EP3C80U484C7 - Cyclone III FPGA, 81K LEs, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3C80U484C7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $136.6 | $136.60 |
| 10 | $129.8 | $1,298.00 |
| 100 | $122.9 | $12,290.00 |
| 250 | $118.4 | $29,600.00 |
| 500 | $113.5 | $56,750.00 |
EP3C80U484C7 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reprogrammable semiconductor device that lets engineers implement arbitrary digital logic in configurable logic blocks (CLBs), routed by a programmable interconnect matrix. FPGAs sit between microcontrollers and ASICs in the design hierarchy: microcontrollers execute software, ASICs implement fixed hardware, and FPGAs provide custom hardware that can be reconfigured per project. The Cyclone III family targets low static and dynamic power, making it well-suited to high-volume, thermally constrained products.
Key features of the EP3C80U484C7 include four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management, up to 429 user I/O pins, dedicated DDR/DDR2/QDRII SDRAM memory interfaces, and support for LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL I/O standards. Configuration is handled through passive serial, active serial, or JTAG modes, with built-in decompression and encryption using AES for bitstream protection.
The device is fabricated on a TSMC low-power 65-nm process, which reduces dynamic power consumption by up to 50% compared to the previous Cyclone II generation. Core voltage is 1.2 V, I/O voltage banks operate independently between 1.2 V and 3.3 V, and junction temperature ranges from 0 C to 85 C for the commercial speed grade -7.
Typical applications include industrial motor control, video surveillance, automotive infotainment pre-processing, consumer display controllers, and PCIe endpoint bridging. The combination of DSP blocks, embedded memory, and abundant I/O makes the EP3C80 a common choice as the main processing or glue-logic device in mid-volume embedded platforms.
When designing with this device, allocate sufficient PCB area for the 484-ball FBGA and follow Intel's recommended decoupling scheme to maintain signal integrity for high-speed DDR interfaces. Quartus II design software (or the newer Quartus Prime Lite edition) is required for synthesis, place-and-route, and bitstream generation; the EP3C80 is fully supported up to Quartus Prime 21.1.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives within the Cyclone III family, and practical design notes not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3C80U484C7 — 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 EP3C80U484C7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Operating Temperature, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3C80U484C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C80U484C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$66.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C80U484C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$25.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C80U484C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP3C55U484C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$23.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3C80U484C7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone III |
| Family | EP3C80 |
| Logic Elements | 81,264 |
| Embedded Memory | 2,810,880 bits (295 M9K blocks) |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 244 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 429 (approximate, package-dependent) |
| Package | 484-FBGA (UBGA) |
| Speed Grade | -7 (commercial) |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| I/O Voltage Range | 1.2 V to 3.3 V |
| Process Technology | 65 nm low-power CMOS |
| Operating Junction Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (commercial) |
| Configuration Modes | Passive Serial, Active Serial, JTAG, AES-encrypted bitstream |
| Memory Interface Support | DDR, DDR2, QDRII SDRAM |
| I/O Standards | LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, HSTL |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3C80U484C7 484-fbga (ubga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3C80U484C7 (484-fbga (ubga) 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 EP3C80U484C7.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3C80U484C7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Video Surveillance and Image Processing, Automotive Infotainment Pre-Processing, Consumer Display Controllers, Industrial Communication Gateways, Medical Diagnostic Equipment Front-End.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP3C80U484C7 fits industrial motor control because its 244 dedicated 18x18 multipliers execute field-oriented control (FOC) and space-vector PWM loops within microsecond budgets, while the 2,810,880 embedded memory bits (295 M9K blocks) buffer ADC samples and reference frame data without external SRAM. With four PLLs, the FPGA generates synchronized PWM carriers for three-phase inverters at up to 200 kHz with sub-100 ns dead-time insertion. The 429 user I/Os accept quadrature encoders, Hall sensors, and isolated gate-driver signals directly. Compared to a DSP + CPLD pair, a single EP3C80 reduces BOM cost and PCB area while letting engineers add proprietary control IP per axis. Use industrial temperature-grade speed variants for factory-floor deployment.
Recommended
Video Surveillance and Image Processing
The EP3C80U484C7 is well-matched to video surveillance because the 244 hardware multipliers deliver real-time Sobel, Laplacian, and motion-detection kernels at 720p60 throughput without external DSPs. The 295 M9K blocks act as line buffers for HDMI or BT.656 video pipelines, while dedicated DDR2 controllers on the device move frame data to external SDRAM at up to 200 MHz. LVDS support enables direct connection to CMOS image sensors with sub-1 ns skew margin. Compared to ASSP video processors, the FPGA allows custom analytics IP and rapid field-upgrades via JTAG. The 484-ball UBGA package keeps the solution compact for dome and bullet camera form factors.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment Pre-Processing
The EP3C80U484C7 supports automotive infotainment pre-processing by offloading LVDS camera aggregation, CAN gateway logic, and audio sample-rate conversion from the main application processor. Its 81,264 logic elements handle multiple MIPI-CSI to BT.656 bridges in parallel, while four PLLs generate independent clock domains for sensor, display, and back-channel buses. The low-power 65-nm process keeps junction temperature within automotive head-unit thermal envelopes. Compared to discrete ASSP bridges, the EP3C80 lets OEMs differentiate with custom UI overlays and ADAS data fusion. Note that automotive designs should use the EP3C80 industrial 'I' speed grade variant for full -40 C to 100 C junction support.
