EP4CGX50DF27C6N - 50K LE Cyclone IV GX FPGA, 672-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4CGX50DF27C6N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $244.06 | $244.06 |
| 10 | $220 | $2,200.00 |
| 100 | $195 | $19,500.00 |
| 500 | $175 | $87,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $155 | $155,000.00 |
EP4CGX50DF27C6N Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a reconfigurable integrated circuit whose logic function is defined by user-supplied configuration bitstreams rather than by fixed metal-layer interconnect. Modern FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable-logic taxonomy: programmable logic device (PLD) -> CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA. They are typically used to implement custom glue logic, high-speed datapaths, parallel DSP, and interface bridging that cannot be served by fixed-function ASICs in low-to-mid volume. The Cyclone IV family is built on a 60 nm low-power process and was designed specifically for cost- and power-constrained applications.
Key features of the EP4CGX50DF27C6N include 49,888 logic elements organized into 3,118 logic array blocks (LABs), 2,562,048 bits (~313 Kbytes) of embedded SRAM arranged as M9K blocks, 140 embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP, four PLLs, and eight integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers on the GX variant. The device also includes hard PCIe Gen1 IP cores, JTAG and serial configuration interfaces, and supports both passive and active configuration schemes through Altera/Intel EPCS/EPCQ configuration memories.
Typical applications include industrial video and image processing, motor control and industrial Ethernet bridging, low-cost PCIe endpoint cards, low-rate serial backplane aggregation, handheld test and measurement equipment, and consumer video capture/display pipelines. The Cyclone IV GX is frequently selected where designers need genuine transceiver capability at a Cyclone-class price and power budget.
When designing with the EP4CGX50DF27C6N, pay close attention to power-rail decoupling and to the JTAG chain, because the 672-ball 1.0 mm pitch FBGA requires reflow profiling per JEDEC J-STD-020 and careful escape routing. Quartus II or Intel Quartus Prime is required for synthesis, place-and-route, and bitstream generation. Designers migrating to newer device families should evaluate Cyclone 10 GX as a modern successor with similar logic density and improved transceivers.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4CGX50DF27C6N — 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 EP4CGX50DF27C6N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Embedded Memory, Speed Grade, Transceivers, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
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View Datasheet →EP4CGX50DF27C6N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 49,888 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 3,118 |
| Embedded Memory | 2,562,048 bits (~313 Kbyte) |
| Embedded Memory Blocks | M9K |
| Embedded 18x18 Multipliers | 140 |
| User I/O Pins | 310 |
| Transceivers | Up to 8 channels, 3.125 Gbps |
| PLLs | 4 |
| Global Clocks | 20 |
| Core Voltage | 1.2 V |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) |
| Process Technology | 60 nm low-power |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA (FBGA) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4CGX50DF27C6N 672-ball fineline bga (fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4CGX50DF27C6N (672-ball fineline bga (fbga) 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 EP4CGX50DF27C6N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4CGX50DF27C6N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision, Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint Card, Industrial Ethernet Bridge / Protocol Converter, Handheld Test & Measurement Equipment, Video Capture and Display Pipelines, Motor Control and Servo Drive.
Industrial Machine Vision
The EP4CGX50DF27C6N is well-suited to multi-camera industrial machine vision pipelines where its 49,888 logic elements and 140 embedded 18x18 multipliers deliver enough DSP bandwidth for Bayer-to-RGB conversion and basic object detection at 1080p60. Its 310 user I/O pins expose enough LVDS pairs to ingest parallel image-sensor data from two MIPI-CSI bridges or a CameraLink base configuration, while the 3.125 Gbps transceivers aggregate processed frames onto a Gigabit Ethernet backhaul. Compared with a discrete DSP plus MCU design, the integrated solution reduces PCB area by ~50% and BOM cost by 30-40%. Designers should budget the M9K memory for line buffers and use the four PLLs to generate independent pixel clocks per sensor. Power dissipation at 60 fps typical processing load stays around 1.5-2 W, well within the FineLine BGA thermal envelope without a heatsink.
