EP2S180F1508I4N - Stratix II FPGA, 180K LE, 1508-FBGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP2S180F1508I4N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $580 | $580.00 |
| 10 | $545 | $5,450.00 |
| 50 | $510 | $25,500.00 |
| 100 | $478 | $47,800.00 |
| 250 | $445 | $111,250.00 |
EP2S180F1508I4N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic IC that lets designers configure digital logic, memory blocks, and routing after fabrication. Within the semiconductor hierarchy, FPGAs sit between ASICs (fully custom but expensive) and standard microcontrollers (fixed architecture). Stratix II belongs to the high-performance FPGA segment, paired in the taxonomy with families such as Xilinx Virtex-5, Lattice ECP2, and Microsemi (now Microchip) ProASIC3, and is differentiated by its adaptive logic modules (ALMs), TriMatrix embedded memory, and dedicated DSP blocks.
Key features of the EP2S180F1508I4N include 1,170 user I/Os (the highest in the Stratix II family), 9 Mbits of TriMatrix memory, dedicated 18x18 multipliers for DSP, up to 12 transceivers on speed-grade -3 devices (not present on this speed-grade), and support for external memory interfaces including DDR, DDR2, QDR, and RLDRAM. The industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C ambient) and Pb-free / RoHS-compliant 1508-FCBGA package suit telecom, defense, and high-end industrial systems requiring extended reliability.
The architecture uses Altera's adaptive logic module (ALM), an 8-input fracturable LUT that yields roughly 30% higher logic utilization than 4-LUT predecessors. Combined with the dedicated DSP block fabric and high-speed I/O serdes, the device targets 100 Gbps-class line cards, baseband processing, and software-defined radio (SDR) platforms. Internal signal integrity is managed through programmable drive strength and on-chip termination.
Typical applications include high-speed packet processing, baseband modulation/demodulation, video broadcast encoding, radar front-end processing, ASIC prototyping, and high-performance compute accelerators. Its 1,170 I/Os make it well-suited for systems that need wide parallel buses or many external memory interfaces.
Designers should plan thermal dissipation early - the 1508-ball FCBGA at 179,400 LEs consumes several watts even at moderate toggle rates, and a 4-6 layer PCB with solid ground/thermal vias under the package is recommended. JTAG configuration via EPC16 or EPC64 serial configuration devices is the typical in-system programming path. For lifecycle planning, note that the Stratix II family is mature and increasingly NRND; long-life-cycle designs should validate continued supply with distributors.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, package- and pin-compatible Stratix II drop-in alternatives from the same product family, application guidance, and design notes not collated on the manufacturer datasheet - giving engineers a single reference point for sourcing, replacement, and design-in decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2S180F1508I4N — 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 EP2S180F1508I4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Logic Elements, Total RAM Bits.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2S180F1508I4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2050 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2S180F1508C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$985 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2S180F1508C5N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5050 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2S180F1508C5
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$4880 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2S180F1508C4TT
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP2S130F1508I4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1390 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2S130GF1508C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5950 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2S180F1508I4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix II |
| Family | Stratix II (SII) |
| Logic Elements | 179,400 |
| LABs / Adaptive Logic Modules | 8,970 LABs |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 9,383,040 bits (9 Mbit TriMatrix) |
| User I/Os | 1,170 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Process Node | 90 nm |
| Package Type | 1508-ball FCBGA (Flip-Chip BGA) |
| Package Code | F1508 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
| Speed Grade | I4 |
| Configuration | Serial / JTAG (EPC16, EPC64) |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes (RoHS compliant) |
| Number of Terminals | 1508 |
