EP4CGX15BF14I7 - Cyclone IV GX FPGA, 14400 LE, 169-LBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CGX15BF14I7 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $26.1 | $261.00 |
| 100 | $23.45 | $2,345.00 |
| 500 | $21.2 | $10,600.00 |
| 1,000 | $19.75 | $19,750.00 |
EP4CGX15BF14I7 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected by programmable interconnect, surrounded by hard I/O peripherals such as transceivers, block RAM, PLLs, and DSP blocks. FPGAs sit in the programmable-logic hierarchy between ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and general-purpose microcontrollers, offering hardware-level parallelism, deterministic latency, and the ability to be reconfigured in the field. The Cyclone IV GX family is the transceiver-enabled low-power branch of the Cyclone IV series, optimized for protocol bridging, motor control, video processing, and industrial connectivity.
Key features include 14,400 logic elements arranged in 900 CLBs, 504 kbit of embedded RAM distributed across M9K blocks, two PLLs, and up to 72 user I/O pins. The device integrates up to four 3.125 Gbps transceivers for PCIe Gen1, Gigabit Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, and CPRI links, eliminating the need for external PHY chips. The 'I7' speed grade and industrial temperature rating (-40C to +100C junction, meeting C8 timing up to 125C) make it suitable for thermally stressed industrial enclosures. Typical core supply is 1.2 V with separate rails for transceiver and I/O banks.
Architecturally, the Cyclone IV GX uses a low-power 60 nm process combined with the transceiver-rich GX die variant, achieving a static power profile that is markedly lower than the Cyclone III predecessor family. The programmable logic fabric, M9K memory blocks, and embedded 18x18 multipliers are arranged to support common DSP and packet-processing pipelines, while the hard PCIe Gen1 IP block accelerates endpoint designs without consuming soft logic resources.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision over GigE Vision, low-density protocol bridging cards (PCIe to UART/SPI/GPIO), motor drive control with encoder feedback, video surveillance with on-board analytics, and baseband processing for small-cell / CPRI radio units. The device is also widely used in educational and prototyping platforms where deterministic parallel processing is required.
Designers should plan PCB layout for matched-length transceiver traces, dedicated transceiver power filtering, and sufficient decoupling on every VCC rail. Quartus II (13.0 and later) is the supported design toolchain, providing synthesis, place-and-route, and timing analysis with the device-specific library.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in Cyclone IV GX speed-grade alternatives, and practical board-design considerations not collated in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX15BF14I7 — 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 EP4CGX15BF14I7 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Transceivers, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX15BF14I7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$23.1 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$20.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14C6N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$28.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$31.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$351.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14I7 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 14,400 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) / CLBs | 900 |
| Total Embedded Memory Bits | 552,960 |
| Maximum User I/O Pins | 72 |
| Transceivers | Up to 4 channels, 3.125 Gbps |
| PLLs | 2 |
| Supply Voltage - Core | 1.2 V |
| Package Type | 169-LBGA (FBGA-169) |
| Package Dimensions | 14 x 14 mm |
| Ball Pitch | 1.0 mm |
| Speed Grade | I7 (industrial) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (junction); meets C8 timing up to +125C |
| POR Time (Standard) | 50 ms to 200 ms |
| POR Time (Fast) | 3 ms to 9 ms |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CGX15BF14I7 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O bank 1 |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O bank 1 |
| Pin C1 | I/O — User I/O bank 1 |
| Pin D1 | I/O — User I/O bank 2 |
| Pin E1 | I/O — User I/O bank 2 |
| Pin F1 | I/O — User I/O bank 2 |
| Pin G1 | I/O — User I/O bank 3 |
| Pin H1 | I/O — User I/O bank 3 |
| Pin J1 | I/O — User I/O bank 3 |
| Pin K1 | VCC — Core supply 1.2 V |
| Pin L1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin M1 | I/O — User I/O bank 4 |
| Pin N1 | I/O — User I/O bank 4 |
| Pin P1 | I/O — User I/O bank 4 |
| Pin R1 | I/O — User I/O bank 5 |
| Pin T1 | I/O — User I/O bank 5 |
| Pin U1 | I/O — User I/O bank 5 |
| Pin V1 | I/O — User I/O bank 6 |
| Pin W1 | I/O — User I/O bank 6 |
| Pin Y1 | I/O — User I/O bank 6 |
Typical Applications
EP4CGX15BF14I7 is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision (GigE Vision Bridge), PCIe to GPIO/SPI/UART Protocol Bridge Card, Motor Drive and Encoder Feedback Processing, Video Surveillance with On-Board Analytics, Small-Cell / CPRI Baseband Processing, Educational and Prototyping FPGA Platform.
