EP2SGX60CF780C4 - Stratix II GX FPGA 60K LE 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2SGX60CF780C4 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $256.5 | $2,565.00 |
| 100 | $228 | $22,800.00 |
| 500 | $199.5 | $99,750.00 |
| 1,000 | $171 | $171,000.00 |
EP2SGX60CF780C4 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a type of programmable logic device that engineers configure after manufacture to implement arbitrary digital circuits. Within the broader semiconductor taxonomy, FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs and software-defined processors, offering hardware-level parallelism with reprogrammability. The Stratix II GX family specifically targets designs that require multi-gigabit serial transceivers alongside general-purpose logic, combining high-speed SERDES channels with a rich fabric of adaptive logic modules (ALMs), TriMatrix embedded memory blocks, and DSP blocks for high-throughput arithmetic.
Key features of the EP2SGX60CF780C4 include a 60440-logic-element fabric arranged in 3,022 LABs/CLBs, embedded 18x18 multipliers grouped into DSP blocks, dedicated high-speed transceivers that support protocols such as PCI Express, Serial RapidIO, and Gigabit Ethernet, and on-chip phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock synthesis and management. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package provides a 1 mm ball pitch and a 23 x 23 mm body, enabling high pin density for the 364 user I/O pins while supporting the integrated transceiver channels.
From an architectural standpoint, the Stratix II GX uses Altera's ALM-based logic fabric, which improves effective logic utilization versus traditional 4-input LUT architectures. Combined with the 90 nm process and 1.2 V core, the design balances static power, dynamic performance, and signal-integrity margin for multi-gigabit serial I/O. Internal memory totals approximately 2.5 Mb, and dedicated hard IP blocks accelerate memory interfaces, packet processing, and DSP pipelines without consuming fabric resources.
Typical applications for the EP2SGX60CF780C4 include high-speed serial interface bridging, telecommunications line cards, video processing and broadcast equipment, ASIC prototyping, and high-bandwidth test and measurement. Engineers select this part when a design needs both substantial programmable logic and integrated multi-gigabit transceivers on a single die, reducing board complexity versus a two-chip FPGA plus external PHY solution.
When designing with this device, pay close attention to the Stratix II GX transceiver reference clock architecture, signal-integrity requirements for the FC-FBGA breakout, and the Quartus II power estimation flow. Use the Stratix II GX FPGA Development Kit schematics and Altera application notes for board-layout guidance, especially the multi-gigabit transceiver channel rules for the FC-FBGA package.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives in the same 780-ball FC-FBGA package, and practical design notes not always gathered in one place on the manufacturer datasheet. The information is structured for engineers evaluating the EP2SGX60CF780C4 for new designs or as a drop-in replacement on existing Stratix II GX board layouts.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2SGX60CF780C4 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 EP2SGX60CF780C4 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, Package Type.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2SGX60CF780C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$220 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$285 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$870 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$285 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Stratix II GX |
| Logic Elements | 60,440 |
| LABs/CLBs | 3,022 |
| User I/O Count | 364 |
| Total Memory Bits | 2,544,192 |
| Internal Operating Frequency | up to 732.1 MHz |
| Process Technology | 90 nm |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA (23 x 23 mm, 1 mm pitch) |
| Package Type | Flip-Chip Fine-Pitch BGA |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP2SGX60CF780C4 flip-chip fine-pitch bga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2SGX60CF780C4 (flip-chip fine-pitch bga 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 EP2SGX60CF780C4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2SGX60CF780C4 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Card, ASIC Prototyping Platform, High-Throughput Data Acquisition, Video Broadcast Processing, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Industrial High-Speed Imaging.
Telecommunications Line Card
The EP2SGX60CF780C4 is well suited to telecom line cards that require multi-gigabit serial interfaces alongside substantial packet-processing logic. With 60,440 logic elements and 364 user I/O pins, the device can implement a SERDES-based backplane, a 10G/40G Ethernet MAC, and a deep packet inspection engine on a single die. The integrated Stratix II GX transceivers reduce bill of materials by eliminating external PHY ICs, while the 2,544,192 bits of embedded memory buffer traffic bursts without external SRAM. The 1.2 V core at 90 nm keeps board power within ATCA / AdvancedTCA thermal envelopes. According to the Stratix II GX device handbook, the device is qualified for these line-card data rates and is widely deployed in legacy 10G infrastructure.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EP2SGX60CF780C4 is a popular target for ASIC prototyping because the 60,440 logic elements and 2,544,192 bits of embedded memory can map sizeable SoC RTL blocks. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package and Quartus II toolchain support fast incremental compile cycles, while dedicated DSP blocks and on-chip RAM simplify mapping of processor cores, peripherals, and memory controllers. Integrated multi-gigabit transceivers allow ASIC designs with SERDES blocks to be validated at native speed without external PHY. According to the Stratix II GX handbook, the device supports popular ASIC prototyping flows and the 90 nm silicon provides timing margin for realistic gate-level simulation. The C4 commercial speed grade enables Fmax up to 732.1 MHz internal clock.
Recommended
High-Throughput Data Acquisition
The EP2SGX60CF780C4 fits high-throughput data-acquisition systems where parallel ADC interfaces, large FIFO buffers, and high-speed serial uplinks are all required. The 364 user I/O pins accept wide LVDS buses from multi-channel ADCs, while the 2,544,192 bits of embedded memory buffer samples between acquisition bursts. The integrated transceivers stream the digitized data off-board over standard protocols like Serial RapidIO or 10G Ethernet. According to the Stratix II GX datasheet, the fabric's DSP blocks also enable on-chip digital down-conversion, which reduces downstream processor load. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package provides the controlled-impedance environment required for simultaneous parallel and serial I/O at high sample rates.
