EP4SGX230HF35I4G - 230K LE Stratix IV GX FPGA | Intel
MPN: EP4SGX230HF35I4G β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $9064.79 | $9,064.79 |
| 10 | $8870 | $88,700.00 |
| 25 | $8500 | $212,500.00 |
| 50 | $8200 | $410,000.00 |
| 100 | $7900 | $790,000.00 |
EP4SGX230HF35I4G Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit whose logic functionality is defined by the user after manufacturing, in contrast to an ASIC whose function is fixed at fabrication. FPGAs sit at the top of the programmable logic hierarchy - below them in complexity are CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices), and above them in integration are SoCs that combine an FPGA fabric with a hard processor core. Stratix IV GX specifically targets transceiver-rich applications where multi-gigabit serial I/O must coexist with substantial parallel DSP and memory bandwidth.
Key features include 8 transceiver channels per device, 1,728 18-bit x 18-bit hardware multipliers, 1,335 Mbit/s LVDS performance, support for PCIe Gen1 (x1/x4/x8) and Gen2 (x1/x4/x8) hard IP blocks, and the Quartus Prime design suite for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. The device also embeds 24 phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock management and 8.5 Gbps serial data rates on the GX transceiver channels, enabling protocols such as PCIe, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, and HiGig.
The architecture combines logic array blocks (LABs), MLABs (memory logic array blocks), TriMatrix embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and PLL clock networks, all interconnected by a multi-tier routing fabric. The 1152-pin FCBGA package provides high signal density for the 564 user I/O pins plus dedicated transceiver, configuration, and supply pins, while Flip-Chip technology offers superior thermal and electrical performance for high-power operation.
Typical applications include high-end telecommunications line cards, ASIC prototyping, broadcast video processing, high-performance computing (HPC) acceleration, military radar and signal intelligence systems, and medical imaging equipment. The combination of transceivers, DSP blocks, and on-chip memory makes it suitable for applications requiring both massive I/O bandwidth and signal processing throughput.
When designing with this device, thermal management is critical: the FCBGA requires a heatsink and forced-air cooling, and the PCB must use high-density microvia stack-ups to escape the BGA. Designers must also implement the 0.93 V core supply sequencing carefully and follow the Stratix IV GX Handbook reference for transceiver channel placement to maintain signal integrity at 8.5 Gbps.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative MPNs from the same Stratix IV GX family, and practical design notes that go beyond what is summarized in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX230HF35I4G 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 EP4SGX230HF35I4G (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Logic Elements, Operating Temperature, Speed Grade, Transceivers.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX230HF35I4N
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4SGX230HF35I3N
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4SGX230FF35I4G
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EP4SGX230DF29I3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1480 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX230HF35I4G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 228,000 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 17,544,192 |
| Embedded Memory (Mbit) | 17.5 Mbit |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 1,728 |
| User I/O Pins | 564 |
| Transceiver Channels | 8 (up to 8.5 Gbps) |
| Package | 1152-ball FCBGA (HF35) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Core Voltage | 0.93 V |
| Process Node | 40 nm |
| Hard PCIe IP Cores | PCIe Gen1/Gen2 (x1/x4/x8) |
| PLLs | 24 |
| LVDS Performance | 1,335 Mbit/s |
| Configuration Scheme | Passive Serial, Fast Passive Parallel, JTAG |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (Flip-Chip BGA) |
EP4SGX230HF35I4G 1152-ball fcbga (hf35) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX230HF35I4G (1152-ball fcbga (hf35) 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 EP4SGX230HF35I4G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX230HF35I4G is suitable for 6 applications: High-End Telecommunications Line Card, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Broadcast Video Processing, High-Performance Computing Acceleration, Military Radar and Signal Intelligence, Medical Imaging Equipment.
High-End Telecommunications Line Card
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G is well suited for high-end telecommunications line cards because its 8 transceiver channels support 8.5 Gbps protocols such as PCIe Gen2, XAUI, and Serial RapidIO, while the 228K logic elements and 1,728 18x18 multipliers handle multi-gigabit packet processing in real time. In a typical line-card design the FPGA sits between the network processor and the optical transceivers, performing framer, MAC, and traffic-management functions. The 17.5 Mbit of embedded memory absorbs back-pressure bursts without external SRAM. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) supports outdoor cabinet deployments. Compared with smaller FPGAs in the same family, the EP4SGX230HF35I4G delivers approximately 2x the DSP throughput needed for 10G+ aggregate bandwidth.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G is widely used as an ASIC prototyping vehicle because 228K logic elements are sufficient to model ASICs of several million gates when combined with optimized synthesis. According to the Stratix IV GX handbook, the device supports full RTL migration from common ASIC flows, with Quartus Prime providing a partition-based prototyping flow that lets engineers map multiple design blocks into a single device. The 1,728 hardware multipliers and 24 PLLs make it easy to replicate DSP-heavy ASICs, while the 564 user I/O pins expose enough signal bandwidth for ASIC pad-ring emulation. Compared with simulation-only ASIC verification, FPGA prototyping runs 100-1000x faster and catches system-level issues before tape-out.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G fits broadcast video processing because the 1,728 18x18 hardware multipliers and 228K logic elements can handle multi-stream SD/HD/3G-SDI processing, color-space conversion, and on-screen display generation in a single device. In a typical broadcast design the FPGA receives 3G-SDI streams via serial digital interface blocks, performs de-interlacing or frame-rate conversion, and outputs to HDMI or SDI drivers. The 8 transceiver channels enable SMPTE 2022 IP-based video transport alongside legacy SDI. The 17.5 Mbit embedded memory acts as line/frame buffers, eliminating external SRAM in many designs. Industrial temperature grade supports 24/7 broadcast plant operation. Compared with dedicated ASSPs, the FPGA enables field-upgradable codec support.
