EP4CGX110CF23C8 - Cyclone IV GX FPGA, 109K LEs, 484-BGA | Altera
MPN: EP4CGX110CF23C8 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $198.5 | $198.50 |
| 10 | $178.2 | $1,782.00 |
| 100 | $159.4 | $15,940.00 |
| 250 | $145 | $36,250.00 |
| 500 | $132.75 | $66,375.00 |
EP4CGX110CF23C8 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, and dedicated hardware blocks (memory, multipliers, transceivers, PLLs) that the designer programs after manufacture. FPGAs sit at the top of the digital-logic hierarchy: configurable logic IC -> programmable logic device -> FPGA -> PLD family. The Cyclone IV GX family specifically targets low-cost, low-power designs that still need high-speed serial I/O, bridging the gap between traditional FPGAs and ASSPs.
Key features include 4 PLLs for clock management, 8 dedicated 3.3V PCI Express hard IP blocks (one at Gen1 x1 capable), 2 phase-locked loops per transceiver block, and 3.125 Gbps transceiver capability on selected banks. The F23 package pinout is optimized for memory-rich designs, supporting DDR/DDR2 SDRAM interfaces via dedicated DQS/DQ phase-shift circuitry. Cyclone IV GX devices are also notable for their power-optimized architecture that typically consumes 30% less static power than the previous Cyclone III generation.
Cyclone IV GX FPGAs implement logic through 4-input LUTs grouped into Logic Array Blocks (LABs), with embedded RAM blocks configurable as true dual-port, simple dual-port, or single-port memory. The transceiver hard IP supports protocols including PCI Express Gen1 (x1/x2/x4), Gigabit Ethernet, SDI, CPRI, OBSAI, V-by-One, Serial RapidIO, and custom serial interfaces, eliminating the need for external PHY chips in many designs.
Typical applications include industrial video surveillance systems, machine vision cameras, low-cost PCIe endpoint cards, motor control and industrial automation, broadcast video processing, handheld test equipment, and software-defined radio front ends. The integrated transceivers make it especially attractive for designs where board space and BOM cost matter more than raw logic density.
When designing with this device, ensure the Quartus II (13.0 or later) or Quartus Prime toolchain is used for compilation and pin assignment, since the device uses Altera's proprietary configuration bitstream format. Plan power sequencing for the 1.2V core, 2.5V/3.3V auxiliary, and 1.2V transceiver supplies separately; bypassing should follow the Cyclone IV GX Hardware Reference Manual recommendations.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing for the EP4CGX110CF23C8, 484-BGA drop-in and pin-compatible same-family alternatives sourced from Altera (Intel) device tree, and practical design notes not aggregated on the manufacturer product page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX110CF23C8 — 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 EP4CGX110CF23C8 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Embedded Memory Bits, PLLs.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX110CF23C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$89.12 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110CF23C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$224.84 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE75F23C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$42.3 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE75F23C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$159.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CE115F23I8LN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$198.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110CF23C8 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Device Model | EP4CGX110 |
| Logic Elements | 109,424 |
| Embedded Memory | 5,621,760 bits |
| Embedded Multipliers | 270 (18x18) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.2 V |
| PLL Count | 4 |
| PCI Express Hard IP Blocks | 4 (one Gen1 x1 capable) |
| Transceiver Data Rate | Up to 3.125 Gbps |
| Package | 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) |
| Pin/Ball Count | 484 |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) - grade C8 |
| Speed Grade | 8 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Method | Altera Quartus II / Quartus Prime bitstream |
EP4CGX110CF23C8 484-ball fineline bga (f23) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX110CF23C8 (484-ball fineline bga (f23) 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 EP4CGX110CF23C8.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX110CF23C8 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Video Surveillance & Machine Vision, Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint Cards, Broadcast Video Processing (SDI/HD-SDI/3G-SDI), Industrial Motor Control & Automation, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front End, Handheld Test & Measurement Equipment.
Industrial Video Surveillance & Machine Vision
The EP4CGX110CF23C8 is well suited to multi-channel industrial video surveillance and machine-vision cameras thanks to its 109,424 logic elements, 270 dedicated 18x18 multipliers, and 3.125 Gbps transceivers. The multiplier density enables real-time Sobel/edge-detection and convolution kernels on H.264 or MJPEG streams without external DSP chips. The transceivers can drive SDI/HD-SDI/3G-SDI links to a base station up to 100m, while the 5.6 Mb of embedded memory buffers full-HD frame lines for low-latency processing. Designers use the PCIe hard IP block to attach the FPGA as a frame-grabber endpoint to a host PC, eliminating a discrete PCIe PHY. Compared to DSP+ASSP solutions, this single-chip approach reduces BOM cost by 30-40%.
