EP3SL50F484C4G - 47.5K LE Stratix III L FPGA | Intel / Altera
MPN: EP3SL50F484C4G β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $181.6 | $181.60 |
| 10 | $165.5 | $1,655.00 |
| 100 | $148.2 | $14,820.00 |
| 500 | $135.4 | $67,700.00 |
| 1,000 | $122.1 | $122,100.00 |
EP3SL50F484C4G Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device that allows engineers to implement arbitrary digital logic functions after PCB fabrication. FPGAs sit in the broader taxonomy of programmable logic (PLD) and, by extension, digital ICs and semiconductors. Compared to fixed-function ASICs, FPGAs offer fast time-to-market, in-system reprogrammability, and parallel hardware acceleration, while consuming more power per function. The Stratix III L series was Altera's low-power complement to the Stratix III family, intended for ASIC prototyping, signal processing, and high-throughput datapath applications.
Key features of the EP3SL50F484C4G include 19,000 Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs), 2.08 Mbit of embedded memory distributed across M9K and M144K blocks, dedicated DSP blocks for fixed- and floating-point arithmetic, and the Altera Quartus II design flow with Qsys system integration. The device supports multiple I/O standards including LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL on the same package, enabling direct interfacing with DDR/DDR2/DDR3 memory devices without external level shifters.
The 484-pin FC-FBGA FineLine BGA package provides high pin density in a 23 mm x 23 mm body suitable for space-constrained designs. The C4 speed grade designates the slowest (most timing-margin-friendly) member of the Stratix III L family, making this part the preferred choice when the design's highest internal clock frequency is moderate (under ~300 MHz for general logic) but BOM cost is sensitive. Pricing for this part begins around $181.59 unit at LCSC and scales upward on long-lead-time distributors as the part is now in mature lifecycle status.
Typical applications include ASIC prototyping, telecom line-card datapath processing, software-defined radio (SDR) baseband, video broadcast infrastructure, and test & measurement instrumentation. Designers typically pair the EP3SL50F484C4G with DDR2 or DDR3 SDRAM, clock generators such as CDCE62005 or ICS8442, and high-speed ADCs / DACs from the ADS62P or DAC5688 families.
When designing with this FPGA, plan power-rail sequencing for the 1.1 V core and the I/O bank supplies independently, and place 100 uF + 10 uF + 100 nF decoupling stacks adjacent to each bank to meet simultaneous-switching-noise margins. Quartus II software version 11.0 or later (or Intel Quartus Prime with legacy support) is required for design compilation.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-package drop-in alternatives within the Stratix III L family, and practical design notes not found on a single manufacturer datasheet page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SL50F484C4G β 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 EP3SL50F484C4G (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Family, Speed Grade, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SL50F484C4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$325 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$364.63 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C3G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$165 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$458 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C2G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$335 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C2N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C2
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$478.8 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484C4G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III L |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 LE |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 19,000 ALM |
| Embedded Memory | 2,184,192 bits (2.08 Mbit) |
| User I/Os | 296 I/O |
| Process Technology | 65 nm |
| Operating Frequency | up to 450 MHz (datasheet typical) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Package | 484-ball FC-FBGA (FineLine BGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| I/O Standards Supported | LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, HSTL |
| Design Tool | Altera Quartus II / Intel Quartus Prime (legacy support) |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Lead-free (suffix G); RoHS-compliant |
EP3SL50F484C4G 484-ball fc-fbga (fineline bga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SL50F484C4G (484-ball fc-fbga (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 EP3SL50F484C4G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SL50F484C4G is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Telecom Line-Card Datapath Processing, Software-Defined Radio Baseband, Video Broadcast Infrastructure, Test & Measurement Instrumentation, Industrial Machine Vision.
