EP2SGX90EF1508C4 - Stratix II GX FPGA 90K LE 1508-FBGA C4 | Altera
MPN: EP2SGX90EF1508C4 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1695 | $16,950.00 |
| 50 | $1580 | $79,000.00 |
| 100 | $1495 | $149,500.00 |
| 500 | $1395 | $697,500.00 |
EP2SGX90EF1508C4 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit that engineers can configure after manufacturing using a hardware description language (HDL). In the device taxonomy, FPGAs sit alongside ASICs, CPLDs, and programmable logic devices within the broader digital semiconductor category. Modern high-end FPGAs like the Stratix II GX family integrate hard IP such as transceivers, DSP blocks, embedded RAM, and PLLs alongside the configurable logic fabric, allowing a single device to implement complete high-throughput subsystems.
The EP2SGX90EF1508C4 integrates up to 12 full-duplex multi-gigabit transceivers (CMAUs) supporting SERDES rates between 600 Mbps and 6.375 Gbps with dynamic reconfiguration, eight PLLs, four DLLs, and dedicated hardware for CPRI, OBSAI, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, PCIe (PIPE), and Gigabit Ethernet physical layers. Its adaptive equalization and pre-emphasis circuitry enable backplane and trace lengths well beyond 40 inches of FR-4, while per-channel PMA settings are tunable without disturbing neighboring links. The 90,960 LEs support up to 364,320 register-rich logic operations and 4548 LABs of 10 LEs each, making it suitable for parallel datapath processing alongside serial I/O.
Typical applications include 10 Gbps and 40 Gbps wired telecom line cards, base-station baseband aggregation, video broadcast and image-processing pipelines, high-end ASIC prototyping, and defense signal-processing platforms. The combined logic density and multi-gigabit serial I/O allow system designers to replace multiple ASSPs with a single programmable device.
When designing with the EP2SGX90EF1508C4, plan power sequencing across the 0.9 V core, 1.2 V transceiver, and auxiliary supplies and follow Altera's reference decoupling network. Quartus II version 7.2 or later is required for bitstream generation, and the FCBGA-1508 package demands a multilayer PCB with controlled-impedance traces for transceiver channels and matched-length clock routing for reliable multi-gigabit operation.
This page synthesizes distributor stock, parametric alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the Altera datasheet, structured for engineers performing second-source qualification.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2SGX90EF1508C4 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 EP2SGX90EF1508C4 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Operating Temperature, Package, RoHS Status, Speed Grade, DSP Blocks.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2SGX90EF1508C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1450 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90EF1508C4N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP2SGX90EF1508C5
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1320 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90FF1508C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1500 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90EF1508C4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix II GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 90,960 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALM) | 45,480 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 4,520,448 |
| Total Block Memory Bits | 4,520,448 bits |
| Multi-Gigabit Transceivers | Up to 12 channels |
| Transceiver Data Rate | 600 Mbps to 6.375 Gbps |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 650 |
| Global Clocks | 16 |
| PLLs | 8 (Enhanced) |
| DLLs | 4 |
| Package | 1508-ball FCBGA (40 x 40 mm, 1 mm pitch) |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Programming Tool | Altera Quartus II (version 7.2 or later) |
EP2SGX90EF1508C4 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | VCC β Core voltage supply (0.9V typical) |
| Pin A2 | GND β Ground reference |
| Pin B1 | VCCIO β I/O voltage supply |
| Pin B2 | GND β Ground reference |
| Pin B23 | REFCLK0p β Transceiver reference clock input positive |
| Pin B24 | REFCLK0n β Transceiver reference clock input negative |
| Pin AC1 | TX_CH1p β Transceiver channel 1 transmit positive |
| Pin AC2 | TX_CH1n β Transceiver channel 1 transmit negative |
| Pin AE1 | RX_CH0p β Transceiver channel 0 receive positive |
| Pin AE2 | RX_CH0n β Transceiver channel 0 receive negative |
Typical Applications
EP2SGX90EF1508C4 is suitable for 6 applications: 10 Gbps OTU2/STM-64 Telecom Line Card, CPRI/OBSAI Base Station Fronthaul Aggregation, Serial RapidIO Backplane Switch, High-End ASIC Prototyping, Broadcast Video Processing Pipeline, Defense Signal Processing Platform.
10 Gbps OTU2/STM-64 Telecom Line Card
The EP2SGX90EF1508C4 is well-suited to OTU2 and STM-64 line-card designs because its 12 transceivers deliver 6.375 Gbps per lane, enabling 10 Gbps payload transport with multi-rate SONET/SDH framing implemented in fabric. With 90,960 LEs available, the device can absorb the framer, FEC encoder, and overhead processor alongside the PCS logic, removing the need for a companion ASIC. The 4,520,448 embedded memory bits provide line-rate buffering for GFP/LCAS adaptation without external SSRAM, simplifying the BOM.
Recommended
CPRI/OBSAI Base Station Fronthaul Aggregation
In 3G/4G base-station fronthaul equipment, the EP2SGX90EF1508C4 can aggregate up to six CPRI links at 6.144 Gbps or twelve at 3.072 Gbps because each transceiver is independently reconfigurable. The 8 PLLs and 4 DLLs provide the per-channel reference flexibility required to lock each remote radio head to a different clock domain without external jitter cleaners. Compared to discrete ASIC solutions, the FPGA-based aggregator supports evolving CPRI line-bit-rate options via firmware updates rather than silicon re-spins.
