EP3SE110F780C2N - Stratix III E FPGA, 107.5K LE, 780-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP3SE110F780C2N β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $385 | $385.00 |
| 10 | $365 | $3,650.00 |
| 100 | $345 | $34,500.00 |
| 500 | $325 | $162,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $305 | $305,000.00 |
EP3SE110F780C2N Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor device based on a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected via programmable interconnect, allowing designers to implement custom digital logic, DSP pipelines, and interface protocols after fabrication. Within the taxonomy of programmable logic devices, an FPGA sits between a CPLD (smaller, non-volatile) and an ASIC (fixed-function, high-NRE), offering hardware-level parallelism, reprogrammability, and high I/O counts for prototyping, low-volume production, and accelerating compute-bound workloads such as signal processing, image processing, and network packet inspection.
Key features of the EP3SE110F780C2N include 4,300 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP-intensive designs, integrated transceivers in Stratix III variants, dedicated PLL and clock-tree resources, and Stratix III's programmable power technology that reduces dynamic power by intelligently gating unused logic blocks. The 780-ball FC-FBGA package supports high-speed differential I/O including LVDS at rates suitable for DDR2/DDR3 memory interfaces and high-speed serial protocols.
Architecturally, the Stratix III E family uses Altera's adaptive logic module (ALM) and the MultiTrack interconnect, providing higher logic utilization than traditional LUT-4 architectures. The 65 nm process and 1.1 V core voltage balance performance against leakage, while the C2 speed grade targets mid-tier timing closure for commercial temperature designs.
Typical applications include high-end telecom line cards, ASIC prototyping, military radar and signal intelligence, broadcast video processing, medical imaging accelerators, and high-performance computing test platforms. The combination of logic density, embedded memory, and DSP blocks makes it suitable for algorithms that demand parallel arithmetic units such as FFT, FEC, and digital down-conversion. Designers should note that Stratix III is a legacy generation (introduced circa 2007); the part is still serviced but new designs typically migrate to Stratix IV/V or Cyclone families for active roadmap support. Quartus II software is required for synthesis, place-and-route, and bitstream generation. This page consolidates distributor pricing, drop-in alternative cross-references, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE110F780C2N 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 EP3SE110F780C2N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Embedded Memory, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE110F780C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1245 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE110F780C2
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$4350 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE110F780I3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1950 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE110F780I4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1850 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE110F1152C2N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1925 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE110F780C2N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III E |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 107,500 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 4,300 |
| Embedded Memory | 8,936,448 bits |
| User I/Os | 488 |
| Operating Frequency (max) | 600 MHz |
| Core Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Speed Grade | C2 |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA |
| Package Code | BGA (square) |
| Terminal Form | Ball |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial (other) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Programming Tool | Quartus II |
EP3SE110F780C2N bga (square) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SE110F780C2N (bga (square) 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 EP3SE110F780C2N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SE110F780C2N is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Line Card / Backplane Aggregation, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Military Radar / Signal Intelligence DSP, Broadcast Video Processing, Medical Imaging Accelerator, High-Performance Computing Test Platform.
Telecom Line Card / Backplane Aggregation
The EP3SE110F780C2N fits telecom line-card aggregation because its 107,500 logic elements and 488 user I/Os can simultaneously host packet classification engines, traffic managers, and high-speed SERDES-side glue logic. The 780-ball FC-FBGA exposes enough LVDS pairs to bond to multiple SFP+/10G interfaces via external PHY, while 8,936,448 bits of embedded memory provide on-chip buffering for cut-through forwarding with sub-microsecond latency. Compared with a fixed ASIC, the Stratix III E allows late binding of protocol features and easy field upgrades for emerging standards.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
With 107,500 logic elements, the EP3SE110F780C2N is widely used to prototype ASIC RTL before tape-out. Multiple Stratix III E FPGAs can be partitioned together on a prototyping board, and the abundant embedded memory supports realistic cache and queue replication. The 600 MHz core frequency allows designers to validate timing closures and architectural assumptions well before committing to a silicon spin. Quartus II provides incremental compile and design-partitioning flows that map ASIC blocks onto one or several FPGAs with predictable I/O mapping.
