EP3C25F324I7 - Cyclone III FPGA, 24624 LEs, 324-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C25F324I7 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $96.1 | $96.10 |
| 10 | $89.5 | $895.00 |
| 100 | $78.2 | $7,820.00 |
| 500 | $70.1 | $35,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $64.8 | $64,800.00 |
EP3C25F324I7 Overview
A Cyclone III FPGA is a programmable logic device that sits in the broader hierarchy of digital semiconductors (FPGA -> programmable logic -> ASIC alternative -> semiconductor). Unlike fixed-function ASICs, the logic function, memory configuration, and I/O behavior of an FPGA are defined at boot time by a configuration bitstream loaded from external flash, allowing one silicon platform to be reused across many product variants. Cyclone III was specifically engineered to balance logic density, DSP capability (66 embedded 18x18 multipliers), and static power consumption, displacing ASICs and ASSPs in cost-sensitive high-volume applications.
Key technical features of the EP3C25F324I7 include 4 PLLs for clock management, 20 global clock networks, 66 embedded 18x18 multipliers, and support for external memory interfaces including DDR, DDR2, QDRII, and RLDRAM II. The 1.2 V core draws substantially lower static power than the previous Cyclone II generation, while still offering LVDS, LVPECL, SSTL, HSTL, and LVCMOS I/O standards through 8 I/O banks. Configuration can be loaded via passive serial (PS), active serial (AS), or JTAG, and the device includes built-in CRC and decompression for the bitstream.
Typical applications span industrial motor control, video surveillance, automotive infotainment prototypes, low-cost software-defined radio, video processing pipelines, and PCIe endpoint prototyping (using the embedded transceivers in some Cyclone III variants or soft IP cores for GPIO-based implementations). The combination of high logic density and embedded multipliers also suits DSP front-ends such as motor-control FOC loops or multi-channel audio processing.
When designing with the EP3C25F324I7, engineers must supply the four power rails (VCCINT, VCCA, VCCIO per bank, VCCD_PLL) with proper decoupling and follow Intel's pin-out guidelines for the FBGA-324 footprint. Quartus II Web Edition provides synthesis, place-and-route, and timing analysis. Note that Cyclone III is now in Intel's product lifecycle as a mature, NRND device, so designers building new platforms should evaluate Cyclone IV/V/E10AX equivalents or pin-compatible successors for long-term availability.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C25F324I7 — 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 EP3C25F324I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology, Embedded Memory.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C25F324C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$27.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324C8
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$23.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324C7N
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Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$62.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C16F484I7N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$36.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C16F484I7
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$58.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C25F324I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 24,624 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,539 |
| Embedded Memory | 608,256 bits (594 Kbits M9K blocks) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 66 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 20 |
| Maximum User I/O | 215 |
| Process Technology | TSMC 65 nm low-power CMOS |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.2 V |
| I/O Voltage (VCCIO) | 1.2 V to 3.3 V (per bank) |
| Operating Junction Temperature | -40 °C to +100 °C (industrial) |
| Package | 324-ball FBGA (FineLine BGA), 19 x 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Modes | Passive Serial (PS), Active Serial (AS), JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3C25F324I7 324-ball fbga (fineline bga), 19 x 19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C25F324I7 (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 EP3C25F324I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C25F324I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Surveillance and Image Processing, Automotive Infotainment Prototyping, Software-Defined Radio Front-End, Multi-Channel Audio DSP, Industrial Communication Gateways.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C25F324I7 is widely used in industrial motor-control drives where its 24,624 logic elements, 66 embedded 18x18 multipliers, and 4 PLLs provide enough compute to implement field-oriented control (FOC) loops for three-phase AC induction or PMSM motors. The I7 industrial temperature grade (-40°C to +100°C junction) ensures reliable operation inside sealed inverter cabinets, while 215 user I/Os can simultaneously drive gate-driver signals, encoder feedback (QEP), and isolated communication buses (RS-485, CAN). The 1.2 V low-power core plus 65 nm process keep total board power low enough to avoid active cooling even with 50-100 kHz PWM switching rates.
Recommended
Video Surveillance and Image Processing
Video surveillance DVRs and IP cameras leverage the EP3C25F324I7's 608 Kbits of embedded M9K memory to buffer full-HD video lines and the 66 multipliers to run motion-detection or H.264 pre-processing blocks. The 8 I/O banks allow direct connection to LVCMOS camera sensors, DDR2 external memory for frame buffering, and LVDS links to LCD panels. The 1.0 mm-pitch FBGA-324 footprint supports compact board layouts typical of multi-channel DVR cards. Designers can fit a 4-channel D1 motion-detection pipeline inside the 24,624 LEs while leaving headroom for system-on-chip glue logic.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Prototyping
The EP3C25F324I7 is used as a rapid-prototyping platform for automotive infotainment head units, where engineers integrate CAN/LIN bus controllers, audio DSP, and LVDS display drivers on a single Cyclone III device. The 4 PLLs generate the independent clocks required for audio CODECs (e.g., 24.576 MHz), CAN transceivers, and pixel-clock rates for WVGA panels, while the 66 multipliers accelerate audio mixing and equalization. The industrial temperature grade survives under-dash thermal environments. Production programs typically migrate the validated design to a Cyclone IV E or Cyclone V SoC for AEC-Q100 qualification.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Front-End
Low-cost software-defined radio receivers use the EP3C25F324I7 as a digital down-conversion engine after an analog-to-digital converter. The 66 embedded 18x18 multipliers implement multi-tap FIR filters and DDC chains at IF rates up to ~100 MHz, while the 608 Kbits of memory provide sample buffers and NCO phase accumulators. The 215 user I/Os parallel-route LVDS ADC data into the device, and the 4 PLLs generate the ADC sampling clock plus baseband processing clocks. Cyclone III's 1.2 V core offers a good performance-per-watt ratio for portable SDR dongles.
