EP3SL70F484I4N - Stratix III L FPGA, 67.5K LE, 484-FBGA | Altera
MPN: EP3SL70F484I4N ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1025.5 | $1,025.50 |
| 10 | $990 | $9,900.00 |
| 100 | $945 | $94,500.00 |
| 500 | $899 | $449,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $855 | $855,000.00 |
EP3SL70F484I4N Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable semiconductor belonging to the broader category of programmable logic devices (PLD) and integrated circuits. FPGAs contain an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and dedicated silicon resources such as block RAM, DSP blocks, and transceivers. Within the system design hierarchy, an FPGA sits between microcontrollers/MCUs and ASICs - offering higher logic density and parallelism than MCUs while remaining reprogrammable unlike ASICs. The Stratix III L series specifically addresses lower static power consumption compared to the standard Stratix III family.
Key features of the EP3SL70F484I4N include 2,700 Logic Array Blocks (LABs), 450 MHz maximum internal operating frequency, programmable power technology, and 24 transceiver channels supporting up to 3.75 Gbps (per family datasheet). The device integrates hard IP for PCI Express Gen1, memory controllers (DDR2/DDR3/QDRII+), and SERDES, reducing external component count. Configuration is supported via fast passive parallel, fast active serial, or JTAG interfaces using the Altera Quartus II design suite.
Typical applications include high-speed digital signal processing in wireless baseband, video broadcast infrastructure, telecom backhaul, radar and sonar signal processing, ASIC prototyping, and high-performance compute accelerators. The combination of high logic density, embedded memory, and transceiver capability makes it well suited for parallel processing tasks that exceed MCU capabilities but where ASIC NRE costs are prohibitive.
When designing with this device, allocate the FBGA-484 PCB footprint carefully and provide at least 8 layers with continuous ground planes below the BGA for signal integrity and thermal dissipation. Use Altera's Quartus II toolchain (version 13.0 or later supports Stratix III) for synthesis, place-and-route, and power estimation. Note that Altera has formally discontinued the Stratix III family; long-term designs should evaluate migration to Stratix IV/V or Cyclone V GX equivalents.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-family drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found on a single manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP3SL70F484I4N — 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 EP3SL70F484I4N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Family, Package, Core Voltage, Process Technology, Speed Grade.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP3SL70F484I4LN
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$305 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL70F484I4L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$980 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL70F484I4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$925.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL70F484I3N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$995.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL70F484C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$149.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL50F484I4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证✓ In Stock
$435 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP3SL70F484I4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix III L |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 67,500 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 2,700 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 2,699,264 |
| Maximum User I/O | 296 |
| Operating Frequency (max) | 450 MHz |
| Process Technology | 65 nm CMOS |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.1 V |
| Package | 484-ball FC-FBGA (FBGA-484) |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C TJ) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Interface | Passive Parallel / Active Serial / JTAG |
| Design Toolchain | Altera Quartus II (version 13.0+ for Stratix III) |
EP3SL70F484I4N 484-ball fc-fbga (fbga-484) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP3SL70F484I4N (484-ball fc-fbga (fbga-484) 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 EP3SL70F484I4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP3SL70F484I4N is suitable for 6 applications: Wireless Baseband Processing, Telecom Backhaul Aggregation, Video Broadcast Infrastructure, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Radar and Sonar Signal Processing, PCI Express Endpoint Card.
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP3SL70F484I4N's 67,500 logic elements and integrated transceiver channels supporting up to 3.75 Gbps make it suitable for wireless baseband signal processing in 3G/4G remote radio heads and small-cell base stations. Its 2,699,264 bits of embedded block RAM provide on-chip buffering for sample-rate conversion and channel estimation without external memory access. The industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) supports outdoor cabinet-mounted deployments without additional thermal hardening. Compared to a DSP+ASIC partition, the FPGA approach allows late-binding to evolving 3GPP specifications via bitstream updates rather than ASIC re-spin.
Recommended
Telecom Backhaul Aggregation
In telecom backhaul aggregation equipment, the EP3SL70F484I4N handles multi-protocol packet processing including Ethernet, IP, and MPLS forwarding at line rate. Its 296 user I/Os accommodate multiple SGMII/SERDES interfaces to backplane connectors, while the 2,700 LABs provide the parallel logic capacity for header parsing and table lookups. The 65 nm CMOS process and 1.1 V core supply keep static power below equivalent ASIC implementations, important for always-on aggregation chassis. For new deployments, evaluate migration to Stratix V GT or Intel Agilex 7 FPGAs.
