EP3SE260H780C4 - Stratix III E FPGA, 255K LE, 780-FCBGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP3SE260H780C4 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4850 | $4,850.00 |
| 10 | $4250 | $42,500.00 |
| 100 | $3875 | $387,500.00 |
| 500 | $3500 | $1,750,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $3150 | $3,150,000.00 |
EP3SE260H780C4 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device containing programmable logic blocks, interconnect, and I/O cells that engineers can configure after manufacture. FPGAs sit in the programmable logic hierarchy alongside CPLDs and sit below ASICs in performance-per-watt but above them in flexibility. The Stratix III E family extends this flexibility with high-speed transceivers, DSP blocks, and TriMatrix embedded memory, enabling parallel processing pipelines impossible on a fixed-function ASIC.
Key features of the EP3SE260H780C4 include 10,200 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), 1020 Kbits of distributed memory, 576 embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP, and support for external memory interfaces including DDR3, DDR2, QDRII+, and RLDRAM II. The device exposes 8 PLLs and 488 general-purpose user I/Os that support LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL standards, making it a strong fit for high-speed parallel interfaces. Up to 12 transceivers (per family datasheet) support serial protocols at up to 6.375 Gbps, accelerating backplane and chip-to-chip links.
The architecture combines a programmable logic fabric with dedicated DSP, memory, and transceiver blocks, achieving deterministic latency for DSP pipelines while keeping routing flexibility for evolving algorithms. Quartus II is the official programming and synthesis toolchain; device configuration is typically loaded from a serial flash or JTAG.
Typical applications include high-speed image processing, wireless baseband DSP, ASIC prototyping, high-frequency trading platforms, and broadcast video infrastructure. Designers also use the EP3SE260H780C4 in test & measurement equipment where real-time signal processing demands both massive parallelism and reconfigurability.
When designing with this device, thermal management is critical. The 780-ball FCBGA exposes the die through the package substrate for a heatsink or cold-plate attachment; without forced airflow or a heatsink, the device can throttle under sustained workloads. Power estimation should be run early in Quartus II with realistic toggle rates and utilization.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and engineering design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, helping sourcing and hardware teams evaluate the EP3SE260H780C4 alongside its same-family peers.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE260H780C4 — 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 EP3SE260H780C4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Family, RoHS Status, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE260H780C3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1325 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780C3
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1180 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780C2N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$3600 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780C2
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$2150 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260F1152C4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$8900 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780C4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III E |
| Logic Elements | 255,000 |
| Total Memory Bits | 16,672,640 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 10,200 |
| User I/Os | 488 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 576 |
| Distributed Memory | 1,020 Kbits |
| Number of PLLs | 8 |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Auxiliary Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Package | 780-ball FCBGA (H780) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3SE260H780C4 780-ball fcbga (h780) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SE260H780C4 (780-ball fcbga (h780) 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 EP3SE260H780C4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SE260H780C4 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Image Processing Pipelines, Wireless Baseband DSP, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Frequency Trading Infrastructure, Broadcast Video Infrastructure, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Image Processing Pipelines
The EP3SE260H780C4's 255,000 logic elements and 576 18x18 embedded multipliers make it well suited to real-time image processing pipelines such as 4K video scaling, machine-vision filtering, and medical imaging preprocessing. Designers typically instantiate parallel Sobel or FFT pipelines across multiple LABs, achieving deterministic latency impossible on a sequential DSP. The 488 user I/Os stream 16-bit pixel buses from CMOS sensors or CameraLink receivers directly into the fabric without external buffering, while 1,020 Kbits of distributed memory serve as line buffers. Quartus II's DSP Builder accelerates fixed-point filter design, and the 0.9 V core supply keeps power reasonable even at full utilization.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband DSP
In wireless baseband designs, the EP3SE260H780C4 supports multi-antenna MIMO processing, channel coding (Turbo, LDPC), and digital up/down conversion with 576 dedicated 18x18 multipliers absorbing DSP-heavy workloads. The Stratix III E family's PLLs (8 total) provide the multiple low-jitter clocks required for radio card synchronization, while LVDS I/Os interface directly to ADC/DAC companion parts. Engineers pair the FPGA with high-speed external DDR3 memory for symbol buffers; 16,672,640 bits of embedded memory help reduce external memory pressure on hot paths. Quartus II's TimeQuest timing analyzer closes timing across wide datapaths even at -4 speed grade.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
ASIC prototyping teams use the EP3SE260H780C4 to emulate million-gate ASIC RTL on real silicon, mapping partitioned logic into Stratix III E fabric for at-speed validation. The 255K-LE capacity supports a 2-3 Mgate ASIC partition when compiled with Quartus II's incremental synthesis, while the 780-ball FCBGA exposes enough I/O for multi-FPGA bridging. Up to 12 transceivers (per family datasheet) provide chip-to-chip serial links between sibling FPGAs on the prototyping board, and 488 user I/Os map to DUT signal headers. The Stratix III E family is widely supported by Synopsys VCS and Cadence Palladium flows for ASIC verification.
