EP3SE80F780C4N - Stratix III E FPGA 80K LE 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3SE80F780C4N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1850 | $1,850.00 |
| 10 | $1690 | $16,900.00 |
| 25 | $1560 | $39,000.00 |
| 100 | $1420 | $142,000.00 |
| 500 | $1290 | $645,000.00 |
EP3SE80F780C4N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable logic device (PLD) whose logic fabric, routing and I/O are configured by the user after manufacture. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic hierarchy: PLD -> CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA. They are used wherever application-specific logic, DSP, or high-speed serial I/O must be implemented without the cost and lead-time of an ASIC. The Stratix III E family, of which EP3SE80F780C4N is a member, targets high-end DSP, communication and signal-processing designs.
Key features of the EP3SE80F780C4N include 80,000 logic elements, 6,843,392 bits of embedded memory (M9K/M144K TriMatrix blocks), 3,200 LABs, up to 488 user I/Os, and integrated transceivers/multipliers typical of the Stratix III E family. The 65 nm process enables higher density and lower static power than previous Stratix generations, while the 780-ball FC-FBGA supports dense board layouts with controlled-impedance signal routing for memory and LVDS interfaces.
The architecture combines a logic fabric based on Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) with TriMatrix interconnect, dedicated DSP blocks, embedded memory and a flexible clock network. This allows the EP3SE80F780C4N to implement wide datapath designs such as baseband processing, video pipelines and protocol bridging while maintaining deterministic timing closure through the Quartus II timing analyser.
Typical applications include wireless baseband and backhaul, high-performance digital signal processing, military radar and SDR prototyping, ASIC prototyping, test and measurement instrumentation, and high-speed memory interfaces. The wide I/O count and high logic density make it a common choice where multiple processor cores, memory controllers and custom logic must coexist on one silicon device.
When designing with this device, allocate sufficient PCB area for power decoupling and use Altera's Stratix III power-estimator early in the schematic phase, because dynamic current at high toggle rates can exceed the conservative spreadsheet value. Vertical migration within the 780-pin BGA is supported, which lets designers reuse the same PCB layout across EP3SE50, EP3SE80, EP3SE110 and similar devices.
This page synthesises distributor pricing, vertical-migration drop-in alternatives in the Stratix III E family and design notes not found in the standalone datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SE80F780C4N — 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 EP3SE80F780C4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Core Voltage, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SE110F780C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F780C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1430 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE260H780C4N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$1410 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C4LN
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$138.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780I4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$3400 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE80F780C4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Stratix III E |
| Logic Elements | 80,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 3,200 |
| User I/Os | 488 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 6,843,392 |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| I/O Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Pin/Package Code | F780 |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Configuration Method | Serial/Parallel (Quartus II) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3SE80F780C4N Pin Configuration
| Pin B1 | I/O Bank 1A — General-purpose user I/O |
| Pin B2 | VCCIO1A — I/O supply for bank 1A |
| Pin B3 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin B4 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B5 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin B6 | VCC — Core supply 0.9 V |
| Pin B7 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin B8 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B9 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin B10 | VCCIO1B — I/O supply for bank 1B |
| Pin B11 | I/O — User I/O pin |
| Pin B12 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin B13 | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin B14 | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin B15 | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin B16 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin B17 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin B18 | CONFIG_DONE — Configuration done indicator |
| Pin B19 | DCLK — Configuration clock |
| Pin B20 | DATA0 — Configuration data input |
Typical Applications
EP3SE80F780C4N is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband and Backhaul DSP, High-Performance DSP and Signal Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Video Broadcast and Image Processing, Military Radar and Software-Defined Radio.
Wireless Baseband and Backhaul DSP
The EP3SE80F780C4N's 80,000 logic elements and 488 user I/Os make it a strong fit for wireless baseband and backhaul signal-processing designs where multiple DSP chains must run concurrently. According to the Stratix III E datasheet, the device integrates dedicated DSP blocks and 6,843,392 bits of embedded memory that can hold long symbol-rate filter banks and FFT coefficients without external SRAM. In a typical LTE baseband pipeline the FPGA performs channel estimation, MIMO equalisation and crest-factor reduction, while the 1.1 V I/O bank drives LVDS links to RF ADCs/DACs. The 780-ball FineLine BGA also supports high-fanout LVDS to digital pre-distortion feedback paths.
Recommended
High-Performance DSP and Signal Processing
The EP3SE80F780C4N is designed for high-performance DSP workloads such as radar pulse compression, software-defined radio front-ends and image-processing pipelines. According to Intel datasheet information, the Stratix III E family integrates dedicated 18x18 multipliers and TriMatrix memory that achieve sustained DSP throughput comparable to dedicated DSP processors. The 488 user I/Os and 780-ball BGA enable parallel LVDS buses to multi-channel ADCs and DDR2/DDR3 memories without I/O bottlenecks. This combination allows one EP3SE80F780C4N to replace multiple smaller FPGAs in a system, reducing PCB area and BOM cost.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3SE80F780C4N is widely used to prototype and emulate large ASIC designs because of its 80,000 logic elements, 6.8 Mbit embedded memory and 488 I/Os. According to Intel Stratix III E documentation, designers can partition an ASIC across one or more FPGAs using the Quartus II incremental-compilation flow. The 780-ball FineLine BGA pinout and high I/O count let the prototype map most peripheral buses (PCIe, DDR3 controllers, custom LVDS) directly. This shortens the verification loop between RTL sign-off and tape-out, and re-uses the same board for multiple ASIC projects.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP3SE80F780C4N's combination of logic density and 488 user I/Os makes it well suited for high-end test and measurement instruments such as protocol analysers, digitiser front-ends and arbitrary waveform generators. According to the Stratix III E datasheet, the device's 6,843,392 bits of embedded memory and high-speed LVDS I/O allow capture of wide parallel buses in real time. Designers can integrate custom trigger logic, deep sample buffers and PCIe or USB3 host interfaces in a single device, eliminating the need for separate memory and controller ICs on the board.
