EP3C80F484C8 - Cyclone III FPGA 81K LE 484-FBGA | Intel (Altera)
MPN: EP3C80F484C8 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $304.59 | $304.59 |
| 10 | $274.13 | $2,741.30 |
| 100 | $243.67 | $24,367.00 |
| 500 | $213.21 | $106,605.00 |
| 1,000 | $182.76 | $182,760.00 |
EP3C80F484C8 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reconfigurable semiconductor device that lets engineers implement arbitrary digital logic - from glue logic and state machines to entire processor subsystems - via a programmable fabric of logic elements, embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and programmable I/O. FPGAs sit hierarchically under programmable logic devices (PLDs), alongside complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), within the broader integrated circuit (IC) taxonomy, and are widely used as prototyping, low-volume production, and DSP/parallel-processing alternatives to ASICs and microcontrollers.
Key features of the EP3C80F484C8 include 244 embedded 18x18 multipliers (DSP blocks) for high-throughput fixed-point arithmetic, four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock synthesis and skew management, support for external memory interfaces including DDR/DDR2/QDRII SDRAM, and a low-power architecture that targets consumer, industrial, and communications applications. The 'C8' speed grade denotes a commercial temperature device with the slowest of the Cyclone III speed grades, balancing cost and performance for non-timing-critical designs.
Architecturally, the Cyclone III family leverages a logic-element fabric of 4-input look-up tables (LUTs), M9K embedded memory blocks, and dedicated DSP slices. The EP3C80 variant occupies the upper-middle of the family, providing roughly twice the LE count of the EP3C40 while remaining notably smaller and lower-cost than the EP3C120, making it the typical sweet-spot for mid-density designs.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video processing pipelines, software-defined radio (SDR) front ends, telecommunications baseband processing, and embedded control systems. The EP3C80F484C8 specifically suits designs that need DDR controller support, abundant DSP bandwidth, and a large FPGA fabric without crossing into the higher-cost EP3C120 tier.
When designing with this device, plan I/O bank assignments and pin-out early because the 484-FBGA package leaves no room for late-stage changes. Use the Altera/Intel Quartus II design suite (Cyclone III device support) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure; signal-integrity and power-integrity analysis are recommended for DDR interfaces.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives from the Cyclone III family (same brand Intel/Altera), and practical design notes not collected on a single manufacturer or distributor page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C80F484C8 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 EP3C80F484C8 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C80F484C7N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$306.54 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C80F484C7
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$215 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C80F484C6N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$369.38 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C80F484C6
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$102.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C120F484C7N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$185 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C55F484C8N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$58.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C40F484C8N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3C80F484C8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone III |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 81,264 |
| Total Memory Bits | 2,810,880 bits (2810 Kb) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 244 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Maximum User I/O | 295 |
| Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS |
| Core Voltage (Vccint) | 1.2 V |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 402 MHz |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed Grade | C8 (commercial, slowest Cyclone III grade) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
| Memory Interfaces Supported | DDR, DDR2, QDRII SDRAM |
EP3C80F484C8 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O β User I/O - bank assignment depends on Quartus pin-out file |
| Pin A2 | I/O β User I/O - bank assignment depends on Quartus pin-out file |
| Pin B1 | I/O β User I/O - bank assignment depends on Quartus pin-out file |
| Pin B2 | I/O β User I/O - bank assignment depends on Quartus pin-out file |
| Pin AB22 | I/O β User I/O - bank assignment depends on Quartus pin-out file |
| Pin AB23 | I/O β User I/O - bank assignment depends on Quartus pin-out file |
| Pin VCCINT | VCCINT β Core supply 1.2 V (multiple balls across the package) |
| Pin VCCIO | VCCIO β I/O bank supply 1.2 V to 3.3 V (multiple balls, per bank) |
| Pin GND | GND β Ground (multiple balls across the package) |
Typical Applications
EP3C80F484C8 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Processing Pipeline, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband, Telecommunications Baseband Processing, Embedded Control and Industrial Automation, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C80F484C8 fits industrial motor control applications because its 81,264 LEs and 244 dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers provide the parallel fixed-point arithmetic required for field-oriented control (FOC) loops on three-phase PMSM and AC induction drives. The 4 PLLs allow precise generation of the high-frequency PWM carrier and the encoder-capture clock, while 295 user I/Os in the FBGA-484 package expose enough channels to interface to Hall/encoder feedback, gate drivers, and isolation barriers. The 65 nm low-power Cyclone III architecture helps designers hit industrial thermal budgets without active cooling, and Quartus II DSP Builder accelerates time-to-prototype for the Clarke/Park and PID transforms central to FOC.
Recommended
Video Processing Pipeline
The EP3C80F484C8 is well-matched to mid-resolution video processing pipelines because its 2,810,880 bits of embedded M9K memory comfortably buffer several video lines at 720p/1080p, and 244 18x18 multipliers handle real-time pixel-domain operations such as color-space conversion, scaling, and edge detection. The device's LVDS-capable I/O banks and external DDR/DDR2 memory controller support the bandwidth needed to ingest ITU-R BT.656 or parallel RGB streams and emit processed video to a display controller. Designers can prototype a full de-interlacer, scaler, or on-screen-display overlay in a single FPGA without resorting to external frame buffers, lowering BOM cost for surveillance and broadcast equipment.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband
The EP3C80F484C8 suits SDR baseband signal processing because its 244 hardware 18x18 multipliers implement the digital down-conversion (DDC) and channelization filters that would otherwise demand a DSP or ASIC, and its 81K LEs absorb the state machine, FFT, and protocol glue logic in a single fabric. The 4 PLLs synthesize the precise sample-rate clocks from a single external reference, while the embedded M9K blocks store FFT twiddle factors and channelization filter coefficients. The 65 nm Cyclone III low-power architecture is attractive for portable and field-deployable SDR platforms where thermal dissipation is constrained.
