EP3SE80F780C3N - Stratix III 80K LE FPGA, 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3SE80F780C3N ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1725 | $17,250.00 |
| 50 | $1620 | $81,000.00 |
| 100 | $1545 | $154,500.00 |
| 250 | $1475 | $368,750.00 |
| 500 | $1410 | $705,000.00 |
EP3SE80F780C3N Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor integrated circuit composed of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated hard IP blocks (memory, DSP, transceivers, PLLs) that can be reconfigured by the designer after manufacture. FPGAs sit between general-purpose microcontrollers (sequential, software-defined) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) (fixed-function, high-volume) in the programmable-logic hierarchy: PLD -> CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA. They are widely used for hardware acceleration, high-speed signal processing, and prototyping ASICs.
Key features include up to 488 user I/Os, embedded TriMatrix memory blocks, dedicated DSP blocks for high-throughput arithmetic, MultiTrack interconnect for predictable timing closure, and support for high-speed external memory interfaces including DDR3. The 'C3' speed grade places this device in the mid-tier performance bin, and 'N' suffix indicates lead-free / Pb-free assembly. Internal logic-array frequency is rated to 800 MHz in this family, and fabric performance scales with design and routing constraints.
Typical applications include high-speed networking line cards, wireless baseband processing, military radar and electronic-warfare signal chains, medical imaging accelerators, ASIC prototyping, and high-performance computing offload engines. The large logic capacity and abundant I/O make it well suited to data-path-heavy designs that would otherwise require multiple smaller FPGAs.
When designing with this part, plan power-rail sequencing carefully - Stratix III requires multiple supply rails (VCC, VCCPD, VCCPT, VCCA, VCCH, VCCL) with strict monotonic-ramp requirements. Use the Quartus II PowerPlay early-power estimator before PCB layout to avoid thermal redesigns late in the cycle. JTAG, MSEL, and configuration-pin planning should follow the Stratix III Handbook reference schematics verbatim for first-pass board success.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE80F780C3N — 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 EP3SE80F780C3N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Logic Array Blocks (LABs), Maximum Operating Frequency.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE80F780C3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2050 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1180 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE110F780C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1245 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE110F780C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$305 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F780C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$717.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C3N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III |
| Logic Elements | 80,000 |
| Number of LABs | 3200 |
| Number of I/Os | 488 |
| Package Type | FBGA-780 (FineLine BGA) |
| Process Technology | 40 nm CMOS |
| Supply Voltage | 0.9 V core |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C (commercial) |
| Internal Frequency (max) | 717 MHz |
| Speed Grade | C3 |
| Lead-Free | Yes (Pb-free) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Memory Subsystem | TriMatrix embedded memory |
| DSP Blocks | Yes, dedicated DSP blocks |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Total Pins | 780 |
EP3SE80F780C3N fbga-780 (fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SE80F780C3N (fbga-780 (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 EP3SE80F780C3N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SE80F780C3N is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Networking Line Card, Wireless Baseband Processing, Military Radar and EW Signal Processing, Medical Imaging Accelerator, ASIC Prototyping Platform, High-Performance Computing Offload Engine.
High-Speed Networking Line Card
The EP3SE80F780C3N's 80,000 logic elements and 488 user I/Os make it an excellent fit for 10G/40G Ethernet line-card designs where multiple MAC engines, packet classifiers, and traffic managers must operate concurrently. The dedicated DSP blocks accelerate hash and CRC operations, while the TriMatrix embedded memory holds packet descriptors and lookup tables without external SRAM. Placed on a line-card PCB alongside external DDR3 and QSFP cages, this FPGA delivers wire-speed processing at latencies far below software-based router CPUs. Designers can implement up to 8 SERDES channels at 3.125 Gbps and dozens of LVDS pairs for inter-board backplane connectivity.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband Processing
Stratix III fabric with its dedicated DSP blocks and abundant on-chip memory is widely deployed in LTE and 5G NR baseband processing where the EP3SE80F780C3N's 80K LEs can implement channel estimation, FFT/iFFT pipelines, and MIMO detectors. The 717 MHz internal fabric frequency provides the headroom needed for real-time OFDM symbol processing at typical 30.72 Msps sample rates. Combined with the device's low-power 40 nm process, it achieves favorable performance-per-watt for outdoor RRH units. Its 488 user I/Os connect to ADC/DAC front-ends and CPRI/OBSAI links to baseband cards.