Recommended
Video Broadcast and Image Processing
The EP3SE80F780C4N supports broadcast-grade video pipelines where 3G-SDI, HDMI and DisplayPort streams must be processed at full frame rate. According to Intel datasheet material, the 780-ball BGA exposes enough LVDS pairs to drive multi-link SDI and parallel RGB interfaces without external bus switches. The embedded memory absorbs frame buffers, while the DSP blocks perform scaling, de-interlacing and colour-space conversion in real time. The same F780 footprint as the EP3SE50 and EP3SE110 lets designers scale a video board from one channel to four channels by swapping the FPGA without re-laying the PCB.
Recommended
Military Radar and Software-Defined Radio
The EP3SE80F780C4N is suitable for military radar front-ends and software-defined radio platforms because its 488 I/Os and high logic capacity let designers implement wide-bandwidth ADC/DAC interfaces plus DSP chains on the same silicon. According to Intel product-family guidance, the industrial-temperature grade EP3SE80F780I4N shares the F780 footprint and supports -40 C to 100 C operation, which is required for many defence and aerospace platforms. The 65 nm process and 0.9 V core give a favourable power-per-LE figure for vehicle-mounted or man-portable platforms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SE80F780C4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SE110F780C4N | EP3SE50F780C4N | EP3SE260H780C4N | EP3SE80F780C3N | EP3SE80F780I4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 780-ball FC-FBGA (F780) | 780-ball FC-FBGA (F780) - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA (F780) - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA (H780) - same footprint family | 780-ball FC-FBGA (F780) - same | 780-ball FC-FBGA (F780) - same |
| Logic Elements | 80,000 | 110,000 | 50,000 | 260,000 | 80,000 | 80,000 |
| User I/Os | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Embedded Memory | 6,843,392 bits | 8,388,608 bits | 4,718,592 bits | 15,728,640 bits | 6,843,392 bits | 6,843,392 bits |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C4 | C4 | C4 | C3 (slower) | I4 (industrial) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 C to 85 C (commercial) | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C | 0 C to 85 C | -40 C to 100 C (industrial) |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V |
| Lifecycle / Family Status | Mature / legacy (last-time-buy) | Mature / legacy | Mature / legacy | Mature / legacy | Mature / legacy | Mature / legacy |
Key Differentiators
- Vertical-migration drop-in upgrade to EP3SE110F780C4N within the same F780 footprint (vs EP3SE50F780C4N)
- 80,000 logic elements balanced against 488 user I/Os - higher I/O density than many competing legacy FPGAs (vs EP3SE50F780C4N)
- Industrial-temperature drop-in EP3SE80F780I4N available on the exact same F780 footprint (vs EP3SE80F780C4N (commercial))
- 6,843,392 bits of embedded memory enable deep frame buffers without external SRAM (vs EP3SE50F780C4N)
Design Notes
The EP3SE80F780C4N requires a 0.9 V core rail with peak current often exceeding 10 A under high DSP utilisation. Use a multi-phase buck regulator (e.g. Intel Enpirion EM2120 or Linear Technology LTC3833) and place 220 uF bulk + 4.7 uF + 0.1 uF ceramic decoupling within 5 mm of each power-ball cluster. The 1.1 V I/O rail should be sourced from a separate LDO or switching regulator and sequenced after the core rail per Intel power-sequencing requirements to avoid long-term reliability degradation of the I/O buffers.
Estimated: at 0.9 V core and a typical 50% toggle rate, the EP3SE80F780C4N dissipates approximately 6-8 W. The 780-ball FineLine BGA has a theta_JA around 12-15 C/W with a full thermal-pad land pattern, producing a junction temperature rise of roughly 80-120 C above ambient without airflow. According to Intel thermal-management guidance, designers should provide at least 4 inner PCB ground planes stitched with thermal vias under the package, and consider a low-profile heat sink for enclosed chassis without forced airflow.
Route all Stratix III E LVDS pairs as length-matched 100 ohm differential pairs with at most 2 jogs per pair and keep them on the top layer over a continuous ground plane. According to Intel pin-connection guidelines, all VCC and VCCIO balls must be connected to their respective power planes, and the exposed-die paddle (where applicable) must be soldered to a continuous ground pad to meet thermal and electrical specifications. Use 0.8 mm pitch BGA fanout with micro-vias-in-pad for high-density signal escape.
Do not assume the EP3SE80F780C4N is pin-compatible with the larger 1152-ball F1152 Stratix III E parts - the F780 and F1152 pinouts differ and require different PCB layouts. According to Intel vertical-migration documentation, drop-in migration is supported ONLY within the same package (F780 to F780), not across packages. Designers must also confirm JTAG and configuration-pin pull-up/down values match the selected configuration scheme (AS, PS, JTAG or Fast Passive Parallel).
For DDR2/DDR3 memory interfaces, place the EP3SE80F780C4N within 25 mm of the memory devices and route the byte-lane groups with less than 50 ps intra-pair skew. According to Intel external-memory-interface documentation, the 780-ball BGA provides dedicated DQS/DQ phase-shift circuitry that simplifies board layout, but VTT termination remains required for DDR2/DDR3. Series-stubs on address/command traces should be kept below 150 mils to avoid reflections that degrade timing margin.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Intel Programmable Solutions Group product declarations. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial/industrial-grade FPGA, not an automotive qualified part. Industrial-temperature variants (EP3SE80F780I4N) are available for harsh-environment deployments but are not AEC-Q100 qualified.