EP3C55F484I7 - 55K LE Cyclone III FPGA 484-BGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP3C55F484I7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $292.57 | $292.57 |
| 10 | $263.31 | $2,633.10 |
| 100 | $234.05 | $23,405.00 |
| 500 | $204.8 | $102,400.00 |
| 1,000 | $175.54 | $175,540.00 |
EP3C55F484I7 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs / ALMs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated hard IP such as block RAM, DSP blocks, PLLs, and high-speed transceivers. FPGAs sit in the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLD) -> programmable logic -> digital ICs -> semiconductors. Unlike a fixed ASIC, an FPGA is reprogrammed in-system via a configuration bitstream, making it the platform of choice for design prototyping, low-volume production, and applications requiring late-stage hardware changes.
Key Cyclone III features include up to 4 Mbits of embedded memory, up to 156 embedded 18 × 18 multipliers, and 20 global clock networks with up to 4 PLLs per device. The EP3C55 variant specifically offers 55,856 logic elements (3,491 ALMs), 2,340 Kbits of RAM, 156 multipliers, and 4 PLLs. Configuration is supported via active serial (AS), passive serial (PS), fast passive parallel (FPP), and JTAG modes, allowing flexible boot from EPCS configuration devices or external microprocessors.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing pipelines, telecom line cards, automotive infotainment prototypes, and cost-sensitive DSP front-ends. The 484-BGA package provides ample signal integrity margin for DDR/DDR2 memory interfaces and LVDS signaling commonly required in display and image-processing designs.
When designing with this device, plan power sequencing for the 1.2 V core and the I/O bank supplies independently, and follow Altera's decoupling guidelines (typically 0.1 µF + bulk decoupling per VCC pin group). The 1.0 mm-pitch FBGA-484 requires 4–6 layer PCB with microvia or via-in-pad for reliable assembly. Use the Quartus II / Quartus Prime design software for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical design considerations beyond the Altera Cyclone III handbook.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C55F484I7 — 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 EP3C55F484I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Embedded Multipliers (18x18), Operating Temperature, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C55F484I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$205.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C55F484C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$58.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C55F484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C55F484C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$148.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C120F484I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$84.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C40F484I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$118.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C55F484I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Manufacturer | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Device Type | FPGA - Field Programmable Gate Array |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 55,856 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 3,491 |
| Number of Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 3,491 |
| Number of I/O | 327 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,396,160 (2,340 Kbits) |
| Number of Logic Blocks / CLBs | 55856 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18 × 18) | 156 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 20 |
| Internal Maximum Frequency | 472.5 MHz |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40 °C to +100 °C (Industrial grade, I-suffix) |
| Package | 484-FBGA (F484), 23 × 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Lead-Free, RoHS Compliant |
| Process Technology | CMOS (Cyclone III low-power 65 nm family) |
EP3C55F484I7 484-fbga (f484), 23 × 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C55F484I7 (484-fbga (f484), 23 × 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 EP3C55F484I7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C55F484I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing & Display Pipelines, Telecom Line Cards & Backplane Bridging, Portable Test & Measurement Equipment, Automotive Infotainment Prototyping, Cost-Sensitive DSP Front-End Designs.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C55F484I7's 156 18×18 hardware multipliers and 4 PLLs make it a strong fit for field-oriented control (FOC) loops of 3-phase AC induction and PMSM motors. The 327 user I/Os accept multi-encoder inputs (QEI, SSI, BiSS, EnDat) and produce 6-channel PWM plus fault inputs within a single device. Industrial -40 to +100 °C qualification eliminates external thermal conditioning in cabinet installations. Compared with a DSP+MCU architecture, the FPGA consolidates the controller, the PFC front-end logic, and the safety watchdog in one part, reducing BOM cost by 20–30%.
Recommended
Video Processing & Display Pipelines
The EP3C55F484I7 delivers the throughput needed for mid-resolution video format conversion, scaling, alpha blending, and color-space conversion at 1080p60. The 2,340 Kbits of embedded RAM function as line buffers for deinterlacing and frame-rate conversion without external SDRAM for simpler pipelines. The 327 I/Os support LVDS input pairs for direct camera-sensor capture or DVI/HDMI bridge chips. Industrial temperature rating suits digital signage, medical imaging front-ends, and broadcast auxiliary displays.
Recommended
Telecom Line Cards & Backplane Bridging
The EP3C55F484I7 is widely deployed in low-density telecom line cards for TDM-to-packet conversion, E1/T1/J1 framer bridging, and protocol-aware traffic shaping. The 4 PLLs provide independent clock domains for backplane recovery, line-rate adaptation, and CPU-side packet interfaces. Industrial temperature qualification matches outdoor cabinet and central-office environments. The 1.0 mm-pitch FBGA-484 also supports DDR/DDR2 interfaces commonly needed for packet buffering at line rate.
