EP3C5F256C6N - Cyclone III FPGA, 5K LEs, 256-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C5F256C6N β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $37.8 | $37.80 |
| 10 | $32.5 | $325.00 |
| 100 | $27.4 | $2,740.00 |
| 500 | $22.1 | $11,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $18.85 | $18,850.00 |
EP3C5F256C6N Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a reconfigurable semiconductor containing an array of programmable logic blocks, embedded memory, DSP slices, and programmable I/O cells interconnected by a routing fabric. FPGAs occupy the top of the programmable logic hierarchy below custom ASICs: PLA -> CPLD -> FPGA -> ASIC. The Cyclone III family was engineered as Intel/Altera's lowest-power 65 nm FPGA line, enabling fanless operation in cost-driven designs that previously required discrete logic or microcontrollers.
Key features include 23 embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP, two PLLs per device, support for external memory interfaces such as DDR/DDR2 SDRAM and QDRII SRAM, and configurable I/O standards including LVDS, LVTTL, SSTL, and PCI. The Cyclone III architecture supports up to 120 K logic elements at the family level and ships with Quartus II design tools (now Quartus Prime Lite). Configuration is via serial or parallel flash, JTAG, or AS/PS modes.
Typical applications include industrial motor control and human-machine interfaces, video processing pipelines, low-volume ASIC prototyping, consumer display controllers, and portable/wireless protocol bridging. The 256-FBGA package with 1 mm ball pitch supports dense multi-layer PCB layouts while maintaining 17x17 mm board area.
When designing with this device, plan I/O bank assignments against VCCIO supply rails, allocate sufficient decoupling per bank, and reserve dedicated clock pins for PLL inputs. Quartus II design software provides free synthesis support for the entire Cyclone III family.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C5F256C6N 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 EP3C5F256C6N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, Configuration Modes.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C5F256C6
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C5F256C8N
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$19.85 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C5F256A7N
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View Datasheet βEP3C5F256I7N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$24 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C10F256C6N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$14.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C10F256C8N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$15.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C16F256I7N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$38.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C25F256C8N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$38.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C5F256C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Series | EP3C5 |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 5136 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 182 (per DigiKey listing) |
| Total Memory Bits | 423936 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 23 |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 182 |
| Core Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +85 C (commercial "C6" speed grade) |
| Package | 256-ball FBGA (FineLine BGA), 17 x 17 mm, 1 mm pitch |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Lead-free (per distributor listings) |
| Configuration Modes | Serial, Parallel, JTAG, AS, PS |
EP3C5F256C6N 256-ball fbga (fineline bga), 17 x 17 mm, 1 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C5F256C6N (256-ball fbga (fineline bga), 17 x 17 mm, 1 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 EP3C5F256C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C5F256C6N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Display Controller, Low-Volume ASIC Prototyping, Video Processing Pipeline, Consumer Wireless Protocol Bridge, Portable Data Acquisition.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C5F256C6N's 5136 logic elements, 23 embedded 18x18 multipliers, and 2 PLLs make it a strong fit for industrial motor control applications such as field-oriented control (FOC) and stepper servo drives. The 65 nm Cyclone III silicon provides deterministic DSP performance for PID loops and SVPWM generation, while the 1.2 V core keeps dissipation low enough for fanless IP65 enclosures. Up to 182 user I/Os in the FBGA-256 package support multi-axis encoder inputs (QEP), gate-driver PWM outputs, and isolated communication links such as RS-485 or CAN. Industrial users typically pair this FPGA with external ADCs for current sensing and rely on Quartus II for hardware-accelerated simulation. The 0 C to +85 C commercial temperature grade covers most factory-floor cabinets.
Recommended
Human-Machine Interface (HMI) Display Controller
For HMI panels driving TFT LCDs, the EP3C5F256C6N delivers 182 user I/Os to interface RGB or LVDS displays, touch controllers, and backlight PWM channels. The 423936 RAM bits provide frame-buffer and glyph cache storage without external SRAM for low-resolution panels. With 65 nm low-leakage process and 1.2 V core, the device enables slim fanless panel designs. Quartus II supports soft IP cores for SPI, I2C, and UART commonly used for HMI communication. The FBGA-256 package is well suited to compact panel PCBs.
Recommended
Low-Volume ASIC Prototyping
The EP3C5F256C6N serves as a low-cost ASIC prototyping platform for designers validating RTL before committing to mask sets. Quartus II supports incremental compilation with region-based design partitions, ideal for hardware-software co-development. The 5136 LEs accommodate most mid-complexity state machines and datapaths, while the embedded RAM blocks provide realistic timing behavior. JTAG configuration allows fast design iteration in the lab. Cyclone III is in long-term support, ensuring design IP investment is preserved.
Recommended
Video Processing Pipeline
For video bridging, scaling, and color-space conversion, the EP3C5F256C6N provides 23 embedded 18x18 multipliers for real-time 2D filter and scaling operations. Its PLL resources generate pixel clocks needed for SD/HD video timings, while 182 I/Os interface BT.656, BT.1120, or HDMI bridge chips. Cyclone III supports DDR/DDR2 SDRAM controllers for frame buffering. The low 1.2 V core power enables compact video modules without forced-air cooling.
