EP2SGX90EF1508C5 - Stratix II GX FPGA 90K LE, 8xXCVR | Intel | Altera
MPN: EP2SGX90EF1508C5 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1725 | $17,250.00 |
| 100 | $1580 | $158,000.00 |
| 500 | $1450 | $725,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $1320 | $1,320,000.00 |
EP2SGX90EF1508C5 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable semiconductor that engineers configure after manufacturing to implement arbitrary digital logic, memory subsystems, and I/O protocols. Stratix II GX sits within the FPGA taxonomy as a high-end transceiver-equipped device: FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA -> high-speed serial I/O FPGA -> Stratix family -> Stratix II GX. The "GX" suffix specifically denotes integrated multi-gigabit transceivers optimized for serial connectivity standards such as PCIe, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, and SerialLite II.
Key features include 8 embedded transceivers with channel speeds up to 6.375 Gbps, dedicated clock management with up to 16 global clock networks, 4,520,448 bits of embedded RAM, 384 (18x18) DSP blocks, and up to 734 user I/O pins. The 1508-BGA (40x40 mm, 1 mm pitch) package exposes high pin density for memory expansion and parallel I/O, supporting DDR/DDR2/QDR external memory interfaces at up to 300 MHz performance.
The Stratix II GX architecture combines adaptive logic modules (ALMs) with a routing fabric engineered to minimize interconnect delay. Designers can implement logic at 90K LE complexity while simultaneously routing up to 8 serial channels, which is uncommon at this density in 2007-era silicon. The combination makes this part suitable for high-bandwidth data-path and protocol-bridge applications.
Typical applications include PCI Express endpoint and root-complex designs, Serial RapidIO bridging for wireless baseband, multi-port 10-Gigabit Ethernet aggregation via XAUI, custom protocol-bridge ASIC replacement, and high-fanout DSP co-processing. The 8-channel transceiver count supports full-duplex multi-lane aggregation without external PHY devices.
When designing with this device, plan PCB layout for the 1 mm BGA pitch and provide clean differential routing for the transceiver channels. Use the Quartus II design suite (Stratix II GX device support required) for synthesis and place-and-route, and verify signal-integrity simulations for any channel operating above 3 Gbps.
This page synthesizes distributor stock, drop-in Stratix II GX variants, and PCB/design considerations not always visible on a single manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2SGX90EF1508C5 — 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 EP2SGX90EF1508C5 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Speed Grade, RoHS Status, DSP Blocks.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2SGX90EF1508C4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX90EF1508C3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1450 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX90EF1508C5 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix II GX |
| Series | EP2SGX90 |
| Logic Elements | 90,960 |
| Embedded Memory | 4,520,448 bits |
| Number of Transceivers | 8 |
| Transceiver Data Rate | Up to 6.375 Gbps |
| DSP Blocks | 384 (18x18 multipliers) |
| Maximum User I/O | 734 |
| Package | 1508-BBGA, FCBGA (1508-ball BGA) |
| Speed Grade | -5 (moderate) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Configuration | Enhanced Configuration (EPC) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | unknown |
EP2SGX90EF1508C5 1508-bbga, fcbga (1508-ball bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2SGX90EF1508C5 (1508-bbga, fcbga (1508-ball 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 EP2SGX90EF1508C5.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2SGX90EF1508C5 is suitable for 6 applications: PCI Express Endpoint / Root Complex, Serial RapidIO Wireless Baseband Bridge, Multi-Port 10-Gigabit Ethernet Aggregation via XAUI, Custom Protocol-Bridge ASIC Replacement, High-Fanout DSP Co-Processing Engine, Industrial Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
PCI Express Endpoint / Root Complex
The EP2SGX90EF1508C5's eight integrated multi-gigabit transceivers (each up to 6.375 Gbps) make it a natural fit for PCIe Gen1/Gen2 endpoint and root-complex designs requiring x4 or x8 lane configurations. The 90,960 logic elements provide the fabric for protocol-stack implementation, MSI/MSI-X interrupt logic, and completion handling, while the 4,520,448 bits of embedded RAM buffer TLP headers and payload data without external SRAM. The 1508-BGA package exposes enough I/O for hot-plug presence detect, reference clock inputs, and JTAG/AS configuration pins; place the part behind a PCIe edge connector with 100-ohm differential routing on TX/RX pairs per the Stratix II GX pin connection guidelines.