Recommended
Multi-Channel Audio DSP
Multi-channel audio mixers and effects processors leverage the EP3C25F324I7's 66 hardware multipliers to implement dozens of biquad filters, parametric EQs, and dynamics processors in parallel. The 608 Kbits of embedded memory hold filter coefficients and delay-line taps for reverb or echo-cancellation algorithms. The 4 PLLs generate independent I2S/PCM bit-clock domains for multiple CODECs, while 215 user I/Os drive TDM audio buses, GPIO for front-panel controls, and I2C/SPI for CODEC configuration. Designers can fit a 16-channel 48 kHz mixer inside 24,624 LEs with room for effects.
Recommended
Industrial Communication Gateways
Protocol-conversion gateways use the EP3C25F324I7 to bridge legacy industrial buses (RS-232, RS-485, Modbus, Profibus) with Ethernet, EtherCAT, or PROFINET networks. The 24,624 logic elements comfortably fit multiple soft-IP controllers plus a Nios II embedded processor for protocol stack handling, and the 215 user I/Os route multiple isolated UART channels, Ethernet MII/RMII interfaces, and SPI-controlled PHYs simultaneously. The industrial temperature grade and 1.2 V low-power core suit DIN-rail mounted gateways. The M9K memory blocks buffer packet queues between bus domains.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C25F324I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C25F324C8N | EP3C25F324C8 | EP3C25F324C7N | EP3C25F324C6N | EP3C16F484I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 324-ball FBGA (19x19 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | 324-ball FBGA (same) | 324-ball FBGA (same) | 324-ball FBGA (same) | 324-ball FBGA (same) | 324-ball FBGA (same) |
| Logic Elements | 24,624 | 24,624 | 24,624 | 24,624 | 24,624 | 15,408 (-37%) |
| Speed Grade | I7 (industrial) | C8 (faster) | C8 (faster) | C7 (slower) | C6 (slowest) | I7 |
| Temperature Range | Industrial (-40 to +100 C junction) | Commercial (0 to +85 C) | Commercial (0 to +85 C) | Commercial (0 to +85 C) | Commercial (0 to +85 C) | Industrial (-40 to +100 C) |
| User I/Os | 215 | 215 | 215 | 215 | 215 | 215 |
| Embedded Memory | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 608,256 bits | 516,096 bits |
| Embedded Multipliers | 66 (18x18) | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 56 (-15%) |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V | 1.2 V |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade with I7 speed bin (vs EP3C25F324C8N)
- Higher logic density (24,624 LEs) within the same FBGA-324 footprint (vs EP3C16F484I7N)
- Same Cyclone III toolchain compatibility across drop-in variants (vs Xilinx Spartan-6 XC6SLX25)
Design Notes
The EP3C25F324I7 requires four separate power rails: VCCINT (1.2 V), VCCA (2.5 V), VCCIO (1.2 V to 3.3 V per bank), and VCCD_PLL (1.2 V). Each rail must be decoupled with a bulk capacitor (10-22 µF tantalum or ceramic) plus a 0.1 µF and 1 nF ceramic pair placed within 5 mm of the respective supply balls. Power sequencing per the Cyclone III handbook requires VCCINT to ramp before VCCIO; failure to sequence correctly can cause high inrush current and configuration failure.
The FBGA-324 package uses 1.0 mm ball pitch on a 19x19 mm body; PCB design requires at least 4-layer stack-up with a continuous ground plane beneath the device for thermal dissipation and return-current continuity. Use microvia-in-pad or dog-bone fan-out for the inner-row balls. Per Intel's Cyclone III pin connection guidelines, all unused I/O balls should be left floating (no-connect) with the Quartus II default 'default input' setting to minimize inrush during configuration.
The EP3C25F324I7 is in Intel's NRND (Not Recommended for New Designs) lifecycle status. Engineers starting new platforms should select Cyclone IV E (EP4CE25F324), Cyclone V (5CEBA4F324I7N), or Cyclone 10 LP (10CL025YU256) for long-term availability. Existing designs should confirm remaining inventory and lifecycle commitments with their distributor, since Intel has stopped accepting new orders for Cyclone III devices and channel stock is finite.
For DDR/DDR2/QDRII external memory interfaces, follow Intel's external memory interface (EMIF) pin connection guidelines: match trace lengths within the byte lane (±25 mil for DDR, ±10 mil for DDR2), use 50-ohm single-ended controlled-impedance traces, and place series-termination resistors at the FPGA balls for SSTL18/SSTL2 standards. The Cyclone III IOE (I/O element) supports on-chip series termination (Rs OCT) and differential input buffers for LVDS signaling at up to 875 Mbps.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per DigiKey and Heisener product listings. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (use Cyclone IV/V automotive variants for AEC-Q100). Lead-free FBGA-324 package. Cyclone III is in NRND status per Intel's product lifecycle database.
