EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE - Cyclone IV GX FPGA 149K LE | Altera
MPN: EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $268 | $2,680.00 |
| 100 | $245 | $24,500.00 |
| 500 | $225 | $112,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $210 | $210,000.00 |
EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE Overview
What is a Cyclone IV GX FPGA? It is a member of the low-cost, low-power SRAM-based programmable logic family from Altera (now Intel FPGA) that combines general-purpose logic, embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and multi-gigabit transceivers on a single die. Within the broader taxonomy, it sits as: FPGA -> Programmable Logic Device (PLD) -> Logic IC -> Integrated Circuit -> Semiconductor. The "GX" suffix denotes the transceiver-enabled variant of the Cyclone IV generation, complementing the transceiver-less Cyclone IV E and Cyclone IV GX families.
Key features of the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE include up to 8 integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers, support for PCI Express (PIPE) Gen1 x1/x2/x4 hard IP, eight PLLs, and 11 clock networks per device quadrant. Memory interfaces support DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM, QDRII+, and RLDRAM II with dedicated DQS logic and up to 6.6 Mbps LVDS performance. The device ships in industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) suitable for harsh-environment deployments.
Architecturally, the Cyclone IV GX family uses 9-Kbit M9K memory blocks, 144-Kbit MLABs (memory logic array blocks), and 18x18 multipliers configurable as two 9x9 multipliers. Logic elements incorporate a 4-input look-up table (LUT), a programmable register, and a carry chain for efficient arithmetic. Configuration is via active serial (AS), passive serial (PS), fast passive parallel (FPP), or JTAG modes using industry-standard EPCS or EPCQ configuration memories.
Typical applications include industrial video surveillance and machine vision bridges, low-cost protocol bridging cards (PCIe to serial RapidIO/GbE), motor control and robotics interfaces, broadcast video processing, and telecom line-card glue logic. The integrated transceivers enable board-level designs that previously required an external PHY, reducing BOM cost and PCB area.
When designing with the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE, observe the FineLine BGA fan-out and via-in-pad requirements for signal-integrity compliance. Decouple all power rails with low-ESR ceramics placed within 100 mil of the balls, and follow the Altera Cyclone IV GX Hardware Reference Manual for transceiver channel routing (controlled-impedance 85 ohm differential, length-matched within 0.127 mm). Use the Quartus II / Quartus Prime design software with the Cyclone IV GX device support for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure.
This page synthesizes distributor stock data, datasheet references, and practical design notes beyond what the manufacturer datasheet alone offers, including drop-in alternatives that share the same 672-ball BGA footprint for risk-mitigated second sourcing.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE — 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 EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Transceivers, Speed Grade, Process Technology, Embedded Memory Bits.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX150DF27I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$175.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$460 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$305 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$258.16 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$171 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$390 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Cyclone IV GX |
| Family | Cyclone IV GX (EP4CGX150) |
| Logic Elements | 149,760 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 6,635,520 |
| Embedded Memory Type | M9K blocks (9 Kbit) + MLAB (144 Kbit) |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 393 |
| Number of Transceivers | Up to 8 (3.125 Gbps) |
| Transceiver Data Rate | Up to 3.125 Gbps |
| PLLs | 8 |
| Global Clock Networks | Up to 20 (depends on variant) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm low-power CMOS |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) |
| Configuration Modes | AS, PS, FPP, JTAG |
| Memory Interface Support | DDR2, DDR3, QDRII+, RLDRAM II |
| Hard IP | PCIe Gen1 PIPE x1/x2/x4 |
| LVDS Performance | Up to 6.6 Mbps |
| Design Software | Quartus II / Quartus Prime |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE 672-ball fineline bga (f27) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE (672-ball fineline bga (f27) 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 EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE is suitable for 8 applications: Industrial PCIe x4 Endpoint Card, Gigabit Ethernet Protocol Bridge, Broadcast Video Processing Engine, Motor Control and Robotics Interface, Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Surveillance and Machine Vision Bridge, Aerospace Avionics Databus Interface, Low-Cost ASIC Prototyping Platform.
