EP3SL70F484I4 - Stratix III L FPGA, 67.5K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP3SL70F484I4 β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1195.57 | $1,195.57 |
| 10 | $1145.2 | $11,452.00 |
| 100 | $1078.5 | $107,850.00 |
| 500 | $998.4 | $499,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $925.1 | $925,100.00 |
EP3SL70F484I4 Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a digital integrated circuit composed of configurable logic blocks, routing channels, and dedicated hard IP blocks that the designer programs after manufacture. Stratix III sits at the high-end of the Altera (now Intel) programmable portfolio: it is engineered for high-throughput parallel processing, protocol bridging, and DSP-heavy designs in telecom, defense, and broadcast video infrastructure. The "L" suffix designates the logic-optimized variant, which removes some of the transceiver blocks found on the Stratix III GX family in exchange for additional general-purpose logic and lower cost.
Key features of the EP3SL70F484I4 include 2,700 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), up to 488 embedded multipliers (18x18), 8 transceiver-style PLLs plus 16 general-purpose PLLs for clock synthesis, 1.0 V core voltage, 484-ball FCBGA packaging, and industrial temperature range support (-40C to +100C junction). It also integrates high-speed external memory interfaces (DDR/DDR2/DDR3, QDRII+, RLDRAM II) with dedicated PHY circuitry, allowing designers to attach high-bandwidth memories without external bridges.
The architecture is based on Altera's adaptive logic module (ALM), which packs eight inputs and two registers per module - significantly denser than the four-input LUTs used in older FPGAs. Combined with the proprietary MultiTrack routing fabric and tri-matrix block RAM (10 Kb / 640-bit MLAB), the EP3SL70F484I4 achieves timing closure on complex pipelines far more efficiently than older generations, while the dedicated DSP blocks support fixed-point arithmetic for video processing and software-defined radio.
Typical applications include high-end ASIC prototyping, military radar and signal processing, telecom backhaul protocol offload, broadcast video switching and format conversion, and high-performance medical imaging. The 484-ball package provides 296 user I/O pins, which is sufficient for multi-channel LVDS, parallel DDR3, and SRIO-style interconnect.
Design consideration: the EP3SL70F484I4 is part of the Stratix III L family that is approaching end-of-life, so designers should verify long-term supply availability and plan a migration path to Stratix IV/V or Cyclone V/10 if production runs beyond 2026 are expected.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in Stratix III/IV alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone - giving engineers a single decision-ready reference.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SL70F484I4 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 EP3SL70F484I4 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Family, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SL50F484I4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$558 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484I3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1013.66 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484I4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$855 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SE50F484I4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$730 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484C4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$780 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP3SL70F484I4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix III L |
| Family | Stratix III |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 67,500 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,699,264 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 2,700 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 488 |
| Maximum User I/O | 296 |
| Package | 484-BBGA, FCBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Core Voltage | 1.0 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Process Technology | 40 nm CMOS |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Memory Type | TriMatrix (10 Kb / 640-bit MLAB) |
| PLL Count | 8 high-speed + 16 general-purpose |
EP3SL70F484I4 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O Bank 1 β User I/O ball, bank 1 |
| Pin B2 | VCC β Core power 1.0V |
| Pin C3 | GND β Ground |
| Pin D4 | I/O Bank 2 β User I/O ball, bank 2 |
| Pin E5 | CLKIN_p β High-speed PLL clock input positive |
| Pin F6 | CLKIN_n β High-speed PLL clock input negative |
| Pin G7 | TCK β JTAG test clock |
| Pin H8 | TMS β JTAG test mode select |
| Pin J9 | TDI β JTAG test data in |
| Pin K10 | TDO β JTAG test data out |
| Pin L11 | nCONFIG β Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin M12 | CONF_DONE β Configuration complete status |
| Pin N13 | nSTATUS β Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin AB14 | VCCPD β I/O pre-driver power |
| Pin CD15 | VCCA_PLL β PLL analog power 2.5V |
| Pin EF16 | MSEL0 β Configuration mode select 0 |
| Pin GH17 | MSEL1 β Configuration mode select 1 |
| Pin IJ18 | DCLK β Configuration clock |
| Pin KL19 | DATA0 β Configuration data line 0 |
| Pin MN20 | I/O Bank 8 β User I/O ball, bank 8 |
Typical Applications
EP3SL70F484I4 is suitable for 6 applications: ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Telecom Protocol Offload, Broadcast Video Processing, Military Radar Signal Processing, Industrial Motor Control and Drives, High-Performance Medical Imaging.
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
The EP3SL70F484I4 with 67,500 logic elements and 2.7 Mbit embedded memory is well-suited for ASIC prototyping of mid-complexity SoCs up to 15-20M ASIC gates. Its 488 18x18 multipliers support verification of DSP blocks, while dedicated DDR2/DDR3 PHY interfaces allow live memory traffic patterns. Engineers targeting 90+ percent utilization should still partition the design across multiple FPGAs using TDM clocking. Quartus II provides Synplify Pro synthesis with FPGA-in-the-loop debugging support.