Recommended
Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint Cards
The EP4CGX110CF23C8 includes four hard PCI Express IP blocks (one Gen1 x1 capable) that eliminate the external PHY, clock generator, and PIPE interface glue logic typically required for PCIe endpoint designs. Placed on a half-height x1 PCIe card, the FPGA acts as a custom data-acquisition or protocol-bridge endpoint, communicating with the host CPU at 2.5 Gbps over the PCIe link. The 109K logic elements are sufficient for moderate DMA engines, scatter-gather controllers, and protocol-translation state machines. Designers typically use the embedded transceivers alongside PCIe to provide auxiliary high-speed links (e.g., front-panel SFP+). Power consumption is typically under 4W for PCIe-only designs at Gen1 x1.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing (SDI/HD-SDI/3G-SDI)
The EP4CGX110CF23C8's transceivers natively support SDI, HD-SDI, and 3G-SDI (2.97 Gbps) video standards, making it a strong fit for broadcast video routers, multiviewers, and frame synchronizers. Up to eight full-duplex 3G-SDI channels can be processed simultaneously using the embedded transceivers and logic-array fabric for color-space conversion, de-interlacing, or audio embedding/de-embedding. The 5.6 Mb embedded memory buffers multiple video lines, enabling genlock and frame-rate conversion without external SDRAM. The 270 18x18 multipliers handle chroma-keying and scaling kernels in real time at 1080p60. This single-chip solution replaces discrete SDI receivers, processors, and serializers, reducing board complexity and BOM cost.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control & Automation
The EP4CGX110CF23C8 is well suited to multi-axis industrial motor control and PLC designs, where the 270 embedded 18x18 multipliers compute Park/Clark transforms, space-vector PWM, and field-oriented control (FOC) loops for up to four axes simultaneously. The 4 PLLs generate precise switching frequencies for IGBT/MOSFET drivers with sub-100 ns dead-time resolution, while the user I/O banks accept 3.3V LVTTL and 5V-tolerant inputs from Hall sensors and encoders. Industrial communication protocols (EtherCAT, PROFINET, Modbus) are implemented in the 109K logic fabric, replacing dedicated ASICs and enabling firmware upgrades via the FPGA's JTAG or PCIe interface. The commercial temperature grade (0C to +85C) is acceptable for indoor cabinet installations.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front End
The EP4CGX110CF23C8's 3.125 Gbps transceivers and high logic density make it a strong fit for low-cost software-defined radio (SDR) baseband or front-end designs handling signals up to ~70 MHz bandwidth. ADC samples at 100-150 MSPS can be fed into the FPGA via LVDS pairs, where the fabric performs DDC (digital down-conversion), channelization, and protocol demodulation using the 270 embedded multipliers as NCO/mixer engines. Embedded transceivers backhaul processed data over CPRI, OBSAI, or custom serial links to a host processor. This single-chip solution replaces dedicated DSP+FPGA two-board designs in tactical and amateur-radio markets, reducing board area and power consumption by approximately 40%.
