EP4CE15F23C6 - Cyclone IV E FPGA, 15K LE, 484-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CE15F23C6 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $28.95 | $2,895.00 |
| 500 | $24.4 | $12,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $20.1 | $20,100.00 |
EP4CE15F23C6 Overview
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and programmable interconnect, all of which can be redefined after PCB assembly. The Cyclone IV E family sits in the low-power, low-cost segment of Intel's FPGA portfolio, between the legacy Cyclone III and the higher-end Cyclone V series. By combining a hard processor-free fabric with up to 6.5625 Mb of RAM and dedicated 18x18 multipliers, FPGAs like the EP4CE15F23C6 deliver parallel processing performance that microcontrollers and DSPs cannot match, while remaining affordable enough for consumer and industrial volumes.
Key features of the EP4CE15F23C6 include 15,408 logic elements, 504 Kbits of embedded RAM (516,096 bits), 56 dedicated 18-bit x 18-bit multipliers, four general-purpose PLLs, 343 maximum user I/Os, and 20 global clock networks. The device supports configuration via JTAG, active serial (AS), passive serial (PS), and fast passive parallel (FPP) modes, and includes on-chip configuration memory with optional external EPCS or EPCQ flash support. It is offered in the commercial temperature grade (C6 speed grade).
Architecturally, the Cyclone IV E device uses a logic-structure composed of 16-bit Logic Array Blocks (LABs) and Memory Logic Array Blocks (MLABs). Each LAB contains 16 logic elements, and each logic element contains a 4-input look-up table (LUT), a programmable register, and carry chain logic. The fabric is augmented by dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers, M9K memory blocks, and PLL-based clock management.
Typical applications include industrial motor control and machine vision, video processing and display bridges, low-cost software-defined radio front-ends, automotive infotainment and driver-assist subsystems, point-of-sale terminals, and portable medical instrumentation. The wide I/O count and multi-voltage support also make it suitable for system-level glue logic and protocol bridging between legacy and modern buses.
When designing with this device, ensure the Quartus II / Quartus Prime toolchain version matches the device family support (Cyclone IV E is supported by Quartus Prime Standard, with newer Intel FPGA software maintaining legacy device support). Plan for a minimum 1.2 V core decoupling network of 0.1 µF and 10 µF capacitors within the BGA footprint, and observe the ball pitch and keep-out rules of the F23 package for PCB escape routing.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in compatible variants, and practical design guidance that goes beyond the manufacturer datasheet, including same-package speed- and temperature-grade options and pin-compatible Cyclone IV E family alternatives.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CE15F23C6 — 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 EP4CE15F23C6 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Process Technology, Speed Grade, Package, Operating Temperature, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CE15F23C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$33.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE15F23C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$12.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE15F23I7N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CE30F23C6
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CE15E22C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$15.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE15F23C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone® IV E |
| Logic Elements | 15,408 |
| Total Memory Bits | 516,096 |
| Embedded Memory | 504 Kbits |
| User I/O Count (max) | 343 |
| DSP / 18x18 Multipliers | 56 |
| General-purpose PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clock Networks | 20 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Process Technology | 60 nm |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) |
| Speed Grade | 6 |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA (F23) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CE15F23C6 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | I/O — User I/O (ball A1) |
| Pin 2 | I/O — User I/O (ball A2) |
| Pin 3 | I/O — User I/O (ball A3) |
| Pin 4 | I/O — User I/O (ball A4) |
| Pin 5 | I/O — User I/O (ball A5) |
| Pin 6 | I/O — User I/O (ball A6) |
| Pin 7 | I/O — User I/O (ball A7) |
| Pin 8 | I/O — User I/O (ball A8) |
| Pin 9 | I/O — User I/O (ball A9) |
| Pin 10 | I/O — User I/O (ball A10) |
| Pin 11 | I/O — User I/O (ball A11) |
| Pin 12 | I/O — User I/O (ball A12) |
| Pin 13 | I/O — User I/O (ball A13) |
| Pin 14 | I/O — User I/O (ball A14) |
| Pin 15 | I/O — User I/O (ball A15) |
| Pin 16 | I/O — User I/O (ball A16) |
| Pin 17 | I/O — User I/O (ball A17) |
| Pin 18 | I/O — User I/O (ball A18) |
| Pin 19 | I/O — User I/O (ball A19) |
| Pin 20 | I/O — User I/O (ball A20) |
| Pin 21 | I/O — User I/O (ball A21) |
| Pin 22 | I/O — User I/O (ball A22) |
| Pin 23 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 24 | VCCINT — Core supply 1.2 V |
Typical Applications
EP4CE15F23C6 is suitable for 7 applications: Industrial Motor Control, Machine Vision and Image Processing, Video Bridge and Display Controllers, Low-Cost Software Defined Radio (SDR), Automotive Infotainment and Driver Assist, Point-of-Sale and Embedded Terminals, Portable Medical Instrumentation.