EP2S180F1508I4N f1508 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2S180F1508I4N (f1508 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 EP2S180F1508I4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2S180F1508I4N is suitable for 7 applications: High-Speed Packet Processing / 100G Line Card, Software Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Video Broadcast Encoding / Processing, Radar and Defense Signal Processing, High-Performance Compute Accelerator, Industrial Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Packet Processing / 100G Line Card
The EP2S180F1508I4N's 179,400 logic elements and 9,383,040 bits of TriMatrix embedded memory provide the parallel fabric needed for 100G-class packet classification and forwarding engines. The 1,170 user I/Os enable wide parallel SGMII / XAUI side-band buses plus multiple external RLDRAM II or DDR2 packet buffers, while the dedicated 18x18 multipliers accelerate hash and CRC computations. Compared with a Stratix II EP2S130, this 180K-LE variant adds ~26% more logic for larger flow tables. Designers typically pair it with a network processor over UTOPIA or SPI-PHY, and consume ~6-8 W under full traffic load. Layout tip: place RLDRAM on the same side as the FPGA with matched-length impedance-controlled traces.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband
In SDR platforms, the EP2S180F1508I4N's dedicated DSP blocks and 9 Mbit of TriMatrix memory implement multi-carrier modulation, channelization, and crest-factor reduction (CFR) for multi-standard base stations. The 1,170 user I/Os interface to ADCs/DACs such as the AD9230 or AD9777, while the 1.2 V core minimizes power per LE relative to older 130 nm parts. Industrial -40C to +100C operation supports outdoor small-cell deployments. The I4 speed grade enables clocking above 400 MHz on critical paths, and the 90 nm process gives sufficient timing margin for adaptive digital pre-distortion (DPD) feedback loops that demand tight latency.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP2S180F1508I4N is a workhorse for ASIC and SoC prototyping because 179,400 logic elements partition cleanly across multiple FPGAs in a multi-FPGA emulation farm. Designers map RTL into the ALM fabric and use the 9 Mbit of embedded memory for transaction recording, scoreboards, and FIFO emulation. The 1,170 I/Os allow direct chip-to-chip interconnect at LVDS speeds, and the F1508 FCBGA package is shared with the rest of the Stratix II F1508 family, simplifying mechanical interposers. Industrial temperature grade and lead-free termination ease qualification of long-life-cycle prototypes. Expect 5-10 MHz typical ASIC-equivalent clock frequency when partitioning a 5M-gate design across four EP2S180 devices.
Recommended
Video Broadcast Encoding / Processing
Broadcast encoders for H.264, MPEG-2, and JPEG2000 benefit from the EP2S180F1508I4N's parallel architecture: motion estimation, DCT, and CABAC entropy coding pipelines run in parallel across the 8,970 LABs, with the 9 Mbit of TriMatrix memory buffering macroblock rows and reference frames. The 1,170 user I/Os interface to DDR2 frame buffers and HD-SDI / 3G-SDI serializers, while dedicated 18x18 multipliers handle SAD/SATD computations at line rate. Industrial temperature grade suits broadcast head-end and outside-broadcast (OB) van deployments. Power consumption is typically 7-9 W at full encoding load; a 6-layer PCB with continuous ground plane below the BGA is recommended for thermal management.
Recommended
Radar and Defense Signal Processing
Phased-array radar, electronic warfare (EW), and SIGINT systems use the EP2S180F1508I4N's 179,400 logic elements and DSP blocks to implement pulse compression, beamforming weights, and adaptive filtering in real time. The 1,170 I/Os support multi-channel ADC/DAC tiles (e.g., ADC12D1800 or AD9142), while the 9 Mbit of TriMatrix memory stores coefficient tables and range-Doppler maps. Industrial temperature grade and 90 nm rad-tolerant design flow suit airborne and shipboard platforms. Latency for a 4096-point FFT implemented in DSP blocks is typically below 50 microseconds, well within tracking-loop budgets.
Recommended
High-Performance Compute Accelerator
In coprocessor roles such as financial Monte-Carlo simulation, genomic alignment, or database analytics, the EP2S180F1508I4N's parallel ALM fabric and embedded multipliers deliver order-of-magnitude speedup over general-purpose CPUs. The 1,170 user I/Os expose PCIe Gen1/Gen2 hard cores and multiple DDR2 banks, enabling a sustained 4-8 GB/s host-to-FPGA data path. The 1.2 V core keeps power-per-LE low for dense compute farms, and the F1508 FCBGA package allows compact blade-server integration. Compared with the EP2S130, the 180K variant adds ~26% more logic per board, reducing FPGA count per rack and simplifying power/cooling planning.
