EP3SE80F780C4LN - 80K LE Stratix III E FPGA, 488 I/O, FCBGA-780
MPN: EP3SE80F780C4LN ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $215 | $215.00 |
| 10 | $198.5 | $1,985.00 |
| 100 | $175.25 | $17,525.00 |
| 500 | $152 | $76,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $138.75 | $138,750.00 |
EP3SE80F780C4LN Overview
An FPGA is a programmable logic device that allows hardware designers to implement arbitrary digital circuits using a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory, DSP blocks, and high-speed transceivers, all wired together by programmable routing. FPGAs sit alongside microcontrollers, ASICs, and ASSPs in the broader semiconductor/programmable logic taxonomy and are typically chosen when design requirements include high parallelism, evolving standards, or low-volume customization that cannot be cost-justified on a custom ASIC. The Stratix III generation introduced the Programmable Power Technology, allowing unused logic and routing tiles to be powered down to reduce dynamic consumption.
Key features include a maximum internal operating frequency of 375 MHz, six independent I/O bank groups, support for multiple I/O standards (LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, HSTL), and dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers. The device integrates 18x18 multipliers, embedded memory blocks (M9K/M144K), and an extensive configuration infrastructure (active serial, passive parallel, fast passive parallel) tailored to high-throughput compute and signal-processing workloads. Hardware support for PCI Express Gen1, Gigabit Ethernet, and DDR2/DDR3 external memory interfaces is enabled through hard IP blocks.
The EP3SE80F780C4LN is built on TSMC's 65 nm low-power process and is part of the broader Stratix III E family that scales from ~40K to ~120K logic elements. Compared with later Stratix IV/V families it lacks the higher transceivers-per-cm² density and the dedicated variable-precision DSP blocks, but it remains a low-cost option for legacy industrial, test & measurement, and prototyping platforms where the Quartus II design environment still fits the engineering workflow.
Typical applications include high-speed digital signal processing (DSP), telecom baseband/protocol bridging, ASIC prototyping, industrial control and machine vision, and high-performance data-acquisition front ends. The 488 I/Os also make it a strong fit for display controller glue logic and broadcast video processing. When designing with this device, allocate sufficient PCB area for the FCBGA-780 footprint (29 mm × 29 mm body, 1.0 mm ball pitch), follow Intel's power-decoupling reference design, and validate the chosen speed grade against worst-case timing in Quartus II. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in Stratix III alternatives, and design considerations not always visible on the manufacturer datasheet cover.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE80F780C4LN — 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 EP3SE80F780C4LN (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Package, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status, Core Voltage.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE80F780C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1290 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C4L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1995 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1400 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1410 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2050 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1180 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C4LN Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III E |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 80,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 3,200 |
| Total Embedded Memory | 6,843,392 bits (approximately 6.5 Mbit) |
| User I/O Count | 488 |
| Maximum Operating Frequency | 375 MHz |
| Core Voltage (VCCINT) | 0.9 V |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA (Flip-Chip Fine-pitch BGA) |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial (C suffix) |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes (LN suffix) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Scheme | Active Serial / Passive Parallel / Fast Passive Parallel |
| Hard IP Blocks | PCIe Gen1, GbE MAC/PHY, DDR2/DDR3 controllers |
EP3SE80F780C4LN Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | IO — User I/O (bank-dependent) |
| Pin AB1 | IO — User I/O (bank-dependent) |
| Pin AB30 | IO — User I/O (bank-dependent) |
| Pin AH1 | IO — User I/O (bank-dependent) |
| Pin AH29 | IO — User I/O (bank-dependent) |
| Pin AK1 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin AK29 | GND — Ground reference |
| Pin B2 | VCCIO — I/O bank supply (bank-dependent) |
| Pin B29 | VCCIO — I/O bank supply (bank-dependent) |
| Pin J31 | VCCINT — Core supply 0.9 V |
| Pin J1 | VCCINT — Core supply 0.9 V |
Typical Applications
EP3SE80F780C4LN is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Digital Signal Processing (DSP), Telecom Baseband and Protocol Bridging, ASIC Prototyping, Industrial Control and Machine Vision, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Broadcast Video Processing.
High-Speed Digital Signal Processing (DSP)
The EP3SE80F780C4LN is a strong fit for high-throughput DSP workloads because the Stratix III E architecture pairs 80,000 logic elements with dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers and embedded M9K/M144K memory blocks. In a typical design, the 488 user I/Os are split between high-speed ADC/DAC data buses and external DDR2/DDR3 memory interfaces, while the DSP blocks handle FIR filters, FFTs, and channelizers at multi-Gsample rates. The 375 MHz C4-speed-grade fMAX leaves timing margin for multi-cycle DSP pipelines that would not close on smaller FPGAs. Power estimation with the Quartus II PowerPlay tool is recommended before PCB commitment because DSP-heavy designs can pull several watts from the 0.9 V core rail.
