EP2SGX60CF780C5N - Stratix II GX FPGA, 60K LE, 6.375 Gbps SERDES | Intel
MPN: EP2SGX60CF780C5N β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $746.57 | $746.57 |
| 10 | $680 | $6,800.00 |
| 100 | $605 | $60,500.00 |
| 500 | $540 | $270,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $485 | $485,000.00 |
EP2SGX60CF780C5N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit whose digital logic functionality is defined by a configuration bitstream loaded after manufacture, as opposed to ASICs whose function is fixed at fabrication. FPGAs occupy the programmable-logic tier of the broader digital semiconductor hierarchy: programmable logic device (PLD) -> FPGA -> system-on-chip FPGA (SoC FPGA). Within the high-performance sub-segment, transceivers (SERDES) -> gigabit transceivers -> multi-gigabit transceivers, the Stratix II GX family sits at the multi-gigabit class.
Key features of the EP2SGX60CF780C5N include up to 20 multi-gigabit transceiver channels each incorporating CDR technology, dedicated hardware multipliers for DSP-style arithmetic, embedded TriMatrix memory blocks, support for external memory interfaces including DDR/DDR2/QDRII, and a comprehensive configuration scheme supporting JTAG (IEEE 1149.1) boundary-scan and passive/active serial modes. The logic array is implemented in 90 nm CMOS technology with a 1.15 V to 1.25 V core supply.
Typical applications include high-speed serial interface bridging (PCI Express Gen1, Serial RapidIO, Gigabit Ethernet, XAUI), custom protocol development, prototyping of ASIC designs, high-performance DSP datapaths, and telecom equipment line cards. The combination of 60K logic elements and 6.375 Gbps transceivers makes the part suitable for protocol converter bridges, multi-channel SERDES aggregation, and line-rate protocol adaptation.
When designing with this part, allocate 1.0 mm ball-pitch PCB routing rules, use multi-layer stack-up with dedicated transceiver reference plane layers, and follow Intel/Altera's Stratix II GX pin connection guidelines for unused transceiver channels. Verify transceiver reference clock jitter against the protocol specification (typically <1 ps RMS for 6 Gbps links).
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, pin-compatible Stratix II GX family members, and practical SERDES design considerations not collected in a single place by the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2SGX60CF780C5N 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 EP2SGX60CF780C5N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, DSP Blocks.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2SGX60CF780C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$220 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C3N
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$285 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C5
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$162 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C4
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$171 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C3
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$870 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX60CF780C5N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix II GX |
| Logic Elements | 60,440 (60K LE) |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 3022 |
| Total RAM Bits | 2,544,192 (approximately 2.5 Mbit) |
| User I/Os | 364 |
| High-Speed Transceiver Channels | 20 (up to 6.375 Gbps per channel) |
| Core Voltage | 1.15 V to 1.25 V |
| Internal Frequency (max) | 717 MHz |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Package | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG (IEEE 1149.1), passive/active serial |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial (C) |
| Transceiver Data Rate | Up to 6.375 Gbps |
EP2SGX60CF780C5N 780-bbga, fcbga (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2SGX60CF780C5N (780-bbga, fcbga (29 mm x 29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) 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 EP2SGX60CF780C5N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2SGX60CF780C5N is suitable for 7 applications: PCI Express Gen1 Endpoint / Root Complex, Gigabit Ethernet / XAUI Aggregation, Serial RapidIO Switch / Bridge, High-Bandwidth DSP Co-Processor, Custom ASIC Prototyping, Telecom Line Card / Backplane Aggregator, Video Broadcast / Studio Equipment.
PCI Express Gen1 Endpoint / Root Complex
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N's 20 high-speed transceiver channels support PCI Express Gen1 (2.5 Gbps) endpoints and root complexes with up to 4 PCIe lanes per the Altera Stratix II GX Hard IP for PCI Express. The 60K logic elements provide ample room for endpoint application logic, DMA engines, and custom register sets, while the 2.5 Mbit of embedded RAM (2,544,192 bits) buffers packet payloads and descriptor rings. Place the FPGA on a board with 100 MHz reference clock fed into a dedicated transceiver reference clock input, and use Intel's IP Compiler to generate the PCIe Hard IP core. Compared to a discrete SERDES, integrating the transceiver on-die reduces BOM and board complexity. This part targets add-in cards, embedded computing modules, and test equipment that require native PCIe connectivity without an external PHY.
Recommended
Gigabit Ethernet / XAUI Aggregation
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N's 6.375 Gbps transceivers natively support XAUI (3.125 Gbps, 4 lanes) and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) over multiple backplane variants (XAUI, RXAUI). The 60K logic elements handle MAC framing, MACsec (if licensed), and bridging logic, while the embedded TriMatrix memory blocks buffer line-rate packet streams. Pair the device with a 156.25 MHz reference clock for 10 GbE applications or a 312.5 MHz reference for XAUI, and use Intel's Triple-Speed Ethernet IP core for MAC functionality. The 364 user I/Os support parallel sideband interfaces (MDIO, I2C, SPI) for PHY management. This application is common in telecom line cards, aggregation switches, and backplane-protocol converter cards where multi-rate Ethernet bridging is required.
