EP3SE50F484I4N - Stratix III E FPGA 47.5K LE FBGA-484 | Intel
MPN: EP3SE50F484I4N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1250 | $1,250.00 |
| 10 | $1180 | $11,800.00 |
| 100 | $1095 | $109,500.00 |
| 250 | $1042 | $260,500.00 |
| 500 | $998 | $499,000.00 |
EP3SE50F484I4N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reconfigurable logic device in the programmable-logic family, sitting alongside CPLDs and structured ASICs in the broader integrated-circuit taxonomy (FPGA -> programmable logic -> logic IC -> semiconductor). FPGAs combine configurable logic blocks (LUTs), programmable interconnect, dedicated block RAM, DSP blocks, and high-speed transceiver fabrics, allowing post-silicon functional changes without re-spinning the board. The Stratix III generation specifically emphasized lower static power versus Stratix II, achieved through programmable power technology that selectively powers unused logic regions.
Key features of the EP3SE50F484I4N include 1,900 LABs (Logic Array Blocks), TriMatrix embedded memory totaling 2,136 Kbits across M9K/M144K blocks, 384 18x18 hardware multipliers for DSP, eight transceiver-like PLLs and 48 global clock networks, and support for external memory interfaces including DDR3, DDR2, and QDR II+ via dedicated PHY blocks. The F484 package variant provides 296 user I/Os distributed across 12 I/O banks, supporting a mix of LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, HSTL, SSTL, and PCI Express signaling at data rates to 1.25 Gbps.
Typical applications span telecom baseband processing, high-end test and measurement, ASIC prototyping, military and aerospace signal processing, and high-speed serial protocol bridging. Designers select this part when they need Stratix III E logic capacity without transceivers but with rich DSP and memory bandwidth in a moderate-pin-count FC-FBGA package.
When designing with this FPGA, plan power-rail sequencing carefully: the core (VCC), analog (VCCA_PLL, VCCAUX), and I/O (VCCIO per bank) supplies have specific ramp-order requirements. Use Intel's Quartus II PowerPlay early power estimator before final pinout commitment to validate thermal envelopes.
This page synthesizes current distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical Stratix III E design notes that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet summary, including I/O bank planning and memory interface frequency trade-offs.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE50F484I4N — 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 EP3SE50F484I4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Family, Embedded Memory.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE50F484I4LN
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$895 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484I4L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1290 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484I4G
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$285 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484I4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$730 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484I3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$841.66 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484C4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$468.11 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F484I4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Stratix III E |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 47,500 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 19,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,900 |
| Embedded Memory (TriMatrix) | 2,136 Kbits |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 384 |
| User I/Os | 296 |
| I/O Banks | 12 |
| PLLs | 8 |
| Global Clock Networks | 16 |
| Maximum User I/O Frequency | 800 MHz (per DigChip datasheet summary) |
| Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS |
| Core Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Package | 484-ball FC-FBGA (F484) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to +85 C (Industrial) |
| Speed Grade | I4 |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Lead-free (per ampheo listing) |
EP3SE50F484I4N 484-ball fc-fbga (f484) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SE50F484I4N (484-ball fc-fbga (f484) 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 EP3SE50F484I4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SE50F484I4N is suitable for 7 applications: Telecom Baseband Processing, ASIC Prototyping, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, High-Speed Memory Interface Bridging, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Industrial Control and Automation, High-Performance DSP Front-End.
Telecom Baseband Processing
The EP3SE50F484I4N fits telecom baseband line-card and channel-card designs where 47,500 LEs, 384 18x18 multipliers, and 2.136 Mbits of TriMatrix memory deliver sufficient DSP and packet-buffer capacity for moderate-channel-count PHY layers. Its 12 I/O banks support LVDS links to companion framer ASICs and DDR2/QDR II+ external memory for symbol storage. Industrial 0 to 85 C operation matches NEBS-compliant equipment chassis requirements. Designers leverage the programmable power technology to gate unused logic regions, keeping static current low even with a large device at high utilization.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping
The EP3SE50F484I4N serves as a high-capacity prototyping vehicle for ASIC and SoC designs that fit within 47.5K LEs and require 296 user I/Os to break out wide internal buses. Stratix III E devices are broadly supported by Synopsys Synplify and Mentor Precision RTL flows, making them a popular emulation and validation target for pre-silicon verification. The F484 FC-FBGA package's 1.0 mm pitch allows low-cost FR-4 prototype boards. Multiple EP3SE50 parts can be tiled with LVDS bridges to scale to larger ASIC prototypes when needed.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Instruments such as protocol analyzers, logic-state generators, and mixed-signal testers use the EP3SE50F484I4N for high-speed stimulus generation, real-time data capture, and pattern matching. The 800 MHz maximum internal frequency and 384 multipliers provide ample headroom for inline DSP such as PRBS generation, eye-diagram metrics, and protocol decoding. LVDS I/Os connect to high-speed ADCs and DACs at hundreds of MSPS. Industrial temperature rating suits bench and lab environments, while the FC-FBGA package provides the signal integrity required for sub-nanosecond edge rates.
