EP3SL70F484I3 - Stratix III L FPGA, 67.5K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3SL70F484I3 β Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1448.08 | $1,448.08 |
| 10 | $1303.27 | $13,032.70 |
| 100 | $1158.47 | $115,847.00 |
| 500 | $1086.06 | $543,030.00 |
| 1,000 | $1013.66 | $1,013,660.00 |
EP3SL70F484I3 Overview
The Stratix III L is a SRAM-based FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) belonging to the broader category of programmable logic devices (PLD), which also includes CPLDs and one-time-programmable devices. Within the power-management hierarchy of a digital system, the FPGA sits below the DC-DC converters and LDOs that feed its core and I/O rails (typically 0.86 V VCC, 1.1 V VCCPT, 2.5 V/3.3 V I/O) and above the application logic it implements. Compared with ASICs, Stratix III devices trade mask NRE cost for design flexibility, in-system re-programmability, and accelerated time-to-market for low-volume or evolving standards.
Key features of EP3SL70F484I3 include 384 DSP blocks (18x18 multipliers), 12 transceivers at up to 3.75 Gbps (per Stratix III L family specifications), Programmable Power Technology (ppt) for fine-grained static power reduction, and hard memory controllers supporting DDR, DDR2, DDR3, QDRII, and RLDRAM interfaces. The 484-FBGA package uses lead-free SAC405 balls on a 1.0 mm pitch and is rated for an extended industrial operating envelope.
Architecture-wise, the device uses ALMs (Adaptive Logic Modules) of 8 inputs each, organized into LABs of 10 ALMs, with routing fabric driven by Quartus II synthesis. Configuration is via fast passive parallel, fast active serial, or JTAG, with bitstream encryption and AES support available on the family. The die integrates 8 PLLs (4 enhanced PLLs and 4 fast PLLs) and 648 Kbits of distributed memory, which complements the 2,699,264 bits of block RAM (M9K and M144K blocks).
Typical applications include high-speed data acquisition, software-defined radio front-ends, digital video broadcast equipment, multi-channel telecom line cards, and ASIC-prototyping platforms where 67.5K LEs provide sufficient headroom for full-system emulation. The Stratix III L family's low static power also makes it attractive for thermally constrained embedded systems such as radar array processors and industrial machine-vision pipelines.
When designing with the EP3SL70F484I3, plan for a multi-rail power tree (0.86 V core via dedicated DC-DC, plus 2.5/3.3 V I/O via an LDO) and place at least eight decoupling capacitors around the BGA perimeter per Quartus II pin connection guidelines. Use Altera's PowerPlay early power estimator before place-and-route to confirm thermal envelope, and consider de-rating I/O toggle rates when fanning out LVDS pairs above 625 Mbps.
This page synthesizes Stratix III L family specifications, Octopart distributor pricing, same-brand speed/package drop-in alternatives, and practical Quartus II design notes that complement the official device handbook.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SL70F484I3 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 EP3SL70F484I3 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Family, Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SL50F484I3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$701.23 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484C3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$810 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484I3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$995.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL50F484I3G
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$215 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484C2
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$980 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484I4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$925.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484I3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III L |
| Logic Elements | 67,500 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 33,000 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 2,700 |
| Total Embedded Memory | 2,699,264 bits (337 KB) |
| M9K Memory Blocks | 288 |
| M144K Memory Blocks | 12 |
| DSP Blocks (18x18 multipliers) | 384 |
| User I/O Pins | 296 |
| PLLs | 8 (4 enhanced PLLs + 4 fast PLLs) |
| Process Node | TSMC 40 nm |
| Speed Grade | -3 (mid-tier) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Package | 484-ball Flip-Chip BGA (FBGA-484), 1.0 mm pitch |
| Configuration Modes | FPP, AS, PS, JTAG, AES encryption |
| Design Software | Quartus II (legacy) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP3SL70F484I3 484-ball flip-chip bga (fbga-484), 1.0 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SL70F484I3 (484-ball flip-chip bga (fbga-484), 1.0 mm pitch 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 EP3SL70F484I3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SL70F484I3 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems, Software-Defined Radio Baseband Processing, Medical Imaging Acceleration, Telecom Line Card Processing, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Industrial Machine Vision Pipelines.
