EP2SGX90FF1508I4 - Stratix II GX 90K LEs, 4.5Mb, 1508-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP2SGX90FF1508I4 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2850 | $2,850.00 |
| 10 | $2720 | $27,200.00 |
| 100 | $2580 | $258,000.00 |
| 500 | $2395 | $1,197,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $2210 | $2,210,000.00 |
EP2SGX90FF1508I4 Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor IC whose logic fabric, interconnect, and I/O behavior can be reconfigured after manufacture, allowing engineers to implement arbitrary digital circuits, DSP pipelines, and parallel processing structures without taping out a custom ASIC. FPGAs occupy the middle ground between fixed-function ASICs and software-programmable processors: faster than software, cheaper in low volumes than ASICs, and re-programmable in the field. The Stratix II GX family extends the base FPGA fabric with embedded transceivers optimized for high-speed serial I/O, making the EP2SGX90FF1508I4 suitable for communication, broadcast, and signal-processing backplanes.
Key features include 4,548 LABs (Logic Array Blocks) in the Stratix II Adaptive Logic Module (ALM) architecture, dedicated 18x18 multipliers for DSP, 12 transceiver channels running up to 6.375 Gbps, eight phase-locked loops (PLLs), and support for external memory interfaces including DDR, DDR2, QDRII, and RLDRAM II. The FF1508 package provides the largest pin count in the family, exposing maximum user I/O and transceiver bandwidth simultaneously.
Typical applications include high-end telecommunications line cards, video broadcast and image processing systems, PCIe Gen1/Gen2 endpoint and root complex designs, military and aerospace signal processing, ASIC prototyping, and high-speed test and measurement equipment. The 1508-ball FC-FBGA requires advanced PCB design (microvia, sequential lamination) and a controlled-impedance stack-up for the transceiver channels to meet signal-integrity budgets.
When designing with the EP2SGX90FF1508I4, allocate transceiver channels to short, matched-length differential pairs with reference plane continuity, and use the Altera Quartus II design tool (or the later Intel Quartus Prime with Stratix II device support) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Power estimation should be run early; worst-case core plus transceiver current at 1.2 V can exceed several amps and demands a multi-rail VRM with bulk ceramic decoupling distributed across the BGA footprint.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from the same Stratix II GX family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP2SGX90FF1508I4 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 EP2SGX90FF1508I4 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, RoHS Status, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP2SGX90FF1508I3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1460 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90FF1508C5N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1380 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90FF1508C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1500 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90FF1508C3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1380 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90FF1508
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet βEP2SGX130GF1508I4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2055 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP2SGX90FF1508I4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix II GX |
| Logic Elements | 90,960 |
| Embedded Memory | 4,520,448 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 4,548 |
| Maximum User I/O | 650 |
| Package | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
| Transceiver Channels | 12 (up to 6.375 Gbps) |
| PLLs | 8 |
| DSP Blocks (18x18 multipliers) | Yes (384 multipliers) |
| External Memory Support | DDR, DDR2, QDRII, RLDRAM II |
| Configuration Method | Serial / Parallel / Passive serial |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP2SGX90FF1508I4 1508-ball fc-fbga (ff1508) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP2SGX90FF1508I4 (1508-ball fc-fbga (ff1508) 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 EP2SGX90FF1508I4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP2SGX90FF1508I4 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Card / Backplane Aggregator, High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridge (PCIe / SRIO / GbE), Video Broadcast and Image Processing Pipeline, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation Platform, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Telecommunications Line Card / Backplane Aggregator
The EP2SGX90FF1508I4 fits telecom line-card and backplane aggregator designs because its 12 embedded transceivers at up to 6.375 Gbps enable multiple SFP+/XAUI channels simultaneously, while 90,960 logic elements and 4.5 Mbit of embedded memory host packet classification, queuing, and traffic-shaping logic. With 650 user I/Os the FPGA can connect to external TCAM, RLDRAM II, and parallel bus backplanes. Industrial temperature grade and the FF1508 package support the airflow and mechanical requirements of central-office chassis.
Recommended
High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridge (PCIe / SRIO / GbE)
The EP2SGX90FF1508I4 is well matched to high-speed serial protocol bridge applications such as PCIe Gen1/Gen2 endpoint, Serial RapidIO, and Gigabit Ethernet aggregation. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers support all three protocols natively, while the 8 PLLs and dedicated clock networks allow multiple reference domains to coexist. The FF1508 ball-out exposes maximum PMA and PCS pins, enabling multi-channel bridge designs. The 1.2 V core plus 90 nm process give deterministic latency for protocol timing budgets.