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3SL50F484C4G's 47,500 logic elements, 2.08 Mbit of embedded memory, and 296 user I/Os in a 484-ball FC-FBGA package make it well-suited for ASIC prototyping and logic emulation. With the C4 speed grade supporting internal clocks up to ~300 MHz and dedicated M9K/M144K memory blocks, designers can map mid-complexity ASICs (typical gate counts up to 1 million gates when accounting for LUT compression) and validate RTL before committing to mask costs. Quartus II synthesis and incremental place-and-route shorten iteration cycles, and the Stratix III Device Handbook provides reference designs for typical emulation platforms. Compared with newer Cyclone IV GX devices, the Stratix III L offers higher logic density per dollar for the same prototyping workload, though it consumes slightly more static power.
Recommended
Telecom Line-Card Datapath Processing
Telecom line cards that require packet classification, traffic shaping, and protocol encapsulation benefit from the EP3SL50F484C4G's high logic density and embedded memory bandwidth. The 296 I/Os support multiple SGMII/SerDes interfaces to PHY devices, while the 2.08 Mbit embedded RAM holds packet headers, lookup tables, and queue descriptors on-chip, reducing external memory accesses. The device's 1.1 V core operates within standard telecom power budgets, and Quartus II IP for Ethernet MAC, POS-PHY Level 3, and Interlaken accelerates integration. Compared with ASIC implementations, the Stratix III L allows late-bound feature upgrades via in-system reconfiguration, a key advantage for evolving telecom standards such as MPLS-TP and segment routing.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Baseband
The EP3SL50F484C4G is commonly deployed in SDR baseband platforms where DSP blocks perform FFT, channelization, and demodulation on wideband IF signals sampled by high-speed ADCs. The Stratix III L's dedicated DSP blocks deliver up to ~136 18x18 multipliers at 250 MHz, sufficient for LTE and basic WCDMA channel processing, while the 2.08 Mbit embedded memory buffers FFT working sets between ADC bursts. The 484-ball FC-FBGA package supports the high I/O count needed to interface simultaneously with an ADC (LVDS), a DAC (LVDS), and a host processor (EMIF). Compared with DSP processors such as the TMS320C6678, the FPGA's parallel datapath excels at multi-channel narrowband processing at lower power per operation.
Recommended
Video Broadcast Infrastructure
Video broadcast equipment (encoders, decoders, format converters) uses the EP3SL50F484C4G for SDI de/serialization, chroma resampling, and MPEG-2/H.264 preprocessing at SDI data rates up to 3 Gbps. The 296 user I/Os enable direct interfacing with multiple SDI receivers and transmitters (e.g., LMH0340, LMH0307) and a host CPU bus, while the 2.08 Mbit embedded RAM holds line and frame buffers for deinterlacing and scaling. Quartus II Video and Image Processing Suite IP blocks (Scaler, Deinterlacer, Color Space Converter) accelerate development. Compared with dedicated ASSPs such as the GS2971, the FPGA provides greater flexibility for proprietary broadcast formats and last-minute feature additions without silicon respin.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
Test & measurement instruments such as logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and arbitrary waveform generators use the EP3SL50F484C4G to manage state machines, capture buffers, and trigger logic at hundreds of MHz. The 47.5K LE capacity supports multi-channel state sequencing, while the 2.08 Mbit embedded memory holds capture traces and trigger templates on-chip for fast pattern matching. The 296 I/Os interface to high-speed probe front-ends, display controllers, and host USB/Ethernet links. Quartus II SignalTap II embedded logic analyzer provides non-intrusive internal signal capture for in-system debug. Compared with MCU + FPGA combos, the single-chip Stratix III L implementation reduces BOM count and simplifies PCB layout for portable instrumentation.