Recommended
Serial RapidIO Switch / Bridge
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N supports Serial RapidIO (SRIO) at 1.25, 2.5, 3.125, and 5 Gbps across its 20 transceivers, making it suitable for embedded computing fabrics in wireless base stations, military / aerospace signal processing, and high-performance DSP clusters. The 60K LE fabric implements switch fabrics with cut-through or store-and-forward semantics, while the 2.5 Mbit embedded RAM holds routing tables and packet buffers. Combine multiple EP2SGX60CF780C5N devices with SRIO links to build a multi-FPGA DSP mesh, or use a single device as a 4x SRIO-to-PCIe bridge for DSP card integration. The 780-FCBGA package supports the high I/O count needed for multiple parallel SRIO ports, JTAG chains, and processor interfaces (EMIF for TI C6000 DSPs or PowerPC).
Recommended
High-Bandwidth DSP Co-Processor
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N's dedicated hardware multipliers and 60K logic elements make it suitable as a co-processor for compute-intensive DSP kernels: FFT / IFFT, FIR filtering, QAM demodulation, and channel estimation. The 2.5 Mbit embedded RAM (2,544,192 bits) holds butterfly stages for 64K-point FFTs, and the 364 I/Os support high-speed external memory interfaces (DDR2 / QDRII) for streaming sample data. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers accept digitized RF directly from high-speed ADCs such as the TI ADS5400 family, eliminating the need for a separate SERDES bridge. Typical applications include software-defined radio (SDR) baseband processing, radar signal processing, and electronic warfare (EW) channelization. Place the FPGA adjacent to a DDR2 or QDRII memory bank and follow Intel's external memory interface (EMIF) pin-out guidelines for the chosen memory topology.
Recommended
Custom ASIC Prototyping
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N serves as a high-density prototyping vehicle for ASIC designs in the 60K gate-equivalent range. The 90 nm CMOS FPGA fabric allows design teams to validate ASIC RTL in real hardware before tap-out, catching system-level integration issues, clock-domain crossing bugs, and I/O protocol mismatches early in the development cycle. The 364 user I/Os accommodate multiple ASIC boundary interfaces (USB, Ethernet, DDR memory, custom parallel buses), and the embedded TriMatrix memory emulates ASIC SRAM blocks. Pair the EP2SGX60CF780C5N with boundary-scan logic for ASIC bring-up and use Intel's Chip Planner to visualize placement during ASIC-to-FPGA partitioning. The part is commonly used by networking ASIC teams, video processing ASIC teams, and any group that needs to de-risk ASIC tape-out.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card / Backplane Aggregator
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N's combination of 20 high-speed transceivers and 364 user I/Os is well-suited for telecom line cards that aggregate multiple lower-rate protocols onto a single backplane link. Each line card can terminate 4 x SFP/SFP+ optical modules (1.25/2.5/3.125 Gbps), aggregate traffic in the FPGA fabric, and forward it to a higher-rate uplink via a 4x or 8x SERDES link. The 2.5 Mbit embedded RAM buffers bursty traffic during congestion, and the 60K logic elements implement QoS schedulers, traffic shaping, and protocol translation. Industrial telecom temperature variants are not offered for the C-speed-grade parts; the industrial (I-grade) variants exist in different package pinouts. The C5 commercial grade is appropriate for climate-controlled central office deployments.
