EP4SGX360FF35C3 - Stratix IV GX FPGA, 353K LE, 1152-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4SGX360FF35C3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2850 | $2,850.00 |
| 10 | $2710 | $27,100.00 |
| 100 | $2580 | $258,000.00 |
| 500 | $2420 | $1,210,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $2285 | $2,285,000.00 |
EP4SGX360FF35C3 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable logic device (PLD) that allows designers to implement custom digital logic, memory, and high-speed serial interfaces in silicon after fabrication. Stratix IV GX sits in the hierarchy: FPGA -> programmable logic -> digital IC -> semiconductor. The GX family integrates multi-gigabit transceivers alongside programmable fabric, enabling high-bandwidth connectivity for protocols such as PCI Express Gen1/Gen2, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, and CEI-6G, which is the primary differentiator versus the logic-only Stratix IV E and Stratix IV GT (memory-rich) variants.
Key features of the EP4SGX360FF35C3 include 564 user I/O pins, integrated transceivers, dedicated DSP blocks for high-throughput fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic, embedded TriMatrix memory, and hard memory controllers for DDR/DDR2/DDR3 SDRAM, QDRII+ SRAM, and RLDRAM II. The FF35 package offers the highest pin count available in the Stratix IV GX lineup, making it suitable for high-density, transceiver-rich system designs where board space is less constrained than in compact modules.
Typical applications include high-end wireline telecom line cards, military/aerospace signal processing, ASIC prototyping, test and measurement equipment, broadcast video processing, and high-performance computing accelerators. Designers select this part when their design requires maximum logic capacity combined with embedded multi-gigabit serial links on a single die.
Design considerations for the EP4SGX230/360 family emphasize multi-rail power sequencing (core 0.9 V, transceiver PLLs, I/O banks), thermal management of the 35x35 mm FC-FBGA, and PCB layout for transceiver signal integrity. Use the Quartus II design software (now Intel Quartus Prime) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in package-compatible alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX360FF35C3 — 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 EP4SGX360FF35C3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Mounting Type, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX360FF35C2X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3450 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360FF35C4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5189.41 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360FF35I3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1695 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360FF35I3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9100 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360FF35C2XN
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2600 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360FF35C2X
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3450 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360FF35C3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Series | Stratix IV GX |
| Family | Stratix IV GX FPGA |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 353,600 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 14,144 |
| Embedded Memory | 23,105,536 bits |
| User I/O Pins | 564 |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V (0.87 V to 0.93 V) |
| Operating Junction Temperature | 0 C to 85 C |
| Grade | Commercial |
| Package | 1152-FBGA (35x35 mm), FCBGA |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| Speed/Package Grade | FF35 |
| Memory Type | TriMatrix (MLAB + M9K + M144K blocks) |
| DSP Blocks | Yes (dedicated) |
| Hard Memory Controller | DDR/DDR2/DDR3, QDRII+, RLDRAM II |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Lead-Free | Yes |
EP4SGX360FF35C3 ff35 Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX360FF35C3 (ff35 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 EP4SGX360FF35C3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX360FF35C3 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Wireline Telecom Line Card, ASIC Prototyping and Emulation, Military and Aerospace Signal Processing, Test and Measurement Equipment, Broadcast Video Processing, High-Performance Computing Accelerator.
High-Speed Wireline Telecom Line Card
The EP4SGX360FF35C3's 353,600 logic elements, integrated multi-gigabit transceivers (up to 8.5 Gbps), and 564 user I/Os make it well-suited for carrier-grade line cards. According to Intel's Stratix IV GX positioning, this device supports protocols such as Serial RapidIO, XAUI, Interlaken, and PCI Express Gen2, enabling aggregation switch fabrics and OTN framer implementations. Its hard memory controllers handle DDR3/QDRII+ line-buffer storage. Compared with Stratix IV E, the GX integrated transceivers reduce BOM cost by eliminating external SERDES, while the FF35 1152-FBGA package supports dense, multi-lane front-panel designs with sufficient I/O for backplane interconnect and front-panel optical cages.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping and Emulation
With 353,600 logic elements and abundant interconnect, the EP4SGX360FF35C3 functions as a multi-FPGA ASIC prototyping platform for pre-silicon verification. Its 564 user I/Os accommodate deep-chip-to-chip partitioning across multiple FPGAs using LVDS or sub-LVDS bridging. Quartus II synthesis supports incremental compilation flows that map large ASIC RTL onto multiple Stratix IV GX devices with timing-accurate multi-FPGA partitioning. The FF35 35x35 mm package provides sufficient pin count for parallel interconnect between partitioned prototypes. Engineers targeting PCIe Gen2 and DDR3 interfaces benefit from hard IP cores, reducing the logic overhead versus soft implementations and improving prototype bring-up speed.