Recommended
Consumer Display Controllers
The EP3C80U484C7 serves consumer display controllers by bridging HDMI, DisplayPort, or LVDS sources to TFT-LCD and OLED panels with custom timing and color-space conversion. Its 429 user I/Os handle multi-lane LVDS at up to 840 Mbps per pair, while M9K blocks implement frame-rate conversion FIFOs to smooth source-vs-panel timing mismatches. The four PLLs derive pixel clocks from any reference between 5 MHz and 500 MHz. Compared to fixed-function scaler ASSPs, the EP3C80 enables panel-vendor-specific gamma tables and 3D LUTs without external EEPROMs. The 484-ball UBGA supports slim bezel designs and BGA-mounted touch controller integration.
Recommended
Industrial Communication Gateways
The EP3C80U484C7 fits industrial communication gateways by implementing protocol stacks for PROFINET, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, and Modbus TCP simultaneously in firmware. Its 81,264 logic elements encode real-time Ethernet cut-through switching at line rate, while hardware multipliers accelerate CRC and encryption primitives for secure field-bus segments. The DDR2 controller buffers message queues, and four PLLs synchronize isolated Ethernet PHYs at 100 Mbps. Compared to multi-chip ARM+FPGA solutions, a single EP3C80 cuts power draw and BOM cost for DIN-rail gateways. Industrial temperature variants ensure continuous operation in unheated cabinets.
Recommended
Medical Diagnostic Equipment Front-End
The EP3C80U484C7 supports medical diagnostic front-ends by aggregating high-channel-count analog inputs (ECG, EEG, pulse-oximeter) and running digital filtering on-chip. Its 244 18x18 multipliers implement FIR and wavelet filters at sample rates above 100 kHz per channel, while 295 M9K blocks buffer sample windows for FFT-based heart-rate-variability analysis. The four PLLs derive jitter-clean clocks for ADC and DAC subsystems. Compared to microcontroller-only solutions, the FPGA offloads deterministic DSP, freeing the host processor for user interface and connectivity. The device's low-power 65-nm process aids battery-powered portable diagnostic designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3C80U484C7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3C80U484C6 | EP3C80U484C8 | EP3C80U484C6N | EP3C80U484C7N | EP3C55U484C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-FBGA (UBGA) | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same | 484-FBGA (UBGA) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Speed Grade | -7 (commercial) | -6 (commercial) | -8 (commercial) | -6 (commercial) | -7 (commercial) | -7 (commercial) |
| Logic Elements | 81,264 | 81,264 | 81,264 | 81,264 | 81,264 | 55,856 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,810,880 | 2,810,880 | 2,810,880 | 2,810,880 | 2,810,880 | 2,396,160 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 244 | 244 | 244 | 244 | 244 | 156 |
| PLLs | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| User I/O (approx) | 429 | 429 | 429 | 429 | 429 | 327 |
| Approx. Unit Price (USD) | 136.60 | 115.20 | 162.40 | 118.90 | 141.30 | 98.50 |
| Lifecycle Status | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Lower power consumption than Cyclone II at equivalent logic density (vs EP2C80F896C7 (Cyclone II predecessor))
- Drop-in upgrade path within same package (vs EP3C55U484C7 (smaller Cyclone III))
- Wider I/O voltage range than Cyclone IV GX (vs EP4CGX50 (Cyclone IV GX))
Design Notes
The EP3C80U484C7 requires a clean 1.2 V core supply capable of delivering up to 1.5 A during full-utilization operation, plus a separate 2.5 V analog supply (VCCA) for PLL jitter performance below 100 ps RMS. Per Intel reference designs, place 100 nF decoupling capacitors within 3 mm of every VCC pin and at least four 10 uF bulk capacitors around the package perimeter. Use a star-ground topology tying digital and analog grounds at a single point under the exposed die paddle. Add a power-on-reset supervisor to hold nSTATUS low until all rails are within 5% of nominal to prevent partial configuration.
Route all eight I/O banks with matched trace lengths within 25 mils to maintain tDS and tDH timing margins on DDR2 interfaces, and use 50 ohm controlled-impedance traces for LVDS pairs with 100 ohm differential termination at the receiver. The 484-ball UBGA uses 1.0 mm ball pitch; escape routing requires microvia or any-layer-via stack-up with at least 4-4-4 layer count. Reference the Cyclone III device handbook pin connection guidelines for bank-VCCIO assignments, and never leave unused I/O banks floating - tie them to a defined voltage rail through the bank VREF pin configuration.
Estimated: configuration failure on first power-up is most often caused by MSEL pin strapping errors - the EP3C80U484C7 requires MSEL[2:0] settings matching the desired configuration mode (e.g. 010 for Active Serial, 000 for Passive Serial). Avoid mixing 1.5 V and 1.8 V I/O standards within the same bank, as VCCIO must be uniform per bank. Do not load bitstreams encrypted with a key into a device whose security fuse has not been programmed, or the device will reject the configuration. Always verify the configuration clock (DCLK) source quality before JTAG programming, as noisy clocks cause intermittent configuration failures.
Estimated: at 100% logic utilization with 200 MHz toggling rate, core power dissipation is approximately 2.8 W, requiring the 484-ball UBGA thermal pad to be soldered to a 4-layer PCB with at least 16 square inches of copper pour to keep junction temperature rise below 30 C above ambient. In enclosed industrial enclosures with 50 C ambient air, attach a small 15 C/W heatsink on top of the package. Use the Quartus PowerPlay Power Analyzer tool to model worst-case thermal conditions before final PCB layout, and apply thermal-relief tie-downs to the EP3C80 ground paddle only in low-power designs under 1 W.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliance confirmed per Intel Cyclone III product page. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in retrieved data. AEC-Q100 not applicable for this commercial-grade part; use industrial 'I' speed grade variants for harsh environments.