EP3SL50F780C4L - Stratix III L FPGA, 47.5K Logic Elements, 780-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3SL50F780C4L ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $879.16 | $879.16 |
| 10 | $791.24 | $7,912.40 |
| 100 | $703.32 | $70,332.00 |
| 500 | $615.41 | $307,705.00 |
| 1,000 | $571.45 | $571,450.00 |
EP3SL50F780C4L Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reprogrammable semiconductor device containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated silicon resources such as DSP blocks, M20K memory blocks, transceivers, and PLLs. The Stratix III family specifically introduced the 'L' (logic-rich, low-power) and 'E' (enhanced memory/DSP) sub-families; the 'L' variant focuses on higher logic density at lower static power. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable-logic hierarchy, above CPLDs and below full custom ASICs in cost-vs-performance trade-offs.
The device includes embedded DSP blocks supporting variable-precision multiplication, twelve 3.125 Gbps transceivers (variant dependent), up to eight PLLs, and dedicated hardware for PCI Express Gen1/Gen2. The C4 speed grade corresponds to a -4 commercial speed bin, balancing Fmax and power; the 'L' suffix denotes lead-free / RoHS-compliant FBGA packaging. According to Intel (formerly Altera) datasheet literature, the C4 commercial grade delivers logic-cell Fmax around 375 MHz under typical DSP pipelines.
Typical applications include high-end telecommunications line cards, ASIC prototyping, high-throughput signal processing for radar or medical imaging, software-defined radio, and high-speed data acquisition. The 488 user I/Os support parallel LVDS interfaces and multiple memory controller interfaces (DDR2/DDR3) implemented in the FPGA fabric.
When designing with the EP3SL50F780C4L, use Altera (now Intel) Quartus II or Quartus Prime for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. The 780-FBGA package requires a multi-layer PCB with controlled-impedance routing, a low-impedance core supply decoupling network (typically 0402/0201 ceramics), and thermal management via the package thermal pad connected to an internal copper plane.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, parametric drop-in alternatives from the Stratix III family and the pin-compatible E variant, and practical design notes that supplement the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SL50F780C4L — 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 EP3SL50F780C4L (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Family, Operating Temperature, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SL50F780C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$499.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$220 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$555 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$312 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F780C4L
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1320 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SE50F780C4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$726.28 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F780C4L Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III L |
| Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 47,500 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 1,900 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,184,192 |
| User I/Os | 488 |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Package | 780-ball FBGA (FC-FBGA) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial, -4) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Suffix | L (lead-free, RoHS-compliant) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free L suffix) |
EP3SL50F780C4L 780-ball fbga (fc-fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SL50F780C4L (780-ball fbga (fc-fbga) 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 EP3SL50F780C4L.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SL50F780C4L is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line Cards, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, High-Throughput Signal Processing (Radar / Medical Imaging), Software-Defined Radio Baseband, High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems, Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision.
Telecommunications Line Cards
The EP3SL50F780C4L is widely deployed in carrier-grade telecom line cards where 47,500 logic elements, 488 user I/Os, and dedicated SERDES support multi-protocol packet processing. Its 2,184,192 bits of embedded memory buffer ingress and egress traffic at line rate, while the 65 nm Stratix III architecture provides deterministic timing closure for synchronous Ethernet and OTN framers. Compared with CPLDs, the FPGA handles multi-gigabit transceivers and complex QoS classification in a single device, eliminating discrete co-processors. Quartus II place-and-route typically achieves timing closure on 200 MHz+ pipelines with 80-90% resource occupancy.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
With 47,500 logic elements and 488 user I/Os, the EP3SL50F780C4L serves as a building block in ASIC emulation farms where multiple FPGAs are bridged to validate multi-million-gate ASICs pre-silicon. The 0.9 V core reduces dynamic power during long regression runs, while the 780-FBGA package exposes enough I/Os for high-bandwidth TDM partitioning bridges between FPGAs. Quartus II incremental compile and LogicLock regions enable partition-stable re-compilation, critical when ASIC RTL changes propagate through the prototype. Designers typically pair the device with HAPS-style daughter boards for 100 MHz+ prototyping clock rates.
Recommended
High-Throughput Signal Processing (Radar / Medical Imaging)
The Stratix III L FPGA's variable-precision DSP blocks make the EP3SL50F780C4L well suited for radar beamforming, ultrasound front-ends, and CT image reconstruction pipelines requiring sustained GMACs of multiply-accumulate throughput. Embedded 18x18 multipliers and 9x9 multipliers can be cascaded to 27-bit precision, while M9K memory blocks coefficient-store FFT twiddle factors. At 488 user I/Os, multiple LVDS data streams from analog front-ends are ingested directly without external deserializer ICs. The C4 commercial speed grade delivers ~375 MHz Fmax in DSP pipelines, supporting real-time baseband processing at typical ADC sample rates.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Baseband
The EP3SL50F780C4L hosts multi-standard SDR baseband stacks (LTE, WCDMA, WiMAX, 5G NR) where reprogrammability is essential across operator deployments. Its 488 I/Os interface directly to RF ADCs/DACs at LVDS rates, while internal M144K memory blocks implement FFT scratchpad and channel-estimation matrices. The 65 nm process provides manageable single-event upset rates for ground-based deployments, and Quartus II Qsys accelerates system integration of ARM-soft-core NIOS II control planes with hardware accelerators. Migrating from ASIC implementations to this FPGA cuts NRE cost by 80-90% at low-volume SKUs.
