EP3C120F484I7N - Cyclone III FPGA 119K LE | 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C120F484I7N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $125.64 | $125.64 |
| 10 | $115.2 | $1,152.00 |
| 100 | $102.85 | $10,285.00 |
| 500 | $91.4 | $45,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $84.7 | $84,700.00 |
EP3C120F484I7N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device whose digital logic, interconnect, and I/O behavior are defined by a user-supplied configuration bitstream rather than at the factory. FPGAs sit between general-purpose microcontrollers and fixed ASICs in the programmable-logic hierarchy: microcontrollers run software sequentially, FPGAs run massively parallel custom hardware, and ASICs are faster but cannot be reconfigured. Cyclone III belongs to Intel's low-cost, low-power FPGA family, optimized for high-volume cost-sensitive applications.
Key features include 119,088 logic elements distributed across 7,443 logic array blocks (LABs), 4 M9K embedded memory blocks totaling approximately 4 Mbits, 288 18x18 hardware multipliers for DSP, and 8 user I/O banks supporting LVDS, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards. The device operates from a 1.15 V to 1.25 V core supply with separate VCCIO banks for I/O flexibility.
Cyclone III uses a logic-element (LE) based fabric with 4-input LUTs, dedicated carry chains for arithmetic, and embedded RAM blocks. The -I7 speed grade places the part in the mid-fast tier; the -I7N suffix denotes the industrial temperature range (-40 °C to +100 °C ambient) and lead-free / Pb-free packaging. The 484-pin FBGA measures 23 mm x 23 mm with 1.0 mm pitch.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing pipelines, automotive driver-assistance prototypes, software-defined radio baseband, and high-volume consumer signal conditioning. Cyclone III FPGAs are pin-compatible across density grades within the same package, allowing board reuse as designs migrate from EP3C25 to EP3C120.
When designing with the EP3C120F484I7N, ensure that all four dedicated clock input pins are routed cleanly and that the JTAG chain (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) is accessible for in-system programming with a USB-Blaster or compatible download cable. Decoupling follows the Quartus II reference schematic: 0.1 uF and 10 uF capacitors near each power pin.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-package alternatives, and Quartus II design considerations not found in the standalone datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C120F484I7N — 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 EP3C120F484I7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Embedded Multipliers (18x18), Speed Grade, Logic Elements.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C120F484I7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$595.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$185 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F484I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$84.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F484I7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Device Type | FPGA |
| Logic Elements | 119,088 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 7,443 |
| Embedded Memory (M9K blocks) | 432 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 3,981,312 (approx. 4 Mbits) |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 288 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 283 |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.15 V to 1.25 V |
| I/O Bank Count | 8 |
| Internal Operating Frequency (max) | 472 MHz |
| Package | 484-FBGA (FBGA-484) 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +100 °C (industrial, -I7N) |
| Speed Grade | 7 (commercial/industrial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free) |
| Halogen-Free | Compliant |
EP3C120F484I7N 484-fbga (fbga-484) 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C120F484I7N (484-fbga (fbga-484) 23 x 23 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 EP3C120F484I7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C120F484I7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing Pipeline, Software-Defined Radio Baseband, Automotive Driver-Assistance Prototyping, High-Volume Consumer Signal Conditioning, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C120F484I7N is well suited to multi-axis industrial motor controllers where deterministic parallel processing of PWM, encoder feedback, and current loops is required. The 288 18x18 hardware multipliers and 432 M9K memory blocks deliver enough DSP throughput for Field-Oriented Control (FOC) of three-phase AC motors and servo drives. Industrial-grade temperature rating (-40 °C to +100 °C) tolerates enclosed cabinet environments without thermal derating. The 8 I/O banks support mixed LVCMOS 3.3 V encoder interfaces and differential LVDS line-driver signals to power-stage gate drivers; Quartus II reference designs include Qsys-based motor-control IP.
Recommended
Video Processing Pipeline
The 3,981,312 bits of M9K embedded memory act as line buffers and frame buffers for real-time video processing pipelines, while 119,088 logic elements implement deinterlacing, scaling, color-space conversion, and overlay blending in parallel. The 472 MHz internal fabric allows full-HD 1080p60 processing at 148.5 MHz pixel clock with several stages of pipelined DSP. Eight I/O banks support HDMI/DVI input via TMDS or RGB TTL outputs to LCD panels, and the dedicated PLL resources provide per-bank clock synthesis for pixel-clock recovery; the Quartus II Video and Image Processing (VIP) suite accelerates development.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Baseband
SDR baseband designs benefit from the EP3C120F484I7N's 288 18x18 multipliers for multi-tap FIR pulse-shaping filters, channelizers, and FFT butterflies at baseband sample rates up to 250 MSPS. The M9K memory blocks implement windowing, overlap-save buffers, and FFT-twiddle factor tables, while fabric logic realizes carrier-recovery NCOs and timing synchronizers. Industrial temperature rating supports outdoor base-station enclosures; LVDS I/O connects to ADC/DAC pairs such as the AD9248 or AD9779. Quartus II DSP Builder integrates MATLAB/Simulink models directly to FPGA fabric.
