EP4CGX150CF23C6N - Cyclone IV GX FPGA 149K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CGX150CF23C6N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $268.5 | $2,685.00 |
| 100 | $242 | $24,200.00 |
| 250 | $225 | $56,250.00 |
| 500 | $210 | $105,000.00 |
EP4CGX150CF23C6N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device containing programmable logic blocks, interconnect, and I/O that can be reconfigured after manufacturing. The Cyclone IV GX family is positioned in Altera/Intel's low-power FPGA portfolio, sitting between the smaller Cyclone IV E and the higher-end Cyclone V series. The GX variant adds hard 3.125 Gbps serial transceivers, making it suitable for protocols such as PCIe, GbE, SATA, and serial RapidIO. Within the broader taxonomy, EP4CGX150CF23C6N belongs to programmable logic devices (PLD) -> FPGA -> SRAM-based FPGA -> Cyclone family.
Key features include 149,760 logic elements, 6,144 Kbits of embedded RAM (approximately 720 Kbytes), 720 18x18 multipliers for DSP, and 8 integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers. The device supports up to 8 PLLs, 11 global clocks, and up to 310 user I/O pins. It also includes hard PCI Express Gen1 (x1/x2/x4) IP blocks, hard memory controllers for DDR/DDR2/QDRII SRAM, and dedicated LVDS support.
From an architectural standpoint, the EP4CGX150CF23C6N uses a logic-element (LE) fabric of 4-input LUTs, embedded RAM blocks (M9K), and DSP blocks. The hard transceivers and PCIe blocks offload common high-speed serial tasks from the fabric, improving both performance and logic efficiency for I/O-bound designs. Compared to ASICs, FPGAs offer rapid prototyping, field upgrades, and lower NRE cost; compared to ASICs in high-volume production, they trade absolute power efficiency for programmability.
Typical applications include industrial video and image processing, low-cost PCIe endpoint cards, motor control and industrial automation, automotive driver assistance, and protocol bridging (for example, GbE-to-Serial RapidIO). The combination of transceivers, PCIe hard IP, and a large logic capacity at a Cyclone price point makes it especially attractive for bridge and aggregation designs.
When designing with this device, pay attention to power sequencing of the 1.2 V core and 2.5/3.3 V auxiliary supplies, transceiver reference clock quality, and PCB BGA fanout for signal integrity. Use Intel Quartus Prime (free Cyclone IV device support) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Always validate thermal performance against the FBGA package theta-JA for the end-use environment.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, same-package speed-grade variants, and practical design considerations for the EP4CGX150CF23C6N that are not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX150CF23C6N — 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 EP4CGX150CF23C6N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Package, Embedded Memory, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX150CF23C7N
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View Datasheet →EP4CGX150CF23C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 149,760 |
| Process Technology | 60 nm |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Embedded Memory | 6,144 Kbits (M9K blocks) |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 720 |
| Transceivers | 8 channels, up to 3.125 Gbps |
| PLLs | 8 |
| Global Clock Networks | 11 |
| Maximum User I/O | 310 |
| Package | 484-pin FBGA (F23) |
| Hard Memory Controllers | Yes (DDR/DDR2/QDRII SRAM) |
| Hard PCIe Gen1 | x1 / x2 / x4 |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0C to +85C) inferred from 'C' suffix |
| Speed Grade | 6 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (post-2014 Altera policy) |
| Design Software | Intel Quartus Prime (Cyclone IV device support) |
EP4CGX150CF23C6N 484-pin fbga (f23) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX150CF23C6N (484-pin fbga (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 EP4CGX150CF23C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX150CF23C6N is suitable for 6 applications: PCIe Endpoint / Add-in Card, Industrial Motor Control and Drive, Industrial Video / Image Processing Bridge, Automotive Driver Assistance Subsystem, Protocol Bridge and Aggregation, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
PCIe Endpoint / Add-in Card
The EP4CGX150CF23C6N is well-matched to PCIe Gen1 endpoint cards because of its hard PCI Express Gen1 x1/x2/x4 IP block, which eliminates soft-IP synthesis risk and frees fabric for application logic. With 149,760 logic elements and 720 18x18 multipliers, the device has the headroom for protocol engines, DMA, and lightweight DSP on the same die. Place the FPGA on the add-in card with a 100 MHz PCIe reference clock and use the on-chip transceivers for the PCIe lanes rather than external SERDES, reducing BOM and PCB area.
Recommended
Industrial Motor Control and Drive
The Cyclone IV GX architecture's combination of 720 DSP blocks and 149K LEs supports multi-axis field-oriented control (FOC) loops, encoder interfaces, and EtherCAT/MCU-link bridges in one device. The hard memory controllers handle the timing-critical DDR2 burst reads used in current-loop sampling. The 484-FBGA package allows direct mounting to industrial PCBs with adequate thermal copper for the 1.2 V core. Industrial designers will typically choose the I7 temperature variant for factory-floor -40C to +85C environments.
Recommended
Industrial Video / Image Processing Bridge
With 8 transceivers at 3.125 Gbps, the EP4CGX150CF23C6N can aggregate multiple Camera Link, CoaXPress-lite, or GigE Vision streams into a single PCIe uplink for machine-vision PCs. The 6,144 Kbits of embedded RAM serve as line buffers for image pre-processing, while the 720 DSP blocks accelerate 3x3, Sobel, and histogram kernels. Use LVDS pairs on the regular I/O for sub-1 Gbps sensor interfaces and the transceivers for the higher-speed serial links, all on one FPGA.
