EP3C25F324C8 - Cyclone III FPGA 24,624 LE 324-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C25F324C8 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $29.75 | $2,975.00 |
| 500 | $26.4 | $13,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $23.1 | $23,100.00 |
EP3C25F324C8 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) interconnected by a programmable routing fabric. FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs and microcontrollers in the digital design hierarchy: programmable logic IC -> FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA -> low-power FPGA. Cyclone III FPGAs are specifically engineered for cost- and power-sensitive applications, building on the Cyclone architecture with a 65 nm process to reduce static and dynamic power while maintaining sufficient logic density for mid-range designs.
Key specifications of the EP3C25F324C8 include 66 embedded 18 x 18 multipliers for DSP workloads, four general-purpose PLLs for clock management, and support for multiple I/O standards including LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL. The device integrates 24624 logic elements organized as 1539 logic array blocks (LABs), with each LAB containing 16 logic elements. The embedded memory is configurable as RAM, ROM, or FIFO, providing flexible on-chip data buffering without external SRAM.
The Cyclone III architecture supports partial dynamic reconfiguration and ships with free Quartus II design software, including IP cores for DDR/DDR2 SDRAM controllers, PCI Express, Ethernet, and common serial protocols. The 324-ball FineLine BGA package measures 19 mm x 19 mm with a 1.0 mm ball pitch, making it compatible with standard multilayer PCB manufacturing.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing pipelines, automotive infotainment prototypes, low-cost software-defined radio, and bridge/interface glue logic. It is also used as a prototyping vehicle for ASIC verification and as a low-volume production replacement for legacy CPLDs.
When designing with this part, attention to simultaneous switching output (SSO) noise and decoupling is critical; the application notes recommend 0.1 µF and 0.01 µF high-frequency capacitors within 100 mils of each power pin. Migration paths include the Cyclone IV E family for cost reduction and Cyclone V for higher logic density.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical Quartus II design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, supporting faster engineering decisions.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C25F324C8 — 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 EP3C25F324C8 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Speed Grade, Embedded Memory, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C25F324C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$62.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$58.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C16F484C8N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$29.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F256I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$48.9 / Unit
View Datasheet →XC6SLX25-3FGG324C
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3C25F324C8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements | 24,624 LE |
| Logic Array Blocks | 1,539 LABs |
| Embedded Memory | 608,256 bits |
| Embedded Multipliers | 66 (18 x 18) |
| User I/Os | 215 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS, SRAM-based |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Speed Grade | 8 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) |
| Package | 324-ball FBGA (FineLine BGA), 19 x 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Maximum Internal Clock | 402 MHz |
| RoHS Status | Non-compliant (per Lisleapex listing; original part number without 'N' suffix) |
EP3C25F324C8 324-ball fbga (fineline bga), 19 x 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C25F324C8 (324-ball fbga (fineline bga), 19 x 19 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 EP3C25F324C8.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C25F324C8 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing Pipeline, Automotive Infotainment Prototype, Software-Defined Radio Front-End, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Legacy Bridge and Interface Logic.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C25F324C8 fits industrial motor control designs thanks to its 66 embedded 18x18 multipliers that accelerate Field-Oriented Control (FOC) math, 4 PLLs for precise PWM timing, and 215 user I/Os for encoder, Hall-sensor, and gate-driver interfaces. With 24,624 logic elements, the device can host a full FOC algorithm, current/voltage PI loops, and SVPWM modulator in a single chip while leaving headroom for safety logic. Operating from a 1.2 V core with separate I/O bank supplies, the FPGA interfaces directly to 3.3 V and 5 V gate drivers, eliminating level shifters in typical 24 V industrial bus architectures. Estimated: at 50 MHz system clock, FOC loop closure in under 4 µs is achievable.
Recommended
Video Processing Pipeline
The 608 Kbits of embedded SRAM in the EP3C25F324C8 is well suited for line buffering in video processing pipelines, where each M9K block stores one scan line of standard-definition video at 8-bit color depth. With 24,624 logic elements, the device can implement color-space conversion (YUV to RGB), scaling, deinterlacing, and on-screen display overlay in a single chip. The 215 user I/Os accommodate parallel ITU-R BT.656 or digital RGB interfaces plus LVDS for flat-panel connections. Quartus II IP cores for SDRAM controllers simplify external frame-buffer management. This combination eliminates the need for a separate video processor ASIC in mid-resolution designs.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Prototype
Automotive infotainment prototypes benefit from the EP3C25F324C8's combination of DSP multipliers for audio decode, ample logic for CAN/LIN bridging, and 215 I/Os for display, touch, and radio tuner interfaces. The Cyclone III family is widely used in pre-production automotive head units before ASIC migration. While the C8 commercial-temperature variant is limited to 0-85 °C, the EP3C25F324I7N industrial variant (-40 to +100 °C) is pin-compatible for under-dash environments. The FBGA-324 package at 19x19 mm fits standard double-DIN chassis PCBs with room for power management and audio DAC peripherals.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End
The EP3C25F324C8 supports entry-level software-defined radio front-ends where its 66 18x18 multipliers perform DDC/DUC (digital down/up conversion) and channelization on IF samples up to approximately 100 MSPS. With 4 PLLs, the device generates independent clocks for ADC, DAC, and digital mixer sections. The 215 user I/Os connect to dual-channel ADC/DAC pairs, external memory buses, and high-speed LVDS links to baseband processors. Engineers typically pair this Cyclone III device with Analog Devices AD9361 or similar transceivers for sub-6 GHz SDR experiments, achieving FPGA-based modulation/demodulation at zero per-unit licensing cost.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The 24,624 logic elements of EP3C25F324C8 provide enough density to prototype mid-complexity ASICs in the 50k-100k gate range, including glue logic, custom peripherals, and small RISC-V soft cores. The Quartus II design flow supports industry-standard Verilog and VHDL, allowing direct migration of pre-silicon RTL. With 608 Kbits embedded memory, designers can emulate on-chip SRAM blocks without external devices. The FBGA-324 footprint enables multi-FPGA partitioning by stacking daughter cards. This use case is common in semiconductor NPI teams validating designs before committing to mask sets.