Industrial Machine Vision (GigE Vision Bridge)
The EP4CGX15BF14I7 fits GigE Vision bridge designs because its integrated 3.125 Gbps transceiver handles the GigE physical layer without an external PHY. The 14,400 logic elements support image preprocessing pipelines (debayer, gamma correction) at typical 1-2 MP sensor resolutions, while the 552 kbit of embedded memory buffers line-scan frame data. Its industrial I7 temperature grade (-40C to +100C junction) tolerates factory-floor thermal stress. Place the device between the camera PHY and the host CPU/SoC; the hard PCIe Gen1 IP block can carry frames directly to a host x86 board over PCIe x1 for vision processing. Trade-off: at >4 MP resolutions the soft fabric becomes the bottleneck and a Cyclone V or Cyclone 10 LP would be a better fit.
Recommended
PCIe to GPIO/SPI/UART Protocol Bridge Card
The EP4CGX15BF14I7 is a natural fit for low-density PCIe Gen1 endpoint bridge cards that fan out to GPIO, SPI, I2C, and UART peripherals. The hard PCIe Gen1 IP block consumes zero soft logic, leaving the 14,400 LEs available for register-mapping and protocol translation state machines. Industrial temperature operation allows deployment inside factory automation controllers. Place a single x1 PCIe edge connector to the host, route differential transceiver pairs to the FPGA's GbE/PHY-capable pins, and fan out GPIO via level shifters. Benefit: deterministic sub-microsecond latency for machine control loops, versus the millisecond-class latency of USB-based bridges.
Recommended
Motor Drive and Encoder Feedback Processing
Motor drive applications leverage the EP4CGX15BF14I7 for field-oriented control (FOC), space-vector PWM, and incremental encoder feedback processing. The 14,400 LEs and embedded 18x18 hardware multipliers implement the full Clarke/Park transforms, SVPWM, and PID loops at switching frequencies up to 50 kHz without external DSP. Industrial I7 temperature grade supports under-hood installation. The integrated transceivers can carry EtherCAT, SERCOS, or BiSS encoder data on the same die, eliminating a separate communication ASIC. Place the FPGA between the gate driver (e.g., IR2106 or gate-driver ASIC) and the host MCU; the deterministic 25 ns loop time improves torque ripple compared to MCU-only solutions.
Recommended
Video Surveillance with On-Board Analytics
The EP4CGX15BF14I7 suits compact IP video surveillance cameras that run motion-detection analytics on the edge. The 14,400 LEs implement background subtraction, blob detection, and privacy masking at 720p30, while the hard GbE transceiver delivers the IP video stream to the NVR. Industrial temperature ensures 24/7 outdoor enclosure reliability. Place the FPGA between the image sensor (MIPI or parallel LVDS input via soft logic) and the Ethernet PHY; the M9K memory blocks buffer frame differences. Trade-off: AI inference (CNN-based detection) is not feasible - that requires Cyclone V with ARM or external SoC.
Recommended
Small-Cell / CPRI Baseband Processing
Small-cell and remote-radio-head (RRH) baseband designs use the EP4CGX15BF14I7 to bridge CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) links to baseband ASICs. The 3.125 Gbps transceivers directly interface CPRI Line Bit Rates up to option 3, eliminating external SERDES chips. The 14,400 LEs handle IQ sample routing and antenna calibration state machines. Industrial temperature operation tolerates outdoor RRH enclosures. Place the FPGA between the antenna RFIC and the baseband SoC; the deterministic latency of hard transceivers preserves CPRI timing alignment. Trade-off: limited logic capacity restricts you to single-antenna or 2T2R RRH designs.
