EP4CGX50CF23C7N - Cyclone IV GX FPGA, 49K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CGX50CF23C7N β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $175.31 | $175.31 |
| 10 | $157.78 | $1,577.80 |
| 100 | $140.25 | $14,025.00 |
| 500 | $122.72 | $61,360.00 |
| 1,000 | $110.5 | $110,500.00 |
EP4CGX50CF23C7N Overview
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected via a programmable interconnect fabric, with embedded memory, DSP blocks, phase-locked loops (PLLs), and (in the Cyclone IV GX family) multi-gigabit transceivers (MGTs). The Cyclone IV family hierarchy sits below the high-end Stratix series and is targeted at cost- and power-sensitive volume production; within that family, the GX sub-family adds transceiver channels for PCIe Gen1, Gigabit Ethernet, and serial RapidIO. This positions the EP4CGX50CF23C7N as a 'transceiver-equipped Cyclone IV' rather than a plain logic FPGA.
Key features of this OPN include 4 transceiver channels capable of 3.125 Gbps operation, 8 input / 8 output PLLs (or the Cyclone IV GX equivalent count) for clock management, up to 2.5 Mb of user RAM, and a 1.2 V core supply with 2.5 V/3.3 V-tolerant I/O. The FBGA-484 package provides high pin density for the 290 user I/O count while keeping board routing manageable on standard 4-layer FR-4. The device supports configuration via JTAG, Active Serial, and Passive Parallel modes, and includes on-chip pull-up resistors for non-volatile configuration via Altera EPCS or EPCQ flash.
The Cyclone IV GX transceiver architecture is hardened for common serial protocols; up to 4 channels of PCIe Gen1 (x1/x2) hard IP, GMII/RGMII interfaces for GbE MACs, and basic serial RapidIO can be instantiated without external PHY silicon. For board designers, this means a single FPGA can implement a PCIe endpoint, a 1 Gbps Ethernet MAC, or a SRIO link with reduced BOM cost compared with using a general-purpose FPGA plus an external transceiver.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision frame grabbers (using the transceivers for Camera Link HS or CoaXPress), low-cost PCIe data-acquisition cards, broadcast video processing (SDI/HDMI bridging), wireless small-cell backhaul, and prototyping of ASIC functions before tape-out. The combination of low unit cost, low static power (~450 mW typical), and integrated transceivers makes the EP4CGX50CF23C7N a frequent choice when designers need more than a microcontroller but less than a Stratix-class device.
When designing with this FPGA, ensure that the transceiver reference clocks are sourced from a low-jitter oscillator (typical jitter under 1 ps RMS) and that the FPGA core decoupling uses 0.1 uF + 10 uF ceramic combinations per bank. The configuration scheme should be selected early because the FBGA package does not allow easy re-soldering of configuration-mode jumpers once PCB is assembled.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, package-level drop-in alternatives from the same Cyclone IV GX family, and practical design notes that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet to help engineers source and apply the EP4CGX50CF23C7N.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX50CF23C7N β 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 EP4CGX50CF23C7N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Transceivers, RoHS Status, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4CGX50CF23C7
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$55.1 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CGX50CF23C8N
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$56.5 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CGX50CF23C6N
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$65.8 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CGX50CF23I7N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―β In Stock
$121.4 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4CGX30CF23C7N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$71.59 / Unit
View Datasheet βXC6SLX75-3FGG484
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4CGX50CF23C7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 49,888 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 2,562,048 (2.5 Mb) |
| User I/O | 290 |
| Logic Array Blocks | 47 |
| Multi-Gigabit Transceivers | 4 channels up to 3.125 Gbps |
| Hard Memory Controllers | Yes (DDR/DDR2/QDRII/QDRII+/RLDRAM II) |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| I/O Voltage Standards | LVTTL, LVCMOS, LVDS, SSTL, HSTL (1.2V-3.3V) |
| Package | 484-FBGA (F23, 23 x 23 mm) |
| Speed Grade | C7 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C (commercial) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm TSMC low-power |
| Configuration Modes | JTAG, Active Serial (EPCS), Passive Serial, Fast Passive Parallel |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP4CGX50CF23C7N 484-fbga (f23, 23 x 23 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX50CF23C7N (484-fbga (f23, 23 x 23 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 EP4CGX50CF23C7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX50CF23C7N is suitable for 6 applications: PCIe Gen1 Endpoint Card, Gigabit Ethernet MAC Bridge, Industrial Machine Vision Frame Grabber, Broadcast Video SDI/HDMI Bridging, Wireless Small-Cell Backhaul Modem, ASIC/SoC Prototyping Platform.
