EP3SE260H780I4LG - Stratix III E FPGA 255K LE HBGA-780 | Intel
MPN: EP3SE260H780I4LG ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3200 | $3,200.00 |
| 10 | $3050 | $30,500.00 |
| 50 | $2880 | $144,000.00 |
| 100 | $2720 | $272,000.00 |
| 250 | $2580 | $645,000.00 |
EP3SE260H780I4LG Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reprogrammable semiconductor device built from an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), routing channels, and hardened IP such as memory, multipliers, transceivers, and PLLs. FPGAs sit hierarchically below Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) but above general-purpose microcontrollers in the programmable-logic taxonomy, allowing hardware-level parallelism and post-manufacture functional changes. The Stratix III Enhanced family targets applications that require very high logic density combined with low static and dynamic power, achieved through Altera's programmable power technology and adaptive logic modules.
Key features include 840 18x18 multipliers, 304 DSP blocks, 4 fractional PLLs plus 4 general-purpose PLLs, support for external memory interfaces including DDR3 up to 800 MHz, and an industrial temperature range of -40C to +100C. The HBGA-780 package supports high pin count with manageable board real estate for telecom, broadcast, and high-performance computing backplanes. Configuration is supported via JTAG, Passive Serial, Fast Passive Parallel, and Active Serial schemes through dedicated configuration pins.
The architecture combines the Quartus II design-flow benefits with TSMC's 65 nm low-power process, providing deterministic timing closure for multi-gigabit serial and parallel interfaces. Hardware designers typically pair the device with high-speed external SRAM/DDR3, multi-gigabit transceivers (via the Stratix III Enhanced variant), and protocol IP cores for PCIe Gen1/Gen2, Serial RapidIO, Gbps Ethernet, and Interlaken.
Typical applications include wireless baseband processing, high-end medical imaging, ASIC prototyping, broadcast video processing, and high-frequency trading acceleration. Designers working on signal intelligence (SIGINT) platforms and defense radar also rely on the EP3SE260 density for channelization and beamforming workloads.
When designing with this FPGA, use Intel Quartus II software v13.1 or later for synthesis, place-and-route, and PowerPlay power estimation. Verify thermal envelopes via junction-to-ambient and junction-to-case thermal resistance figures from the package datasheet, as BGA-780 at full utilization commonly exceeds 10 W.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing from DigiKey and Mouser, drop-in same-package alternatives drawn from the Site MPN list, and practical design notes - synthesis unavailable on the manufacturer product page alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE260H780I4LG — 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 EP3SE260H780I4LG (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Family, Logic Elements, Mounting Type, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE260H780I4L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780I4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1390 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780C4LG
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1290 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780C4L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1190 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE110F780I4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1850 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780I4LG Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix III Enhanced |
| Family | EP3SE260 |
| Logic Elements | 255,000 LE |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 102,000 ALM |
| Embedded Memory | 15.90 Mbit |
| DSP Blocks | 304 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 840 |
| User I/O | 488 |
| PLLs | 8 (4 fractional + 4 general-purpose) |
| Speed Grade | -4 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (I) |
| Package | 780-ball FineLine BGA (HBGA) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C |
| Process Technology | 65 nm low-power CMOS |
| Configuration Method | JTAG / Passive Serial / Fast Passive Parallel / Active Serial |
EP3SE260H780I4LG 780-ball fineline bga (hbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SE260H780I4LG (780-ball fineline bga (hbga) 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 EP3SE260H780I4LG.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SE260H780I4LG is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband Processing, Medical Imaging Systems (CT / MRI / Ultrasound), High-Frequency Trading Acceleration, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Broadcast Video Processing, Military and Defense Signal Intelligence (SIGINT).
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP3SE260H780I4LG's 304 DSP blocks and 840 18x18 multipliers deliver the MAC-level processing throughput required for LTE and 5G NR baseband channel cards, where designers implement uplink/downlink FFT/iFFT, channel estimation, and MIMO detectors. The 488 user I/O pins allow direct parallel attachment to multiple ADC/DAC front-ends (e.g., TI ADC32RF45) without external muxing, while the eight PLLs generate the deterministic low-jitter clocks required for CPRI / OBSAI fronthaul links. Quartus II IP cores for Turbo decoding, Viterbi, and LDPC are pre-verified on this device family, reducing time-to-prototype by several months.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Systems (CT / MRI / Ultrasound)
The 15.90 Mbit of embedded block memory and 840 multipliers of the EP3SE260H780I4LG are well matched to medical imaging pipelines that perform real-time beamforming, image reconstruction, and FIR filtering on raw ultrasound or CT detector streams. Industrial temperature grade supports continuous operation in hospital equipment rooms, while deterministic routing and the 304 DSP blocks sustain the multiple-GOPS processing rate needed for image-rate reconstruction. Reference designs for back-projection and filtered back-projection are available in the Altera DSP Builder library.
