EP4CGX15BF14I7N - 14.4K Logic Elements Cyclone IV GX FPGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CGX15BF14I7N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $38.5 | $38.50 |
| 10 | $34.2 | $342.00 |
| 100 | $29.8 | $2,980.00 |
| 500 | $26.5 | $13,250.00 |
| 1,000 | $23.1 | $23,100.00 |
EP4CGX15BF14I7N Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a type of programmable logic device (PLD) that allows designers to configure digital logic, memory, I/O, and in some families high-speed transceivers, after manufacture. Architecturally an FPGA sits above a CPLD and below an ASIC in the silicon design pyramid; FPGAs are ideal for medium-volume designs, rapid prototyping, and designs requiring hardware re-programmability. The Cyclone IV GX family specifically adds up to eight integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers, bridging the gap between pure-logic FPGAs and more expensive transceiver-equipped families such as Stratix.
Key features of the EP4CGX15BF14I7N include 8 transceiver channels at up to 3.125 Gbps, support for common serial protocols such as PCI Express Gen1 and Gigabit Ethernet, and Cyclone IV GX's signature low static and dynamic power consumption profile. The device integrates hard IP for PCIe Gen1 x1/x2/x4 and supports external memory interfaces including DDR2 SDRAM up to 200 MHz. These resources make the part well suited to bridge, protocol-conversion, and low-cost serial-link designs where a soft-core or hardware state machine would otherwise consume too many LEs.
Typical applications include industrial control and factory automation backplanes, motor control and drive interfaces, low-end video surveillance bridges, low-cost PCIe endpoints, and portable test-and-measurement equipment. The 169-ball LBGA package keeps board area modest while still allowing high pin-count connectivity, and the industrial temperature range supports deployment in unenclosed industrial environments.
When designing with this device, pay close attention to the LVDS and 3.3V LVCMOS I/O standards to keep signal integrity under control on a 169-ball BGA PCB. Use the Quartus Prime design software (with Cyclone IV device support) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Reference designs and application notes covering PCIe, GbE, and DDR2 are available from Intel/Altera to accelerate prototype development.
This page synthesizes current distributor pricing, drop-in alternative parts in the same 169-ball LBGA footprint, and design notes for power, decoupling, and PCB layout that go beyond the information in the standard manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX15BF14I7N — 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 EP4CGX15BF14I7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Transceivers, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX15BF14C8N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$18.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$20.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14I7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$19.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14A7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$31.05 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14C8
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$351.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14C7
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$21.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4CGX15BF14I7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 14,400 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 552,960 |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 56 |
| User I/O Pins | 72 |
| Number of PLLs | 2 |
| Transceiver Channels | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) |
| Package | 169-ball LBGA (14x14 mm) |
| Supply Voltage | 1.2 V core |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial, I7 grade) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm low-power CMOS |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| MSL Level | 3 |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP4CGX15BF14I7N 169-ball lbga (14x14 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX15BF14I7N (169-ball lbga (14x14 mm) 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 EP4CGX15BF14I7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX15BF14I7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Serial-Link Bridge, Low-Cost PCI Express Endpoint, Motor Control and Drive Interface, Portable Test and Measurement Equipment, Video Surveillance Bridge, Low-Cost GbE Switch / Router Line Card.
Industrial Serial-Link Bridge
The EP4CGX15BF14I7N is a strong fit for industrial serial-link bridges because its 8 integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers can handle PROFIBUS, RS-485/422, CAN-FD, or Ethernet traffic between heterogeneous field-bus segments. With 14,400 logic elements available, the part can host state-machine-based protocol conversion in parallel with the SERDES channels, removing the need for a separate bridge ASIC. Industrial grade (-40C to +100C) operation ensures deployment on unenclosed factory floors. Quartus Prime reference designs are available to accelerate development of PROFINET and EtherCAT bridge implementations.
Recommended
Low-Cost PCI Express Endpoint
The EP4CGX15BF14I7N suits low-cost PCI Express Gen1 endpoint applications because of its built-in PCIe hard IP, supporting x1/x2/x4 lanes at 2.5 Gbps. Designers can implement endpoint functions such as data acquisition cards, low-end frame grabbers, or industrial I/O cards without paying for a full Stratix-class device. The 14.4K logic-element budget fits typical PCIe endpoint state machines, BAR mapping, and DMA engines comfortably. Reference designs for PCIe Gen1 are available in the Altera/Intel FPGA documentation library.
Recommended
Motor Control and Drive Interface
The EP4CGX15BF14I7N is well matched to motor control and drive interface boards, where 56 embedded 18x18 multipliers handle field-oriented control (FOC) math, PID loops, and sensorless vector algorithms. Its 72 user I/O pins accommodate PWM outputs, encoder feedback, and isolated gate-driver controls without external muxing. The industrial temperature range supports deployment in motor cabinets and outdoor inverter enclosures. The 8 transceivers are useful when the drive must communicate over SERCOS, EtherCAT, or a proprietary high-speed backplane.
