, 9.4 Mbit of embedded RAM, and 96 DSP blocks makes the part especially well-suited to designs that previously required a custom ASIC. The 1508-FBGA package requires a multi-layer PCB with controlled-impedance routing, microvia or via-in-pad technology, and careful power-delivery network design.
When designing with this device, allow for high in-rush current on configuration and use a Stratix II-compatible configuration device or JTAG download cable. PCB thermal design should target 2 oz copper on outer layers and a minimum 6-layer stack-up with continuous power and ground planes. This page consolidates distributor pricing, same-family drop-in variants, and practical layout guidance not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2S180F1508C5 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 EP2S180F1508C5 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Speed Grade, Package, Logic Elements, Process Technology, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2S180F1508C4
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View Datasheet βEP2S180F1508C4N
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$985 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S180F1508C4TT
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View Datasheet βEP2S180F1508C3N
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$1200 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S180F1508C3
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View Datasheet βEP2S180F1508C3NAA
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$285 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S180F1508I4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$445 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2S180F1508C5 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix II |
| Series | EP2S180 |
| Logic Elements | 179,400 |
| Equivalent LEs | ~179,400 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 8,970 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 71,760 |
| Total RAM Bits | 9,383,040 |
| Embedded Memory | M512 / M4K / M-RAM blocks |
| DSP Blocks | 96 |
| User I/O Pins | 1,170 |
| Maximum User I/O | 1,170 |
| Process Technology | 90 nm, all-layer copper, SRAM |
| Core Voltage | 1.15 V to 1.25 V |
| Package | 1508-FBGA (FCBGA), 40 mm Γ 40 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0 Β°C to 85 Β°C (commercial, C5 speed grade) |
| Speed Grade | C5 |
| Configuration | SRAM, JTAG / Passive Serial / Fast Passive Parallel / Active Serial |
EP2S180F1508C5 1508-fbga (fcbga), 40 mm Γ 40 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2S180F1508C5 (1508-fbga (fcbga), 40 mm Γ 40 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 EP2S180F1508C5.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2S180F1508C5 is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-End Telecommunications Baseband Processing, High-Throughput Image and Video Processing, Radar and Signal-Intelligence Front Ends, Storage Area Network and High-Performance Computing, Industrial Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP2S180F1508C5 is widely deployed in ASIC prototyping platforms where the 179,400-LE logic capacity and 1,170 user I/Os allow designers to map a complete ASIC netlist into a single device. Compared with smaller FPGAs that require multi-FPGA partitioning, the EP2S180F1508C5 reduces prototype bring-up time and eliminates cross-chip timing closure problems. The 9.4 Mbit of embedded memory is sufficient to hold large trace buffers, instruction ROMs, and DSP coefficient tables, while 96 DSP blocks accelerate arithmetic-heavy prototypes. Designers typically partition the ASIC into logic islands mapped to ALMs, with multi-gigabit transceivers in adjacent chips bridging the remaining I/O. Power estimation for a fully utilised EP2S180F1508C5 typically runs 12 to 15 W, requiring thermal vias and a 6-layer PCB stack-up.
Recommended
High-End Telecommunications Baseband Processing
In telecom base stations, the EP2S180F1508C5 implements multi-carrier baseband modulation, channel coding, and digital up-conversion for LTE and WiMAX platforms. The 96 DSP blocks deliver the multiply-accumulate throughput required for 20 MHz LTE at full utilisation, while 1,170 user I/Os support CPRI or OBSAI links to the radio unit. The Stratix II 1.2 V core combined with 90 nm process gives the EP2S180F1508C5 deterministic latency suitable for TD-LTE synchronisation. Field deployments use the industrial temperature variant EP2S180F1508I4N for outdoor base stations; the commercial C5 grade is preferred for indoor small cells.
Recommended
High-Throughput Image and Video Processing
The EP2S180F1508C5 is well suited to broadcast and medical imaging pipelines that demand real-time HD or 4K pixel rates. Designers map Bayer demosaicing, motion estimation, and H.264 transform blocks to the ALM fabric while using 9.4 Mbit of embedded RAM as line buffers and macroblock storage. The 96 DSP blocks accelerate 8x8 integer transforms at 300 MHz and support the SIMD parallelism required for 4K @ 60 fps encode. The 1,170 I/Os accept multiple camera-link or HDMI input streams and drive external DDR2 memory at 333 MHz. Compared with smaller FPGAs, the EP2S180F1508C5 reduces the number of devices per board, simplifying PCB routing and BOM cost.
Recommended
Radar and Signal-Intelligence Front Ends
Defence and aerospace system designers select the EP2S180F1508C5 for phased-array radar beamforming and signal-intelligence receiver front ends. The 96 DSP blocks implement FFT and pulse-Doppler processing at sample rates up to 250 MHz, and the 9.4 Mbit of embedded RAM provides first-in-first-out buffering between antenna channels. The 1,170 I/Os interface to multiple ADC and DAC channels in a Virtex-style LVDS fabric, and the 1.2 V core keeps per-channel power manageable in dense arrays. System integrators value the 1508-FBGA package because it accepts the same board stack-up across the Stratix II family, allowing rapid migration to higher-density variants if required.