Recommended
Educational and Prototyping FPGA Platform
The EP4CGX15BF14I7 is widely used in university labs and rapid-prototyping boards because it offers the full Cyclone IV GX feature set at a manageable density. The 14,400 LEs fit mid-complexity student projects (custom CPU cores, image processing pipelines), while the integrated transceivers teach students PCB layout for high-speed serial. Industrial temperature simplifies lab-to-field deployment for senior capstone projects. The Quartus II Web Edition toolchain is free, removing cost barriers for education. Place the FPGA as the centerpiece of a development board with DDR2 memory, Ethernet PHY, and expansion headers. Benefit: low recurring cost, robust toolchain, and clear migration path to Cyclone V/10 for advanced courses.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX15BF14I7 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX15BF14I7N | EP4CGX15BF14C8N | EP4CGX15BF14C7N | EP4CGX15BF14C6N | EP4CGX15BF14A7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 169-LBGA (FBGA-169) | 169-LBGA (FBGA-169) - same | 169-LBGA (FBGA-169) - same | 169-LBGA (FBGA-169) - same | 169-LBGA (FBGA-169) - same | 169-LBGA (FBGA-169) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 |
| Speed Grade | I7 (industrial) | I7 (industrial) | C8 (commercial) | C7 (commercial) | C6 (commercial) | A7 (automotive) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C junction | -40C to +100C junction | 0C to +85C commercial | 0C to +85C commercial | 0C to +85C commercial | -40C to +125C automotive |
| Embedded Memory | 552,960 bits | 552,960 bits | 552,960 bits | 552,960 bits | 552,960 bits | 552,960 bits |
| Transceivers | Up to 4 channels, 3.125 Gbps | Up to 4 channels, 3.125 Gbps | Up to 4 channels, 3.125 Gbps | Up to 4 channels, 3.125 Gbps | Up to 4 channels, 3.125 Gbps | Up to 4 channels, 3.125 Gbps |
| User I/O Pins | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
Key Differentiators
- Hard 3.125 Gbps transceivers integrated on-die (vs EP4CE15F23C8N (Cyclone IV E non-transceiver))
- Industrial temperature grade (I7) with C8 timing up to +125C (vs EP4CGX15BF14C8N (commercial C8 grade))
- Compact 14x14 mm FBGA-169 footprint with 1.0 mm pitch (vs EP4CGX110 series (larger packages for higher density))
- Lead-free finish variant (N suffix) available for RoHS compliance (vs EP4CGX15BF14I7 (standard))
Design Notes
Matched-length differential routing is mandatory for the 3.125 Gbps transceiver channels. Use 100 ohm differential impedance on the inner layers, with intra-pair skew under 5 mil and inter-pair skew under 150 mil. Reference each transceiver transmit pair to a continuous ground plane and place the AC coupling capacitors as close to the FPGA balls as possible. Refer to the Cyclone IV GX Transceiver Layout Guidelines for via pattern and break-out geometry.
The EP4CGX15BF14I7 requires separate power rails: VCC (1.2 V core), VCCA (analog supply, typically 2.5 V), VCCD_PLL (PLL digital supply), and VCCIO (I/O supply, 1.2 V to 3.3 V). Each rail needs its own decoupling network - 0.1 uF X7R ceramic capacitors placed within 100 mil of the supply balls, plus bulk tantalum or polymer capacitors. Use a ferrite bead between the switching regulator output and the analog VCCA rail to suppress switching noise coupling into the transceivers.
Do not leave transceiver channel pins floating when unused - each unused transceiver must be tied to a valid configuration through the Quartus II device programmer. Floating differential pairs cause unwanted power consumption and may fail configuration. Also, configure the unused MSEL pins correctly per the configuration scheme (AS, PS, JTAG) to avoid boot errors. The 'I7' speed grade meets C8 timing only when the junction temperature exceeds 100C and approaches 125C; verify thermal design if pushing the upper temperature range.
Single-ended I/O pins on the EP4CGX15BF14I7 can support LVDS via true LVDS output buffers in supported banks, but mixing LVDS with 3.3 V CMOS signaling in the same bank requires careful VCCIO selection. Consult the I/O features chapter of the Cyclone IV Device Handbook for each bank's supported standards and the LVDS current strength settings. Always check Quartus II pin planner warnings for illegal I/O standard assignments.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance per Altera/Intel product page. Standard EP4CGX15BF14I7 lead-free status not explicitly confirmed in provided data - choose EP4CGX15BF14I7N suffix variant for guaranteed lead-free finish. AEC-Q100 not applicable to standard industrial grade; choose EP4CGX15BF14A7N automotive variant for AEC-Q100-qualified designs.