Recommended
Industrial Machine Vision
Industrial machine vision systems for inspection, robotics, and quality control use the EP3SL50F484C4G to receive Camera Link or LVDS image streams from line-scan or area-scan cameras, perform preprocessing (tap balance, color interpolation, gamma correction), and forward processed frames to a host CPU or display. The 296 user I/Os support multi-tap Camera Link configurations at up to 85 MHz pixel clock, while the 2.08 Mbit embedded memory holds line buffers and lookup tables for real-time Bayer demosaicing. Quartus II IP for Camera Link, LVDS, and DDR2 controllers accelerates integration. Compared with general-purpose CPUs, the Stratix III L achieves deterministic low-latency image processing essential for high-speed conveyor and pick-and-place applications.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SL50F484C4G β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SL50F484C4N | EP3SL50F484C4 | EP3SL50F484C3G | EP3SL50F484C2G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-ball FC-FBGA | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel | Altera / Intel |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE | 47,500 LE |
| Embedded Memory | 2.08 Mbit | 2.08 Mbit | 2.08 Mbit | 2.08 Mbit | 2.08 Mbit |
| Speed Grade | C4 (slowest) | C4 | C4 | C3 (~10-15% faster Fmax) | C2 (~20-30% faster Fmax) |
| Lead Finish | Lead-free (G suffix, RoHS) | Non-RoHS lead finish | Not specified | Lead-free (G suffix, RoHS) | Lead-free (G suffix, RoHS) |
| User I/Os | 296 I/O | 296 I/O | 296 I/O | 296 I/O | 296 I/O |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Lead-free / RoHS-compliant orderable part for new designs (vs EP3SL50F484C4N)
- Slowest speed grade (C4) for lowest cost and best timing margin (vs EP3SL50F484C2G)
- 47.5K LE capacity with 2.08 Mbit embedded memory in 484-ball FC-FBGA (vs EP3SE50F484C4G (Stratix III E non-L variant))
Design Notes
The EP3SL50F484C4G requires at minimum four separate power rails: 1.1 V core (VCC), 1.1 V analog PLL (VCCA_PLL), 2.5 V auxiliary (VCCAUX), and per-bank VCCIO (1.2 V, 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.0 V, 3.3 V depending on the I/O standard). Per the Stratix III Device Handbook pin connection guidelines, all VCC pins must be connected and decoupled with 100 uF bulk + 10 uF + 100 nF stacks. Power-rail sequencing requires VCC and VCCAUX to rise before or simultaneously with VCCIO to prevent I/O latch-up; many designers use a sequencer IC such as the TPS3808 to enforce this. Estimated static current at room temperature is approximately 600 mA on VCC and 30 mA on VCCAUX for a typical 47.5K-LE utilization.
In the 484-ball FC-FBGA package, the exposed die beneath the BGA is the primary heat path; the part must be soldered to a PCB thermal pad with at least 8 thermal vias (0.3 mm drill, 1.0 mm pitch) connecting to an internal copper plane. Per the Stratix III Device Handbook thermal management chapter, a 4-layer FR-4 board with the recommended thermal via array delivers theta-JA of approximately 12 C/W (estimated, with 1 oz copper and still air). For designs that fully utilize all 47.5K LE running at 50% toggle rate and 250 MHz, designers should plan for at least 3-4 W of dissipation; in such cases forced-air cooling is recommended to keep the junction below 85C.
The 484-ball FC-FBGA package has a 1.0 mm ball pitch requiring microvia or laser-drilled PCB stackup. Per the Stratix III Device Handbook PCB design guidelines, the recommended stackup is a 6-8 layer board with sequential lamination for the BGA breakout layer. Use 50-ohm controlled-impedance traces for high-speed LVDS pairs (typical 100-ohm differential), and match the differential pair lengths within 50 mils to meet the LVDS data-eye specification. All configuration and JTAG signals should be routed on inner layers to avoid crosstalk from adjacent high-speed signals.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP3SL50F484C4G include: (1) failing to connect all GND balls to the PCB ground plane, which causes return-path discontinuities and SI issues; (2) using a configuration mode that is incompatible with the chosen EPCS configuration flash (e.g., FPP x32 vs AS), which can brick the device; (3) overlooking the requirement to drive the nCONFIG pin high before applying configuration data; (4) selecting the wrong I/O standard for the bank's VCCIO voltage, which causes the output drivers to fail at power-up; (5) not using the Quartus II pin planner to assign differential pairs and PLL clock inputs before layout, which forces costly ECO iterations. Always verify pin assignments with the Quartus II Fitter report before PCB fabrication.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance inferred from G suffix per Altera ordering information; AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA is industrial/commercial, not automotive grade); halogen-free status not documented in retrieved web data.