Recommended
Serial RapidIO Wireless Baseband Bridge
The EP2SGX90EF1508C5 supports multi-lane Serial RapidIO (SRIO) bridging between baseband DSP arrays and baseband controllers in 3G/4G wireless infrastructure. Eight transceivers at up to 6.25 Gbps (SRIO Gen2 line rate) aggregate 4x or 8x SRIO lanes into a single fabric, while the 384 18x18 DSP blocks accelerate front-end filtering, FFT pre-processing, and crest-factor reduction. The 90K-LE fabric is sufficient for SRIO logical I/O transport plus a custom switch-fabric layer; the 1508-BGA package exposes the DDR2 controller interface needed to buffer DMA transactions between the SRIO port and DSP array memory.
Recommended
Multi-Port 10-Gigabit Ethernet Aggregation via XAUI
The EP2SGX90EF1508C5 implements 10 Gigabit Ethernet aggregation by mapping four XAUI lanes (each 3.125 Gbps across the integrated transceivers) into a single 10G MAC plus switch fabric. Two 10G ports consume 8 transceivers total, fitting exactly within the device's transceiver budget. The 90K logic elements implement two 10G MAC cores, line-rate packet buffering in the 4.5 Mbit embedded RAM, and a Quality-of-Service scheduler. The 1508-BGA package provides DDR2/QDR memory controller I/O for packet head-of-line buffering above the embedded RAM capacity. Quartus II IP library includes the XAUI PHY macro for direct instantiation.
Recommended
Custom Protocol-Bridge ASIC Replacement
The EP2SGX90EF1508C5 replaces custom protocol-bridge ASICs when volume does not justify NRE. Eight multi-rate transceivers can be configured as four independent protocol bridges (e.g., Fibre Channel 2G to SATA II, or Aurora 6G to SPI-4.2) in a single device. The 90K-LE fabric accommodates multiple soft protocol controllers simultaneously; the 4.5 Mbit embedded RAM plus 734 user I/O supports wide parallel side buses like SPI-4.2 PL4. The 1508-BGA package provides both high-speed serial I/O and parallel side bus connectivity in one footprint. Quartus II IP catalog includes Aurora, SerialLite II, and Basic/Custom PHY macros to accelerate development.
Recommended
High-Fanout DSP Co-Processing Engine
The EP2SGX90EF1508C5's 384 18x18 DSP blocks deliver up to ~100 GMACs of fixed-point throughput when fully utilized, making it a co-processor for radar, software-defined radio, and medical imaging front-ends. Eight transceivers stream digitized IF/RF samples into the FPGA at line rate, where the DSP blocks perform channelization, FFT, and digital down-conversion. The 90K logic elements implement the control plane (parameter loading, interrupt steering) and protocol adaptation. The 1508-BGA package exposes the necessary I/O for ADC/DAC sample-clock distribution and synchronization between multiple co-processing FPGAs in a tiled array.