Recommended
Storage Area Network and High-Performance Computing
Storage controller designers leverage the EP2S180F1508C5 to implement RAID engines, iSCSI / Fibre Channel offload, and deduplication accelerators. The 9.4 Mbit of embedded RAM holds hash tables and metadata indices without external memory accesses, and the 96 DSP blocks perform Reed-Solomon and LDPC encoding in line with SATA 6 Gbps and SAS 12 Gbps link rates. The 1,170 I/Os accommodate multiple PCIe Gen1 hard-IP cores and 8 Gbps Fibre Channel SerDes. Compared with discrete controller ASICs, the EP2S180F1508C5 allows firmware updates over JTAG, accelerating time-to-market for new RAID levels and storage protocols.
Recommended
Industrial Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Automated test equipment (ATE) vendors use the EP2S180F1508C5 to build flexible stimulus-response and protocol-analyser platforms. The 179,400 LEs accommodate multiple parallel pattern generators, while 1,170 I/Os support hundreds of digital channels at LVDS rates. Designers map 96 DSP blocks to perform real-time FFTs on captured waveforms, with 9.4 Mbit of embedded RAM holding the trigger and pre-trigger history. Compared with a fixed-function ASIC tester, the EP2S180F1508C5 lets the same hardware serve multiple DUT protocols by simply reprogramming the configuration flash. The commercial C5 speed grade is ideal for bench-top ATE, while industrial EP2S180F1508I4N handles factory-floor thermal environments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2S180F1508C5 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2S180F1508C4 | EP2S180F1508C4N | EP2S180F1508C4TT | EP2S180F1508C3N | EP2S180F1508I4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 1508-FBGA (FCBGA) 40x40 mm | 1508-FBGA (FCBGA) 40x40 mm - same | 1508-FBGA (FCBGA) 40x40 mm - same | 1508-FBGA (FCBGA) 40x40 mm - same | 1508-FBGA (FCBGA) 40x40 mm - same | 1508-FBGA (FCBGA) 40x40 mm - same |
| Logic Elements | 179,400 | 179,400 | 179,400 | 179,400 | 179,400 | 179,400 |
| Total RAM Bits | 9,383,040 | 9,383,040 | 9,383,040 | 9,383,040 | 9,383,040 | 9,383,040 |
| User I/O | 1,170 | 1,170 | 1,170 | 1,170 | 1,170 | 1,170 |
| Speed Grade | C5 | C4 (faster ~10%) | C4 (faster ~10%) | C4 (faster ~10%) | C3 (slower) | C4 industrial |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0 to 85 C) | Commercial (0 to 85 C) | Commercial (0 to 85 C) | Commercial (0 to 85 C) | Commercial (0 to 85 C) | Industrial (-40 to +100 C) |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy | Last-Time-Buy |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density Stratix II variant in 1508-FBGA (vs EP2S130F1508C5)
- Drop-in alternative with faster speed grade (vs EP2S180F1508C4)
- Same die available in industrial temperature range (vs EP2S180F1508I4N)
Design Notes
The 1508-FBGA package uses 1 mm ball pitch and a 40 mm Γ 40 mm body. Use a minimum 6-layer PCB stack-up with continuous power and ground planes directly beneath the BGA. Escape routing on the top layer should use 0.1 mm laser-drilled microvias with via-in-pad to fan out the inner rows; 0.2 mm mechanical drill vias are required only on outer rows. The board must support lead-free reflow at 245 Β°C peak for N-suffix variants; standard C5 without N suffix may require leaded process windows.
Estimated: A fully utilised EP2S180F1508C5 with 50% toggle rate at 250 MHz draws approximately 12 to 15 W from the 1.2 V core rail and 2 to 3 W from auxiliary rails. Decouple each VCCINT pin with a 0.1 Β΅F X7R 0402 ceramic plus a 10 Β΅F X5R 0805 bulk capacitor placed within 5 mm of the ball. Use a minimum of 8 VCCA and VCCPD pins, each decoupled individually. A switching regulator with Β±1% set-point accuracy is required; do not power the core from an LDO at full load.
Do not assume the EP2S130F1508C5 is a drop-in replacement; it has 25% fewer LEs and less embedded memory. Verify that Quartus II fitter reports 100% logic utilisation below 130K LEs before selecting the smaller device. Also avoid using the EP2S180F1508C3 speed grade for designs that approach the C4 timing envelope β Quartus II timing closure will fail at low temperature corners. Always program the configuration flash with a Cyclone-style EPCS or Stratix IIδΈη¨ configuration device to avoid JTAG-only bring-up on production boards.
Compliance Information
RoHS, lead-free, and halogen-free status are marked [DATA_NEEDED] in the specs because the verified web data does not explicitly state these directives. Request the material declaration sheet from Intel PSG for definitive compliance. N-suffix variants (e.g. EP2S180F1508C4N, EP2S180F1508C3N, EP2S180F1508I4N) typically indicate lead-free reflow compatibility per Altera naming convention; the bare C5 variant may require leaded process.