Recommended
Portable Test & Measurement Equipment
The Cyclone III family's low static power (typical core < 0.5 W at 1.2 V) makes the EP3C55F484I7 suitable for handheld oscilloscopes, logic analysers, and protocol analysers where battery life matters. The 156 hardware multipliers accelerate FFT, FIR, and correlation computations for real-time signal analysis. Industrial -40 to +100 °C allows field deployment in harsh environments. The 327 I/Os provide direct probing channels without external muxing.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Prototyping
The EP3C55F484I7 is widely used in pre-production automotive infotainment and ADAS prototyping platforms where engineers need flexible logic before committing to an ASIC. The 327 I/Os directly interface LVDS displays, MOST or CAN-FD bridges, and surround-view camera pre-processors. Industrial -40 to +100 °C matches in-cabin environments. Production vehicles typically migrate to Cyclone IV/V SoC or dedicated automotive ASSPs after design freeze.
Recommended
Cost-Sensitive DSP Front-End Designs
With 156 18×18 multipliers and 472.5 MHz internal Fmax, the EP3C55F484I7 functions as a high-throughput DSP front-end for audio beamforming, software-defined radio (SDR) baseband, and biometric signal processing. Compared with discrete DSP ICs, the FPGA integrates glue logic, host interface (PCIe, SPI, parallel), and accelerator pipelines in one device. Industrial temperature supports outdoor and medical-device deployments, while the 484-FBGA provides ample I/O for high-bandwidth ADC/DAC interfaces.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C55F484I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C55F484I7N | EP3C55F484C8N | EP3C55F484C7N | EP3C55F484C6N | EP3C120F484I7N | EP3C40F484I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 484-FBGA | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 55,856 | 55,856 | 55,856 | 55,856 | 55,856 | 119,088 | 39,600 |
| Embedded RAM (Kbits) | 2,340 | 2,340 | 2,340 | 2,340 | 2,340 | 3,888 | 1,161 |
| 18×18 Multipliers | 156 | 156 | 156 | 156 | 156 | 288 | 126 |
| PLLs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| User I/O | 327 | 327 | 327 | 327 | 327 | 288 | 331 |
| Operating Temperature | -40 to +100 °C (Industrial, -7 speed) | -40 to +100 °C (Industrial, -7 speed) | 0 to +85 °C (Commercial, -8 speed) | 0 to +85 °C (Commercial, -7 speed) | 0 to +85 °C (Commercial, -6 speed) | -40 to +100 °C (Industrial, -7 speed) | -40 to +100 °C (Industrial, -7 speed) |
| Internal Max Frequency | 472.5 MHz | 472.5 MHz | 402.5 MHz (-8 speed grade, ~15% slower) | 472.5 MHz (-7 speed grade) | 404 MHz (-6 speed grade, ~15% slower) | 472.5 MHz | 472.5 MHz |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes | Yes (N-suffix explicitly lead-free) | Yes (N-suffix) | Yes (N-suffix) | Yes (N-suffix) | Yes (N-suffix) | Yes (N-suffix) |
Key Differentiators
- Higher logic density + same 484-FBGA footprint (vs EP3C40F484I7N)
- More multipliers for DSP workloads (vs EP3C40F484I7N)
- Same package, lower cost when industrial rating is not required (vs EP3C55F484C7N)
- Lower-density same-footprint option for cost-sensitive designs (vs EP3C25F324I7N)
Design Notes
Estimated: The 484-FBGA uses 1.0 mm ball pitch and 23 × 23 mm body, which requires 4–6 PCB layers with 0.5 mm via-in-pad or microvia technology for reliable assembly. Per Cyclone III Device Handbook recommendations, route signal escapes on the top layer with a fan-out pattern that keeps adjacent ball vias on 2 mm centre-to-centre spacing. Maintain continuous reference planes under the BGA to control impedance and avoid signal-integrity violations on DDR/LVDS pairs.
Provide at least 4 × 10 µF bulk + 0.1 µF decoupling per VCC/VCCINT/VCCIO pin group on the Cyclone III device. Power-up sequencing must bring VCCINT (1.2 V core) up before or simultaneously with VCCIO bank supplies to avoid latch-up. The Cyclone III Device Handbook specifies a maximum VCCINT rise time of 100 ms; slower ramps may cause configuration failures. Use a dedicated power supervisor (e.g., MAX811) to gate the CONF_DONE signal.
At typical 1.2 V core operation with 50–70% logic utilisation, the EP3C55F484I7 dissipates approximately 1.5–2.5 W. The 484-FBGA's bottom-side thermal pad must be soldered to a 6 × 6 mm copper pour on the top layer and stitched to inner ground planes with a 4 × 4 thermal-via array (0.3 mm vias, 1.2 mm pitch). Without thermal pad soldering, junction temperature can rise 20–25 °C above ambient at full load.
Configuration mode pins (MSEL0–MSEL2) must be tied to VCCPD (3.3 V tolerant) or GND via 1 kΩ resistors to select AS/PS/FPP/JTAG boot mode. Do not leave MSEL floating — this is the #1 cause of 'device not detected' issues in prototype bring-up. Also ensure CONFIG_DONE has a 10 kΩ pull-up to VCCIO (bank 8) to allow Quartus programmer to sense successful configuration.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant and lead-free per verified DigiKey, Mouser, and Heisener listings. The N-suffix variant EP3C55F484I7N explicitly denotes lead-free assembly. Not AEC-Q100 qualified — not an automotive-grade part per the vendor specifications. Halogen-free status not stated in the verified data and marked as unknown.