Recommended
Legacy Bridge and Interface Logic
Bridge and interface logic designs (e.g., I2C to SPI, UART to USB, parallel bus to LVDS) fit naturally within the EP3C25F324C8's logic budget, replacing legacy 74-series TTL or older CPLDs with a single programmable device. With 215 I/Os, the FPGA supports 8-10 simultaneous interface conversions on a single chip. Quartus II IP cores for I2C, SPI, UART, PCIe, and DDR/DDR2 controllers accelerate development. Engineers building legacy industrial adapters and test equipment commonly use this Cyclone III device as a flexible glue-logic replacement that consolidates discrete logic into one BGA, reducing BOM count and board area.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C25F324C8 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C25F324C7N | EP3C25F324C6N | EP3C25F324I7N | EP3C16F484C8N | XC6SLX25-3FGG324C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Xilinx |
| Package | FBGA-324 (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | FBGA-324 (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | FBGA-324 (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | FBGA-324 (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - different | FBGA-324 (similar footprint) - same ball count |
| Logic Elements | 24,624 LE | 24,624 LE - same | 24,624 LE - same | 24,624 LE - same | 15,408 LE - 37% less | 24,051 cells - similar |
| Speed Grade | 8 (commercial) | 7 (faster) | 6 (faster) | 7 (faster) | 8 (commercial) - same | -3 (Xilinx speed grade) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | -40 °C to +100 °C (industrial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (commercial) |
| RoHS Compliance | Non-compliant (no N suffix) | Compliant (N suffix) | Compliant (N suffix) | Compliant (N suffix) | Compliant (N suffix) | Compliant |
| User I/Os | 215 | 215 - same | 215 - same | 215 - same | 346 | 226 |
| Embedded Memory | 608 Kbits | 608 Kbits - same | 608 Kbits - same | 608 Kbits - same | 504 Kbits - 17% less | 936 Kbits Block RAM |
Key Differentiators
- Lowest-cost Cyclone III option in FBGA-324 package (vs EP3C25F324C7N)
- Commercial temperature variant for cost-sensitive indoor designs (vs EP3C25F324I7N)
- Mature ecosystem with proven IP cores (vs XC6SLX25-3FGG324C)
Design Notes
The EP3C25F324C8 requires a 1.2 V core supply (VCCINT) and separate VCCIO bank supplies for I/O standards (typically 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V). Per the Cyclone III device family datasheet power section, place 0.1 µF and 0.01 µF decoupling capacitors within 100 mils of every power pin. Use a low-dropout regulator with 1% voltage tolerance for VCCINT; tighter tolerance reduces core current variation and improves timing closure. Estimated core current consumption: 350-500 mA typical at 50% logic utilization with 100 MHz clock.
The 324-ball FBGA package at 1.0 mm pitch requires laser-drilled micro-vias and via-in-pad technology for reliable fan-out. Per IPC-7095 Class 3 design rules, allocate 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with dedicated ground and power planes adjacent to BGA break-out layers. Do not route signals under the BGA; use via arrays to escape to inner layers immediately. After assembly, perform X-ray inspection to verify BGA solder joint integrity per IPC-A-610 acceptance criteria.
Common pitfalls: (1) Configuring I/O banks with mixed voltage standards causes contention - verify VCCIO per bank before assigning pins in Quartus II Pin Planner. (2) Configuring unused pins as input floating draws leakage current - set to 'As output driving ground' or 'As input tri-stated with weak pull-up' per the device handbook. (3) Bitstream compression must be enabled for designs larger than 50% logic utilization or configuration time exceeds 100 ms. (4) Programming via JTAG requires VCCIO of bank 1 to be 2.5 V or higher.
LVDS signals on EP3C25F324C8 require 100 Ω differential termination at the receiver; place resistor networks within 200 mils of FPGA input pins. Maximum LVDS data rate is 875 Mbps per the device handbook. For DDR/DDR2 SDRAM interfaces, use the Quartus II memory controller IP with calibrated timing and follow the board design guidelines for matched-length traces (within 25 ps skew on byte lanes). SSO (simultaneous switching output) noise can cause ground bounce; limit 8 mA outputs to 12-16 per power/ground pair.
Compliance Information
RoHS non-compliance per Lisleapex product listing - the EP3C25F324C8 (no N suffix) uses lead-bearing solder balls. For RoHS-compliant equivalent, choose EP3C25F324C8N. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGA in this package/grade; choose automotive-qualified Cyclone III variants separately. Lead-free, halogen-free, REACH, and conflict minerals status not explicitly stated in verified data and should be confirmed with manufacturer datasheet for N-suffix variants.