Recommended
High-Frequency Trading Acceleration
The EP3SE260H780I4LG's 65 nm low-power CMOS fabric provides the deterministic sub-microsecond latency required for order-book processing and market-data fan-out in high-frequency trading appliances. The 488 user I/O pins enable direct attachment to multiple 10 Gbps Ethernet MACs and low-latency DRAM, while the 304 DSP blocks accelerate pricing-model arithmetic. Industrial temperature range supports deployment in co-located server rooms where ambient temperatures exceed commercial grade limits. Quartus II incremental compile and TimeQuest sign-off ensure repeatable timing closure across firmware revisions.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
With 255K logic elements and 488 user I/O, the EP3SE260H780I4LG can partition and emulate mid-complexity ASICs for pre-silicon validation. The Quartus II design flow supports multi-FPGAs chip-linking via LVDS or SERDES, and the 15.90 Mbit embedded memory is enough to hold representative traffic generators and BIST monitors. Designers using this device for ASIC prototyping typically map gate-equivalent ASICs up to ~3-4 million gates depending on memory and DSP usage. Speed grade -4 is preferred for prototyping because of its mid-band timing margin that aligns with typical ASIC PVT corners.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP3SE260H780I4LG supports 4K UHD real-time video processing including motion-adaptive deinterlacing, scaling, and frame-rate conversion, thanks to its high DSP and on-chip memory bandwidth. Industrial temperature grade supports continuous operation in 24/7 broadcast headend equipment, while the 488 user I/O accommodate multiple HDMI 2.0 / SDI / DisplayPort input-output streams via companion HDMI and SDI PHY devices. Quartus II IP library provides pre-verified Video and Image Processing (VIP) Suite cores for rapid integration.
Recommended
Military and Defense Signal Intelligence (SIGINT)
The EP3SE260H780I4LG's combination of high logic density, industrial temperature range, and DSP throughput makes it suitable for SIGINT platforms performing wideband channelization, digital down-conversion, and demodulation of radar and communication signals. Designers implement polyphase filter banks and FFT/iFFT pipelines across the 304 DSP blocks and 840 multipliers, while the 488 user I/O support direct interface to multi-channel wideband ADC front-ends. Industrial temperature rating and BGA-780 mechanical robustness suit deployed defense systems in extreme environments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE260H780I4LG — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE260H780I4L | EP3SE260H780I4 | EP3SE260H780C4LG | EP3SE260H780C4L | EP3SE110F780I4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 780-ball FineLine BGA (HBGA) | 780-ball HBGA - same | 780-ball HBGA - same | 780-ball HBGA - same | 780-ball HBGA - same | 780-ball FBGA - same family |
| Logic Elements | 255,000 LE | 255,000 LE | 255,000 LE | 255,000 LE | 255,000 LE | 110,000 LE (-57%) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial | Industrial | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial |
| Speed Grade | -4 | -4 | -4 | -4 | -4 | -4 |
| RoHS Compliance Code 'G' | Yes (G suffix) | No (L suffix only) | No (no suffix) | Yes (G suffix) | No (L suffix only) | Yes (N suffix) |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Same-die drop-in alternative with full industrial temperature range (vs EP3SE260H780I4L)
- Higher logic density than smaller Stratix III family (vs EP3SE110F780I4N)
- Industrial temperature range for deployed systems (vs EP3SE260H780C4LG)
Design Notes
Estimated: At high utilization (>70% LE, >80% DSP), the EP3SE260H780I4LG can dissipate 8-12 W. With the HBGA-780 FineLine BGA package, junction-to-ambient thermal resistance theta_JA is typically in the 12-18 C/W range when using a 4-layer PCB with internal ground/power planes; thermal vias under the central BGA thermal balls and a heatsink are required for reliable operation above ~5 W. Use Quartus II PowerPlay Power Analyzer post place-and-route for accurate per-design figures.
Route all eight PLL power pins (VCC_PLL and VCCA_PLL) from a low-noise linear regulator with pi-filter decoupling (ferrite bead + 10 uF + 0.1 uF) - sharing digital switching noise on these rails will degrade transceiver jitter and core clock phase noise. Place DDR3 memory on the same board side as the FBGA to minimize stub length; use Fly-by topology for DDR3 clock with VTT termination at the end of the fly-by chain per JEDEC JESD79-3.
Do not confuse the EP3SE260 'Enhanced' family (this part) with the EP3SL340 'Logic' family - they share the 65 nm process and Quartus II flow but the SL variant lacks the enhanced DSP optimizations and may not support all IP cores designed for the SE family. Verify IP core device-family compatibility in Quartus II before synthesis. Configuration mode selection (JTAG/PS/FPP/AS) must be set before MSEL pin resistors are committed - late changes require board rework.
Use IBIS models from the Stratix III Device Handbook for SI simulation of DDR3 and LVDS links - the HBGA-780 pin pitch requires matched-length routing within +/-25 mil for DDR3 byte lanes and 100 ohm differential impedance for LVDS pairs. Apply TimeQuest timing constraints with proper set_input_delay/set_output_delay values derived from the companion memory or transceiver datasheet, not from default constraint templates.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance indicated by 'G' suffix in the part number per Altera / Intel part numbering convention. Lead-free (Pb-free) reflow-compatible per the HBGA-780 package MSL rating. AEC-Q100 is not applicable - this is an industrial-grade FPGA not qualified for automotive safety-critical systems. REACH and halogen-free status not explicitly stated in the provided data.
