EP3SE50F484C3 - Stratix III E FPGA, 47.5K LE, 484-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP3SE50F484C3 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1096.2 | $1,096.20 |
| 10 | $1015 | $10,150.00 |
| 25 | $940 | $23,500.00 |
| 50 | $875 | $43,750.00 |
| 100 | $820 | $82,000.00 |
EP3SE50F484C3 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reconfigurable integrated circuit that lets engineers implement arbitrary digital logic through a programmable fabric of logic elements (LEs), embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and a programmable interconnect network. FPGAs occupy a unique position between general-purpose processors (CPUs/MCUs) and fixed-function ASICs - more flexible than an ASIC but with deterministic latency and much higher parallel throughput than a microcontroller. The Stratix III E family specifically emphasizes high logic density and DSP performance at lower static power than the prior Stratix II generation, making it well-suited for compute-intensive applications in wireless, video processing, and test equipment.
Key features of the EP3SE50F484C3 include up to 800 MHz internal operation, 19 of the 24 available high-speed transceivers supported by the die (package-dependent), dedicated hardware multipliers and DSP blocks, and TriMatrix embedded memory supporting true dual-port RAM, simple dual-port RAM, and shift-register configurations. Configuration is supported via active serial (AS), passive serial (PS), fast passive parallel (FPP), and JTAG modes.
The architecture uses an 8-input adaptive logic module (ALM) that combines the flexibility of LUT-based logic with arithmetic carry chains, allowing designers to map legacy 4-input LUT designs efficiently while gaining extra logic capacity for wide datapath functions. MultiTrack interconnect and routing switches are tuned to minimize congestion at high utilization.
Typical applications include ASIC prototyping for verification of multi-million-gate designs, high-speed image processing pipelines, wireless baseband processing, and bridging between high-speed serial protocols. The 296 user I/Os and abundant LVDS pairs make the device especially strong for parallel data acquisition cards and high-resolution video frame grabbers.
When designing with this device, consider a proper power-sequencing strategy for core and I/O supplies, sufficient decoupling near each power pin, and use of Altera's Quartus II design software (or compatible third-party tools) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Thermal management must account for the worst-case junction temperature under maximum toggle rate.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, identical-footprint alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, helping procurement and engineering teams make a faster, more informed decision on this legacy Stratix III E part.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE50F484C3 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 EP3SE50F484C3 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Family, RoHS Status, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE50F484C2
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$895 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE50F484C2G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1180 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE50F484C2N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$5934.83 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE50F484C3N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$832.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE50F484C4N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$468.11 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE50F484C4
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$215 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE50F484C3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Stratix III E (Enhanced) |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 47,500 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALM) | 19,000 |
| Embedded Memory (M9K + M144K) | 5,760 Kbits |
| DSP Blocks (18x18 multipliers) | 384 |
| User I/Os | 296 |
| Internal Operating Frequency | Up to 800 MHz |
| Process Technology | 40 nm TSMC |
| Speed Grade | C3 (mid) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (Commercial) |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Modes | AS, PS, FPP, JTAG |
EP3SE50F484C3 484-ball fbga (fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SE50F484C3 (484-ball fbga (fineline bga) 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 EP3SE50F484C3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SE50F484C3 is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Speed Image and Video Processing, Wireless Baseband Processing, High-Speed Test and Measurement Equipment, Industrial Control and High-Speed Bridging, Digital Signal Processing and Algorithm Acceleration.
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3SE50F484C3 is widely used to prototype ASIC RTL that targets 100-300 MHz fmax. Its 47,500 logic elements, 5,760 Kbits of TriMatrix embedded memory (M9K and M144K blocks), and 384 dedicated 18x18 multipliers give enough capacity to map millions of ASIC gates and run regression suites before tape-out. The 296 user I/Os in the 484-FBGA package provide generous breakout for real-world stimuli and observation probes, while Quartus II design flow integrates with industry-standard synthesis (Synopsys Synplify, Mentor Precision) for fast bring-up.
Recommended
High-Speed Image and Video Processing
The EP3SE50F484C3's abundant LVDS pairs and parallel I/O make it well suited to real-time image processing pipelines, frame grabbers, and video format conversion. Designers typically feed Camera Link, LVDS, or sub-LVDS sensor data into the FPGA, perform pixel processing (white balance, gamma, de-mosaic, scaling) in DSP blocks, then output via HDMI, DisplayPort, or DVI. The 47.5K LE fabric comfortably handles one to two megapixel pipelines at 60-150 MHz pixel rates without external memory controllers beyond standard DDR2 SDRAM interfaces.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband Processing
Stratix III E devices are frequently deployed in 3G/4G baseband and digital predistortion (DPD) cards where the combination of 384 DSP blocks and 5,760 Kbits of embedded memory provides per-sample processing rates that microcontrollers and DSP processors cannot match. The EP3SE50F484C3 in particular handles two to four antenna MIMO channels at 20 MHz LTE sampling rates, with ample LVDS pairs for CPRI or OBSAI backhaul connectivity to RRH modules. Quartus II's hardened CPRI intellectual property cores accelerate integration of these radio-over-fronthaul links.
