EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF - Cyclone IV GX FPGA 150K LE BGA-672 | Intel
MPN: EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $268.5 | $2,685.00 |
| 100 | $245 | $24,500.00 |
| 250 | $232 | $58,000.00 |
| 500 | $218.5 | $109,250.00 |
EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF Overview
A Cyclone IV GX FPGA belongs to the programmable-logic family of digital ICs. Programmable logic devices (PLDs) and FPGAs allow designers to implement arbitrary digital logic in silicon by configuring an array of logic elements (LEs), embedded memory blocks (M9K/M144K), multiplier blocks, and I/O cells. FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs and microcontrollers in the design hierarchy: they offer ASIC-level performance and parallelism while remaining reprogrammable. The Cyclone IV GX sub-family specifically adds multi-gigabit transceivers, making it suitable for serial-protocol bridging such as PCIe Gen1, Gigabit Ethernet, and Serial RapidIO, in addition to general-purpose glue logic.
Key features of the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF include eight integrated transceivers operating up to 3.125 Gbps, support for PCI Express Gen1 (x1, x2, x4), 8 PLLs, 2 hard memory controllers, and dedicated DDR/DDR2 SDRAM interfaces. Hard IP blocks reduce soft-logic overhead and silicon area while improving timing closure. The device supports multiple boot modes including active serial (AS), passive serial (PS), and JTAG, with bitstream encryption (AES) available for IP protection. Configuration is performed through Quartus II / Quartus Prime design software.
Architecturally, the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF uses a four-input look-up-table (LUT) logic element architecture with embedded carry chains for arithmetic, 9-Kbit M9K memory blocks, and 144-Kbit M144K memory blocks optimized for buffering. The transceiver physical coding sublayer (PCS) and physical medium attachment (PMA) blocks are hardened, freeing fabric resources for application logic. Multipliers (18x18) enable DSP operations at typical Cyclone IV GX frequencies up to 260 MHz.
Typical applications include industrial video processing, motor control, protocol bridging cards, low-cost PCIe endpoint cards, factory automation controllers, and wireline telecom line cards. The integrated transceivers eliminate external PHY components, reducing both BOM cost and PCB area. Engineers commonly pair this FPGA with external DDR2 SDRAM, flash memory for configuration storage, and an EPCS/EPCQ configuration device.
Designers should pay attention to the BGA-672 PCB layout, which requires microvia or via-in-pad technology, controlled-impedance routing for transceiver channels (100-ohm differential), and strict power-rail decoupling per the Cyclone IV GX device handbook. The industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C Tcase for 'I7') makes the device suitable for harsh-environment deployments, but thermal management with adequate copper pour and forced airflow is recommended for transceiver-heavy designs.
This page synthesizes Intel pricing, drop-in same-family alternatives from the Cyclone IV GX product tree, and practical design notes that are not found in the standalone datasheet. Engineers should consult the Cyclone IV GX device family overview and the EP4CGX150-specific pin connection guidelines for full electrical and timing details.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF — 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 EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Transceivers, Embedded Memory Bits, Device Family, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX150DF27I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$175.6 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$210 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$460 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$305 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$171 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX110DF27I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$198 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 149,760 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 6,635,520 bits |
| Embedded Memory Blocks (M9K) | 720 |
| User I/Os | 393 |
| Transceivers | 8 channels up to 3.125 Gbps |
| PLLs | 8 |
| Global Clock Networks | 20 |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA |
| Process Technology | 60 nm |
| Speed Grade | 7 |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial (I) |
| Configuration Support | AS, PS, JTAG, AES bitstream encryption |
| Hard Memory Controllers | 2 (DDR / DDR2 SDRAM) |
| Hard Multipliers (18x18) | 360 |
| PCIe Hard IP | PCIe Gen1 x1 / x2 / x4 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF 672-ball fineline bga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF (672-ball fineline bga 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 EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Video Capture / Frame Grabber, PCIe Endpoint Card / Protocol Bridge, Motor Control and Industrial Drive Front-End, Factory Automation Controller / PLC, Wireline Telecom Line Card / Framer, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front-End.
Industrial Video Capture / Frame Grabber
The EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF integrates 8 transceivers up to 3.125 Gbps and 150K logic elements, making it well suited for multi-channel HD-SDI / GigE Vision frame grabbers used in machine vision and broadcast equipment. The 720 M9K memory blocks provide line-buffer and frame-buffer storage for real-time pixel processing, while the 18x18 hardware multipliers accelerate Bayer demosaicing and color-space conversion at rates up to 260 MHz. Placed between the camera PHY and a PCIe Gen1 x4 host bus, the device streams uncompressed video with deterministic latency. Unlike discrete ASSP solutions, the FPGA-based architecture lets OEMs differentiate with custom ISP pipelines without re-spinning silicon.
Recommended
PCIe Endpoint Card / Protocol Bridge
Hard PCI Express Gen1 IP blocks in the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF implement x1/x2/x4 endpoints without consuming fabric resources, while the 8 transceivers fan out to multiple downstream protocols such as GigE, SRIO, or SerialLite. The 150K LE fabric handles protocol translation state machines, DMA engines, and application-layer processing. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) enables deployment in non-controlled environments such as outdoor telecom and factory-floor PCs. Compared with a discrete PCIe switch + ASSP architecture, the single-chip FPGA solution reduces BOM by 30-50% and PCB area by roughly 40%.
Recommended
Motor Control and Industrial Drive Front-End
The 360 18x18 hardware multipliers and 8 PLLs in the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF enable high-resolution field-oriented control (FOC) loops with switching frequencies up to 200 kHz, while the industrial temperature grade supports deployment near motor inverters. The 393 user I/Os connect to multi-axis encoder inputs (EnDat, BiSS, SSI), PWM outputs, and safety-chain signals. Hard memory controllers drive external DDR2 SDRAM for data logging and adaptive-filter coefficient tables. Compared with DSP-only controllers, the FPGA's parallel fabric reduces servo-loop latency by 5-10x and supports deterministic multi-axis synchronization.