Recommended
Low-Cost PCIe Endpoint Card
With its hard PCIe Gen1 IP cores and up to eight 3.125 Gbps transceivers, the EP4CGX50DF27C6N is a strong fit for cost-sensitive PCIe x1 endpoint cards such as frame grabbers, low-rate DAQ boards, and FPGA-based accelerators. The hard PCIe core consumes no soft logic, leaving the 49,888 logic elements and 313 Kbytes of M9K memory available for the user datapath. The 672-FBGA exposes the necessary transceiver pins for PCIe x1 plus sideband signals. In typical implementations the card stays within a 6 W slot budget, allowing passive cooling in standard half-height brackets. Designers must follow Intel's PCIe reference design for AC coupling caps on the PCIe pair and the REFCLK routing; the Cyclone IV GX Transceiver User Guide documents the required 100 MHz reference clock architecture.
Recommended
Industrial Ethernet Bridge / Protocol Converter
The EP4CGX50DF27C6N bridges legacy industrial fieldbuses (PROFIBUS, RS-485, CAN) to Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT, or PROFINET by reusing its soft IP cores from the Altera/Intel ecosystem. The 310 user I/O pins can host multiple isolated RS-485 ports via external transceivers, while the 3.125 Gbps transceivers drive SGMII or 1000BASE-X Ethernet uplinks to industrial switches. The four PLLs generate independent baud-rate clocks for each fieldbus segment without jitter contention. Industrial-grade variants (EP4CGX50DF27I6N/I7N) extend operating range to -40C to +100C for cabinet-free deployments. Compared to a multi-MCU design, the FPGA consolidates the protocol stack and timing-critical glue logic into a single device, reducing BOM count and simplifying EMC certification.
Recommended
Handheld Test & Measurement Equipment
Battery-powered oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol testers benefit from the Cyclone IV GX's low-power 60 nm process, which keeps the EP4CGX50DF27C6N around 1-2 W in typical measurement workloads. The 49,888 logic elements can implement deep acquisition FIFOs using the 313 Kbytes of M9K memory, while the 140 multipliers accelerate FFT and power-calculus functions. The 672-FBGA exposes enough LVDS for 16-32 channel logic analyzer input stages. The four PLLs support independent sampling-rate domains for mixed-signal capture. Compared to high-end FPGA families, the Cyclone IV GX delivers adequate DSP at a Cyclone-class price point, making the handheld form factor economically viable.
Recommended
Video Capture and Display Pipelines
Consumer-grade video capture cards, HDMI splitters with on-screen display overlay, and digital-signage controllers fit the EP4CGX50DF27C6N's logic and I/O profile. The 49,888 logic elements implement color-space conversion (YUV/RGB), chroma resampling, frame-rate conversion, and OSD compositing at 1080p60 in real time. The 140 18x18 multipliers accelerate scaling filters. The 310 user I/O pins expose enough LVDS or TMDS pairs for HDMI 1.4 input/output (using external HDMI PHY like the Analog Devices ADV7511/ADV7611). Power consumption in a 1080p60 video path typically runs 1.5-2.5 W, allowing fanless designs in thin signage enclosures.
Recommended
Motor Control and Servo Drive
Industrial servo drives and multi-axis stepper controllers use the EP4CGX50DF27C6N for high-rate field-oriented control (FOC) loops, encoder decoding, and EtherCAT/CANopen slave interfaces. The 140 18x18 multipliers execute the Park/Clarke transforms and PID calculations within sub-microsecond cycle times, while the M9K memory stores lookup tables for sine/cosine and S-curve profiles. The four PLLs generate the switching frequency clocks (typically 16-50 kHz) plus encoder sampling clocks without jitter interaction. The 310 user I/O pins accommodate up to 8 axes of PWM, encoder feedback, and gate-driver enable signals. The 3.125 Gbps transceivers drive EtherCAT or SERCOS III uplinks. Compared with a DSP-plus-CPLD design, the consolidated FPGA solution reduces propagation delay between sample and PWM update by 40-60%.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4CGX50DF27C6N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4CGX50DF27C8N | EP4CGX50DF27I7N | EP4CGX50DF27C7N | EP4CGX50DF27I6N | EP4CGX150DF27C7N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 672-FBGA (DF27) | 672-FBGA (DF27) - same | 672-FBGA (DF27) - same | 672-FBGA (DF27) - same | 672-FBGA (DF27) - same | 672-FBGA (DF27) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 49,888 | 49,888 | 49,888 | 49,888 | 49,888 | 149,760 |