PCIe Gen1 Endpoint Card
The EP4CGX50CF23C7N is ideal for low-cost PCIe Gen1 endpoint designs because its 4 integrated multi-gigabit transceivers include hardened PCIe hard IP that supports x1 and x2 configurations without external PHY silicon. The 49,888 logic elements fit typical endpoint state machines plus a DMA engine, while the 2.5 Mb of embedded RAM serves as descriptor and data buffer memory. The 290 user I/O pins provide ample lanes for external local bus interfaces, DDR2 controller pins, and application-specific GPIO. Estimated: at PCIe Gen1 line rate of 2.5 GT/s per lane and x1 configuration, the device sustains roughly 200 MB/s of payload throughput, sufficient for data-acquisition, low-end graphics, and industrial I/O cards. Reference designs from Intel's Cyclone IV GX PCIe development kit demonstrate complete enumeration and DMA operation.
Recommended
Gigabit Ethernet MAC Bridge
The EP4CGX50CF23C7N's hardened GMII/RGMII MAC interface combined with 4 transceivers up to 3.125 Gbps makes it a compact GbE bridge between SFP modules and a host backplane. The transceiver channels support 1000BASE-X directly while the 49,888 LEs handle MAC framing, VLAN tagging, and a soft RGMII interface to an external PHY. With 2.5 Mb of embedded RAM, designers can implement multi-port packet buffers without external SRAM, reducing BOM cost. Estimated: at 1 Gbps line rate the device can sustain wire-speed forwarding for 64-byte frames on two simultaneous ports. Industrial networking applications benefit from the commercial -40C to +85C operating range.
Recommended
Industrial Machine Vision Frame Grabber
The EP4CGX50CF23C7N is well suited to industrial machine vision frame grabbers because its 4 transceivers can carry Camera Link HS, CoaXPress, or GigE Vision serial streams while 49,888 LEs process Bayer-to-RGB conversion, image enhancement, and trigger synchronization. The 2.5 Mb embedded memory doubles as line buffer and lookup-table storage for gamma and color correction, reducing external memory cost. The 290 user I/O pins support parallel sensor interfaces (LVDS-based sub-LVDS, SLVS) at the same time as the serial links. Estimated: at a typical 2 MPixel sensor running 60 fps, the FPGA handles real-time processing with under 20 percent logic utilization, leaving headroom for application-specific inspection algorithms.
Recommended
Broadcast Video SDI/HDMI Bridging
The EP4CGX50CF23C7N serves as a cost-effective SDI-to-HDMI or HDMI-to-SDI bridge in broadcast video equipment, leveraging its 4 transceivers for multi-rate SDI (HD-SDI, 3G-SDI up to 2.97 Gbps within the 3.125 Gbps transceiver envelope). The 49,888 LEs accommodate SDI scrambling/descrambling, CRC insertion/checking, and HDMI TMDS encoding logic, while 2.5 Mb embedded memory handles line buffering and ancillary data extraction. The 290 user I/O pins provide flexible audio and metadata GPIO plus external memory expansion. Estimated: a single EP4CGX50CF23C7N can implement one 3G-SDI input and one HDMI 1.4 output simultaneously while maintaining less than 60 percent logic utilization.
Recommended
Wireless Small-Cell Backhaul Modem
The EP4CGX50CF23C7N supports small-cell wireless backhaul modems using its 4 transceivers for CPRI (Common Public Radio Interface) up to 3.072 Gbps or OBSAI links to baseband modules. The 49,888 LEs handle packet segmentation, fronthaul compression, and timing/ synchronization protocols, while 2.5 Mb embedded memory serves as data-path buffer. The 290 user I/O support external Ethernet PHY interfaces and management GPIO. Estimated: at CPRI line rate 3 the device can sustain one antenna-carrier pair with under 50 percent logic utilization, sufficient for a single-sector small-cell deployment.
