EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES - 90K LE Stratix II GX FPGA, 1508-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES ✗ End of Life| 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 | $1340 | $1,340,000.00 |
EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable logic device that combines configurable logic blocks (LABs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated hard-IP blocks such as DSP slices, embedded RAM (TriMatrix memory), PLLs, and high-speed transceivers. FPGAs occupy a mid-point between general-purpose microcontrollers and fixed-function ASICs, allowing hardware engineers to implement arbitrary digital logic, signal-processing pipelines, and interface protocols that can be re-flashed in the field. The Stratix II GX family specifically targets high-speed serial I/O, embedded processing, and DSP-intensive designs in communications, broadcast, and defense segments.
Key features of the EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES include 4,828 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), a TriMatrix memory architecture supporting true dual-port RAM and FIFO buffers at up to 550 MHz, dedicated DSP blocks for high-speed multiplication, up to 16 global clock networks plus 32 regional clock networks per device region, and JTAG boundary-scan support for in-system programming and verification. The integrated transceivers support multiple protocols including PCI Express, Gigabit Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, and XAUI.
The architecture pairs a fine-grained ALM (Adaptive Logic Module) fabric with dedicated hard IP to deliver deterministic timing closure and high DSP throughput per watt. The 90 nm process node balances logic density with power consumption, while the 1.0 mm pitch FC-FBGA package enables high I/O density for board-level designs that demand hundreds of signal pins plus multiple transceiver channels.
Typical applications include high-speed serial interface bridging, wireless baseband processing, software-defined radio (SDR) front ends, video broadcast and image processing systems, military secure communications, and ASIC prototyping. The combination of embedded transceivers, abundant DSP blocks, and TriMatrix memory makes the device a single-chip solution for protocol aggregation and signal-processing pipelines.
When designing with this FPGA, provide multiple decoupling capacitor values (0.1 µF, 0.01 µF, and 0.001 µF) near each power pin and follow the Stratix II GX pin connection guidelines for unused transceiver and clock pins. Configuration via JTAG or supported EPCS serial flash must be planned alongside POR sequencing to ensure deterministic board bring-up.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-brand drop-in alternatives from the Stratix II GX family, and practical design notes not consolidated in the original Altera datasheet, giving procurement and engineering teams a single reference for the EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES — 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 EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, RoHS Status, Logic Array Blocks (LABs), Speed Grade, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2SGX90FF1508C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1295 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX90FF1508C3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1380 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX90EF1508C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1450 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX90F1508C3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1350 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX130GF1508C3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1380 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX90FF150834N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$580 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix II GX |
| Logic Elements | 90,960 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 4,828 |
| Embedded Memory (TriMatrix) | 4,520,448 bits |
| Total RAM Bits | 4,520,448 |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Maximum Internal Frequency | 816.9 MHz |
| DSP Blocks | Yes (dedicated multiplier blocks) |
| Embedded Transceivers | Up to 3.125 Gbps multi-gigabit transceivers |
| Global Clock Networks | Up to 16 |
| Regional Clock Networks | Up to 32 per device region |
| Package | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (Flip-Chip FineLine BGA), 1.00 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG / EPCS serial flash / Passive parallel |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial / Industrial (per part suffix) |
EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES 1508-ball fc-fbga (flip-chip fineline bga), 1.00 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES (1508-ball fc-fbga (flip-chip fineline bga), 1.00 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 EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES is suitable for 7 applications: High-Speed Serial Interface Bridging, Wireless Baseband Processing, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front End, Video Broadcast and Image Processing, Military Secure Communications, ASIC Prototyping, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Serial Interface Bridging
The EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES integrates multi-gigabit transceivers operating up to 3.125 Gbps, making it a single-chip solution for protocol bridging between PCI Express, Gigabit Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, and XAUI links. With 90,960 logic elements plus dedicated PCS/PMA hard IP, the FPGA can implement MAC layers and SERDES aggregation without external PHY chips. The 1508-ball FC-FBGA package exposes enough transceiver channels for multi-port aggregation designs. Engineers should plan PCB layer stack-up to support controlled-impedance differential pairs routed from the transceiver banks per the Stratix II GX pin connection guidelines.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES delivers abundant DSP blocks and TriMatrix memory bandwidth, ideal for wireless baseband signal chains such as LTE, WiMAX, and proprietary OFDM waveforms. Up to 816.9 MHz internal logic supports real-time FFT/iFFT and channel-correction algorithms, while the 4,520,448-bit memory allows multi-symbol buffering on-chip. Dedicated multipliers accelerate FIR filtering and matrix operations common in MIMO systems. A typical baseband design uses approximately 70% of LEs for DSP and memory, leaving headroom for MAC-layer integration and DMA engines.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front End
For SDR applications, the EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES combines high-speed ADCs interfacing through differential I/O banks, multi-gigabit transceivers for IF/RF data links, and DSP-rich fabric for DDC/DUC and demodulation. The TriMatrix memory supports sample-rate buffers at hundreds of MSPS, and 16 global clocks plus 32 regional clocks per region enable precise sample-domain timing. Typical SDR front ends consume 60-80% of available DSP blocks and approximately 30% of LEs for control and packet formatting.