Recommended
Automotive Driver Assistance Subsystem
Automotive surround-view, rear-view, and sensor-fusion ECUs use the Cyclone IV GX for low-cost image aggregation: parallel CMOS input via LVDS, plus a CAN or FlexRay bridge to the vehicle bus. The hard PCIe block simplifies integration with an automotive AP SoC over a PCIe control link, and the 8 transceivers provide connectivity for serializer/deserializer (SerDes) links to remote cameras. Designers targeting AEC-Q100 must select the automotive-qualified variant in the same family rather than the C6 commercial part.
Recommended
Protocol Bridge and Aggregation
Bridging GbE, SATA, serial RapidIO, and PCIe in a single FPGA is the classic Cyclone IV GX use case. The 8 transceivers can carry four simultaneous GbE links while the PCIe hard IP provides the host uplink, and the 149,760 LEs implement cut-through packet engines and statistics counters. Memory controllers drive DDR2 attached to the FPGA as a packet buffer. The 484-FBGA package is the standard footprint for these telecom-equipment-style bridge cards.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Test equipment such as protocol analyzers and logic-analyzer probe heads benefit from the EP4CGX150CF23C6N's combination of high logic density, fast transceivers, and a 484-ball BGA that supports dense probe-pin PCBs. Designers can implement multi-channel capture, pattern generation, and trigger logic alongside a GbE or PCIe uplink for instrument control. The hard memory controllers attach to DDR2 capture buffers, and the 720 DSP blocks enable on-board FFTs and statistical measurements.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX150CF23C6N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX150CF23C7N | EP4CGX150CF23C8N | EP4CGX150CF23I7N | EP4CGX110CF23C8N | EP4CGX110CF23C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 484-pin FBGA (F23) | 484-pin FBGA (F23) - same | 484-pin FBGA (F23) - same | 484-pin FBGA (F23) - same | 484-pin FBGA (F23) - same | 484-pin FBGA (F23) - same |
| Logic Elements | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 109,424 | 109,424 |
| Speed Grade | C6 (slower, lower power) | C7 (mid) | C8 (fastest) | I7 (industrial) | C8 | C7 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0C to +85C) | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40C to +100C) | Commercial | Commercial |
| Transceivers (max 3.125 Gbps) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Embedded Memory (Kbits) | 6,144 | 6,144 | 6,144 | 6,144 | 4,860 | 4,860 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 720 | 720 | 720 | 720 | 528 | 528 |
| Hard PCIe Gen1 | Yes (x1/x2/x4) | Yes (x1/x2/x4) | Yes (x1/x2/x4) | Yes (x1/x2/x4) | Yes (x1/x2/x4) | Yes (x1/x2/x4) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic density in Cyclone IV GX family (vs EP4CGX110CF23C8N)
- Lowest-power commercial speed grade in the same die (vs EP4CGX150CF23C8N)
- Hard PCIe Gen1 + 8 transceivers in a single low-cost FPGA (vs CPLD or small FPGA without transceivers)
Design Notes
Power the EP4CGX150CF23C6N from a 1.2 V core supply with a 2.5 V or 3.3 V auxiliary rail for analog and I/O banks; use a separate PLL analog supply (VCC_PLL) with a ferrite bead from the 2.5 V rail to keep PLL jitter low. Decouple each supply pin with a 0.1 uF MLCC placed within 3 mm of the BGA ball, and place bulk polymer or tantalum capacitors near the supply pins. Sequence core-before-auxiliary on power-up and reverse on power-down per Altera/Intel recommendations.
The 8 transceivers require a clean 100 MHz or 125 MHz reference clock with jitter below the value specified in the Cyclone IV GX datasheet for the chosen data rate. Route reference clocks as differential pairs with 100 ohm impedance, length-matched within 25 mils, and isolated from the transceiver data lanes by at least 3x the dielectric thickness. Place DC-blocking capacitors close to the FPGA TX pins; use the IBIS-AMI models from Intel for channel simulation.
The 484-FBGA F23 package requires a PCB with microvia stack-up to break out the inner rows; use a 1.0 mm or 1.2 mm pitch BGA land pattern per the Altera/Intel package specification. Provide a continuous GND plane on layer 2 directly under the device for thermal spreading and signal return paths. Fanout power and GND on opposite sides of the BGA to avoid congestion, and reserve at least 4 stitching vias around the perimeter for the GND cage around high-speed transceivers.
Estimated: at typical 25C ambient and 0.9 W core dissipation in a commercial FBGA with 1 oz copper on top and bottom layers plus thermal vias, theta-JA is approximately 15 C/W, giving a junction rise of ~13C. For designs targeting the 720 multipliers at full toggle rate, core power can exceed 2 W; in that case add a heatsink or upgrade to 2 oz copper to keep Tj below 85C. Industrial I7 variants must be analyzed over -40C to +100C ambient.
Do not apply power to I/O banks before the core supply is stable - this causes long-term reliability degradation. Do not leave unused transceiver channels floating; tie TX and RX pins per the pin connection guidelines in the Cyclone IV GX handbook. When porting from a C6 speed grade to C7 or C8, ensure your timing constraints in Quartus Prime reflect the new Fmax targets rather than reusing the slower SDC files.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance are per Altera/Intel Cyclone IV product statements. AEC-Q100 is not applicable to the commercial C6 variant; automotive designers should evaluate the dedicated Cyclone IV GX automotive grade OPN. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in the verified web data.
