EP4SGX360FF35C4N - 353600 Logic Elements Stratix IV GX FPGA | Intel
MPN: EP4SGX360FF35C4N β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4250 | $4,250.00 |
| 10 | $4050 | $40,500.00 |
| 100 | $3850 | $385,000.00 |
| 500 | $3700 | $1,850,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $3550 | $3,550,000.00 |
EP4SGX360FF35C4N Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field-Programmable Gate Array is a semiconductor integrated circuit built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and programmable interconnect that engineers can reconfigure post-manufacturing to implement arbitrary digital logic, signal-processing pipelines, or system-on-chip functions. FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs (higher NRE, lower unit cost at volume) and microcontrollers (lower performance, software-defined). Stratix IV specifically belongs to Intel's high-end, transceiver-rich tier, targeting high-bandwidth serial I/O and DSP-heavy designs.
Key features of the EP4SGX360FF35C4N include 14,144 Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs), 564 maximum user I/Os, 24 transceiver channels up to 8.5 Gbps, and embedded 8-input fracturable DSP blocks. The device integrates 1.6 Mb of distributed RAM and approximately 22 Mb of embedded block RAM (MLAB + M9K + M144K), plus dedicated hard memory controllers for DDR3/DDR2/LPDDR2 with ECC support. The 0.9 V core is powered through an internal linear regulator with on-chip decoupling, simplifying PCB power design.
The architecture is built on a 40 nm TSMC low-power copper process with a 9-layer metal stack, achieving static power reductions versus prior 65 nm Stratix III devices. The integrated PCIe hard IP block supports Gen1 (2.5 Gbps) and Gen2 (5 Gbps) with x1/x2/x4/x8 lane configurations, making the device particularly well-suited for high-throughput communication infrastructure and protocol-bridging applications.
Typical applications include high-speed serial interface bridging (PCIe to SRIO, XAUI to SATA), wireless baseband processing, radar and electronic-warfare DSP front ends, high-resolution video capture and display pipelines, and ASIC prototyping. The transceiver-rich GX family is engineered for designs where multiple multi-gigabit serial links must be aggregated onto a single device.
Design considerations include careful attention to transceiver channel placement and reference-clock routing to maintain signal integrity, especially for 6 Gbps and 8.5 Gbps links. Power estimation should account for 850 mW-1.5 W per active transceiver at 8 Gbps, requiring a multi-layer PCB with continuous GND and PWR planes. Configuration is supported via fast passive parallel (FPP), fast active serial (AS), JTAG, and PCI Express, giving engineers flexibility during board bring-up and field updates.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, package options, drop-in alternatives within the Stratix IV GX family, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX360FF35C4N 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 EP4SGX360FF35C4N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Family, Process Technology.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX360FF35C4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$5189.41 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$7610 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35C3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2285 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35C2XN
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2600 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35C2X
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3450 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35C4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 |
| Adaptive Logic Modules (ALMs) | 141,440 (Mouser reports 14,144 LABs) |
| Memory Bits | 23,105,536 bits (~22 Mbit) |
| Maximum User I/Os | 564 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 14144 |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Package | 1152-ball FC-BGA (FF35) |
| Operating Temperature Grade | Commercial (C4) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Series | Stratix IV GX |
| Part Status | Obsolete (per Micropcba / distributor listings) |
EP4SGX360FF35C4N 1152-ball fc-bga (ff35) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX360FF35C4N (1152-ball fc-bga (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 EP4SGX360FF35C4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX360FF35C4N is suitable for 6 applications: PCIe Gen2 Endpoint / Bridge Card, Wireless Baseband / DSP Processing, Radar and Electronic-Warfare Front End, High-Resolution Video Capture / Display Pipeline, ASIC / ASSP Prototyping, Industrial Networking Switch / Router Line Card.