Recommended
Serial RapidIO Backplane Switch
The 6.375 Gbps transceivers of the EP2SGX90EF1508C4 cleanly cover Serial RapidIO 1x and 4x link rates up to 3.125 Gbps, and the 90,960 LEs implement the SerDes-to-switch fabric mapping plus a RapidIO controller. The 1,508-ball FCBGA brings 650 user I/Os, which is sufficient to drive multiple board-level RapidIO ports in parallel. Pre-emphasis and adaptive equalization on each CMAU channel let the device reach across 40+ inches of FR-4 backplane with low BER.
Recommended
High-End ASIC Prototyping
Design teams use the EP2SGX90EF1508C4 as a 90 nm process-compatible prototyping vehicle for ASIC RTL because the 90,960 LEs provide register-rich logic capacity close to typical ASIC gate counts. The 12 transceivers allow real-world ASIC IO and memory interfaces to be exercised before silicon is available. Compared to software simulation, FPGA prototypes run orders-of-magnitude faster and reveal clock-domain-crossing bugs that simulation typically misses.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing Pipeline
For uncompressed 3G-SDI / HD-SDI processing and multi-channel broadcast encoders, the EP2SGX90EF1508C4's 12 transceivers handle four 3G-SDI links at 2.97 Gbps each, while the 90,960 LEs implement video scaling, color-space conversion, and overlay logic. The 4.5 Mbit of embedded RAM is sufficient for line buffers in scaling pipelines, reducing or eliminating external SSRAM. The C4 speed grade closes timing at typical 148.5 MHz video pixel clocks even with multi-tap FIR filtering in the datapath.
Recommended
Defense Signal Processing Platform
In defense applications such as radar IF processing and electronic-warfare subsystems, the EP2SGX90EF1508C4 combines 12 multi-gigabit transceivers with enough logic to implement FFTs, digital down-converters, and pulse-compression filters in a single device. The embedded 18x18 multipliers and 4 Mbit of block RAM support parallel DSP operations at sample rates above 250 MHz. Although the device is rated commercial (0-85C), it can be derated and screened for defense applications where supply is still available on the secondary market.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2SGX90EF1508C4 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2SGX90EF1508C3N | EP2SGX90EF1508C4N | EP2SGX90EF1508C5 | EP2SGX90FF1508C4N | EP2SGX90EF1152I4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera - same | Altera - same | Altera - same | Altera - same | Altera - same |
| Package | 1508-ball FCBGA (40x40 mm) | 1508-ball FCBGA - same | 1508-ball FCBGA - same | 1508-ball FCBGA - same | 1508-ball FCBGA - same | 1152-ball FCBGA - different package |
| Logic Elements | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 |
| Transceivers | 12 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 12 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 12 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 12 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 8 (lower speed grade) | 12 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C3 (faster) | C4 (same) | C5 (slower) | C4 (same) | I4 (industrial) |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- 12 transceivers with 6.375 Gbps performance (vs EP2SGX90FF1508C4N)
- Higher logic density than EP2SGX60 family (vs EP2SGX60EF1152C4)
- Embedded 18x18 hardware multipliers and DSP blocks (vs EP2S90F1508C4 (non-GX))
Design Notes
The EP2SGX90EF1508C4 requires three power rails: 0.9V core, 1.2V transceiver analog, and 1.2-3.3V VCCIO for I/O banks. Altera recommends independent switching supplies with a soft-start ramp of 1-10 ms and a controlled power-good sequence where VCCIO rises before or simultaneously with the 0.9V core. Add bulk decoupling of 220 uF low-ESR polymer per rail and 0.1 uF / 1 nF high-frequency ceramics within 5 mm of each supply ball cluster.
The 1,508-ball FCBGA on a 1.0 mm pitch demands a multilayer PCB with microvia technology (4-2-4 stack minimum) and a controlled-impedance stack-up of 50 ohm single-ended / 100 ohm differential traces for transceiver channels. Maintain matched lengths within 0.5 mm for TX/RX pairs and 0.15 mm across the four lanes of each transceiver quad. Use ground flooding under BGA breakouts to provide return-path stitching.
Estimated: at 100% logic utilization with 12 transceivers at 6.375 Gbps, the device dissipates approximately 12-15 W. The 40 x 40 mm FCBGA has a theta_JA of approximately 8-10 C/W with a standard 1 oz 8-layer PCB. Mount a heatsink with thermal interface material and ensure 200 LFM airflow for reliable operation at maximum junction temperature. The device supports on-die temperature-sensing diodes that can be read via JTAG for thermal monitoring.
Avoid these common pitfalls when designing with the EP2SGX90EF1508C4: (1) the device does NOT support bitstream-level migration from Stratix I - designs must be recompiled; (2) leave TX pre-emphasis at default until link BER is measured - over-emphasis causes jitter; (3) configure unused transceiver channels as tristate, not powered-on default, to save 0.3-0.5W per channel; (4) ensure Quartus II version 7.2 or later is used - earlier versions do not recognize the EP2SGX90E die revision.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance not stated in available sources - use EP2SGX90EF1508C4N variant for lead-free/RoHS applications. AEC-Q100 not applicable as this is an FPGA, not an automotive IC. Conflict-mineral status inherited from Altera (now Intel PSG) corporate policy.
