EP3SE50F484I4LG - 47.5K LE Stratix III E FPGA, 484-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3SE50F484I4LG ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1680 | $1,680.00 |
| 10 | $1595 | $15,950.00 |
| 25 | $1510 | $37,750.00 |
| 50 | $1425 | $71,250.00 |
| 100 | $1340 | $134,000.00 |
EP3SE50F484I4LG Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs/ALMs) connected via programmable interconnect, allowing hardware designers to implement arbitrary digital logic and parallel processing functions after PCB fabrication. FPGAs sit within the broader taxonomy of programmable logic devices (PLDs), differing from CPLDs by offering higher logic density, embedded block RAM, DSP blocks, and high-speed transceiver capability. The Stratix III E family is targeted at high-performance signal processing, high-bandwidth data-path, and high-throughput ASIC prototyping applications where raw logic capacity, on-chip memory, and clocking precision are critical.
The EP3SE50F484I4LG integrates 19,000 Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs), 2,640 Kbits of MLAB memory, 5,760 Kbits of total embedded RAM, 104 DSP blocks (18x18 multipliers), and 8 PLLs. It supports up to 296 general-purpose I/O pins with adaptive logic module architecture and offers a maximum user I/O count that makes it well suited for high-density parallel interface aggregation. Its configuration is via a passive serial, fast passive parallel, or JTAG interface, and it supports design security with 256-bit AES bitstream encryption.
The architecture combines ALM-based logic fabric with TriMatrix embedded memory (MLAB + M9K + M144K blocks), dedicated DSP slices, and a rich clock network with up to 16 global clocks plus PLLs. This combination enables efficient implementation of wide datapaths, FFT pipelines, and multi-channel serial interfaces. The device also includes features for signal integrity, such as programmable drive strength, on-chip termination (OCT), and dynamic phase alignment.
Typical applications include high-speed ASIC prototyping, wireline telecom line-card processing, radar and baseband signal processing, broadcast video infrastructure, and high-performance DSP co-processing cards. Industrial -40C to +100C operation also suits military/aerospace ground systems and test-and-measurement instrumentation where commercial-grade FPGAs are thermally inadequate.
Designers should note the 484-FCBGA ball-grid footprint requires controlled-impedance PCB routing and a multi-layer stack-up with buried microstrip or stripline for high-speed LVDS/SERDES signals. Plan power sequencing for the 1.1 V core, 2.5 V/3.0 V auxiliary, and I/O banks independently, and verify JTAG/AS configuration modes against board-level bring-up flow. Because Stratix III is in Intel's last-time-buy/end-of-life phase, second-source considerations and lifecycle planning should be a procurement priority.
This page synthesizes verified distributor stock and pricing, lifecycle status, same-family drop-in variants, and PCB-level design notes that are not consolidated on the manufacturer datasheet or distributor parametric page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE50F484I4LG — 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 EP3SE50F484I4LG (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Embedded Memory, Family, RoHS Status, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE50F484I4L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1290 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484I4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$730 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484I4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$285 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484C4L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1020 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE110F484I4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP3SE50F484I4LG Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix III E |
| Family | Stratix III (Enhanced) |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 47,500 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 19,000 |
| LABs/CLBs | 1,900 |
| Total Embedded Memory | 5,760,000 bits (5.49 Mbit / 5.76 Mbit per source) |
| Number of DSP Blocks | 104 (18x18 multipliers) |
| Number of PLLs | 8 |
| User I/O Count | 296 |
| Core Supply Voltage (Vccint) | 0.86 V to 1.15 V (1.1 V nominal) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -40C to +100C (Industrial, TJ) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (SMD/SMT) |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA / FCBGA |
| Packaging | Tray |
| Process Technology | 40 nm CMOS |
| Configuration Interface | Passive Serial / Fast Passive Parallel / JTAG |
| Bitstream Encryption | 256-bit AES |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3SE50F484I4LG 484-ball fbga / fcbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SE50F484I4LG (484-ball fbga / fcbga 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 EP3SE50F484I4LG.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SE50F484I4LG is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Speed DSP Co-Processing, Wireline Telecom Line-Card Processing, Broadcast Video Infrastructure, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Industrial Control and Factory Automation.
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3SE50F484I4LG is well suited for ASIC prototyping where the 47,500 logic elements, 5.76 Mbit embedded RAM, and 104 DSP blocks provide enough capacity to map medium-complexity ASICs. Industrial -40C to +100C operation enables bench-top emulation in lab environments without active cooling, while the 296 user I/Os accommodate real-world ASIC pad counts up to 296 pins. Designers should use Quartus II design partitioning and the 256-bit AES bitstream encryption to protect IP during multi-vendor bring-up.
Recommended
High-Speed DSP Co-Processing
The 104 dedicated 18x18 DSP blocks in the EP3SE50F484I4LG deliver up to ~150 GMAC/s of multiply-accumulate throughput at 350 MHz, suitable for FIR filter banks, FFT pipelines (up to 1024 points at 100 kHz), and multi-channel baseband processing. The 8 PLLs enable independent clock domain synthesis for sample-rate conversion, while 5.76 Mbit of TriMatrix embedded memory provides distributed data buffering. Compared to a discrete DSP chip, the integrated FPGA DSP slice eliminates external memory access bottlenecks in tight inner loops.