Recommended
Video Broadcast Infrastructure
The EP3SL70F484I4N is widely deployed in professional video broadcast gear including SDI routers, format converters, and multi-viewer processors. Its block RAM capacity supports multiple frame buffers for video scaling and deinterlacing pipelines, while the 296 I/Os connect to multiple SDI/HDMI serializer/deserializer partners. The integrated transceivers handle 3G-SDI and emerging 12G-SDI interfaces when paired with external equalizers. Industrial temperature rating supports studio equipment rack environments without active cooling modifications.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EP3SL70F484I4N's 67,500 logic elements provide sufficient density to prototype mid-complexity ASIC designs before committing to mask costs, supporting a 'design once, prototype many' workflow. Its Stratix III architecture mimics ASIC timing behavior more accurately than smaller FPGAs, with deeper logic and routing resources for retiming studies. Quartus II 13.0 supports industry-standard synthesis flows from Synopsys Design Compiler and Cadence Genus, simplifying ASIC-to-FPGA netlist translation. Multi-FPGA partitioning tools can chain several Stratix III devices for ASIC prototypes exceeding 500K gates.
Recommended
Radar and Sonar Signal Processing
Defense and marine radar/sonar systems leverage the EP3SL70F484I4N's parallel DSP capability for real-time FFT, pulse compression, and beamforming pipelines. The 2,699,264 bits of embedded memory store intermediate FFT stages without external memory round-trips, reducing latency for tracking loops. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) supports shipboard and outdoor radar installations. The high I/O count accommodates multiple LVDS ADC/DAC interfaces for direct RF sampling chains. For long-life-cycle defense programs, the last-time-buy status must be planned against program duration.
Recommended
PCI Express Endpoint Card
The EP3SL70F484I4N integrates hard PCI Express Gen1 IP blocks supporting x1, x4, and x8 lane configurations, simplifying endpoint card development for industrial and telecom applications. Its integrated transceivers provide the SERDES physical layer for PCIe Gen1 at 2.5 Gbps per lane without external PHY components. The 67.5K logic elements accommodate custom DMA engines, scatter-gather controllers, and application-layer protocol stacks. Quartus II 13.0 includes the Altera PCIe Compiler wizard that generates the complete PCIe hard IP wrapper plus example user logic.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP3SL70F484I4N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP3SL70F484I4LN | EP3SL70F484I4L | EP3SL70F484I3N | EP3SL70F484C2N | EP3SL50F484I4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-ball FC-FBGA (FBGA-484) | 484-ball FC-FBGA - same | 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 | Altera / Intel |
| Logic Elements | 67,500 | 67,500 | 67,500 | 67,500 | 67,500 | 50,000 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
| Speed Grade | I4 | I4 | I4 | I3 (faster) | C2 (commercial, slower) | I4 |
| Core Voltage | 1.1 V | 1.1 V | 1.1 V | 1.1 V | 1.1 V | 1.1 V |
| Process Node | 65 nm CMOS | 65 nm CMOS | 65 nm CMOS | 65 nm CMOS | 65 nm CMOS | 65 nm CMOS |
| Lifecycle Status | Last Time Buy (PDN1408) | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy | Last Time Buy |
Key Differentiators
- Power-optimized Stratix III L variant (vs Standard Stratix III EP3S70F484I4N)
- Higher logic density in same FBGA-484 footprint (vs EP3SL50F484I4N (50K LE))
- Industrial temperature grade option (vs EP3SL70F484C2N (commercial temp))
Design Notes
The 484-ball FBGA package requires an 8-layer PCB minimum with continuous ground plane below the BGA array for signal integrity and thermal dissipation. Via-in-pad (VIPPO) construction with 0.2 mm laser-drilled microvias is recommended for the inner signal balls; via tenting with solder mask is acceptable for outer rows. Match the BGA pad pitch (1.0 mm for FBGA-484) precisely per Altera's package mechanical drawing to avoid head-in-pillow defects during reflow. Provide at least 4 thermal vias (0.3 mm finished) under the center die-attach pad to ground for thermal spreading.
Estimated: at maximum toggle activity and 100% logic utilization, the EP3SL70F484I4N can dissipate up to 8 W of dynamic power, requiring forced-air cooling at ambient above 60C. For static (quiescent) conditions the L-series consumes approximately 0.5 W. The industrial temperature grade limits junction temperature to +100C maximum; derate ambient by 10C for each 1000 m of altitude to account for reduced air density. Use Quartus II PowerPlay power analyzer early in the design cycle to estimate realistic thermal envelopes.
The Stratix III family uses the legacy Quartus II toolchain (final version 13.0) - Quartus Prime 15.0 and later do NOT support Stratix III and will fail bitstream generation. Ensure all design source files are archived under Quartus II 13.0 .qsf format and that the Altera USB-Blaster or ByteBlaster II download cable is available for JTAG programming. The configuration bitstream is NOT portable across generations; migrating to Stratix IV or V requires full re-synthesis of RTL.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per 'N' suffix in MPN per Altera/Intel naming convention. AEC-Q100 not applicable (industrial grade, not automotive qualified). Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in provided data - request manufacturer material declaration for confirmation.