Recommended
Video Broadcast and Image Processing Pipeline
The EP2SGX90FF1508I4 is a strong fit for video broadcast and image processing pipelines: 384 18x18 multipliers handle real-time 2D FIR filtering, scaling, and color-space conversion, while 4.5 Mbit of embedded memory buffers line-scan data and lookup tables. The 650 user I/Os ingest multiple DVB-ASI or HD-SDI streams, and the transceivers aggregate SMPTE 2022 or 3G-SDI onto a single backplane link. Industrial temperature and the FF1508 mechanical form factor suit 1U/2U broadcast rack equipment.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation Platform
The EP2SGX90FF1508I4 is widely used as a building block in ASIC prototyping and emulation platforms because its 90,960 logic elements, 4.5 Mbit of block RAM, and 650 I/Os allow partitionable SoC prototypes. Multiple EP2SGX90FF1508I4 devices can be tiled on a large PCB with the 1508-ball FC-BGA providing ample inter-FPGA bandwidth. The 6.375 Gbps transceivers model high-speed SoC interfaces such as DDR, USB 3.0, and PCIe with reasonable fidelity, while Quartus II / Quartus Prime deliver production-quality synthesis and timing closure flows.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP2SGX90FF1508I4 fits military and aerospace signal-processing applications such as radar pre-processing, software-defined radio baseband, and electronic-warfare front ends. Industrial -40C to +100C operation covers most ground and airborne enclosures, and the FF1508 FC-BGA is mechanically robust. Embedded transceivers handle digital IF and optical links, while the DSP blocks (384 18x18 multipliers) execute FFTs, channelizers, and pulse-Doppler filters in real time. Note that fully MIL-STD-1547 screening is not offered; customers typically perform their own upscreening.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP2SGX90FF1508I4 is a strong fit for high-end test and measurement instruments: 650 user I/Os stream parallel ADC/DAC data, the 6.375 Gbps transceivers aggregate samples over optical links, and the 4.5 Mbit of embedded memory captures pre-trigger history in real time. The 8 PLLs synthesize coherent clocks for ADC sampling and trigger subsystems, while Quartus II Place-and-Route reports timing margins down to the picosecond level. The 1U rack-mount format of typical T&M gear accommodates the 1508-ball FC-BGA with modest forced-air cooling.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP2SGX90FF1508I4 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP2SGX90FF1508I3N | EP2SGX90FF1508C5N | EP2SGX90FF1508C4N | EP2SGX90FF1508C3 | EP2SGX130GF1508I4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA (FF1508) - same | 1508-ball FC-FBGA - same family |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Family / Logic Elements | Stratix II GX / 90,960 LEs | Stratix II GX / 90,960 LEs | Stratix II GX / 90,960 LEs | Stratix II GX / 90,960 LEs | Stratix II GX / 90,960 LEs | Stratix II GX / 130,000 LEs |
| Speed Grade | -4 (I4 industrial) | -3 (I3N, faster) | -5 (C5N, slower) | -4 (C4N, equivalent) | -3 (C3, fastest) | -4 (I4) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
| Embedded Memory | 4,520,448 bits | 4,520,448 bits | 4,520,448 bits | 4,520,448 bits | 4,520,448 bits | 6,747,840 bits |
| User I/O | 650 | 650 | 650 | 650 | 650 | 744 |
| Transceivers / Data Rate | 12 ch / up to 6.375 Gbps | 12 ch / 6.375 Gbps | 12 ch / 6.375 Gbps | 12 ch / 6.375 Gbps | 12 ch / 6.375 Gbps | 20 ch / 6.375 Gbps |
| Approx. Unit Price (USD, as of 2026-09-09) | 2,850 | 2,995 | 2,650 | 2,750 | 3,150 | 4,400 |
Key Differentiators
- Maximum I/O count in the Stratix II GX family with transceiver bandwidth (vs EP2SGX90EF1508I4)
- Industrial temperature grade for fielded deployments (vs EP2SGX90FF1508C4N)
- Speed grade -4 is the mainstream industrial sweet spot (vs EP2SGX90FF1508C3)
Design Notes
The 1508-ball FC-FBGA has 1.0 mm ball pitch and demands a high-density PCB stack-up with microvias, sequential lamination, and a 4-6 layer escape region. Allocate at least 4 dedicated ground planes and 2 power planes; reference-plane continuity under each transceiver differential pair is mandatory. Use controlled-impedance traces (100 ohm differential for transceivers, 50 ohm single-ended for clock) verified by 3D EM simulation before tape-out.
Estimated: at 90% logic utilization, 12 transceivers active, and 100% toggle rate, the 1.2 V VCCINT draws approximately 12-18 A. Place 22 uF X5R bulk ceramics in a star pattern around the BGA plus a 2 oz copper pour on each inner power layer. A multi-phase VRM with remote sensing at the BGA pads is recommended; budget for 20-25 W total worst-case power including VCCPD and transceiver analog supplies.
Estimated: worst-case power of 20 W on the 1508-ball FC-BGA with theta_JA approximately 8-12 C/W (depending on PCB design) yields a junction-to-ambient rise of 160-240 C. A heatsink attached to the BGA lid with thermal interface material, plus 200 LFM airflow, is required for industrial-temperature operation. Use the Quartus II PowerPlay thermal model to validate the design before committing to the mechanical enclosure.
Do not omit the MSEL configuration pins; the EP2SGX90FF1508I4 defaults to passive-serial mode and the board must populate MSEL[3:0] correctly for the chosen configuration source. Also, do not route high-speed transceiver pairs over power-plane splits - the return current cannot complete and the eye diagram will close. Always include JTAG header and a small FPGA configuration EEPROM footprint on the production PCB to simplify prototyping.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Altera/Intel product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (FPGA is a complex programmable logic device, not an automotive-grade IC). Halogen-free status not stated in the provided data.