Recommended
Consumer Wireless Protocol Bridge
For Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or sub-GHz wireless bridges in consumer IoT, the EP3C5F256C6N offers flexible I/O voltage mixing (LVTTL, LVCMOS, LVDS) to interface diverse radio modules. With 2 PLLs, it generates precise clock trees for radio baseband processing, and embedded multipliers accelerate FFT and channel coding operations. Quartus II supports soft CPU cores (Nios II) for protocol stack offload. The low-power 65 nm silicon extends battery life in portable wireless hubs.
Recommended
Portable Data Acquisition
Battery-powered data loggers and portable instruments benefit from the EP3C5F256C6N's low 65 nm core power and 0 C to +85 C commercial temperature range. The 5136 LEs implement custom ADC control, digital filtering, and compression logic, while 182 I/Os sample multi-channel analog front ends and store to external flash or SD cards. PLLs provide jitter-clean clocks for ADC sampling. The FBGA-256 supports dense PCB layouts with minimal footprint.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C5F256C6N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C5F256C6 | EP3C5F256C8N | EP3C5F256A7N | EP3C10F256C6N | EP3C25F256C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 256-ball FBGA (17x17 mm) | 256-ball FBGA - same | 256-ball FBGA - same | 256-ball FBGA - same | 256-ball FBGA - same | 256-ball FBGA - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel / Altera - same | Intel / Altera - same | Intel / Altera - same | Intel / Altera - same | Intel / Altera - same |
| Logic Elements | 5136 LEs | 5136 LEs | 5136 LEs | 5136 LEs | 10320 LEs (~2x) | 24624 LEs (~5x) |
| Total Memory Bits | 423936 | 423936 | 423936 | 423936 | 423936 | 608256 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 46 | 66 |
| PLLs | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 | 182 | 156 (fewer per FBGA-256 pinmap) |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) | C6 | C8 (slower, -1 bin) | A7 (industrial temp) | C6 | C8 |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +85 C | 0 C to +85 C | 0 C to +85 C | -40 C to +125 C | 0 C to +85 C | 0 C to +85 C |
Key Differentiators
- Commercial temperature grade with lead-free RoHS compliance (vs EP3C5F256A7N)
- Higher speed grade (C6) than C8 variant (vs EP3C5F256C8N)
- Lowest-cost entry point within Cyclone III 5K-LE family (vs EP3C10F256C6N)
Design Notes
The EP3C5F256C6N core runs on 1.2 V supplied by an external regulator. Decoupling follows the Intel Cyclone III handbook recommendation: bulk 100 uF aluminum-polymer on the 1.2 V rail plus 0.1 uF and 0.01 uF ceramics per power pin pair. I/O banks require separate VCCIO rails (1.2 V to 3.3 V) per bank. Estimated: at 100 MHz core logic with 50% toggle, typical core dissipation is ~300 mW plus dynamic I/O losses. Keep PLL analog supplies (VCC_PLL) filtered with ferrite beads and decoupled with 0.1 uF + 10 uF per PLL.
The 256-ball FBGA package has 1.0 mm pitch - escape routing requires microvia HDI PCB stackup (4-4-6 minimum). Route all signal breaks on inner layers to keep top-layer fanout short. Per the Intel FBGA-256 land pattern, four inner-row power/ground balls should be connected to planes with multiple vias for thermal and electrical integrity. Estimated: a 4-layer 1 oz copper stackup with 0.4 mm microvias is sufficient for low-density designs; 6-layer is recommended above 100 MHz.
Avoid hot-swapping JTAG chains when the FPGA is unpowered - this can latch up I/O banks. Always configure unused I/O pins as tri-stated inputs with weak pull-up in the Quartus II pin planner. Do not confuse the EP3C5F256C6N (commercial + lead-free) with the EP3C5F256A7N (industrial temperature) - the speed grade letter and temp suffix are both critical. Use AS mode configuration with a serial flash such as EPCS16 for standalone boot. JTAG pull-up resistors on TCK, TMS, TDI (4.7 kohm to VCCIO_8) prevent configuration errors at power-up.
Place the configuration flash within 25 mm of the FPGA DATA0/DCLK pins to meet Quartus II AS mode timing. Route the clock input on a dedicated CLK pin with controlled-impedance stripline. Match length on DDR/DDR2 SDRAM byte groups to within +/-25 ps. Estimated: the FBGA-256 supports up to 4 DDR byte lanes when configured for external memory. The Intel Cyclone III handbook pinout file lists specific DQ/DQS groupings; consult this before locking the PCB layout.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance and lead-free status confirmed by distributor listings (DigiKey, Mouser, LCSC) as of 2026-09-09. REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals declarations are not explicitly stated in the verified web data and should be verified with Intel's environmental compliance documentation before use in restricted markets.