PCIe Gen2 Endpoint / Bridge Card
The EP4SGX360FF35C4N's hard PCIe Gen1/Gen2 IP block and 8.5 Gbps transceivers make it well suited to PCIe-to-anything bridge cards (PCIe to Serial RapidIO, XAUI, or custom serial). With 353,600 logic elements the device can absorb multi-channel DMA engines, custom transport-layer logic, and protocol-aware reformatting in a single chip. Place the FPGA between the PCIe edge connector and the downstream PHY/MAC, use the hard PCIe IP for x4 or x8 lane physical and data-link layers, and reserve abundant logic for application-layer acceleration. Compared to discrete PCIe interface ICs, this approach gives a single-chip solution with the flexibility to update to new protocols or payload formats via firmware-only changes.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband / DSP Processing
The EP4SGX360FF35C4N's 14,144 ALMs and dedicated 18x18 multiplier-based DSP blocks enable multi-antenna wireless baseband processing, including LTE PHY-layer acceleration, crest-factor reduction, and digital pre-distortion (DPD) for power amplifiers. The 8-input fracturable DSP block architecture gives high multiply-accumulate throughput per MHz, while the abundant on-chip memory (22 Mbit) supports parallel sample buffering for high-bandwidth streams. Route the digitized RF baseband from an external ADC into the FPGA's general-purpose I/Os, and use the multi-gigabit transceivers to backhaul processed data over CPRI or OBSAI to a baseband controller. The high logic density allows multiple carriers and antenna chains on one device, reducing board area and bill-of-materials cost.
Recommended
Radar and Electronic-Warfare Front End
The combination of high-density logic, embedded DSP blocks, and multi-gigabit transceivers makes the EP4SGX360FF35C4N a strong fit for radar signal-processing front ends and electronic-warfare (EW) receiver chains. Pulse compression, MTI filtering, and beamforming can all be implemented in the DSP blocks, while the transceivers aggregate ADC samples from remote front ends over low-latency serial links such as XAUI or CEI-6G. With 353,600 logic elements the device can host an entire phased-array processing pipeline for moderate-size antenna arrays. Use the dedicated external-memory interfaces (DDR3 with ECC) to buffer raw ADC samples before decimation and detection. Designers should plan thermal dissipation carefully, since high transceiver and DSP utilization can push junction temperature toward the commercial-grade limit.
Recommended
High-Resolution Video Capture / Display Pipeline
The EP4SGX360FF35C4N supports high-throughput video pipelines such as 4K DCI/UltraHD capture, multi-stream HD-SDI aggregation, and DisplayPort 1.2a transmit. The high-density logic and embedded memory sustain the line-buffer and color-processing requirements of multi-stream video, while the transceivers drive serial video interfaces such as SDI, HDMI, or DisplayPort without external re-drivers. With up to 564 user I/Os the device can also interface to parallel camera-link or LVDS-based imagers at full pixel rates. Use the dedicated DDR3 controllers for frame buffering, and the on-chip DSP blocks for chromatic aberration correction or scaling. Compared to discrete video-processor ASICs, the FPGA approach lets designers add new codecs or resolutions via firmware updates.
Recommended
ASIC / ASSP Prototyping
With 353,600 logic elements and abundant I/Os, the EP4SGX360FF35C4N is often deployed as an ASIC or ASSP prototyping vehicle, where production-volume silicon has not yet been fabricated but the design must be validated on real hardware. Multiple FPGA partitions can be mapped onto the Stratix IV device via partial reconfiguration, emulating an entire SoC including processor cores, memory controllers, and high-speed serial interfaces. The hard PCIe and memory-controller IP blocks give the prototype realistic I/O performance so that software development can begin before tape-out. Compared to software simulation, FPGA-based prototyping runs at MHz speeds and lets real peripheral silicon talk to the design, exposing bugs that simulation cannot reach.