Recommended
Video Broadcast and Image Processing
The 4,520,448-bit embedded memory and abundant DSP slices make the EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES well suited to broadcast video processing pipelines including SD/HD/3G-SDI bridging, de-interlacing, scaling, and color-space conversion. Memory bandwidth scales to gigabytes per second for line/frame buffering, and global clock networks support synchronized multi-channel video timing. Typical designs implement two to four independent SDI channels alongside on-screen-display graphics and compression pre-processing.
Recommended
Military Secure Communications
Defense and aerospace platforms benefit from the EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES's high logic density, on-chip encryption-friendly DSP blocks, and SERDES capable of supporting proprietary secure links such as Link 16, Fibre Channel, or custom waveforms. The 1508-ball FC-FBGA package supports extended temperature grade screening. Combined with industry-standard CRYPTO IP, the FPGA can implement bulk encryption, packetization, and frequency hopping in a single device, reducing SWaP-C in tactical platforms.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping
With 90,960 logic elements and abundant I/O, the EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES is widely used to prototype ASIC and SoC designs before tape-out, partitioning logic across multiple FPGAs or running a single-ASIC verification. Hardened memory blocks accurately model ASIC SRAM, and the global/regional clock trees replicate ASIC clock distribution. Quartus II synthesis with FPGA prototyping flows supports standard-cell mapping, making the part a cost-effective bridge between RTL simulation and silicon fabrication.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES provides logic density, DSP throughput, and high-speed serial links needed in high-end test equipment such as protocol analyzers, bit-error-rate testers, and arbitrary waveform generators. Up to 3.125 Gbps transceivers support multiple industry-standard SERDES links, while the DSP fabric implements real-time waveform synthesis and analysis. The TriMatrix memory enables deep capture buffers for protocol trace recording.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2SGX90FF1508C3N | EP2SGX90FF1508C3 | EP2SGX90EF1508C3N | EP2SGX90F1508C3 | EP2SGX130GF1508C3 | EP2SGX90FF150834N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (1.00 mm pitch) | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Family | Stratix II GX | Stratix II GX | Stratix II GX | Stratix II GX | Stratix II GX | Stratix II GX | Stratix II GX |
| Logic Elements | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 90,960 | 132,540 | 90,960 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 4,520,448 | 6,747,840 | 4,520,448 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
| Speed Grade | -3 (C3) | -3 (C3N) | -3 (C3) | -3 (C3N) | -3 (C3) | -3 (C3) | -4 (C4) |
| Embedded Transceivers | Up to 3.125 Gbps | Up to 3.125 Gbps | Up to 3.125 Gbps | Up to 3.125 Gbps (enhanced) | Up to 3.125 Gbps | Up to 3.125 Gbps (more channels) | Up to 3.125 Gbps |
| Lifecycle Status | Obsolete (ES grade) | Obsolete (production) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Engineering-sample grade designation identifies pre-production silicon (vs EP2SGX90FF1508C3N)
- Same die and footprint as production siblings (vs EP2SGX90FF1508C3)
- Integrated 3.125 Gbps multi-gigabit transceivers (vs EP2S90F1508C3)
Design Notes
Estimated: At VCCINT=1.2 V and an internal utilization of ~70% of LEs plus active transceivers, the EP2SGX90FF1508C3ES can draw 2-3 A from the core rail. Provide at least four 0.1 µF, two 0.01 µF, and two 0.001 µF decoupling capacitors placed as close as possible to each power pin per the Stratix II GX pin connection guidelines. Use a star-ground topology for analog and digital grounds and isolate PLL analog supplies with ferrite beads. Confirm power sequencing (VCCINT before VCCIO) per Intel/Altera power-up requirements to avoid latch-up.
Route all multi-gigabit transceiver differential pairs with 100 Ω differential impedance, continuous reference planes on adjacent layers, and length-matched within the tolerances specified in the Stratix II GX transceiver user guide. Avoid routing transceiver signals across plane splits. The 1.00 mm pitch FC-FBGA package requires microvia or via-in-pad PCB technology; standard 8-mil via fan-out is typically insufficient. Plan escape routing with the Quartus II pin planner before finalizing stack-up.
Do not confuse the engineering-sample 'ES' suffix with the production-grade 'N' or unmarked commercial grade when sourcing; ES parts have limited reliability characterization and may not meet full temperature or lifetime specs. According to Altera/Intel part-number conventions, configure the FPGA only through the supported JTAG, EPCS, or passive-parallel modes - mixing configuration schemes can lock the device. Always check that the bitstream version in Quartus II matches the silicon revision to avoid configuration errors.
Estimated: At full transceiver activity and high internal toggle rates, the FC-FBGA1508 package can dissipate 8-12 W, requiring thermal management via thermal balls, an attached heatsink, or forced airflow. Use the Stratix II GX thermal modeling guidelines and consider thermal vias under the die to spread heat into inner copper planes. For industrial-grade applications verify junction temperature stays below 100 °C using the device thermal model provided by Intel/Altera.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not explicitly listed in the verified web data; the ES suffix denotes an engineering-sample grade and may have different compliance status than the production-grade C3N variant. Confirm RoHS/REACH with the distributor or via the Intel/Altera product compliance documentation before volume production.