High-Speed Data Acquisition Systems
The EP3SL70F484I3's 67,500 logic elements and 384 18x18 DSP blocks make it an ideal FPGA for multi-channel data acquisition systems sampling at 200-500 MSPS per channel. The 484-FBGA exposes 296 user I/Os, of which 64+ can be configured as LVDS pairs to interface directly with high-speed ADCs such as the ADS62P49 or AD9255. Industrial temperature range (-40C to +100C) supports deployment in factory-floor instrumentation where ambient temperatures rise to 60-70C. Quartus II's TimeQuest timing analyzer closes timing at 250 MHz+ across the fabric, while the device's 2,699,264 bits of embedded M9K/M144K block RAM buffer FIR-filter intermediate results without spilling to external memory.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio Baseband Processing
In SDR baseband designs, the EP3SL70F484I3 implements digital down-conversion, channelization, and FFT processing in fabric. The 384 embedded 18x18 multipliers execute complex mixer arithmetic and 1024-point FFTs in real time at rates exceeding 200 MHz clock, while the Stratix III L family's Programmable Power Technology reduces static leakage by up to 40% compared to the Stratix III E family - critical for power-constrained outdoor base stations. The 484-FBGA's 296 user I/Os accept CPRI/OBSAI framer data and expose high-speed LVDS for backhaul, while 2.7 Mbits of block RAM buffer multi-carrier symbol samples.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Acceleration
Ultrasound beamformers and CT-image reconstruction engines benefit from the EP3SL70F484I3's parallel DSP fabric. The 384 18x18 multipliers execute parallel delay-and-sum beamforming operations across 64-128 channels simultaneously, while 67.5K logic elements implement control logic, filter chains, and image post-processing. Industrial temperature rating supports use in portable cart-based ultrasound systems, and 296 user I/Os accept LVDS streams from analog front-end ASICs. Quartus II's IP catalog provides ready-to-use FIR, FFT, and NCO cores that synthesize in hours rather than days on the Stratix III L device.
Recommended
Telecom Line Card Processing
The EP3SL70F484I3 serves as the protocol-processing engine for multi-protocol telecom line cards, where it terminates 10G Ethernet MACs, MPLS framers, and PTP/SyncE timing paths. The 484-FBGA exposes enough LVDS pairs to interface with external PHY devices and SFP+ cages, while the FPGA's hard memory controllers (DDR, DDR2, DDR3, QDRII, RLDRAM) buffer packet payloads at line rate. Programmable Power Technology reduces idle-mode static power during low-traffic periods - a key requirement for service-provider chassis operating across temperature-controlled central offices.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The 67,500 logic elements of the EP3SL70F484I3 fit a wide class of mid-complexity ASIC designs, allowing hardware/software co-validation before tapeout. Multi-FPGA partitioning tools from Mentor Graphics and Synopsys map RTL onto the device's ALM fabric, while 384 DSP blocks prototype complex datapaths. Quartus II's incremental compilation preserves design partitions across iterations, and the 484-FBGA's 296 user I/Os expose high-speed channels between sibling FPGAs in a multi-board emulator. Industrial temperature grade supports validation in environmental chambers during automotive ASIC bring-up.