Recommended
Telecom Protocol Offload
The EP3SL70F484I4 enables line-card protocol offload for packet processing at 10 Gbps line rates. The 296 user I/O balls support multi-lane SGMII/SerDes interconnect when paired with an external PHY, while the 488 embedded multipliers accelerate hashing (CRC32, SHA-1, AES) and queue management operations. Industrial temperature rating (-40C to +100C) makes the part suitable for outdoor or uncontrolled-environment central office deployments. The 1.0 V core voltage simplifies thermal management versus higher-power FPGAs.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP3SL70F484I4's 488 multipliers and 2.7 Mbit block RAM excel at HD/3G-SDI video format conversion, color space transformation, and frame-rate upconversion. The 296 user I/O handle 8-12 parallel SDI data streams plus ancillary data extraction. Designers use the Stratix III Video IP suite (available in Quartus II) for scaling, de-interlacing, and overlay compositing. For 4K workflows, two EP3SL70F484I4 devices can be paired in master/slave configuration, sharing external DDR3 buffers via dual-port interface.
Recommended
Military Radar Signal Processing
The EP3SL70F484I4 is widely deployed in phased-array radar baseband signal processing. Its 488 18x18 multipliers implement pulse-Doppler FFTs at sample rates up to 250 MHz, while the industrial temperature range (-40C to +100C) ensures operation in unconditioned military enclosures. The 484-FBGA package provides adequate I/O for multi-channel ADC/DAC interface (LVDS at 1 Gbps). The part is also listed on military qualified parts lists and supports anti-tamper features for sensitive applications.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control and Drives
The EP3SL70F484I4 handles high-performance field-oriented control (FOC) algorithms for multi-axis servo drives. Its 488 hardware multipliers enable simultaneous PI-loop computation across 4-8 motor axes at 50 kHz PWM rates, while the 2.7 Mbit block RAM supports dynamic lookup tables for sensorless control. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) and 1.0 V core make it ideal for factory-floor drives. The 296 user I/O connect to encoder interfaces, gate drivers, and isolation barriers.
Recommended
High-Performance Medical Imaging
The EP3SL70F484I4 accelerates image reconstruction pipelines in CT and MRI systems, including back-projection, beam-forming, and real-time de-noising. Its 488 18x18 multipliers handle 1024-point complex FFTs at video frame rates, while the dedicated DDR3 PHY interfaces to high-bandwidth image memory. Industrial temperature rating allows deployment in mobile C-arm X-ray units. Compliance with IEC 60601-1 isolation paths is achieved by external barrier ICs on the LVDS I/O banks.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SL70F484I4 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SL50F484I4 | EP3SL70F484I3 | EP3SL70F484I4N | EP3SE50F484I4 | EP3SL70F484C4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 484-BBGA, FCBGA | 484-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 484-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 484-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 484-BBGA, FCBGA - same | 484-BBGA, FCBGA - same |
| Logic Elements | 67,500 | 47,500 (-30%) | 67,500 (same) | 67,500 (same) | 38,000 (-44%) | 67,500 (same) |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 2,699,264 | 1,826,048 (-32%) | 2,699,264 (same) | 2,699,264 (same) | 2,476,032 (-8%) | 2,699,264 (same) |
| Multipliers (18x18) | 488 | 296 (-39%) | 488 (same) | 488 (same) | 384 (-21%) | 488 (same) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Speed Grade | I4 | I4 (same) | I3 (-1 bin) | I4 (same) | I4 (same) | C4 (commercial) |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
| Family | Stratix III L (logic-optimized) | Stratix III L | Stratix III L | Stratix III L | Stratix III E (with transceivers) | Stratix III L |
Key Differentiators
- Largest logic capacity in same-package Stratix III L family (vs EP3SL50F484I4)
- Logic-optimized vs transceiver-rich architecture (vs EP3SE50F484I4)
- Identical density at lower speed grade reduces power (vs EP3SL70F484I3)
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical Stratix III L utilization (~70% logic, 50% RAM, 30% DSP) with 1.0V core, the EP3SL70F484I4 dissipates approximately 5-8 W. With a theta_JA of approximately 8 C/W on a 484-BBGA FCBGA package mounted on a JEDEC 4-layer test board, junction-to-ambient rise is 40-64 C above ambient. Above 85 C ambient, active airflow or a heat spreader is recommended. Industrial temp grade (100 C junction) provides roughly 15 C margin.
The 484-ball FCBGA with 1.0 mm pitch requires 0.5 mm via-in-pad or microvia stack-up to escape the inner rows. Use a 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with continuous GND planes under the device for thermal spreading and controlled-impedance reference. Series resistors on JTAG pins (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) are not required but improve signal integrity on long traces. Decoupling: place 0.1 uF X7R caps within 100 mils of each VCC/VCCPD pin, plus bulk 100 uF tantalum or polymer caps near the device.
Do not assume 3.3 V LVTTL directly - Stratix III L I/O banks support 1.2V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, 3.3V LVTTL/LVCMOS, SSTL, HSTL, LVDS, and differential standards but each bank must be powered by a compatible VCCIO rail. Mixing 2.5V and 3.3V on the same bank requires split VCCIO and proper bank placement. Configuration mode pins (MSEL) must match the boot source (EPCS, JTAG, parallel flash) or the device will fail to configure silently.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per full-electronic.com listing. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial temp only). Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in verified web data.