Recommended
High-Speed Memory Interface Bridging
The EP3SE50F484I4N integrates dedicated external memory interface PHYs that natively support DDR3, DDR2, DDR, and QDR II/QDR II+ memories, making it ideal for protocol-conversion cards that bridge between older and newer memory standards. The 2.136 Mbit embedded block RAM complements external memory as a low-latency cache or write buffer. Eight PLLs and 16 global clock networks support multiple synchronized memory channels at different frequencies, useful for migration gateways in legacy telecom and military systems.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
Although the EP3SE50F484I4N itself is the commercial 0 to 85 C industrial variant, its Stratix III E silicon is available in military temperature grades (EP3SE50F484C2) and is widely used in defense electronics for radar, electronic-warfare, and secure-communications signal processing. The architecture's 384 multipliers enable real-time FFT, FIR, and pulse-compression algorithms. Designers commonly pair the EP3SE50 with companion ADCs and DACs via LVDS, using the FC-FBGA package's signal-integrity advantages for sub-nanosecond edge rates.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Automation
The EP3SE50F484I4N is well-suited to industrial control platforms where determinism, multiple communication protocols, and motor-control DSP converge on a single device. The 384 18x18 multipliers implement field-oriented control (FOC) and Park/Clarke transforms for multi-axis motor drives, while 296 user I/Os handle quadrature encoders, PWM outputs, and fieldbus transceivers like EtherCAT or Profinet. Stratix III E's programmable power technology reduces heat in sealed enclosures where forced-air cooling is limited, and 0 to 85 C operation matches industrial cabinet environments.
Recommended
High-Performance DSP Front-End
Front-end DSP cards in radar and software-defined-radio (SDR) systems use the EP3SE50F484I4N for channelization, decimation, and digital down-conversion prior to downstream processing. The 384 multipliers and 2.136 Mbit block RAM enable real-time FIR filter banks and FFT engines of several hundred taps, with LVDS I/Os receiving wide-bit ADC samples at hundreds of MHz. The F484 FC-FBGA package exposes enough pins to fan out multiple parallel ADC channels without external muxing, and 16 global clock networks support phase-aligned multi-channel acquisition.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE50F484I4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE50F484I4LN | EP3SE50F484I4L | EP3SE50F484I3N | EP3SE50F484C4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 484-ball FC-FBGA (F484) | 484-ball FC-FBGA (F484) - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA (F484) - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA (F484) - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA (F484) - same |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 | 47,500 - identical | 47,500 - identical | 47,500 - identical | 47,500 - identical |
| Embedded Memory | 2,136 Kbits | 2,136 Kbits - identical | 2,136 Kbits - identical | 2,136 Kbits - identical | 2,136 Kbits - identical |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 384 | 384 - identical | 384 - identical | 384 - identical | 384 - identical |
| User I/Os | 296 | 296 - identical | 296 - identical | 296 - identical | 296 - identical |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (0 to 85 C) | Industrial (0 to 85 C) - same | Industrial (0 to 85 C) - same | Industrial (0 to 85 C) - same | Commercial (0 to 85 C) - same range |
| Speed Grade | I4 (slower I-grade) | I4 - same | I4 - same | I3 - faster (~10-15% Fmax) | C4 - commercial grade |
Key Differentiators
- Same-die drop-in replacement with lead-free terminal finish (vs EP3SE50F484I4LN)
- Faster speed grade available in same package (vs EP3SE50F484I3N)
- Broad Stratix III E family density scaling with shared package (vs EP3SE110F780I4N)
Design Notes
Stratix III E devices require carefully sequenced power-on of VCC (1.1 V core), VCCA_PLL/VCCAUX (2.5 V analog), and VCCIO per bank. According to the Stratix III Device Handbook, VCCA_PLL and VCCAUX must ramp before or simultaneously with VCC to avoid latch-up; violation can permanently damage the device. Use a multi-rail controller with Power-On-Reset (POR) and brown-out monitoring. Designers should run Intel's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator pre-layout and PowerPlay Power Analyzer post-layout to validate thermal envelope.
The F484 FC-FBGA has a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance theta_JA in the 14 to 22 C/W range (package-dependent, airflow-dependent). Stratix III E uses programmable power technology; disable LAB clocks and unused logic in the Quartus II fitter to cut static power. For designs exceeding ~5 W dissipation, mandatory thermal management includes a heat spreader, thermal interface material, and airflow. Use on-die temperature-sense diodes with external ADC for real-time monitoring.
The 484-ball FC-FBGA at 1.0 mm pitch requires microvia stack-up, typically a 6- to 8-layer PCB with via-in-pad for the inner-row balls. Use 50 ohm controlled-impedance traces for LVDS, DDR, and clock nets. Pair the EP3SE50F484I4N with DDR3/DDR2 memories using matched-length data/address/clock routing within 25 ps skew; QDR II+ has tighter ~10 ps requirements. Intel provides board-design guidelines and reference schematics in the Stratix III External Memory Interface Handbook.
Common pitfalls: (1) using C-speed grade parts in industrial chassis expecting I-grade reliability; (2) leaving unused PLL VCCA pins floating instead of tying to VCCAUX through ferrite beads; (3) exceeding the maximum of 16 global clock networks when designing multi-channel memory interfaces; (4) using pull-ups on JTAG TCK instead of leaving it floating as recommended; (5) failing to de-bounce the configuration nCONFIG line, which can cause intermittent reconfiguration on noisy rails.
For sub-nanosecond LVDS edges (above 500 Mbps), maintain 100 ohm differential impedance and keep pairs length-matched within 5 ps. Use IBIS simulation with Quartus II SignalTap and third-party tools (HyperLynx, Ansys SIwave) for critical nets such as DDR3 strobe, PCI Express reference clocks, and external PHY interfaces. SSO (simultaneous switching output) analysis is mandatory when more than 20 I/Os in a bank toggle simultaneously; design may require drive-strength adjustment or bank re-balancing.
Compliance Information
Lead-free per ampheo listing. RoHS compliance verified for the LN/G suffix variants; REACH compliance not stated in verified web data.