Recommended
High-Speed Test and Measurement Equipment
Test and measurement instrument designers favor Stratix III E FPGAs for the high I/O count and abundant LVDS resources. The EP3SE50F484C3 enables logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and mixed-signal testers with hundreds of acquisition channels running at 250-500 Mbps, with embedded TriMatrix memory acting as deep capture buffers. Hardened PCIe, Gigabit Ethernet, or external memory controller IP lets designers ship PCIe-over-cable or USB-based instruments with short design cycles.
Recommended
Industrial Control and High-Speed Bridging
The EP3SE50F484C3 is used as a protocol bridge between legacy industrial interfaces (PCI, ISA, parallel GPIO) and modern serial standards (PCI Express, Serial RapidIO, Gigabit Ethernet). Its 296 user I/Os comfortably absorb wide legacy buses (32-64 bit), while dedicated transceiver channels (where available in the larger package) or external PHYs handle modern serial links. Industrial 0C-85C commercial temperature screening suits factory-floor deployments in control cabinets, PLC backplanes, and SCADA I/O concentrators.
Recommended
Digital Signal Processing and Algorithm Acceleration
With 384 hardware 18x18 multipliers, the EP3SE50F484C3 delivers up to roughly 76 GMACs of DSP performance, ideal for FFTs, FIR/IIR filters, and adaptive beamforming in radar, sonar, and medical imaging. The high ratio of DSP blocks to logic elements means algorithms such as 1024-point radix-4 FFTs fit comfortably with leftover logic for control state machines and memory arbitration. Many algorithm-acceleration accelerator cards slot the EP3SE50F484C3 behind a PCIe x4/x8 edge connector for host offload.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE50F484C3 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE50F484C2 | EP3SE50F484C2G | EP3SE50F484C2N | EP3SE50F484C3N | EP3SE50F484C4N | EP3SE50F484C4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-FBGA | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same | 484-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 |
| Speed Grade | C3 | C2 (faster) | C2 (faster) | C2 (faster) | C3 (same) | C4 (slower) | C4 (slower) |
| User I/Os | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 |
| Embedded Memory (Kbits) | 5,760 | 5,760 | 5,760 | 5,760 | 5,760 | 5,760 | 5,760 |
| DSP Blocks | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 | 384 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) | 0C to 85C (Commercial) |
Key Differentiators
- Same-die speed-grade flexibility within the same 484-FBGA footprint (vs EP3SE50F484C2)
- Lead-free / RoHS material variants available as drop-in alternatives (vs EP3SE50F484C3N)
- Mid-density Stratix III E positioned between 25K LE EP3SE25 and 110K LE EP3SE110 (vs EP3SE110F1152C3)
Design Notes
Estimated: Stratix III E devices require multiple supply rails (VCCINT core, VCCIO for I/O banks, VCCPD for pre-drivers, VCCAUX for PLL/auxiliary, VCCCHIP for transceiver PLL). Use Altera's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet to model worst-case power before committing to PCB stackup. Place decoupling capacitors (0.1 uF X7R plus bulk 47-220 uF polymer) within 100 mils of each power pin to suppress transient current spikes during high-toggle-rate operation. Power-on reset requires all rails to ramp within 100 ms of each other; a sequencer or voltage-tracking supervisor is recommended for multi-rail systems.
Estimated: A Stratix III E 47.5K-LE device at 100% utilization with high toggle rate can dissipate 4-6 W into a 484-FBGA package, which has theta_JA typically in the 15-20 C/W range for a properly designed 8-12 layer PCB. Without an external heatsink, junction temperature under commercial 0C-85C ambient operation is generally manageable, but for industrial -40C to 100C ambient operation a small heatsink or top-side airflow (200 LFM minimum) is recommended. Always validate thermal performance against the Quartus II PowerPlay Thermal Analyzer output before locking the mechanical enclosure design.
The 484-FBGA uses 1.0 mm ball pitch and 0.65 mm ball diameter, requiring HDI PCB fabrication (laser-drilled microvias on 4-1-4 stackup or buried vias). Escape routing through 4 signal layers is typical for BGA breakouts; via-in-pad with filled-and-capped microvias is recommended to minimize via stubs and improve signal integrity for high-speed LVDS pairs. Maintain at least one continuous ground plane reference for all signal layers to control return-path impedance. Use Altera's Stratix III pin connection guidelines to identify pins that must be tied to specific rails through ferrite beads or 0 ohm resistors (e.g., VCCPD pins per bank group).
Common pitfalls when designing with EP3SE50F484C3: (1) Failing to terminate unused LVDS pairs - leave them floating, do not tie to ground; (2) Using standard Quartus II settings instead of TimeQuest timing analyzer - Stratix III requires TimeQuest, not the older Classic Timing Analyzer; (3) Forgetting to enable the Configuration scheme (AS/PS/FPP/JTAG) via MSEL pins strapped before power-up - mismatched straps cause configuration failure; (4) Driving JTAG TCK faster than 33 MHz - Altera's BSDL files specify maximum TCK rates; (5) Neglecting the CRC error pin CHECK_STATUS during configuration - this pin must be monitored in safety-critical designs for configuration memory integrity.
Compliance Information
Compliance flags for EP3SE50F484C3 itself were not present in the Verified Web Data. Lead-free material status is encoded in the part-number suffix (G or N variants) per Altera's legacy Stratix III ordering scheme. Industrial / AEC-Q100 screening is not available for this family - choose EP3SE50F484I3 for industrial temperature if needed.