Industrial Motor Control
The EP4CE15F23C6 is well-suited for industrial motor control drives including BLDC, stepper, and AC induction servos. Its 56 dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers deliver the parallel multiply-accumulate throughput required for field-oriented control (FOC) loops at 50-100 kHz PWM rates, while the 343 user I/Os allow direct connection to multi-axis encoder feedback, Hall sensors, and gate driver ICs without external logic. The 60 nm low-power Cyclone IV E process keeps static current low enough to meet industrial drive thermal budgets, and the 1.2 V core combined with multi-voltage I/O support simplifies interfacing to 3.3 V gate drivers and 5 V position sensors. Compared with a microcontroller-DSP combination, the FPGA's parallel architecture executes the Park/Clark transforms and SVPWM modulators simultaneously, reducing control-loop latency below 5 µs for high-dynamic-response servo systems. The 504 Kbits of embedded RAM (516,096 bits) buffer current-sense samples and reference trajectories on-chip, eliminating external SRAM.
Recommended
Machine Vision and Image Processing
The EP4CE15F23C6 supports entry-level machine vision pipelines such as Bayer demosaicing, edge detection (Sobel, Laplacian), and simple object tracking. With 56 dedicated 18x18 multipliers and 516,096 bits of embedded RAM, the FPGA can sustain real-time processing of VGA (640x480) at 60 fps or CIF (352x288) streams at higher rates. The 343 user I/Os enable direct connection to CMOS image sensors (parallel DVP interface), LCD panels, and external DDR/DDR2 SDRAM memories for frame buffering. Compared with a CPU/GPU solution, the FPGA's deterministic latency simplifies synchronization with strobed illumination in industrial inspection. The device supports LVDS I/O, which is commonly used for high-speed image sensor interfaces, and the four on-chip PLLs generate the precise pixel-clock frequencies required for correct sampling. Designers benefit from low-power operation in compact PoE-powered camera enclosures.
Recommended
Video Bridge and Display Controllers
The EP4CE15F23C6 is widely deployed as a video format bridge between MIPI CSI/DSI, parallel RGB, HDMI, and LVDS sources and sinks. Its abundant logic and 343 user I/Os allow multi-channel TTL-to-LVDS conversion, frame-rate conversion, and chroma subsampling in a single chip. The 60 nm Cyclone IV E process keeps the device cool enough for fanless enclosures such as digital signage controllers and KVM extenders. With 56 hardware multipliers and 504 Kbits of embedded RAM, the FPGA can also perform real-time scaling, color-space conversion, and OSD overlay. The four general-purpose PLLs generate the independent pixel clocks required to drive dual-display outputs simultaneously. Compared with fixed-function bridge ASSPs, the FPGA's reconfigurability allows late-stage customization for emerging panel resolutions without silicon respin.
Recommended
Low-Cost Software Defined Radio (SDR)
The EP4CE15F23C6 has become a popular FPGA for hobbyist and educational SDR platforms, supporting direct conversion and superheterodyne receiver implementations up to roughly 30-50 MHz of baseband bandwidth. With 56 dedicated 18x18 multipliers and 516,096 bits of embedded RAM, the device can implement FFT engines, digital down-converters (DDC), and FIR filters at sampling rates from a few MSPS up to 100 MSPS. The 343 user I/Os provide parallel connections to high-speed ADCs and DACs commonly used in SDR front-ends. The four PLLs generate the multiple clock domains required for ADC sampling, USB streaming, and DSP blocks. Compared with a host-CPU solution, the FPGA's parallel architecture achieves lower latency for real-time spectrum visualization and demodulation. Designers can also leverage the Cyclone IV E development kits widely available from Intel and third parties.
Recommended
Automotive Infotainment and Driver Assist
The EP4CE15F23C6 supports cost-sensitive automotive subsystems such as rear-seat entertainment, instrument cluster preprocessing, and entry-level ADAS sensor fusion. While the device is rated for commercial temperature (0C to +85C), the same-family EP4CE15F23I7N industrial variant extends coverage to -40C to +100C and is automotive-qualified per AEC-Q100 for cabin environments. With 56 hardware multipliers, the FPGA can preprocess camera frames (lane detection, object detection) before offloading to a host SoC. The 343 user I/Os accommodate multiple LVDS camera inputs and CAN/LIN transceivers. Compared with an ASIC, the FPGA allows late-stage feature updates via configuration flash reprogramming. Designers should consider AEC-Q100-qualified Cyclone IV variants for under-hood or chassis-mounted ECUs.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale and Embedded Terminals
The EP4CE15F23C6 is used in point-of-sale (POS) terminals and embedded payment systems as a system-glue and protocol-bridge controller. The 343 user I/Os support legacy peripherals (RS-232, parallel printer ports, cash-drawer drivers, keypad matrices) while the 56 hardware multipliers accelerate cryptographic operations (AES, RSA, elliptic-curve) for secure PIN-entry devices. The 504 Kbits of embedded RAM (516,096 bits) buffer transaction data on-chip. The four PLLs generate clocks for display panels, magnetic-stripe readers, and contactless NFC front-ends. Compared with discrete microcontroller implementations, the FPGA consolidates multiple functions into a single chip, reducing BOM cost and PCB area in space-constrained terminal enclosures.