Recommended
Telecom Baseband and Protocol Bridging
Stratix III E devices are widely deployed in telecom infrastructure for baseband processing, framer/mapper functions, and legacy-to-Ethernet protocol bridging. The EP3SE80F780C4LN integrates hard IP blocks for Gigabit Ethernet MAC/PHY and external memory interfaces, simplifying designs that need to bridge between TDM, SERDES, and packet networks. Its 488 I/Os comfortably host multi-port framer interfaces plus glue logic for backplane SERDES. Compared with the EP3SE110F1152, the EP3SE80F780 sacrifices some logic headroom but uses a smaller, easier-to-route 780-ball FC-FBGA, lowering PCB layer count and BOM cost for mid-density line cards.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping
The EP3SE80F780C4LN is frequently used as an ASIC prototyping platform because its 80K logic elements, 6.5 Mbit of embedded memory, and abundant I/O allow partitioning of multi-million-gate ASIC designs across one or two FPGAs. Designers map ASIC RTL through Quartus II synthesis and benefit from the Stratix III E hard memory controllers and DSP blocks that closely emulate common ASIC IP. The 780-ball FC-FBGA exposes enough I/O for ASIC pad-ring emulation including boundary-scan and JTAG. When the design outgrows the EP3SE80, the same Quartus project can be retargeted to the EP3SE110F1152 or EP3SE260F1152 in the same family for a multi-FPGA emulation farm.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Machine Vision
In machine-vision and motion-control systems, the EP3SE80F780C4LN serves as the central image-processing and synchronization engine. Its 488 user I/Os are sufficient to aggregate Camera Link, CoaXPress, or LVDS sensor interfaces while simultaneously driving stepper/servo controllers, encoder inputs, and Gigabit Ethernet uplink. Embedded M9K blocks act as line buffers for image data, and 18x18 multipliers accelerate convolution and Sobel kernels in real time. The commercial temperature grade suits factory-floor enclosures; for outdoor or unconditioned environments, designers should migrate to the industrial-temperature EP3SE80F780I3N or EP3SE80F780I4N variants in the same 780-ball FC-FBGA.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP3SE80F780C4LN is a popular FPGA for arbitrary waveform generators, protocol analyzers, and high-speed digitizers. Its combination of 80K logic elements, abundant M9K memory, and 488 user I/Os lets designers implement deep capture buffers and pattern sequencers on a single chip, replacing multiple smaller FPGAs. The hard DDR2/DDR3 controller enables direct attachment of large DRAM buffers for streaming acquisition, and the 375 MHz internal clock rate supports serial protocol decoding at gigabit line rates. The commercial-grade EP3SE80F780C4LN suits laboratory and bench-top instruments; for portable field instruments the EP3SE50F780 in the same package offers a cost-down alternative when logic density is not the bottleneck.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
Broadcast video routers, format converters, and on-air graphics overlays commonly use the EP3SE80F780C4LN to perform real-time SDI/HD-SDI processing, color-space conversion, and frame-rate adaptation. The 488 user I/Os host multiple SDI transceivers plus HDMI/DVI links, while embedded memory buffers full frames with comfortable margin. The 18x18 multipliers accelerate chroma upsampling and scaling kernels, and the 375 MHz C4-speed-grade timing easily meets 148.5 MHz pixel clocks required for HD-SDI. Designers targeting 4K/UHD workflows typically scale up to the EP3SE110F780 or EP3SE260F1152 in the same family, while cost-sensitive SD-only designs can drop to the EP3SE50F780 in the same 780-ball FC-FBGA.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE80F780C4LN — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE80F780C4N | EP3SE80F780C4L | EP3SE80F780C4 | EP3SE80F780C3N | EP3SE80F780C3 | EP3SE80F780C2N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 80,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 |
| User I/O | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C4 | C4 | C4 | C3 (slower) | C3 (slower) | C2 (slowest) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes (LN) | RoHS only | Lead-free only | Standard (non-LF) | RoHS only | Standard (non-LF) | RoHS only |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1) | $215.00 | $205.00 | $210.00 | $200.00 | $190.00 | $185.00 | $175.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest density in the Stratix III E 80K-LE band (vs EP3SE50F780)
- Faster speed grade than C3/C2 variants (vs EP3SE80F780C3N)
- Lead-free RoHS ball finish (LN suffix) (vs EP3SE80F780C4)
Design Notes
Stratix III E devices draw their core current from a low-voltage 0.9 V rail that can exceed several amps under heavy DSP and logic utilization. Decouple VCCINT with a bulk 220 µF polymer capacitor plus 0.1 µF and 0.01 µF ceramics placed as close as possible to every VCCINT ball. Use the Quartus II PowerPlay early power estimator before PCB layout to size the VRM and confirm copper area on inner layers.
The 780-ball FC-FBGA has a relatively low theta-JA because of the flip-chip thermal path. At 1 W–2 W dissipation typical FCBGA designs can still be convection-cooled, but high-utilization designs approaching 5 W should add a thermal pad under the package connected to an internal copper plane. Estimate junction rise as Estimated: Pdiss × theta-JA (typical 8–10 °C/W) before committing to a heatsink.
The 780-ball FC-FBGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch and requires microvia or via-in-pad technology to fan out the inner rows. Stack the PCB for at least eight layers with dedicated power and ground planes adjacent to the top signal layer. Matched-impedance routing for LVDS and DDR memory interfaces is mandatory. Follow the Stratix III board design guidelines in the device handbook for via pattern, escape routing, and length matching.
Do not assume a Quartus II .sof bitstream generated for one Stratix III speed grade will load on another - the speed grade is a silicon characterization bin and the bitstream targets a specific die. Also verify that the chosen Quartus version still ships the Stratix III device library before starting a new project, because Quartus Prime removed support for some legacy device families in newer releases.
Compliance Information
Lead-free RoHS-compliant per LN suffix; commercial-grade not AEC-Q100 qualified; REACH and conflict-minerals compliance inferred from Intel/Altera product policy.