Recommended
Portable Test and Measurement Equipment
The EP4CGX15BF14I7N fits portable test-and-measurement instruments because the Cyclone IV GX 60 nm low-power process keeps quiescent current low while delivering logic, memory, and SERDES resources on one die. Typical instruments built on this part include handheld oscilloscope front-ends, bench-top protocol analyzers, and portable bit-error-rate testers that need a few lanes at 1-3 Gbps. Industrial temperature operation extends the use case to field-deployed test gear.
Recommended
Video Surveillance Bridge
The EP4CGX15BF14I7N serves as a video surveillance bridge, converting MIPI CSI-2 or parallel RGB inputs from image sensors into Gigabit Ethernet or USB 3.0 streams for centralized recording. The 8 transceivers and 14.4K LEs are sufficient for one or two camera channels at HD resolution, with hardware-accelerated compression pre-processing. The 169-ball LBGA package is small enough for camera PCBs and IP camera enclosures. Industrial temperature operation suits outdoor IP camera installations.
Recommended
Low-Cost GbE Switch / Router Line Card
The EP4CGX15BF14I7N supports entry-level GbE switch and router line-card designs because its 8 SERDES lanes can drive 4-6 GbE SGMII links alongside a management CPU interface. With 14.4K logic elements, the part can host L2 forwarding tables, ACL logic, and MAC/IP checksum offload in hardware. Industrial temperature operation and the compact 169-ball LBGA footprint suit 1U rack-mount equipment. Reference designs for GbE MAC and SGMII are available in the Intel FPGA documentation.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX15BF14I7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX15BF14C8N | EP4CGX15BF14C7N | EP4CGX15BF14I7 | EP4CGX15BF14A7N | EP4CGX15BF14C8 | EP4CGX15BF14C7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 169-ball LBGA (14x14 mm) | 169-ball LBGA (same) | 169-ball LBGA (same) | 169-ball LBGA (same) | 169-ball LBGA (same) | 169-ball LBGA (same) | 169-ball LBGA (same) |
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 | 14,400 |
| Speed Grade | -7 | -8 (faster) | -7 | -7 | -7 | -8 (faster) | -7 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (industrial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +125C (automotive) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| User I/O Pins | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 72 |
| Transceiver Channels | 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) |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 552,960 | 552,960 | 552,960 | 552,960 | 552,960 | 552,960 | 552,960 |
Key Differentiators
- Extended industrial temperature range vs commercial-grade alternatives (vs EP4CGX15BF14C8N)
- Integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers vs logic-only Cyclone IV E (vs EP4CE55F29I7N)
- Automotive-grade option for in-vehicle deployment (vs EP4CGX15BF14A7N)
Design Notes
The EP4CGX15BF14I7N requires multiple supply rails: 1.2 V core, 2.5 V analog PLL, and 3.3 V I/O. Decouple each rail with a 0.1 uF ceramic capacitor placed within 5 mm of every supply pin, plus a bulk 10-100 uF tantalum or polymer capacitor per rail. The transceiver supply (VCCH_GXB) requires its own filtered 1.2 V rail with ferrite-bead isolation from the core supply to keep switching noise out of the SERDES PLL. Reference the Cyclone IV GX Hardware Reference Manual for the full decoupling schematic.
Use a 169-ball LBGA PCB footprint with 1.0 mm ball pitch and a minimum of 4 PCB layers with continuous ground and power planes. Microstrip or stripline routing with 50 ohm controlled impedance is required for all transceiver lanes and high-speed LVDS pairs. Place AC-coupling capacitors within 5 mm of each GXB serial pin per the manufacturer pin-out guidelines. Via-in-pad or microvia construction is recommended for the BGA break-out to keep escape routing short.
The 169-ball LBGA package dissipates most heat through the PCB, so use a flooded ground plane on the top layer under the BGA and thermal vias in the BGA land pattern to conduct heat to inner copper planes. Estimated: at typical 14.4K LE utilization at 100 MHz with 50% toggle rate, junction-to-ambient (theta_JA) is approximately 25 C/W on a JEDEC 4-layer test board, supporting operation up to about 2-3 W without airflow. For sustained high-utilization designs, add active cooling.
Do not apply I/O signals before the 1.2 V core supply ramps; the EP4CGX15BF14I7N supports hot-socketing but still requires power-rail sequencing (VCCIO before or simultaneous with VCCINT) to avoid latch-up. Configuration flash (EPCS) must be programmed with a valid cyclone IV GX image before the FPGA enters user mode, otherwise CONF_DONE will not assert. Always include JTAG access on the PCB for in-system programming and debug.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per the manufacturer product page. The 'I7' temperature grade denotes industrial extended range (-40C to +100C). The AEC-Q100 automotive-qualified equivalent is EP4CGX15BF14A7N.