Recommended
Handheld Test & Measurement Equipment
The EP4CGX110CF23C8 fits compact handheld oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers thanks to its 109K logic elements, embedded transceivers for USB 3.0 PHY or LAN9254 ethernet bridges, and 5.6 Mb memory for waveform capture buffers. The FPGA's logic fabric implements trigger engines, decoders (I2C/SPI/UART/CAN), and color-LCD rasterizers without requiring a discrete graphics controller. The 1.2V core plus selectable auxiliary rails simplify Li-ion battery-powered designs, while the commercial temperature grade is sufficient for laboratory and field-engineer use cases. Compared to ASIC-based instruments, the FPGA-based platform enables field firmware updates for new protocol decoders.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX110CF23C8 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX110CF23C7N | EP4CGX110CF23C7 | EP4CE75F23C8N | EP4CE75F23C8 | EP4CE115F23I8LN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) | 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) - same | 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) - same |
| Family | Cyclone IV GX (transceivers + PCIe HIP) | Cyclone IV GX | Cyclone IV GX | Cyclone IV E (no transceivers) | Cyclone IV E (no transceivers) | Cyclone IV E (no transceivers) |
| Logic Elements | 109,424 | 109,424 | 109,424 | 75,408 | 75,408 | 114,480 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 5,621,760 | 5,621,760 | 5,621,760 | 2,810,880 | 2,810,880 | 3,981,312 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 270 | 270 | 270 | 180 | 180 | 266 |
| Transceivers / PCIe HIP | Up to 3.125 Gbps + 4 PCIe hard IP | Same - 3.125 Gbps + 4 PCIe HIP | Same - 3.125 Gbps + 4 PCIe HIP | None (Cyclone IV E - no transceivers) | None (Cyclone IV E - no transceivers) | None (Cyclone IV E - no transceivers) |
| Speed Grade | 8 | 7N | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8L (industrial) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Industrial (-40C to +100C) |
Key Differentiators
- Largest Cyclone IV GX device in the 484-ball F23 BGA package (vs EP4CE75F23C8N)
- Speed grade 8 provides the highest Fmax in the family (vs EP4CGX110CF23C7N)
- Integrated hard PCI Express IP blocks eliminate external PHY (vs EP4CE115F23I8LN)
- Industrial-temperature migration path exists without PCB redesign (vs EP4CE115F23I8LN)
Design Notes
The Cyclone IV GX EP4CGX110CF23C8 requires four independent power rails: VCCINT (1.2V core), VCCAUX (2.5V auxiliary), VCCIO (per-bank, 1.2V-3.3V), and VCCA_GXB/VCCP_GXB (1.2V transceiver/PCIe HIP analog supplies). A power-up sequencing controller or RC delay network is required to ensure VCCINT rises before VCCAUX and VCCIO to avoid latch-up. Estimate (based on typical Quartus PowerPlay numbers): a 60-70% utilized EP4CGX110CF23C8 with two active transceivers at 3.125 Gbps draws approximately 1.8-2.2A on VCCINT, so size the 1.2V regulator to at least 3A continuous with adequate thermal headroom.
The 484-ball FineLine BGA (F23) package requires a PCB with at minimum a 0.4mm ball pitch escape and via-in-pad or microvia technology (HDI substrate recommended). All signal layers must route between BGA balls using 50-ohm controlled-impedance microstrip or stripline, with reference planes 1-2 layers away. The exposed die-attach pad (if present in F23) must be soldered to a continuous copper pour stitched with thermal vias (12-16 vias, 0.2mm drill) to the internal ground plane for both ground reference and thermal dissipation.
Place the EPCS configuration flash and decoupling capacitors within 25mm of the FPGA on the same PCB layer. Each VCCINT/VCCIO ball needs at least one 0.1uF X7R 0402/0201 decoupling cap placed within 1mm of the ball via, plus bulk 47uF-100uF tantalum or polymer caps per rail. Differential transceiver channels must be length-matched within 0.13mm (5 mil) and routed with 100-ohm differential impedance; consult the Cyclone IV GX PCB Design Guidelines for via stitching and AC-coupling capacitor placement on GXB channels.
Estimated: at full transceiver utilization and 80% logic utilization, the EP4CGX110CF23C8 dissipates approximately 3-5W, requiring either forced airflow (200 LFM minimum) or a copper heat-spreader. Junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) for the F23 BGA on a 4-layer JEDEC test board is approximately 12-15 C/W; designers must keep junction temperature below 100C for long-term reliability. Use Quartus PowerPlay Power Analyzer with actual signal activity files (.saf) to obtain accurate per-design power estimates.
Common pitfalls when designing with the EP4CGX110CF23C8 include: (1) forgetting the MSEL[3:0] pin strapping for Active Serial vs Active Parallel vs JTAG-only configuration modes; (2) leaving the nCONFIG pin floating (must be tied to VCCAUX through a 10k resistor); (3) not connecting the nSTATUS and CONF_DONE pins to LEDs for configuration-status visibility; (4) using LVDS without enabling the on-chip LVDS SERDES in the Quartus pin planner, which causes logic-errors on the first power-up; (5) attempting to migrate from Cyclone III design files without recompiling - the Cyclone IV GX architecture has different LAB/MLAB sizing and timing-closure profiles.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera (Intel) Cyclone IV GX product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is a commercial-grade FPGA. For automotive applications, consider the AEC-Q100-qualified Cyclone V or newer families instead.