Recommended
High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems
In high-speed DAQs capturing multi-GS/s ADC streams, the EP3SL50F780C4L's 488 I/Os accept LVDS pairs from front-end ADCs, while 2,184,192 bits of on-chip RAM act as a deep circular buffer before DMA to host memory. Designers implement FIR/IIR filtering, decimation, and trigger logic in the FPGA fabric, offloading the host CPU. The Stratix III PLL architecture generates multiple non-integer-related clock domains needed in mixed-sample-rate systems. Compared with discrete DSP ICs, the FPGA integrates both sample buffering and signal conditioning, reducing board area by 40-60%.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision
The EP3SL50F780C4L drives multi-camera machine vision pipelines where MIPI-CSI, CameraLink, or GigE Vision inputs are aggregated and preprocessed at line rate. Its 47.5K logic elements accommodate edge-detection, thresholding, and JPEG/H.264 compression cores, while 488 user I/Os connect to multiple image sensors simultaneously. The 780-FBGA package supports dense PCB layouts for compact embedded vision appliances. Quartus II DSP Builder integrates MATLAB/Simulink-developed vision algorithms directly into the FPGA fabric, accelerating time-to-prototype for vision OEMs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SL50F780C4L — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SL50F780C4G | EP3SL50F780C4 | EP3SL50F780C3N | EP3SL50F780C2N | EP3SE50F780C4L | EP3SE50F780C4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 780-FBGA | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same | 780-FBGA - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 | 47,500 |
| User I/Os | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C4 | C4 | C3 (slower) | C2 (slowest) | C4 | C4 |
| Family / Subfamily | Stratix III L | Stratix III L | Stratix III L | Stratix III L | Stratix III L | Stratix III E | Stratix III E |
| Lead-Free / RoHS | Yes (L suffix) | Yes (G suffix) | Unknown / standard finish | Unknown / N suffix | Unknown / N suffix | Yes (L suffix) | Unknown / standard finish |
Key Differentiators
- 47.5K logic elements with 488 user I/Os in a single FBGA package (vs EP3C40F484C8 (Cyclone III equivalent footprint family))
- Pin-compatible across speed grades C2/C3/C4 (vs EP3SL50F780C3N (C3 speed grade))
- Stratix III L subfamily: logic-rich, low static power (vs EP3SE50F780C4L (Stratix III E in same package))
- Lead-free / RoHS-compliant L suffix (vs EP3SL50F780C4N (non-RoHS N suffix))
Design Notes
Stratix III devices require multiple supply rails: 0.9 V core, 1.8 V/2.5 V/3.3 V I/O banks, and a separate analog PLL supply. Decoupling follows Intel's Stratix III PDN recommendation: a minimum of thirty 0402 100 nF ceramics per side within 5 mm of the BGA balls, plus bulk 22 uF X5R capacitors at each rail entry. Use a 6-layer PCB with dedicated ground and 0.9 V power planes. Power estimation via the Quartus II Early Power Estimator should precede board layout to size regulators correctly.
Estimated: at 0.9 V core, ~50% logic utilization, and 375 MHz toggle rate, the EP3SL50F780C4L dissipates approximately 3-5 W. With a theta_JA of ~15 C/W (typical FBGA with 1 m/s airflow), junction temperature rises 45-75 C above ambient. Provide an internal copper plane stitched to the BGA thermal balls via thermal vias (0.3 mm drill, 1.0 mm pitch), and consider a heatsink for industrial (-40 C to +100 C) operation. Do not rely on natural convection alone in enclosed chassis.
The 780-FBGA has 1.0 mm ball pitch, requiring HDI PCB fabrication with microvias and via-in-pad. Route differential pairs (LVDS) with 100 ohm controlled impedance and pair-length matching within 150 mil. Use length-matched serpentine for high-speed memory interfaces (DDR2/DDR3). Place configuration flash (EPCS) within 50 mm of the FPGA, and add external JTAG header for Quartus II programmer access. Follow Intel's Stratix III Hardware Design Guide for bank assignment and reference-voltage filtering.
Avoid specifying the 'C' speed grade when you actually need 'I' (industrial temperature) - the C suffix denotes commercial 0-85 C only. The MSL rating must be observed; the 780-FBGA is typically MSL3. Do not mix Stratix III L (EP3SL) and E (EP3SE) variants in the same design without re-validating DSP and memory block allocation - LE count is identical but block counts differ. Quartus Prime 19.1+ drops Stratix III support; pin the toolchain to Quartus Prime 18.1 or earlier.
Compliance Information
Lead-free / RoHS-compliant per L suffix in part number (Intel/Altera convention). REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals compliance not explicitly verified in distributor data; consult Intel product compliance declarations.