Recommended
High-Performance Computing Acceleration
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G is deployed in high-performance computing (HPC) acceleration cards because its 1,728 18x18 multipliers and 1,728 ALMs deliver peak DSP performance of approximately 100 GMACs, suitable for FFT, FIR, and matrix-multiplication kernels offloaded from x86 hosts. In a typical HPC card the FPGA sits on a PCIe Gen2 x8 edge connector, exposing its 228K LE fabric as a co-processor accessible through OpenCL or RTL accelerators. The 8.5 Gbps transceivers also support QPI, RapidIO, or proprietary fabric interconnects for FPGA-to-FPGA links in cluster topologies. Compared with GPU accelerators, the FPGA offers lower latency and deterministic timing for real-time signal-processing pipelines.
Recommended
Military Radar and Signal Intelligence
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G is qualified for military radar and signal intelligence (SIGINT) systems because its 228K logic elements, 8.5 Gbps transceivers, and 1,728 multipliers can perform real-time channelization, pulse compression, and direction-finding across wideband RF inputs. In a typical EW receiver the FPGA digitizes ADC outputs at multi-GS/s rates and runs FFT-based spectrum analysis with on-chip memory holding time-windowed samples. The industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C) supports ground-mobile and naval environments. The 8 transceiver channels aggregate multiple ADC/DAC lanes. Compared with commercial FPGAs, the EP4SGX230HF35I4G has a long lifecycle program and is supported by radiation-tolerant equivalent variants.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Equipment
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G is used in medical imaging modalities such as ultrasound and CT because its 1,728 hardware multipliers and 17.5 Mbit embedded memory deliver real-time beamforming and image-reconstruction pipelines. In a typical ultrasound system the FPGA receives digitized RF from transducer arrays, applies delay-and-sum beamforming using on-chip multipliers, and routes reconstructed frames to display processors over PCIe. The 8 transceiver channels aggregate data from multiple probe heads or detector modules. Industrial temperature grade and high reliability support 24/7 clinical operation. Compared with DSP-only medical imaging platforms, the FPGA enables faster frame rates and more complex reconstruction algorithms.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX230HF35I4G β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX230HF35I4N | EP4SGX230HF35I3N | EP4SGX230FF35I4G | EP4SGX230DF29I3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 1152-ball FCBGA (HF35) | 1152-ball FCBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-ball FCBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-ball FCBGA (FF35) - same family, different pinout | 1152-ball FCBGA (DF29) - different body size |
| Logic Elements | 228,000 | 228,000 | 228,000 | 228,000 | 228,000 |
| Embedded Memory (Mbit) | 17.5 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 17.5 |
| 18x18 Multipliers | 1,728 | 1,728 | 1,728 | 1,728 | 1,728 |
| Transceiver Data Rate | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Lead Finish / Process | G-suffix (RoHS) | N-suffix (standard) | N-suffix, I3 speed grade | G-suffix, FF package | N-suffix, I3 speed grade, DF package |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic-element density in the Stratix IV GX family (vs EP4SGX110HF35I4G)
- RoHS-compliant lead finish (G-suffix) vs standard (N-suffix) (vs EP4SGX230HF35I4N)
- 8 multi-gigabit transceivers in a single device (vs EP4CGX150DF31I7N)
- Industrial temperature grade with full transceiver spec compliance (vs EP4SGX230HF35I4N)
Design Notes
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G in a 1152-ball FCBGA package dissipates substantial power under full logic utilization; a heatsink with forced-air cooling is mandatory. Estimated: at typical 70% utilization with 8 active 8.5 Gbps transceivers, total power is approximately 15-20 W. The FCBGA exposes the die directly via flip-chip bumps - apply thermal interface material (TIM) between the package lid and the heatsink and maintain < 0.2 C/W thermal resistance.
The 1152-ball FCBGA requires high-density PCB stack-up with microvia-in-pad technology to escape the BGA. Use a minimum 8-layer stack-up with 1 oz copper core, 0.5 oz outer copper, and laser-drilled microvias (0.1 mm pad, 0.25 mm pitch). Maintain 100-ohm differential impedance for 8.5 Gbps transceiver channels and 50-ohm single-ended for general-purpose I/O. Ground returns must be continuous under the BGA to minimize inductance.
The EP4SGX230HF35I4G requires multiple supply rails: 0.93 V core, 1.1 V PLL analog, 1.5 V transceiver analog, and 2.5 V/3.3 V I/O. Estimated: total supply current at full load reaches 20 A on the 0.93 V rail - design the VRM with adequate bulk capacitance (>= 4x 470 uF polymer) and place 22 uF ceramic decoupling within 5 mm of every supply ball cluster. Power-on sequencing must follow the manufacturer handbook: I/O before core to prevent latch-up.
Stratix IV GX transceiver channels operating at 8.5 Gbps require strict signal-integrity discipline: matched-length routing within 0.1 mm tolerance, AC-coupled capacitor placement adjacent to transmitter pins, and continuous reference planes. For PCIe Gen2 x8 implementations, follow the Intel PCIe Hard IP reference design including reference clock distribution and receiver-detection timing.
Common pitfalls include: (1) insufficient decoupling - the EP4SGX230HF35I4G requires >= 100 high-frequency ceramic capacitors distributed under the BGA; (2) JTAG chain configuration errors - ensure TDI/TDO order matches the datasheet; (3) configuration mode selection - verify MSEL pins match the desired configuration scheme (Passive Serial, Fast Passive Parallel, or JTAG); (4) transceiver reference clock jitter - use a jitter-cleaner PLL with < 500 fs RMS jitter for 8.5 Gbps compliance.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per G-suffix designation. Industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C). Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is a high-end FPGA, not an automotive-grade device.