Recommended
Factory Automation Controller / PLC
The 6,635,520 bits of embedded SRAM in the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF provide packet buffering for EtherCAT, PROFINET, and EtherNet/IP slave stacks implemented in soft logic. 150K logic elements comfortably fit multi-protocol coexistence plus ladder-logic emulation and safety I/O diagnostics. Industrial temperature grade and lead-free BGA-672 packaging meet IEC 61131-3 environmental expectations. Unlike discrete MCU + ASSP designs, the FPGA solution enables firmware-defined protocol switching without hardware changeover, accelerating end-customer commissioning.
Recommended
Wireline Telecom Line Card / Framer
The 8 hardened transceivers in the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF implement CPRI / OBSAI up to 3.072 Gbps for connecting baseband units to remote radio heads, while 150K LE fabric handles deframing, cross-connection, and OAM processing. Hard DDR2 controllers buffer payload data, and 8 PLLs generate jitter-compliant clocks for each CPRI link. Industrial temperature grade supports outdoor cabinet and central-office deployments. Compared with proprietary framer ASSPs, the FPGA approach supports multi-rate, multi-protocol coexistence in a single device.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Front-End
The 720 18x18 multipliers and high fabric clock rates of the EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF enable digital down-conversion (DDC), digital up-conversion (DUC), and channelization filters up to 100 MHz instantaneous bandwidth. The 8 transceivers handle multiple ADC/DAC sample streams such as the TI ADS42LB69 or ADI AD9680 family at rates up to 3.125 Gbps (JESD204B subclass 1 with soft-logic MAC). 6.6 Mbit embedded memory provides channel buffers, while DDR2 controller offloads raw sample archival. Compared with GPU-based SDR, the FPGA delivers deterministic sub-microsecond latency critical for closed-loop test and measurement.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX150DF27I7NAF — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX150DF27I7N | EP4CGX150DF27I7NAE | EP4CGX150DF27I7 | EP4CGX150DF27C8N | EP4CGX110DF27I7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (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 |
| Logic Elements | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 149,760 | 109,424 |
| Transceivers | 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 | 4 up to 3.125 Gbps |
| Embedded Memory | 6,635,520 bits | 6,635,520 bits | 6,635,520 bits | 6,635,520 bits | 6,635,520 bits | 4,884,480 bits |
| User I/Os | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 | 393 |
| 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) |
| OPN Suffix Meaning | AF = customer-specific option set | N = lead-free catalog | AE = customer-specific option set | (no suffix, non-lean) | C8 = commercial 8 speed | lower-density equivalent |
| Estimated Unit Price (qty-1 USD) | 285.00 | 240.00 | 275.00 | 230.00 | 195.00 | 165.00 |
Key Differentiators
- Customer-specific OPN (AF suffix) for traceability (vs EP4CGX150DF27I7N)
- Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) (vs EP4CGX150DF27C8N)
- Maximum logic density (149,760 LE) in F27 package (vs EP4CGX110DF27I7N)
- Hardened 3.125 Gbps transceivers and PCIe Gen1 IP (vs Cyclone IV E (no transceiver equivalent at 150K LE))
Design Notes
Estimated: The F27 672-ball BGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch, which typically requires laser-drilled microvias or via-in-pad technology for breakout on a 4-6 layer stackup. Maintain 100-ohm differential impedance on all transceiver channels, with intra-pair skew under 1 ps and length-matched within 5 mil across the PCIe / GigE pairs. Decouple every VCCINT, VCCA, and VCCD_PLL pin with 0.1 uF + 10 uF capacitor pairs within 100 mil of the package ball, per the Cyclone IV GX device handbook pin connection guidelines.
Estimated: At typical utilization (~70% LE, all 8 transceivers active at 3.125 Gbps) the device dissipates approximately 3-4 W. The F27 BGA's theta_JA around 15-18 C/W on a JEDEC 4-layer test board yields a 50-70 C junction temperature rise above ambient. For industrial deployments, ensure adequate top-side copper pour directly under the BGA thermal balls and consider 200-400 LFM airflow. Use the Altera PowerPlay early power estimator before PCB commitment to size cooling correctly.
Cyclone IV GX transceivers require dedicated VCCR, VCCT, and VCCA power rails with strict noise and ripple limits; sharing these rails with fabric logic power will degrade jitter and link margin. Configuration mode (AS vs PS vs JTAG) is sampled at power-up and locked in until next power cycle - mistakes here commonly brick boards during bring-up. The 'AF' OPN suffix requires a confirmed Intel order code match; substituting N or AE without confirming the factory option set can lead to functional mismatches in customer-specific feature enables.
Route transceiver transmit pairs first (they are the aggressors), then receiver pairs, keeping at least 3W spacing from low-speed fabric signals. Place the reference clock input (REFCLK_p/n) within 200 mils of the clock generator with 100-ohm differential routing and a 0.1 uF AC-coupling cap on each leg. The PCIe reference clock must be 100 MHz +/- 300 ppm per PCIe CEM spec; choose a clock generator with low jitter (<50 fs RMS) for Gen1 compliance.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free per Intel Altera product declaration. The 'N' suffix indicates lead-free termination; the 'AF' suffix is a customer-specific OPN that inherits the same lead-free finish. AEC-Q100 qualification is not applicable for non-automotive-certified FPGAs; for AEC-Q100 work, use automotive-grade Cyclone IV or Cyclone V Auto parts.