Industrial PCIe x4 Endpoint Card
The EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE is well suited as a PCIe Gen1 x4 endpoint on industrial host bus adapters because its hard PCIe PIPE IP block delivers Gen1 line rate (2.5 Gbps) without consuming soft logic. With 149,760 logic elements and 6,635,520 memory bits the device can implement protocol state machines, scatter-gather DMA engines, and on-card buffering simultaneously. The 8 integrated transceivers support PCIe plus auxiliary serial links such as GbE or Serial RapidIO for sideband connectivity. Placed on the card with a downstream PHY-less configuration, the FPGA interfaces directly to the PCIe gold fingers via AC-coupled differential pairs, simplifying the BOM.
Recommended
Gigabit Ethernet Protocol Bridge
The EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE bridges between serial protocols such as Serial RapidIO, GbE, and PCIe by leveraging its 8 transceivers rated up to 3.125 Gbps. A typical reference design converts incoming SRIO data into Ethernet frames for transmission over a backplane, using the FPGA's 393 (18x18) multipliers for CRC and hashing offload. The 672-ball BGA footprint provides sufficient user I/O to expose parallel sideband buses and external DDR3 memory for frame buffering. Industrial temperature grade allows deployment in unconditioned telecom cabinets.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing Engine
The EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE handles real-time video processing tasks such as up/down/cross-conversion, color-space conversion, and frame-rate adaptation in broadcast studio equipment. The 6,635,520 bits of embedded memory provide line buffers and frame stores for SD/HD video, while the 393 DSP blocks accelerate pixel-level arithmetic. LVDS pairs operating up to 6.6 Mbps connect directly to DVI/HDMI deserializer chips. The industrial temperature rating ensures reliability in air-conditioned but continuously operating broadcast racks.
Recommended
Motor Control and Robotics Interface
Industrial servo drives and multi-axis motion controllers use the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE to implement high-bandwidth current loops, encoder interfaces, and EtherCAT or SERCOS III protocol stacks. The device's 393 DSP blocks execute field-oriented control (FOC) math at microsecond intervals, and the industrial temperature grade supports factory-floor ambient up to +85C. The 672-ball BGA exposes sufficient LVDS pairs for parallel encoder and resolver feedback from multiple axes. Single-chip integration replaces a DSP plus CPLD architecture, reducing board area.
Recommended
Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic
In carrier-grade line cards the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE provides switch-fabric adaptation, clock-domain crossing, and management-plane interfacing between network processors, framer/mapper ASICs, and SFP+ optical modules. The 8 transceivers support multiple SFP modules or backplane SERDES links at rates up to 3.125 Gbps. Embedded M9K memory blocks implement per-port FIFOs for rate adaptation. The industrial temperature rating suits central-office deployments where ambient may reach +55C with limited cooling.
Recommended
Surveillance and Machine Vision Bridge
Multi-camera surveillance systems and machine-vision inspection lines use the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE to aggregate sensor data from MIPI CSI-2, LVDS, or parallel CMOS interfaces and forward it over PCIe or Gigabit Ethernet to a host processor. The 393 (18x18) multipliers accelerate pixel pre-processing such as demosaicing and edge detection, while the 6.6 Mbps LVDS capability supports multi-lane image-sensor links. Industrial temperature grade allows installation in outdoor enclosures or near factory machinery.
Recommended
Aerospace Avionics Databus Interface
Avionics data concentrators and MIL-STD-1553 / ARINC 429 interface cards use the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE to bridge legacy avionics buses to modern Ethernet or Fibre Channel backbones. The integrated transceivers support Fibre Channel at 1.0625 Gbps for storage area network connectivity, while 149,760 logic elements implement the bus-controller state machines. The industrial temperature range and the Altera Cyclone IV GX pedigree (with available military screening on similar variants) make the device attractive for avionics retrofits where commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) silicon is acceptable.