Recommended
Military Radar and EW Signal Processing
The EP3SE80F780C3N's combination of high logic density, dedicated DSP blocks for pulse-Doppler and STAP processing, and 488 I/Os suits phased-array radar and electronic-warfare front-end processing. Designers can implement adaptive beamforming weights, channelized receivers, and direction-finding algorithms on a single device, with on-chip memory sized to hold full radar-pulse records. The FBGA-780 package's 1.0 mm pitch supports high-density PCB routing required for multi-GHz analog front-end interfacing. Commercial temperature grade is acceptable for ground-based systems; airborne deployments require the EP3SE80F780I3N industrial variant.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Accelerator
Ultrasound beamformers, CT reconstruction engines, and MRI back-end processors leverage the EP3SE80F780C3N's parallel DSP capability and 80K LEs to deliver real-time image reconstruction at frame rates required by clinical workflows. The 488 user I/Os connect directly to multi-channel ADC arrays and LVDS display links, while TriMatrix memory holds 2D filter taps and image-line buffers. Using the Quartus II DSP Builder, designers implement vectorized FIR, FFT, and back-projection kernels without leaving the FPGA fabric. Low 0.9 V core voltage simplifies thermal management in cart-mounted portable ultrasound units.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EP3SE80F780C3N is widely used as an ASIC prototyping vehicle because its 80K LEs map cleanly to mid-complexity ASIC RTL blocks, and its 488 user I/Os offer full signal observability through the Logic Analyzer Interface. According to Altera's ASIC-proto methodology notes, multiple Stratix III FPGAs can be chained via LVDS to prototype ASICs exceeding 80K gates while preserving real-world timing characteristics. Partial reconfiguration allows iterative sub-block bring-up without full device reprogramming. Designers route all clocks through dedicated PLL banks to model final-ASIC clock-tree behavior.
Recommended
High-Performance Computing Offload Engine
Data-center acceleration cards use the EP3SE80F780C3N as an offload engine for genomic alignment, compression, and search workloads that benefit from FPGA parallelism. The 80K LEs run custom accelerators for BWT, Smith-Waterman, and gzip/zstd pipelines while the host CPU manages I/O orchestration. The 488 user I/Os accommodate multiple Gen2 PCIe lanes via soft IP plus external DDR3 controllers, and 717 MHz fabric frequency provides the throughput needed for streaming-data processing. Compared to GPU offload, this device delivers predictable latency and lower power at lower batch sizes.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE80F780C3N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE80F780C3 | EP3SE80F780C2N | EP3SE110F780C3N | EP3SE110F780C2N | EP3SE50F780C3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | FBGA-780 | FBGA-780 - same | FBGA-780 - same | FBGA-780 - same | FBGA-780 - same | FBGA-780 - same |
| Logic Elements | 80,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 | 110,000 | 110,000 | 50,000 |
| User I/Os | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Speed Grade | C3 | C3 | C2 | C3 | C2 | C3 |
| Lead-Free (N suffix) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C | 0 °C to 85 °C |
| Process Technology | 40 nm CMOS | 40 nm CMOS | 40 nm CMOS | 40 nm CMOS | 40 nm CMOS | 40 nm CMOS |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1) | US$1,850 | US$1,830 | US$1,950 | US$2,425 | US$2,560 | US$1,050 |
Key Differentiators
- Pin-compatible density migration in same F780 footprint (vs EP3SE110F780C3N)
- Lower-cost 80K-LE entry point with identical silicon (vs EP3SE80F780C2N)
- Cost-optimized 50K-LE option for undersized designs (vs EP3SE50F780C3N)
- Same family as leaded predecessor (vs EP3SE80F780C3)
Design Notes
The EP3SE80F780C3N requires multiple supply rails (VCC 0.9 V core, VCCPT, VCCPD, VCCA, VCCH, VCCL) with strict monotonic-ramp requirements per the Stratix III handbook. Apply power in the documented sequence and hold the device in reset until all rails are stable. Decouple each rail with bulk + 0.1 µF + 1 µF + 10 µF capacitors placed as close as possible to each power pin, and use the Quartus II PowerPlay early-power estimator before final PCB layout to validate thermal budget.
Use a 1.0 mm-pitch BGA fanout with 4 mil (0.1 mm) traces and microvia stack-ups; full-stack vias are recommended on inner signal layers. Match-length tune all DDR3 and LVDS pairs to within ±25 ps to meet setup/hold windows at the C3 speed grade. Provide at least four dedicated ground planes and a continuous power plane under the FPGA to deliver low-impedance return paths for high-speed I/O. Follow the Altera Stratix III F780 reference design stack-up verbatim for first-pass success.
At full 80K-LE utilization with all SERDES active and DDR3 controllers running, the EP3SE80F780C3N dissipates roughly 6–9 W depending on toggle rate. The 29 × 29 mm FBGA-780 package has a theta-JA around 14 °C/W with a 12-layer PCB and adequate thermal via array under the exposed die pad. Provide a thermal via farm (0.3 mm pitch, 1 oz copper plating) on all inner layers and consider a small heatsink for closed-enclosure designs. Run the Quartus II PowerPlay thermal model with your actual toggle rate to confirm junction temperature stays below 100 °C.
Do not skip MSEL configuration-strapping resistors - they select AS, PS, JTAG, or fast-POR configuration modes and missing straps default to undefined behavior on first power-up. Tie nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE to their proper pull-up/pull-down values per the Stratix III configuration handbook. Plan JTAG chain order before PCB layout if multiple devices share the chain - bus-width mismatch causes boundary-scan failures. Verify all clocks come up stable before releasing nCONFIG, otherwise the device can latch up and require a full power-cycle reset.
Compliance Information
Lead-free assembly denoted by 'N' suffix. RoHS-2 and REACH compliant per Intel material declaration. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs.