Recommended
Telecommunications Baseband Processing
The EP3C80F484C8 addresses telecom baseband processing because its 81,264 LEs and 244 hardware multipliers deliver the throughput required for forward-error-correction (Viterbi, Turbo), digital up-/down-conversion, and framing logic, while 295 user I/Os in the FBGA-484 package connect cleanly to ADC/DAC converters and CPRI/OBSAI framer PHYs. The dedicated DDR/DDR2 memory controller and 2.7 Mb of embedded memory enable line-rate buffering for baseband sample streams without external SRAM. Designers benefit from the Quartus II SOPC Builder flow that integrates Nios II soft-core processors for MAC-layer scheduling in the same FPGA.
Recommended
Embedded Control and Industrial Automation
The EP3C80F484C8 fits embedded industrial controllers because its 81K LEs can host a Nios II soft-core processor, custom peripherals, and multiple industrial communication stacks (Modbus, EtherCAT slave, PROFINET IRT) on a single device, while its 244 DSP blocks handle real-time closed-loop control math. The 295 I/Os in the FBGA-484 package accommodate multi-protocol field-bus transceivers and parallel sensor arrays, and the dedicated PLL block synthesizes the deterministic clocks required by industrial Ethernet PHYs. Designers can collapse MCU + ASIC glue logic into one Cyclone III, simplifying the BOM and shortening the design cycle versus discrete solutions.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP3C80F484C8 is suitable for test and measurement instruments because its 81,264 LEs can implement arbitrary stimulus generation, deep pattern sequencing, and protocol-aware decoding, while 295 user I/Os in the FBGA-484 package support high-pin-count logic analyzer or protocol exerciser front ends. The 4 PLLs and DDR memory controller deliver the deterministic timing and bulk capture memory that automated test equipment requires, and 244 hardware multipliers handle on-chip FFT, FIR filtering, or statistical signal processing. Engineers can re-use one PCB across multiple test standards by reprogramming the FPGA, lowering per-instrument NRE cost.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C80F484C8 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C80F484C7N | EP3C80F484C6N | EP3C120F484C7N | EP3C55F484C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same | FBGA-484 (23x23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 81,264 | 81,264 (same) | 81,264 (same) | 119,088 (+47%) | 55,856 (-31%) |
| Total Memory Bits | 2,810,880 bits | 2,810,880 (same) | 2,810,880 (same) | 3,888,384 (+38%) | 2,396,160 (-15%) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 244 | 244 (same) | 244 (same) | 288 (+18%) | 156 (-36%) |
| Maximum User I/O | 295 | 295 (same) | 295 (same) | 295 (same FBGA-484) | 295 (same FBGA-484) |
| Speed Grade | C8 | C7 (faster, ~10% fMAX margin) | C6 (fastest Cyclone III grade) | C7 | C8 (same) |
| PLLs | 4 | 4 (same) | 4 (same) | 4 (same) | 4 (same) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest LE density within typical FBGA-484 footprint reuse across the EP3C40/55/80 family (vs EP3C55F484C8N)
- Same-package upgrade path to EP3C120 for headroom without PCB redesign (vs EP3C120F484C7N)
- Faster speed-grade drop-in alternatives available on the same die (vs EP3C80F484C6N)
Design Notes
Estimated: Cyclone III FPGAs dissipate roughly 0.5-3 W depending on utilization and toggle rate. For an EP3C80 at typical 70% utilization and 100 MHz, VCCINT at 1.2 V draws ~1.5 A core current. Use at least a 4-layer PCB with a continuous ground plane, and provide thermal vias beneath the FBGA-484 die to keep junction temperature below 85C commercial. Avoid placing the FPGA directly above a heat source.
The FBGA-484 1.0 mm ball pitch requires PCB fabrication with laser-drilled micro-vias (HDI) or 4-mil trace/space rules. Escape routing on the top layer should fan out to inner layers via dogbone fan-out; use the Intel/Altera FBGA-484 breakout reference in the Cyclone III handbook for stack-up and via dimensions. Maintain a continuous reference ground plane under the FPGA to control return paths for LVDS and DDR signals.
Assign I/O bank voltages (VCCIO) per signal standard: 1.8 V for DDR2, 2.5 V for LVDS, 3.3 V for GPIO. Group clocks and high-speed differential pairs near their PLL pins to minimize skew. Use the Quartus II Pin Planner early in the design cycle because the FBGA-484 ball map constrains routing once the PCB is laid out - late bank reassignment can be impossible.
Do not connect MSEL[3:0] configuration-mode pins randomly - they select AS, AP, PS, JTAG, or Fast Passive Parallel modes. Leave unused user I/O pins set as tri-stated inputs with weak pull-ups to avoid floating-input oscillation. Ensure the configuration flash (EPCS) is sized for the uncompressed .sof or use compression to fit the bitstream. Verify the JTAG chain order matches the Quartus BSDL before board bring-up.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant FBGA-484 package per Altera/Intel product family. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - the commercial C8 grade targets consumer/industrial, not automotive. Halogen-free status not explicitly listed in the supplied data; marked 'unknown' rather than assumed.