Recommended
Video Broadcast / Studio Equipment
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N handles uncompressed SDI (Serial Digital Interface) video at 270 Mbps (SD-SDI), 1.485 Gbps (HD-SDI), and 2.97 Gbps (3G-SDI) directly via its transceiver channels, with 4 x SDI streams fitting comfortably per transceiver channel via external clocking. The 60K logic elements implement format conversion, scaling, frame-sync, and overlay logic, while the 2.5 Mbit embedded RAM buffers active frames. The 364 user I/Os support multiple HDMI, DisplayPort, or parallel DVI interfaces for studio monitor walls. For 4K video processing at 60 fps, two EP2SGX60CF780C5N devices can be paired in a master/slave configuration with shared DDR2 frame buffers. This application targets broadcast routers, studio switchers, and professional video editing equipment where uncompressed multi-stream SDI is the standard interconnect.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2SGX60CF780C5N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2SGX60CF780C4N | EP2SGX60CF780C3N | EP2SGX60CF780C5 | EP2SGX60CF780C4 | EP2SGX60CF780C3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | 780-BBGA, FCBGA (29x29 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Logic Elements | 60,440 (60K LE) | 60,440 (60K LE) | 60,440 (60K LE) | 60,440 (60K LE) | 60,440 (60K LE) | 60,440 (60K LE) |
| Total RAM Bits | 2,544,192 | 2,544,192 | 2,544,192 | 2,544,192 | 2,544,192 | 2,544,192 |
| User I/Os | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 | 364 |
| Transceiver Channels | 20 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 20 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 20 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 20 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 20 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 20 (up to 6.375 Gbps) |
| Speed Grade | C5 (commercial, slowest) | C4 (faster) | C3 (fastest) | C5 (same as target) | C4 (faster) | C3 (fastest) |
| Lead-Free Marking | Yes (N suffix per JEDEC J-STD-609) | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) | No (Pb-containing terminal finish option) | No | No |
| Lifecycle Status | Last time buy | Last time buy | Last time buy | Last time buy | Last time buy | Last time buy |
Key Differentiators
- Single-family speed-grade flexibility on the same pinout (vs EP2SGX60CF780C4N)
- Lead-free terminal finish option for RoHS compliance (vs EP2SGX60CF780C5 (without N suffix))
- Stratix II GX position as the integrated 6.375 Gbps SERDES solution (vs Stratix II (non-GX) at 60K LE (e.g. EP2S60F1020C5))
- Pin-compatible alternatives within the Stratix II GX family (vs EP2SGX60CF780C4 / EP2SGX60CF780C3 (without N suffix))
Design Notes
The EP2SGX60CF780C5N uses a 780-ball FCBGA at 1.0 mm pitch, requiring a high-density PCB stack-up. Per Intel's Stratix II GX package guidelines, design with at least a 6-layer stack-up using microvia-in-pad (stacked or staggered) for the BGA fan-out, and pair each transceiver with a continuous ground reference plane on the adjacent layer. Maintain 50 ohm single-ended controlled impedance for the transceiver channels (100 ohm differential). Decoupling: place 0.1 uF and 0.01 uF MLCC capacitors as close as possible to every VCC pin, and a 4.7 uF bulk capacitor per power rail near the package. The exposed die pad (if present) must be soldered to a thermal pad with thermal vias to an internal copper plane.
For 6.375 Gbps transceiver operation, the reference clock must be a low-jitter source meeting the Stratix II GX transceiver reference clock jitter specification (typically <1 ps RMS for 6 Gbps links). Use a dedicated clock generator (e.g., TI CDCE62002, Silicon Labs Si5351, or Analog Devices AD9516) with the clock routed as a 100 ohm differential pair with length matching to within 5 mil. AC-couple the transceiver inputs and outputs with 0.1 uF capacitors placed within 200 mil of the FPGA ball. For multi-lane protocols (PCIe, XAUI), add channel skew budget of <150 UI per the protocol spec and verify with Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) on the manufactured PCB.
Estimated: at maximum logic utilization (>75% LE), 20 active transceivers at 6.375 Gbps, and 1.25 V core, the EP2SGX60CF780C5N can dissipate 8-12 W depending on toggle rate. Use Intel's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet to size cooling before layout. Without airflow and a properly soldered thermal pad, junction temperature can exceed 100 C and trigger thermal shutdown. For commercial-temperature operation (0-85 C ambient), a 100 LFM airflow or heatsink is recommended at sustained high utilization. The 780-FCBGA package theta_JA is highly dependent on PCB layout; Intel's package thermal model provides accurate junction estimates.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP2SGX60CF780C5N: (1) Connecting unused transceiver channels to ground through a 1 nF cap rather than leaving them floating (Intel specifies AC-ground for unused TX outputs and 100 ohm differential termination for unused RX inputs); (2) Failing to program the MSEL pins correctly for the chosen configuration mode (AS, AP, PS, FPP, JTAG); (3) Driving the JTAG TCK pin without a series 100 ohm termination; (4) Exceeding VCCIO bank supply voltage when mixing 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, and 3.3 V I/O standards in adjacent banks; (5) Configuring the device with an unsupported bitstream version after a Quartus software upgrade that removes old silicon support. Always re-validate the configuration scheme after tool upgrades.
Configure the Stratix II GX I/O banks according to the voltage groups: VCCIO1.5, VCCIO1.8, VCCIO2.5, VCCIO3.3 banks cannot be arbitrarily mixed. Use the Quartus Pin Planner to assign pins before layout to minimize bank crossings and avoid VCCIO bank constraint violations. Reference clock pins (CLK[0..n]) require dedicated clock input routing on the PCB with length-matched traces and proper shielding. Configuration pins (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) need 10 kohm pull-up to VCCIO3.3 and 4.7 kohm series isolation from the EPCS configuration flash. Per-bank current limits must be respected (typically 1.5 A per VCCIO pin).
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per JEDEC J-STD-609 lead-free marking (N suffix). AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial-grade FPGA not qualified for automotive. Halogen-free and conflict-minerals status not specified in the verified web data.