Recommended
Low-Cost ASIC Prototyping Platform
Engineering teams prototyping ASIC RTL use the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE as a hardware verification target because its 149,760 logic elements are sufficient to map medium-complexity ASIC blocks alongside the FPGA's 8 transceivers, which emulate SERDES IP. The 672-ball FineLine BGA exposes abundant user I/O for connecting to daughter-card test fixtures. Industrial temperature grade supports lab and chamber validation without additional screening. Quartus Prime synthesis flow provides familiar SDC timing-constraint support for ASIC RTL hand-off.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX150DF27I7N | EP4CGX150DF27I7 | EP4CGX150DF27C8N | EP4CGX150DF27C8 | EP4CGX150DF27C7N | EP4CGX150DF27C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA (F27) - same |
| Logic Elements | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 6,635,520 | 6,635,520 | 6,635,520 | 6,635,520 | 6,635,520 | 6,635,520 | 6,635,520 |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 |
| Transceivers (max) | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) |
| Speed Grade | -8 | -8 | -8 | -8 | -8 | -7 (slower fMAX) | -7 (slower fMAX) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | RoHS compliant (N suffix) | RoHS compliant | Lead-free indicator absent (verify status) | RoHS compliant | Lead-free indicator absent (verify status) | RoHS compliant | Lead-free indicator absent (verify status) |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade in standard 672-ball BGA package (vs EP4CGX150DF27C8N)
- Speed grade -8 for highest fMAX performance (vs EP4CGX150DF27C7N)
- RoHS compliant lead-free (N suffix) ordering code (vs EP4CGX150DF27I7)
Design Notes
The 672-ball FineLine BGA requires via-in-pad PCB construction with laser-drilled microvias (0.1 mm / 4 mil) or filled-and-capped vias to escape the dense 1.0 mm ball pitch. Estimated: with 4 layers of routing you need at least a 1-2-n-2 stack-up; for 8 transceiver channels plus 32-bit DDR3, allocate 10 routing layers. Maintain 85 ohm differential impedance on all transceiver pairs and 50 ohm single-ended on user I/O. Length-match each transceiver channel within 0.127 mm per the Cyclone IV GX Hardware Reference Manual.
Estimated: with all 8 transceivers active at 3.125 Gbps, four PLLs enabled, and DDR3 at 533 MHz, the EP4CGX150 core and I/O power budget typically reaches 5 to 7 W. Decouple every power rail (VCCINT, VCCA, VCCD_PLL, VCCIO for each bank) with 0.1 uF and 10 uF ceramic capacitors placed within 100 mil of the balls. Use a 6-layer PCB with at least one solid ground plane and one split power plane to deliver low-impedance current return paths for the transceivers.
Route all 8 transceiver channels on the top microstrip layer to keep via count minimal. AC-couple each transceiver TX/RX pair with 0.1 uF 0402 capacitors placed close to the FPGA balls. For PCIe Gen1 x4, route the four TX and four RX pairs to the PCIe edge connector with length matching within 0.127 mm on a single layer; cross-under is not permitted. Use the Quartus Prime Pin Planner to assign the dedicated REFCLK pins before routing to avoid clock-domain errors at board bring-up.
Do not confuse the EP4CGX150DF27 (672-ball BGA, F27) with the EP4CGX150CF23I7N (484-ball BGA, F23) - they are not drop-in compatible because the smaller BGA omits transceiver channels and pins. Verify the configuration memory selection (EPCS16 vs EPCS64 vs EPCQ64) matches the compressed bitstream size; an undersized configuration device will fail to load. Do not float CONFIG_DONE or nSTATUS pins - both require external 10 kohm pull-ups to VCCIO of the configuration bank.
Estimated: at ambient +55C in a sealed industrial enclosure, with 6 W dissipation and the F27 BGA's typical theta_JB of 0.5 C/W and theta_JA of 12 C/W (with adequate airflow), junction temperature rises approximately 72C above ambient (TJ ~127C). The industrial-grade EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE is rated to TJ_max of +100C, so forced airflow or a heatsink attached to a copper spreader is recommended for sealed enclosures. Use the Quartus Prime PowerPlay early power estimator before layout to refine the thermal budget.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page. The N suffix in the ordering code indicates lead-free finish. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (FPGAs are not automotive-grade by default unless specifically marked). Reach and conflict-minerals status per manufacturer declarations; halogen-free status not explicitly confirmed in the web data.