Recommended
Military and Aerospace Signal Processing
The EP4SGX360FF35C3's combination of logic density, dedicated DSP blocks, and integrated transceivers supports radar, electronic warfare, and secure communications payloads. The commercial C3 grade covers 0 C to 85 C; military programs migrate to the I3N industrial variant (-40 C to 100 C) for thermal margin. Its MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, and SpaceWire interfaces are typically implemented in IP cores supported by Quartus II. The 1152-FBGA package, while large, simplifies thermal dissipation in conduction-cooled VPX enclosures, and the FPGA's high logic capacity enables multi-channel beamforming and adaptive signal processing without external DSP clusters.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
High-end oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol testers leverage the EP4SGX360FF35C3's logic density for deep acquisition memory, on-chip signal processing, and multi-protocol trigger engines. The integrated transceivers deliver real-time serial bus decode for PCIe, SATA, USB 3.0, and 10GbE, while 564 user I/Os accommodate high-channel-count probe front ends. Hard memory controllers pair with external QDRII+ SRAM and DDR3 SDRAM for waveform capture buffers exceeding 2 GB. Designers choose this device over smaller Cyclone V or Arria 10 parts when channel count and DSP throughput exceed those families' capabilities, and over Stratix V for legacy Quartus II tool flow continuity.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
Broadcast video routers, format converters, and 4K/8K image processing engines benefit from the EP4SGX360FF35C3's 353,600 LEs and high I/O count. The device handles SDI (SMPTE 424M, 425M) aggregation, scaling, color-space conversion, and frame-rate conversion in real time, with integrated transceivers supporting HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2, and 12G-SDI. According to Intel's Stratix IV GX handbook, the transceiver-rich architecture and dedicated DSP blocks enable 4K60 4:4:4 processing on a single chip. The FF35 1152-FBGA package supports dense front-panel connectivity, and Quartus II Video and Image Processing (VIP) suites accelerate development of video pipelines.
Recommended
High-Performance Computing Accelerator
The EP4SGX360FF35C3 enables custom HPC and FPGA-accelerated compute platforms where its 353,600 LEs deliver massive parallel arithmetic, integrated transceivers provide low-latency inter-FPGA and host links (PCIe Gen2, QPI), and dedicated DSP blocks accelerate IEEE 754 floating-point and fixed-point kernels. Hard memory controllers interface to DDR3 banks for streaming workloads in financial analytics, genomics, and machine learning inference. Compared to GPU accelerators, FPGAs in this density class offer deterministic latency and lower power per FLOP for streaming workloads. The FF35 1152-FBGA package suits PCIe-form-factor add-in cards and Open Compute Platform sled designs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX360FF35C3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX360FF35C2 | EP4SGX360FF35C4 | EP4SGX360FF35I3 | EP4SGX360FF35I3N | EP4SGX360FF35C2XN | EP4SGX360FF35C2X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 1152-FBGA (FF35) 35x35 mm | 1152-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-FBGA (FF35) - same | 1152-FBGA (FF35) - same |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 |
| Speed Grade | C3 (commercial) | C2 (slower) | C4 (slower) | I3 (industrial) | I3N (industrial Pb-free) | C2X N (slower, Pb-free) | C2X (slower, Pb-free) |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial (0 C to 85 C) | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial (-40 C to 100 C) | Industrial (-40 C to 100 C) | Commercial | Commercial |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 |
| User I/Os | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 |
Key Differentiators
- Highest speed grade in FF35 package (C3 bin) (vs EP4SGX360FF35C4)
- Commercial temperature grade suits cost-sensitive designs (vs EP4SGX360FF35I3N)
- Stratix IV GX integrates multi-gigabit transceivers on-die (vs EP4SGX360HF35C3 (hypothetical E variant))
Design Notes
The Stratix IV GX EP4SGX360FF35C3 requires multi-rail power sequencing: VCC (0.9 V core), VCCPD (1.5 V to 3.0 V pre-driver), VCCPT (1.5 V phase-locked), and VCCA_PLL/VCCR_PLL for transceiver PLLs. According to Intel's Stratix IV GX power design guidelines, power-on must follow the documented sequence to prevent latch-up and high in-rush current. Use the Altera/Intel Enhanced Configuration Device (EPCQ) or a discrete sequencing controller. Estimated: at 100% logic utilization the device can draw 8-15 A from the 0.9 V rail, requiring a high-current buck regulator with at least 30 A capacity.
The 35x35 mm FC-FBGA package has a typical junction-to-ambient theta_JA in the range of 8-12 C/W with proper board thermal design. Per Intel thermal modeling, a minimum 4-layer PCB with 2 oz copper on outer layers, plus thermal vias under the exposed-die region, is required to keep the 0 C to 85 C junction envelope. For chassis designs exceeding 50 W, attach a heatsink with thermal interface material (TIM). Estimated: at full transceiver utilization, total power may approach 25-30 W, demanding forced-air or conduction cooling.
Multi-gigabit transceiver channels require controlled-impedance differential routing (100 ohm differential) with maximum length matched within 0.127 mm (5 mil) per the Stratix IV GX PCB guidelines. Use a high-performance PCB stack-up (Megtron 6, FR408HR) with low-loss dielectric. Place decoupling capacitors within 1 mm of every power pin, including 0402/0201 0.1 uF and 10 uF bulk capacitors. JTAG and configuration signals (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO, nCONFIG, nSTATUS, CONF_DONE) must be guarded against noise and routed with 50 ohm controlled impedance. All configuration modes (AS, AP, FPP, PS) require a dedicated configuration clock.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free compliance per Intel/Altera product page; AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA not an automotive-qualified part per industry convention; specific automotive-grade part numbers would carry Q suffix).