Recommended
Wireline Telecom Line-Card Processing
Telecom line-card designs benefit from the EP3SE50F484I4LG's combination of 296 user I/Os, 8 PLLs for clock-domain multiplexing, and sufficient logic capacity for cross-connect fabrics up to OC-48 rates. Industrial temperature operation handles central-office equipment thermal envelopes, while the 1.1 V core voltage keeps board-level power within typical NEBS-compliant 80 W line-card budgets. LVDS-capable I/O banks support direct interface to popular framers and SERDES chips without external glue logic.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Infrastructure
The EP3SE50F484I4LG supports uncompressed SDI/HD-SDI video processing at 1.485 Gbps and 3 Gbps data rates through its LVDS I/O banks, with enough logic for color-space conversion, frame-store, and overlay mixing functions. Embedded M9K and M144K memory blocks can hold at least 1 frame of 1080p/60 video (approximately 250 Mbit of pixel data) without external SRAM. Designers typically pair the FPGA with an external SDI equalizer/cable driver for the physical layer.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Test equipment such as protocol analyzers, logic analyzers, and oscilloscope front-ends leverage the EP3SE50F484I4LG's parallel DSP throughput, 296 I/Os for multi-channel acquisition, and industrial temperature range for lab environments. The 256-bit AES bitstream encryption protects proprietary measurement IP, and Quartus II In-System Debug with SignalTap logic analyzer allows real-time verification without external test access. Compared to microcontrollers, the FPGA provides deterministic latency for time-critical trigger logic.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Factory Automation
The EP3SE50F484I4LG's -40C to +100C industrial temperature range and 47.5K logic elements support deterministic industrial control applications such as multi-axis motor control, machine vision pre-processing, and industrial Ethernet protocol bridging. The 8 PLLs allow independent timing for EtherCAT, PROFINET, and SERCOS III domains, while 104 DSP blocks handle real-time control loops. Industrial-grade MTBF exceeds 10 years in typical 24/7 factory deployments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE50F484I4LG — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE50F484I4L | EP3SE50F484I4 | EP3SE50F484I4G | EP3SE50F484C4L | EP3SE110F484I4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-FCBGA (F484) | 484-FCBGA (F484) - same | 484-FCBGA (F484) - same | 484-FCBGA (F484) - same | 484-FCBGA (F484) - same | 484-FCBGA (F484) - same |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE | 107,500 LE |
| Embedded Memory | 5.76 Mbit | 5.76 Mbit | 5.76 Mbit | 5.76 Mbit | 5.76 Mbit | 8.85 Mbit |
| DSP Blocks | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 | 104 | 224 |
| PLLs | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| User I/Os | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C | -40C to +100C | -40C to +100C | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | -40C to +100C |
Key Differentiators
- Mid-density Stratix III E with industrial temp grade (vs EP3SE50F484C4L)
- Drop-in upgrade path to 107K LE within same package (vs EP3SE110F484I4)
- High-performance alternative to Cyclone III (vs EP3C80F484I7)
Design Notes
The EP3SE50F484I4LG requires three independent power rails: VCCINT (1.1 V core, 0.86-1.15 V tolerance), VCCAUX (2.5 V), and VCCIO (1.2-3.3 V depending on I/O bank standard). Use a sequence of 1.1 V core first, then 2.5 V aux, then I/O to avoid latch-up during power-up. Estimated quiescent current draw at room temperature is approximately 0.5-1.5 A on VCCINT; use a 4-layer PCB with a dedicated ground plane and bulk decoupling (10 uF + 100 nF) near each VCC pin group.
Estimated: at 100% resource utilization with 50% toggle rate and a junction temperature target of 100C, the EP3SE50F484I4LG dissipates approximately 3-5 W. The 484-FCBGA package has a typical theta_JA around 12-15 C/W on a 4-layer JEDEC test board, so a 50C ambient yields a junction temperature near 90C. For continuous operation above 50C ambient, consider adding thermal vias under the central ball grid and a small heatsink, especially for industrial deployments.
The 484-FCBGA package uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch, requiring PCB pad diameters of 0.4-0.5 mm with non-solder-mask-defined (NSMD) pads. Use microvia-in-pad stack-up with at least 4 layers to break out all signal balls; ensure impedance-controlled routing (50 ohm single-ended, 100 ohm differential) for LVDS and external-memory interfaces. Pinout is documented in the Stratix III Device Handbook, Volume 2, 'Pin Information' chapter - download from intel.com.
Stratix III devices require Intel (Altera) Quartus II software, not Intel Quartus Prime - the legacy support is via Quartus II version 13.0 or later with a maintenance update. Use the Stratix III Device Handbook 'Pin Connection Guidelines' PDF to verify differential pair polarity, JTAG chain ordering, and unused-pin recommendations. Configuration mode pins (MSEL[0..3]) must match the chosen configuration scheme (AS, PS, FPP, JTAG); incorrect settings result in configuration failure that can mimic a bad FPGA.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Intel/Altera product documentation; AEC-Q100 not applicable to FPGAs - automotive qualification is at the system level, not the FPGA component. Reach, halogen-free, and conflict-mineral declarations not explicitly stated in verified data and marked as 'unknown'.