Recommended
Video Broadcast Processing
The EP2SGX60CF780C4 is well matched to broadcast video processing where uncompressed SDI / HD-SDI / 3G-SDI streams must be received, frame-buffered, and reformatted. The integrated multi-gigabit transceivers receive SDI streams directly, while the 60,440 logic elements and embedded DSP blocks implement color-space conversion, scaling, and overlay. The 364 user I/O pins support HDMI/DVI parallel interfaces and external memory buses for frame stores. According to Altera broadcast reference designs, the Stratix II GX family is widely deployed in studio equipment and contribution encoders. The 1.2 V core and 90 nm process keep power manageable for 1U rack-mount frames where multiple FPGAs operate in parallel.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2SGX60CF780C4 is a strong fit for high-end test and measurement instruments such as logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and bit-error-rate testers (BERTs). The 364 user I/O pins connect to high-density probe fixtures, while the integrated transceivers enable real-time protocol analysis at multi-gigabit rates. The 2,544,192 bits of embedded memory buffer captured waveforms, and the DSP blocks accelerate on-the-fly pattern matching and CRC computation. According to the Stratix II GX device handbook, the deterministic ALM-based fabric and 732.1 MHz internal clock support precise timing generation required for protocol compliance testing. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package is compatible with high-speed probe-launch structures.
Recommended
Industrial High-Speed Imaging
The EP2SGX60CF780C4 supports industrial high-speed imaging systems where multiple Camera Link or CoaXPress channels must be aggregated and processed in real time. The integrated multi-gigabit transceivers accept CoaXPress uplinks directly, while the 60,440 logic elements implement real-time image-processing pipelines (white balance, gamma, defect correction). The 2,544,192 bits of embedded memory line-buffer pixel data between acquisition and processing stages. According to the Stratix II GX handbook, the device's combination of high logic density, dedicated DSP, and high-speed SERDES is a standard platform for machine-vision OEMs. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package supports the controlled-impedance layout that CoaXPress requires.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2SGX60CF780C4 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2SGX60CF780C4N | EP2SGX60CF780C3N | EP2SGX60CF780C3 | EP2SGX60CF780C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA (23 x 23 mm, 1 mm pitch) | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 60,440 | 60,440 | 60,440 | 60,440 | 60,440 |
| User I/O Count | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial) | C4 (commercial, lead-free) | C3 (slower, lead-free) | C3 (slower) | C (slowest) |
| Internal Clock Max | up to 732.1 MHz | up to 732.1 MHz | slightly lower (C3 grade) | slightly lower (C3 grade) | lowest (C grade) |
| Core Supply | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
| Pin-to-Pin Compatible | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free drop-in variant available in the same 780-ball FC-FBGA package (vs EP2SGX60CF780C4N)
- Highest available speed grade in the 60K-LE 780-FBGA Stratix II GX family (vs EP2SGX60CF780C3)
- Largest logic density in the EP2SGX60C prefix at 60,440 logic elements (vs EP2SGX30CF780C4)
Design Notes
Estimated: the Stratix II GX EP2SGX60CF780C4 in the 780-ball FC-FBGA package requires careful thermal management. With a 1.2 V core at 90 nm and 60K logic elements active, worst-case power can approach 10-15 W in transceiver-heavy designs. Per the Stratix II GX handbook, a multi-layer PCB with a solid internal ground plane and thermal vias beneath the BGA is required. Estimate junction temperature using the Quartus II PowerPlay early-power estimator, then add a 20% margin. Heatsink or airflow is recommended for industrial temperature-grade designs.
The 780-ball FC-FBGA uses a 1.0 mm pitch and requires high-density PCB design. According to Altera's package design guidelines, use laser-drilled micro vias or staggered stacked vias on at least 4-6 PCB layers for signal breakout. The transceiver channels demand 100-ohm differential routing with continuous reference plane and length matching within 150 mils. Decoupling requires 0402/0201 capacitors placed as close as practical to the power balls; follow the Stratix II GX reference-design decoupling schematic for capacitor values and counts.
Common pitfalls with the EP2SGX60CF780C4 include: (1) confusing the C4 commercial speed grade with an industrial temperature grade - the C4 device is only specified 0C to +85C; for -40C to +100C operation select the I4 industrial variant, (2) overlooking the difference between Stratix II (no GX transceivers) and Stratix II GX (this part has integrated SERDES), and (3) assuming the 'N' suffix is purely a packaging change - it is typically a lead-free / RoHS designation that may also indicate test-program differences. Always cross-check the full ordering code against the manufacturer datasheet before placing volume orders.
Multi-gigabit transceiver channels on the EP2SGX60CF780C4 require 100-ohm differential impedance with continuous ground reference. Per the Stratix II GX handbook, channel-to-channel skew on parallel interfaces should be held within +/-50 ps and the reference clock jitter must be below the value listed in the transceiver specification tables. Use the Altera Transceiver Toolkit in Quartus II for in-system eye-diagram and bathtub-curve measurement, and consider IBIS-AMI simulations for backplane channels above 5 Gbps.
Compliance Information
RoHS / lead-free status is not confirmed in the verified data; the 'N' suffix on related Altera/Intel FPGAs typically denotes a lead-free / RoHS-compliant variant - verify against the manufacturer datasheet before relying on this for production. AEC-Q100 is not applicable - the part is a commercial-grade FPGA, not an automotive-qualified IC.