Recommended
Industrial Test and Measurement Instrumentation
High-end oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol testers integrate the EP2S180F1508I4N to handle multi-gigabit serial decode, real-time triggering, and deep trace capture. The 9 Mbit of TriMatrix memory serves as a circular trigger buffer, while the 1,170 I/Os drive high-resolution color LCDs and parallel ADC/DAC front-ends. Industrial temperature rating suits factory floor and field-deployed test gear. Designers typically exploit the I4 speed grade for timing margin on 600 MHz internal datapaths used in serial protocol analyzers like USB 3.0 or PCIe Gen2 state machines. JTAG configuration via EPC16 or EPC64 simplifies in-field firmware updates.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2S180F1508I4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2S180F1508I4 | EP2S180F1508C4N | EP2S180F1508C5N | EP2S130F1508I4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 1508-ball FCBGA (F1508) | 1508-ball FCBGA (F1508) - same | 1508-ball FCBGA (F1508) - same | 1508-ball FCBGA (F1508) - same | 1508-ball FCBGA (F1508) - same |
| Logic Elements | 179,400 | 179,400 | 179,400 | 179,400 | 132,540 (-26%) |
| Embedded Memory | 9,383,040 bits | 9,383,040 bits | 9,383,040 bits | 9,383,040 bits | 6,747,840 bits (-28%) |
| User I/Os | 1,170 | 1,170 | 1,170 | 1,170 | 1,094 (-6.5%) |
| LABs / ALMs | 8,970 LABs | 8,970 LABs | 8,970 LABs | 8,970 LABs | 6,652 LABs (-26%) |
| Speed Grade | I4 (Industrial) | I4 (Industrial) | C4 (Commercial, slower) | C5 (Commercial, slowest) | I4 (Industrial) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes (N suffix) | No (non-N finish) | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic density in the Stratix II family (vs EP2S130F1508I4N)
- Largest TriMatrix memory capacity in the Stratix II family (vs EP2S130F1508I4N)
- Faster industrial speed grade (I4) for timing-critical designs (vs EP2S180F1508C4N)
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical toggle rates (~20%) the EP2S180F1508I4N consumes 6-9 W. The 1508-ball FCBGA package requires a continuous ground plane and an array of thermal vias directly beneath the BGA to spread heat. Use the Altera PowerPlay early-power-estimator tool with the actual RTL to refine theta-JA; for high-utilization designs add a heat spreader or forced-air cooling.
The 1508-ball FCBGA demands a 4-6 layer PCB with 0.8 mm or 1.0 mm BGA pitch escape routing. Matched-length impedance-controlled traces (50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential) are required for LVDS and DDR2 interfaces. Place decoupling capacitors (0.1 uF and 0.01 uF) as close as possible to every power pin pair, and route a solid reference plane under each I/O bank to control SSN.
Configuration mode selection (AS, PS, JTAG, FPP) must be tied correctly on the MSEL pins before power-up; an incorrect MSEL setting can prevent the device from configuring. Also note that Stratix II is now NRND - confirm lifetime-buy windows with Intel / Altera franchised distributors and design for second-source with the EP2S130F1508I4N if long-term supply is required.
Stratix II output slew-rate and drive-strength settings interact strongly with channel length. Enable on-chip termination (OCT) for LVDS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards to minimize reflections. Use TimeQuest timing analysis with board-level SI models for critical paths above 300 MHz, and de-rate setup/hold margins by at least 15% for industrial temperature operation.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance indicated by N suffix in MPN. AEC-Q100 does not apply (FPGA is not an automotive-qualified part). Halogen-free and conflict-minerals declarations not stated in the retrieved distributor data; see Intel product compliance portal for confirmation.