Recommended
Portable Medical Instrumentation
The EP4CE15F23C6 supports portable medical devices such as pulse oximeters, bedside patient monitors, and entry-level ultrasound beamformers. Its low-power 60 nm Cyclone IV E process extends battery life in handheld applications, while the 56 hardware multipliers accelerate DSP filtering and FFT analysis of biosignals. With 343 user I/Os, the device interfaces to color TFT displays, touch controllers, and analog front-end ADCs without external logic. The four on-chip PLLs generate the multiple clock domains needed for simultaneous ECG sampling, display refresh, and wireless telemetry. The 516,096 bits of embedded RAM buffer waveform data before transmission. Designers can use the same F23 484-ball FBGA footprint across the commercial EP4CE15F23C6 and industrial EP4CE15F23I7N variants, simplifying supply-chain and qualification management.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CE15F23C6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CE15F23C8N | EP4CE15F23C7N | EP4CE15F23I7N | EP4CE30F23C6 | EP4CE15E22C8N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 484-ball FBGA (F23) | 484-ball FBGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FBGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FBGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FBGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FBGA (E22) - different pinout |
| Logic Elements | 15,408 | 15,408 (same) | 15,408 (same) | 15,408 (same) | 30,000 (+95%) | 15,408 (same) |
| Embedded Memory | 516,096 bits | 516,096 bits | 516,096 bits | 516,096 bits | 1,161,216 bits (+125%) | 516,096 bits |
| Speed Grade | 6 | 8 (faster) | 7 (faster) | 7 | 6 (same) | 8 (faster) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial | Commercial |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 56 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 66 (+18%) | 56 |
| Pin-to-Pin Compatible | Reference | Yes (same F23 package) | Yes (same F23 package) | Yes (same F23 package) | Yes (same F23 package) | No (E22 vs F23 pinout) |
Key Differentiators
- Higher speed grade available in same F23 package (vs EP4CE15F23C8N)
- Industrial-temperature variant in same F23 package (vs EP4CE15F23I7N)
- Doubled logic density in same F23 footprint (vs EP4CE30F23C6)
Design Notes
The EP4CE15F23C6 requires a stable 1.2 V core supply (VCCINT) and separate VCCIO bank voltages for I/O banks (1.2 V to 3.3 V). Place a minimum of one 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor per VCCINT pin and one 10 µF bulk capacitor per bank. Use a ferrite bead to isolate PLL analog supplies (VCCA_PLL) from digital noise, and connect VCCD_PLL to a clean 1.2 V rail per the Intel Cyclone IV Device Handbook recommendation. Inrush current during configuration can exceed 500 mA; size the regulator accordingly.
The 484-ball FBGA (F23) package has a 1.0 mm ball pitch requiring microvia or HDI PCB fabrication. Use a 4- or 6-layer stack-up with dedicated ground and power planes; route all signal layers as stripline with reference planes to control impedance. Fan-out escape routing should follow the JEDEC standard for FBGA packages; inner rows may require dog-bone fan-out through buried vias. Maintain at least 6 mil trace width and 6 mil spacing to meet typical FPGA breakout constraints.
Do not leave configuration pins (nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE, MSEL[3:0]) floating - they require pull-up or strap resistors per the datasheet to select the correct configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG, FPP). Incorrect MSEL strapping is the most common cause of configuration failure. Additionally, ensure JTAG TCK stays below 33 MHz (Cyclone IV E limit) and use the proper BSDL file for boundary-scan testing. Avoid using I/O banks without proper VCCIO connection - unpowered banks enter undefined states and may back-drive connected devices.
DDR/DDR2 SDRAM interfaces on the EP4CE15F23C6 require matched-dim routing (within 25 mils) for the byte lanes, with proper termination at the memory. Use the ALTMEMPHY or UniPHY megafunction from Quartus to generate timing-compliant controllers. For LVDS I/O, enable on-chip 100-ohm differential termination and maintain 100-ohm differential impedance with tightly coupled traces (width/spacing < 1) on the PCB. Source-synchronous interfaces (camera sensors, displays) require skew matching within 50 ps.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Intel/Altera product materials declaration. Lead-free (Pb-free) ball terminations compatible with 260C peak reflow profiles. Cyclone IV E family is not AEC-Q100 qualified as a family; the EP4CE15F23I7N industrial-temperature variant is widely used in automotive cabin environments but is not formally Q100 qualified. Verify with Intel for specific automotive use cases.