Recommended
Automotive Driver-Assistance Prototyping
Prototype ADAS algorithms such as lane detection, object recognition pre-processing, and surround-view stitching on the EP3C120F484I7N. The high logic density supports parallel multi-camera pipelines at VGA/720p resolutions in real time, and the 288 hardware multipliers accelerate convolution kernels for vision pre-processing. The industrial temperature range survives cabin and chassis thermal environments for development fleets, though production automotive designs should migrate to Cyclone V or Cyclone 10 LP with AEC-Q100 documentation. Quartus II Qsys simplifies camera-interface IP and DMA-to-processor integration.
Recommended
High-Volume Consumer Signal Conditioning
Consumer devices such as LED video walls, multi-channel audio processors, and gaming peripherals use the EP3C120F484I7N to consolidate discrete logic into a single programmable device. The 283 user I/Os drive large LED-matrix scanning, while 472 MHz fabric executes pixel-remapping and gamma-correction at full frame rate. LVCMOS and LVDS bank support interfaces HDMI, MIPI bridge chips, and high-speed DAC/ADC converters; low-cost 65 nm process technology keeps unit pricing competitive against fixed-function ASICs at moderate volumes. Quartus II supports incremental compilation for late-stage spec changes.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP3C120F484I7N serves as the reconfigurable logic engine in arbitrary waveform generators, protocol analyzers, and logic-analyzer channels. Its 288 18x18 multipliers generate DDS sine/cosine lookup tables, while M9K blocks implement deep sample FIFOs and trigger-pattern matching for protocol capture. Industrial temperature rating supports lab and field environments, and the JTAG configuration interface allows on-the-fly reconfiguration between test modes via USB-Blaster. Quartus II SignalTap II provides integrated logic-analyzer visibility for in-system debug without external probes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C120F484I7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C120F484I7 | EP3C120F484C7N |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Package | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm) - same | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm) - same |
| Logic Elements | 119,088 | 119,088 | 119,088 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 3,981,312 (approx. 4 Mbits) | 3,981,312 | 3,981,312 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 288 | 288 | 288 |
| Speed Grade | 7 (I7) | 7 (I7) | 7 (C7) |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +100 °C (industrial) | -40 °C to +100 °C (industrial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Compliant (Pb-free) | Compliant | Compliant |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-density Cyclone III device with full industrial temperature grade (vs EP3C120F484C7N)
- Industry-standard Quartus II toolchain with VIP and DSP Builder support (vs Lattice ECP3-115)
- Board-compatible migration path to Cyclone IV E (vs EP4CE120F484I7N)
Design Notes
The EP3C120F484I7N requires four separate power rails: VCCINT (1.15-1.25 V) for core logic, VCCIO (eight banks, each selectable 1.2-3.3 V) for I/O, VCCAUX (2.5 V) for PLL and configuration, and VCCPD (3.3 V) for configuration I/O. Decoupling follows the Quartus II Cyclone III reference schematic: place one 0.1 µF and one 10 µF ceramic capacitor within 0.25 inch of every VCC pin, plus bulk decoupling on each rail. Power sequencing: VCCINT, VCCAUX, VCCIO, then VCCPD before the configuration pin transitions out of reset, per the Cyclone III handbook power-up sequence.
Estimated: with VCCINT at 1.2 V and a typical dynamic utilization of 80% logic at 250 MHz toggle rate, the EP3C120F484I7N dissipates approximately 1.5 W. The 484-FBGA package has theta_JA of approximately 12 C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board; this yields a 18 C junction rise above ambient, well within the 100 C industrial ceiling. Designers should still provide a continuous ground plane and via array under the package center for thermal spreading; forced airflow is recommended only for sealed enclosures.
Route the four dedicated clock input pins (CLK0-CLK3) using 50 ohm controlled-impedance microstrip or stripline with length matching within 50 mil of any associated PLL feedback pin. JTAG chain (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) must reach a 10-pin header or USB-Blaster connector without stubs; add 4.7 kohm pull-ups on TCK, TMS, and TDI. The 1.0 mm pitch FBGA requires microvia or via-in-pad PCB technology for reliable assembly; use NSMD pads with solder mask defined openings 0.4 mm in diameter and verify land pattern against the Cyclone III handbook Appendix B.
DDR memory interfaces on the EP3C120F484I7N require source-synchronous clocking; match DQ/DQS traces to within 25 mil of the byte group and 100 mil across the interface. LVDS transmit pairs must be 100 ohm differential with length matching within 10 mil; use AC-coupling capacitors near the receiver. SSN (simultaneous switching noise) mitigation: spread aggressive I/O across all 8 banks rather than concentrating on one bank, and use slew-rate adjustment (slow slew) on bus pins that do not require high-frequency operation.
Do not leave CONFIG_DONE or nSTATUS floating; both require external 10 kohm pull-ups to VCCPD. Do not tie nCONFIG low during power-up or the device enters a non-configurable state requiring full power-cycle reset. Verify the JTAG chain is not contaminated by other devices without proper bypass; use the Quartus II programmer chain-scanner to validate. Configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG) is set at power-up by MSEL pins MSEL0-2 sampled on the rising edge of VCCPD; selecting the wrong mode is a common first-time bring-up failure.
Compliance Information
RoHS and halogen-free compliant per GlobalSpec product attributes and Intel Cyclone III datasheet; not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial grade only); lead-free assembly (Pb-free).