Recommended
Industrial Networking Switch / Router Line Card
Industrial-grade networking line cards that aggregate multiple 1G/10G Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, or proprietary links can be built on the EP4SGX360FF35C4N, using its multi-gigabit transceivers to fan out to multiple SFP+ cages and the high-density logic to implement packet classification, queuing, and shaping. The hard PCIe IP supports backplane connectivity to a host CPU or switch-fabric ASIC, while the abundant embedded memory holds packet descriptors and statistics counters at line rate. Compared to NPU-based solutions, an FPGA-based line card is fully programmable and can add new protocols (e.g., 1588 PTP, TSN) via firmware updates rather than silicon respins. Use the Stratix IV Device Handbook's reference designs for 10G MAC + PCS to accelerate development.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX360FF35C4N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX360FF35C4 | EP4SGX360FF35C3N | EP4SGX360FF35C3 | EP4SGX360FF35C2XN | EP4SGX360FF35C2X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 1152-ball FC-BGA (FF35) | 1152-ball FC-BGA (FF35) - same | 1152-ball FC-BGA (FF35) - same | 1152-ball FC-BGA (FF35) - same | 1152-ball FC-BGA (FF35) - same | 1152-ball FC-BGA (FF35) - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 |
| ALMs | 141,440 | 141,440 | 141,440 | 141,440 | 141,440 | 141,440 |
| Embedded Memory | 23,105,536 bits (~22 Mbit) | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits | 23,105,536 bits |
| Maximum User I/Os | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 |
| Speed Grade | C4 (fastest) | C4 | C3 (one grade slower) | C3 | C2 (two grades slower) | C2 |
| Temperature Grade | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial |
| Part Status (2026-09-10) | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete | Obsolete |
Key Differentiators
- Highest density within the Stratix IV GX FF35-package family (vs EP4SGX230KF40I4N)
- Fastest speed grade (C4) in the FF35 1152-ball package (vs EP4SGX360FF35C3N)
- Commercial-temperature grade drop-in alternative available (vs EP4SGX360FF35C4 (no N suffix))
Design Notes
Estimated: at full utilization (high transceiver activity at 8 Gbps + high DSP utilization), the EP4SGX360FF35C4N can dissipate 12-18 W, requiring careful thermal design. Use the Stratix IV Device Handbook's PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) for an application-specific number. Provide continuous GND planes directly under the BGA and at least 4-layer PCB stack-up with 1-2 solid GND layers. For forced-air-cooled chassis, allocate at least 200 LFM airflow over the BGA; for sealed industrial boxes, consider a heat-spreader lid per Intel's thermal-mechanical guidelines for FF35 FC-BGA.
For 6 Gbps and 8.5 Gbps transceiver channels, route transmit and receive differential pairs with 100 ohm differential impedance, with intra-pair length matching to within 5 mils and inter-pair matching within 50 mils. Place the AC-coupling capacitors within 200 mils of the FPGA receiver pins to preserve the DC balance of the link. Reference-clock routing must be isolated from switching power-converter nodes by at least 3W (3Γ dielectric thickness) and guarded by GND vias. The Stratix IV Device Handbook's Transceiver Layout Guide provides recommended via patterns and stack-up geometries.
The EP4SGX360FF35C4N requires multiple power rails: 0.9 V core (largest current, up to 15-20 A), 1.1 V PLL supply, 1.5/1.8/2.5/3.3 V I/O and transceiver supply, and a separate 2.5 V analog supply for the transceiver PLLs. Sequence these rails per Intel's power-sequencing guidelines - the core rail typically ramps first, then the analog and I/O rails. Use the Quartus PowerPlay EPE output as input to your regulator selection, and design the 0.9 V regulator with a derated SOA of at least 30% to handle transients during power-up and dynamic logic activity.
Do not use generic JTAG tools that do not support the Stratix IV BSDL file; use the Quartus II Programmer or the latest Quartus Prime Programmer to avoid bitstream corruption. Do not place a ground-bounce capacitor directly on a 0.9 V sense pin - use the dedicated VCC_SENSE / GND_SENSE pins for the regulator's remote-sense connections. Do not leave unused transceivers floating; tie them to GND through their recommended network to avoid noise coupling into adjacent active channels. Always read the errata sheet (Stratix IV Device Errata) before tape-out, as several silicon revisions had documented issues affecting transceiver and PCIe behavior.
The 1152-ball FF35 FC-BGA requires a fine-pitch PCB land pattern. Use a 0.4 mm or 0.5 mm ball pitch (verify against the package mechanical drawing in the handbook). For BGA break-out, escape to inner layers with micro-vias (8 mil/12 mil via-in-pad is acceptable for high-density signal escape). Maintain a 50 ohm single-ended and 100 ohm differential-controlled-impedance stack-up; use the Saturn PCB Toolkit or JLCPCB impedance calculator to verify trace widths. Place at least one decoupling capacitor (0.1 uF + 10 uF bulk) per 4-6 power pins, with the smallest decoupling within 100 mils of the BGA pad.
Compliance Information
RoHS, REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free status not present in the verified web data for EP4SGX360FF35C4N. The 'N' suffix in the ordering code is widely used by Altera/Intel to denote lead-free / RoHS-compliant packaging per their legacy ordering convention, but this is not confirmed by the verified data; treat as 'unknown' until verified against the manufacturer's certificate of conformance.