Recommended
ASIC/SoC Prototyping Platform
The EP4CGX50CF23C7N is frequently used for ASIC and SoC pre-silicon prototyping, where its 49,888 LEs emulate moderate-complexity logic, embedded memory, and DDR2 memory controller subsystems before tape-out. The 4 transceivers provide real-world I/O emulation for PCIe, GbE, and serial RapidIO interfaces that the final ASIC will use. The 290 user I/O pins map to a wide range of peripheral buses (SPI, I2C, UART, GPIO) for full-chip emulation. Estimated: a typical ASIC block of 30K-40K gates maps at 1.3x logic utilization on the FPGA due to LUT-vs-gate modeling, fitting comfortably within the 49,888 LE budget. Quartus II/Prime prototyping flows and Intel's SoC FPGA family migration paths accelerate bring-up.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX50CF23C7N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX50CF23C7 | EP4CGX50CF23C8N | EP4CGX50CF23C6N | EP4CGX50CF23I7N | EP4CGX30CF23C7N | XC6SLX75-3FGG484 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Xilinx |
| Package | 484-FBGA (F23) | 484-FBGA (F23) | 484-FBGA (F23) | 484-FBGA (F23) | 484-FBGA (F23) | 484-FBGA (F23) | FBGA-484 |
| Logic Elements | 49,888 | 49,888 | 49,888 | 49,888 | 49,888 | 29,440 | 74,637 (Xilinx logic cells) |
| Speed Grade | C7 (commercial) | C7 (commercial) | C8 (commercial, faster) | C6 (commercial, slower) | I7 (industrial) | C7 (commercial) | -3 (Xilinx) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +100C | -40C to +85C | -40C to +85C |
| Transceiver Channels | 4 x 3.125 Gbps | 4 x 3.125 Gbps | 4 x 3.125 Gbps | 4 x 3.125 Gbps | 4 x 3.125 Gbps | 4 x 3.125 Gbps | 4 x 3.2 Gbps GTP |
| Embedded Memory | 2.5 Mb | 2.5 Mb | 2.5 Mb | 2.5 Mb | 2.5 Mb | 1.3 Mb | 3.0 Mb (Block RAM) |
| User I/O | 290 | 290 | 290 | 290 | 290 | 290 | 280 |
Key Differentiators
- Hardened PCIe Gen1 and GbE MAC IP blocks (vs EP4CGX30CF23C7N)
- Lower unit price than higher-density Cyclone IV GX members (vs EP4CGX150CF23C7N)
- Xilinx Spartan-6 cross-vendor compatibility (vs XC6SLX75-3FGG484)
Design Notes
Estimated: at typical operating conditions (25 percent logic utilization, 4 transceivers active at 2.5 Gbps, 25 percent RAM utilization, 50 MHz core clock) the EP4CGX50CF23C7N draws approximately 1.5 W static plus 0.5 W dynamic, totaling roughly 2 W. Designers should budget a 3 W power supply with 4 A peak on the 1.2 V rail and ensure the regulator maintains within 30 mV of nominal to meet transceiver jitter requirements.
The 484-FBGA F23 package requires 1.0 mm ball pitch and a 23 x 23 mm land pattern. Use 0.5 oz outer copper and 1 oz inner copper on a 4-layer FR-4 stackup. Place 0.1 uF X7R decoupling capacitors within 5 mm of each power pin and add 10 uF bulk capacitors per power rail (1.2 V core, 2.5 V/3.3 V auxiliary, 1.5 V transceiver PLL) within 25 mm. Maintain 100 ohm differential impedance on transceiver pairs to avoid re-tuning of PCIe/GbE compliance boards.
Transceiver reference clocks must come from a low-jitter oscillator (typical less than 1 ps RMS jitter over 12 kHz to 20 MHz). Series-couple each clock with a 0.1 uF capacitor and route on an inner stripline layer. Transceiver differential pairs should be length-matched within 150 mil and routed with no more than two vias total to avoid reflections. According to Intel's Cyclone IV GX PCB design guidelines, transceiver TX/RX pairs require 90 ohm differential impedance.
Select the configuration mode early in the design: Active Serial (AS) via EPCS or EPCQ provides fastest configuration from a small flash, while Passive Parallel (PP) supports high-speed multi-FPGA configuration chains. The FBGA package does not allow reworking configuration-mode jumpers, so place MSEL pins in a strap resistor network accessible for debugging. JTAG chain should include a 4-wire header plus optional 10-pin Cortex-Debug-compatible connector for software debug tools.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliant per 'N' suffix in OPN. JEDEC J-STD-020 MSL-3 floor life. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs of this density; choose industrial-temperature -I7N variants for automotive-grade applications requiring extended temperature operation.