Recommended
High-Frequency Trading Infrastructure
Latency-sensitive trading systems leverage the EP3SE260H780C4's deterministic fabric and -4 speed grade to achieve sub-microsecond order-routing decisions. Engineers implement parallel order-book parsing and risk-check pipelines in the 255K-LE fabric, with results propagated through LVDS or external memory interfaces in single clock cycles. The 8 PLLs derive multiple low-jitter clocks from a single oscillator, simplifying board design, and embedded memory absorbs short bursts of market-data traffic without external DRAM round-trips. The 780-ball FCBGA exposes enough I/O for 10-GbE MAC interfaces, often paired with PHY companion parts.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Infrastructure
Broadcast video routers, frame synchronizers, and format converters exploit the EP3SE260H780C4's high I/O count and DSP blocks to process uncompressed SDI streams up to 3G-SDI rates. The 488 user I/Os accept dozens of SDI input channels with embedded audio demuxed in fabric, while 576 18x18 multipliers handle chroma upsampling, scaling, and color-space conversion in real time. Designers pair the FPGA with external DDR3 for frame buffers and use Quartus II's video IP suite for rapid development. The Stratix III E family's PLLs drive SDI serializer companion parts at precise HD/3G rates.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
Test and measurement instruments such as logic analyzers, protocol testers, and arbitrary waveform generators rely on the EP3SE260H780C4 for real-time pattern generation and capture at multi-Gbps rates. The 488 user I/Os form wide acquisition buses, while up to 12 transceivers (per family datasheet) drive serial protocol links like PCIe Gen1/2 or XAUI. Embedded memory buffers captures between trigger events, and DSP blocks compute real-time FFTs, statistics, or protocol decodes. The 65 nm Stratix III E process delivers the deterministic timing required for measurement-grade repeatability.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE260H780C4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE260H780C3N | EP3SE260H780C3 | EP3SE260H780C2N | EP3SE260H780C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-ball FCBGA (H780) | 780-ball FCBGA (H780) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (H780) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (H780) - same | 780-ball FCBGA (H780) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Speed Grade | C4 (fastest) | C3 | C3 | C2 | C2 |
| Logic Elements | 255,000 | 255,000 | 255,000 | 255,000 | 255,000 |
| Total Memory Bits | 16,672,640 | 16,672,640 | 16,672,640 | 16,672,640 | 16,672,640 |
| User I/Os | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 576 | 576 | 576 | 576 | 576 |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V |
| Lifecycle | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade available for 255K-LE Stratix III E family (vs EP3SE260H780C3)
- Largest embedded memory and DSP density in Stratix III E family (vs EP3SE110F780C4)
- 488 user I/Os - highest I/O count for the H780 footprint (vs EP3SE110F780I4)
Design Notes
Estimated: the EP3SE260H780C4 in a 780-ball FCBGA can dissipate 10-25 W under sustained workloads (per Quartus II PowerPlay output at 80% utilization, 200 MHz). The flip-chip BGA exposes the die through the package substrate for direct heatsink or cold-plate attachment; without forced airflow (>=200 LFM) the device will throttle and risk long-term reliability. Always include a thermal interface material and validate with a thermocouple on the package top during bring-up.
The 780-ball FCBGA requires a multi-layer PCB (>=12 layers recommended) with microvia or via-in-pad technology to escape the 1.0 mm ball pitch. Per the Stratix III handbook, all VCCINT and VCCAUX balls must be decoupled with 0.1 uF and 10 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 100 mils of the balls. Use a continuous ground plane on the top inner layer to minimize return-path inductance for high-speed LVDS pairs.
Stratix III E devices require a specific power-on sequence: VCCINT must rise before VCCAUX, and configuration must not begin until both rails are stable. Failing to enforce this sequence can cause high inrush current and configuration failure. Use a power sequencer IC (e.g., TI TPS65040) or a CPLD supervisor to enforce sequencing. Also, do not hot-plug the device - always ramp rails from 0 V to prevent latch-up.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Altera (now Intel) product page; AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGA family.