Recommended
Industrial Test & Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2SGX90EF1508C5 fits high-channel-count automated test equipment (ATE) where eight transceivers drive multi-lane ATE bus standards, while the 90K-LE fabric implements per-pin pattern generation, timing edge placement, and result-capture comparators. The 4.5 Mbit embedded RAM stores per-channel vector data, and the 734 user I/O accommodates DUT-side interface pods up to 800 Mbps LVDS. The commercial 0C to +85C temperature rating suits lab and factory-floor deployment. The 1508-BGA package is suitable for high-performance ATE mainboards with controlled-impedance backplane connectivity; engineers should validate transceiver performance over the operating temperature range before ATE calibration.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2SGX90EF1508C5 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2SGX90EF1508C4 | EP2SGX90EF1508C3N | EP2SGX90EF1152C5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 1508-BGA (FCBGA-1508) | 1508-BGA (FCBGA-1508) | 1508-BGA (FCBGA-1508) | 1152-BGA |
| Logic Elements | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 |
| Embedded Memory | 4,520,448 bits | 4,520,448 bits | 4,520,448 bits | 4,520,448 bits |
| Transceivers | 8 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 8 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 8 (up to 6.375 Gbps) | 8 (up to 6.375 Gbps) |
| DSP Blocks | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 |
| Speed Grade | -5 (moderate) | -4 (faster) | -3 (fastest) | -5 (moderate) |
| Lead-Free Finish (N suffix) | Not specified (C5 only) | Not specified | Yes (N suffix) | Not specified |
Key Differentiators
- High logic density combined with 8 transceiver channels (vs EP2SGX60EF1152C5)
- 1508-BGA package exposes maximum I/O and full transceiver count (vs EP2SGX90EF1152C5)
- Moderate speed grade balances cost and timing margin (vs EP2SGX90EF1508C4)
Design Notes
The 1508-BGA package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 40x40 mm body. PCB layout requires HDI stack-up with microvia-in-pad construction for reliable BGA fanout; use a minimum 4-1-4 stack-up with 50-ohm single-ended and 100-ohm differential impedance control for the transceiver channels. Route all 8 GXBR transceiver pairs as tightly-coupled differential pairs with continuous reference plane on layer 2 (or whichever layer provides the lowest discontinuity). Decoupling: place 0402 0.1 uF X7R capacitors within 100 mils of every power pin and a 220 uF bulk capacitor per voltage rail. Maintain a stitched ground plane directly beneath the BGA for signal-integrity and thermal conductivity.
Transceiver channels operating above 3 Gbps require pre-emphasis and equalization per the Stratix II GX datasheet. Enable transmit pre-emphasis (typically 25-40%) and adaptive receive equalization for any channel above 5 Gbps to compensate for FR4 loss. Perform 3D EM simulation (HFSS, Siwave) on critical TX/RX pairs before tape-out. Eye-diagram validation at the receiver must meet the protocol mask (PCIe, SRIO, XAUI) at worst-case PVT corners. Reference clock distribution: use a low-jitter oscillator and route the reference clock to the FPGA clock pins with controlled 50-ohm impedance, isolating it from switching power-supply noise.
Estimated: with all 8 transceivers active at 6.375 Gbps and the fabric at high utilization, power dissipation typically reaches 15-25 W. The 1508-BGA package requires thermal vias in a 1.0 mm grid under the BGA, plus a heatsink with thermal interface material. Compute theta_JA from the package thermal model and verify junction temperature stays below 85C (commercial) under worst-case workload. Stratix II GX power analysis should be performed in the Quartus II PowerPlay analyzer with realistic toggle rates and clock frequencies before committing to PCB thermal design.
Common pitfalls with EP2SGX90EF1508C5 designs include: (1) ignoring MSL3 moisture sensitivity for the 1508-BGA package, which requires dry-pack handling and pre-bake before reflow; (2) leaving JTAG pins floating - tie TCK low, TMS high via 4.7k resistors, and TDI high via 4.7k for normal operation; (3) confusing EPC (Enhanced Configuration) with EPCS (serial configuration device) - this part requires an EPC-config-compatible serial flash, not EPCS1/EPCS4 unless you use a configuration scheme conversion; (4) ignoring config scheme voltage compatibility (VCCPD must match configuration device voltage); (5) using the wrong Quartus II device support library - confirm Stratix II GX device support is installed.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status not explicitly confirmed in the verified web data; engineers should request the latest material declaration from Rochester Electronics or Intel/Altera legacy documentation. This part is on last-time-buy lifecycle as of 2026-09-09.