Recommended
Industrial Machine Vision Pipelines
The EP3SL70F484I3 accelerates real-time machine vision by executing convolution kernels, Sobel/Canny edge detection, and blob analysis in parallel across the FPGA fabric. 384 18x18 multipliers process 3x3, 5x5, and 7x7 kernel taps per clock cycle on each pixel stream, while 67.5K logic elements implement the surrounding control state machines. The industrial temperature range (-40C to +100C) supports deployment in factory automation cells where ambient temperature swings seasonally and ambient dust requires conformal coating. 296 user I/Os accept MIPI CSI-2 or LVDS streams from image sensors and drive GigE Vision or USB3 Vision uplinks.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SL70F484I3 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SL50F484I3 | EP3SL70F484C3 | EP3SL70F484I3N | EP3SL50F484I3G | EP3SL70F484I4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA | 484-ball FBGA - same | 484-ball FBGA - same | 484-ball FBGA - same | 484-ball FBGA - same | 484-ball FBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 67,500 | 47,500 | 67,500 | 67,500 | 47,500 | 67,500 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (mid) | -3 (mid) | -3 (mid) | -3 (mid) | -3 (mid) | -4 (faster) |
| Temperature Range | Industrial -40C to +100C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Industrial -40C to +100C |
| DSP Blocks (18x18) | 384 | 256 | 384 | 384 | 256 | 384 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,699,264 | 1,884,032 | 2,699,264 | 2,699,264 | 1,884,032 | 2,699,264 |
| User I/Os | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 | 296 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic density in Stratix III L FBGA-484 family (vs EP3SL50F484I3)
- Industrial temperature range for harsh environments (vs EP3SL70F484C3)
- Balanced -3 speed grade for typical timing closure (vs EP3SL70F484I4)
- Stratix III L's Programmable Power Technology (vs EP3SL50F484I3)
Design Notes
The EP3SL70F484I3 requires at least five separate supply rails: VCCINT (0.86 V core), VCCPT (1.1 V), VCCAUX (2.5 V), VCCIO (1.2-3.3 V bank-selectable), and VCCPD (3.3 V). Use Altera's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) spreadsheet before schematic capture to size the DC-DC converters. A 0.86 V core rail at 8 A (estimated 7 W static + dynamic for a 70%-utilized design at 300 MHz) typically requires a multi-phase buck converter such as the LTM4628 or TPS54A20 with output-inductor ripple under 30 mV.
The 484-ball FBGA Flip-Chip BGA package has a typical junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) of approximately 13-16 C/W with 1 m/s airflow, per JEDEC EIA/JESD51 test conditions (exact value [DATA_NEEDED: confirm from Stratix III datasheet Vol. 1]). At 70% utilization with a junction temperature limit of 100C (industrial), total package power dissipation must stay below approximately 4-5 W. Plan heatsink attachment with thermal interface material or use a multi-layer PCB with internal copper planes to spread heat.
Use at least eight 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors placed within 100 mils of the VCCINT/VCCPT/VCCAUX balls across the BGA perimeter, plus bulk 47 uF and 220 uF polymer/ceramic capacitors on the power planes. Route all high-speed transceiver pairs (GXB channels) with 100 ohm differential impedance and matched length (within 5 mils). The 1.0 mm ball pitch of the 484-FBGA requires microvia stack-up in the PCB - use 4+ layers of 2-4 mil laser-drilled microvias for breakout routing.
DDR3 external memory interfaces at 533 MHz with 64-bit bus widths are particularly sensitive to impedance discontinuities - follow Intel's Stratix III External Memory Interface Handbook rules for length-matching (within 25 mils on the address/command lane, within 10 mils on DQ/DQS). Place external memory on the same PCB side as the FPGA to avoid via stubs, and use IBIS-AMI simulations to validate eye margins at the SDRAM receiver before fabrication.
Do not assume configuration without a boot ROM - the EP3SL70F484I3 requires a configuration source such as an EPCS64 flash or a CPLD bridge. JTAG programming during bring-up is convenient but does not substitute for production configuration storage. Also note that the Stratix III family is officially in Last Time Buy as of 2026 - for new designs, plan a migration path to Stratix V or Cyclone V before designing this part into new production boards.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per distributor listings. AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA is not automotive-qualified by default). Halogen-free and conflict-minerals status not explicitly stated in retrieved web data - confirm via manufacturer PCN documentation before volume production.