Recommended
Military Radar / Signal Intelligence DSP
The Stratix III E's embedded 18x18 multipliers and high LE count make the EP3SE110F780C2N well-suited to radar and SIGINT signal-processing chains, including FFT, channelization, and digital down-conversion. The 780-ball FC-FBGA exposes LVDS pairs for direct connection to ADC and DAC front-ends, while the I3/I4 industrial/extended temperature variants of the same die support rugged deployments. On-chip RAM blocks enable low-latency coefficient tables and overlap-save buffers typical of pulse-Doppler processing.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP3SE110F780C2N handles broadcast-grade video processing such as 3G-SDI routing, color-space conversion, and frame-rate conversion in studio equipment. Its high I/O count and embedded multipliers allow real-time processing of uncompressed HD-SDI streams, while the LVDS support enables direct bonding to SDI serializer/deserializer chips. The on-chip memory supports line-buffer storage needed for de-interlacing and scaling, reducing external SDRAM requirements.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Accelerator
Ultrasound beamforming, CT reconstruction, and MRI gradient control all require the parallel arithmetic that the EP3SE110F780C2N provides. The 107,500 LEs and embedded multipliers execute multiple FIR filter channels in parallel for ultrasound beamforming, while the rich embedded memory holds apodization tables and beam coefficients. Industrial-temperature variants of the same die support clinical environments. Real-time latency is essential, and the FPGA's deterministic pipeline outperforms a CPU/GPU implementation for these workloads.
Recommended
High-Performance Computing Test Platform
The EP3SE110F780C2N serves as a flexible compute node on HPC test platforms, particularly for hardware-accelerated search, compression, and cryptographic kernels. Designers use the Stratix III E's logic density to instantiate multiple parallel processing engines and benchmark them against production silicon. The 780-ball FC-FBGA pinout supports DDR2/DDR3 memory controllers for high-throughput data movement, and Quartus II's incremental compile flow allows rapid design iteration typical of HPC research.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE110F780C2N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE110F780C3N | EP3SE110F780C2 | EP3SE110F780I3N | EP3SE110F780I4N | EP3SE110F1152C2N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 1152-ball FC-FBGA - larger package |
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Logic Elements | 107,500 | 107,500 | 107,500 | 107,500 | 107,500 | 107,500 |
| Speed Grade | C2 | C3 (slower) | C2 (same) | I3 (industrial, slower) | I4 (industrial, slowest) | C2 (same) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial | Industrial (extended) | Commercial |
| Embedded Memory | 8,936,448 bits | 8,936,448 bits | 8,936,448 bits | 8,936,448 bits | 8,936,448 bits | 8,936,448 bits |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Higher logic density than most Stratix III E package peers (vs EP3SE50F780 series)
- Faster speed grade than C3/I3/I4 variants (vs EP3SE110F780C3N)
- Smaller BGA than 1152-ball version (vs EP3SE110F1152C2N)
Design Notes
Estimated: At typical Stratix III E utilization of 60-70% LEs toggling at 200 MHz in a 780-ball FC-FBGA, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) is approximately 12-15 C/W with a properly designed PCB thermal pad and via array. Forced airflow of 1-2 m/s is recommended for sustained high-activity designs. Designers should consult the Altera Stratix III PowerPlay early power estimator for design-specific dissipation before finalizing thermal solution. Without airflow, derate by 30-40% or operate in a lower-utilization mode.
The 780-ball FC-FBGA requires a fine-pitch PCB land pattern with 1.0 mm ball pitch typical for Stratix III packages. Use NSMD (non-solder mask defined) pads with via-in-pad or dog-bone fan-out for signal layers. All unused I/O balls should be tied to a defined logic level per Quartus II pin-assignment settings; floating inputs increase leakage and may cause unreliable configuration. Decoupling: place 0.1 uF X7R capacitors at each VCCIO/VCCINT region with bulk 47-100 uF tantalum or polymer caps near power pins. Estimated: total decoupling capacitance ~200-300 uF across all rails.
Stratix III E FPGAs are NRND as of 2026-09-09; do not specify this part for new designs without an explicit end-of-life and supply-chain strategy. Quartus II versions above 15.x may not include Stratix III device support; legacy tool maintenance may be required. Configuration scheme (AS, PS, JTAG, FPP) must be selected early since MSEL pins are fixed at the board level and cannot be changed in software. Be careful to honor VCCPD (pre-driver) supply sequencing requirements during power-up.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free status from Altera/Intel product page. NRND status confirmed as of 2026-09-09; not recommended for new designs. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs in this category.