| Embedded Memory | 2,562,048 bits | 2,562,048 bits | 2,562,048 bits | 2,562,048 bits | 2,562,048 bits | 6,635,520 bits |
| Transceivers | Up to 8 x 3.125 Gbps | Up to 8 x 3.125 Gbps | Up to 8 x 3.125 Gbps | Up to 8 x 3.125 Gbps | Up to 8 x 3.125 Gbps | Up to 8 x 3.125 Gbps |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) | C8 (commercial, slower) | I7 (industrial) | C7 (commercial, mid) | I6 (industrial, fast) | C7 (commercial, mid) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C | 0C to +85C | -40C to +100C | 0C to +85C | -40C to +100C | 0C to +85C |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade at commercial temperature in the DF27 672-FBGA package family (vs EP4CGX50DF27C8N)
- Commercial operating range allows lower-cost assembly vs industrial-grade equivalents (vs EP4CGX50DF27I7N)
- Smaller die (49,888 LE) vs overprovisioned EP4CGX150 - lower per-unit cost (vs EP4CGX150DF27C7N)
Design Notes
The Cyclone IV GX family requires multiple supply rails: a 1.2 V core (VCCINT), a 2.5 V/3.0 V/3.3 V auxiliary (VCCAUX), separate 1.2 V/2.5 V/3.0 V/3.3 V I/O banks (VCCIO), a 1.2 V transceiver supply (VCCL_GXB), and a 1.5 V/2.5 V/3.0 V transceiver analog supply (VCCH_GXB). All rails must ramp up within specific monotonicity windows per the Cyclone IV Device Handbook. Estimated: a fully-utilized EP4CGX50 with eight active transceivers and 60-70% logic utilization can draw 3-5 W total; use a 6-layer PCB with at least 1 oz copper on inner power planes and place 0.1 uF + 10 uF decoupling within 5 mm of every supply pin.
The 672-ball FineLine BGA uses a 1.0 mm ball pitch, requiring microvia or sub-3-mil laser-drilled via technology for inner-row escape. Use 4-6 mil trace-and-space on the top layer with via-in-pad for inner rows. Maintain a continuous reference plane under the BGA for all high-speed transceiver traces; ground-fill the BGA field with stitched ground vias every 2-3 mm. Follow JEDEC J-STD-020 reflow profile (peak 245C for lead-free) with a soak zone of 150-200C for 60-120 seconds to avoid BGA warpage and head-in-pillow defects.
The 3.125 Gbps transceiver channels require AC-coupled differential routing with 100 ohm differential impedance, length-matched to within 150 mil intra-pair and 2-3 mm inter-pair. Use the Intel/Altera Cyclone IV GX Transceiver User Guide reference stackup, typically with Megtron-6 or equivalent low-loss dielectric. Each transceiver pair needs its own dedicated REFCLK routed with the same impedance control; do not share clocks between multiple transceiver channels unless using the dedicated PLL outputs. Simulate with the Hspice or IBIS-AMI models available from Intel before tape-out.
For production designs, use an EPCS or EPCQ active serial configuration memory (e.g., EPCS16SI16N or EPCQ16ASI8N) to store the bitstream. Fast Passive Parallel (FPP) configuration is supported but requires an external flash plus CPLD; it is faster than AS mode for time-critical boot but adds BOM cost. The MSEL[2:0] pins must be tied to the correct option-select values per the configuration scheme - incorrect MSEL settings cause the FPGA to remain in reset. Estimated: an 8 Mbit AS configuration flash is sufficient for most EP4CGX50 designs with optional compression enabled in Quartus.
Do not confuse the F27 672-FBGA package (this part) with the F23 484-FBGA or F19 324-FBGA packages of the same die family - the ball maps are not compatible, and a wrong-package design will not boot. Do not assume the C6 speed grade is interchangeable with I6 industrial; while the silicon is the same, the I6 parts are tested over the -40C to +100C range and may carry different timing margins. Finally, when migrating to Cyclone 10 GX, evaluate the new configuration scheme (ASx4 vs AS) and pin-compatible modern device; the Cyclone IV family is in maintenance and not recommended for new designs unless legacy software/hardware compatibility is required.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Altera/Intel product page. AEC-Q100 not applicable for general-purpose FPGAs. Halogen-free status not stated in available web data - confirm with manufacturer datasheet if required. Cyclone IV GX family is in maintenance mode as of 2026; Intel recommends Cyclone 10 GX for new designs.