EP4SGX360FH29C4N - Stratix IV GX FPGA, 353.6K LE, 780-FCBGA | Intel
MPN: EP4SGX360FH29C4N β End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5800 | $5,800.00 |
| 10 | $5650 | $56,500.00 |
| 100 | $5400 | $540,000.00 |
| 500 | $5100 | $2,550,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $4850 | $4,850,000.00 |
EP4SGX360FH29C4N Overview
An FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit composed of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnect, dedicated DSP blocks, block RAM, and hardened I/O serializers. FPGAs sit in the broader taxonomy of programmable logic devices (PLDs) -> FPGAs -> high-density FPGAs, providing hardware-level parallelism for applications that demand deterministic latency and high throughput beyond what microcontrollers or DSPs can deliver. The Stratix IV family specifically targets high-performance signal processing, ASIC prototyping, and high-speed serial connectivity.
Key specifications of the EP4SGX360FH29C4N include 24 transceiver channels supporting data rates up to 8.5 Gbps, 1,288 embedded 18x18 multipliers for DSP, and adaptive logic modules (ALMs) that pack eight inputs per ALM to improve logic utilization. The -C4 speed grade denotes a commercial temperature range (0C to 85C) with mid-tier timing closure. The C-grade speed combined with the 780-pin FCBGA package supports designs requiring a balance of performance, thermal headroom, and pin density for backplane or mezzanine routing.
The architecture leverages a partial reconfiguration-friendly fabric, on-chip termination for LVDS, and dedicated PCML/serial transceiver circuitry. Compared with previous Stratix generations, Stratix IV GX delivers up to 2x lower power at equivalent performance through PowerPlay optimization, making it suitable for power-constrained but bandwidth-hungry systems. The 0.9 V core voltage reduces dynamic power while preserving timing margin for high-speed designs.
Typical applications include high-speed serial protocol bridging (PCIe Gen2, Serial RapidIO, 10G Ethernet MAC), high-definition video processing and broadcast equipment, ASIC and ASSP prototyping, radar and electronic warfare signal processing, and medical imaging systems. Engineers also deploy this device in test and measurement instrumentation, software-defined radio (SDR) baseband processing, and high-performance computing (HPC) accelerator cards.
A critical design consideration when working with the EP4SGX360FH29C4N is power distribution: the 780-ball FC-HFBGA package requires a multi-layer PCB (typically 10+ layers) with a low-impedance core/IO supply network. Designers must implement multiple decoupling capacitor values near each power pin pair and simulate PDN impedance to meet the device's high transient current demands during logic switching events.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in package-compatible alternatives from the Stratix IV family, and practical design notes that supplement the official Intel Stratix IV GX datasheet with engineer-focused guidance.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX360FH29C4N 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 EP4SGX360FH29C4N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Operating Temperature, Embedded Memory, Family, RoHS Status.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX360FH29C4
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3225 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C3N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1495 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C3
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1395 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C2XN
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2210 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C2X
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$3050 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35I4N
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$1245 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FH29C4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 353,600 |
| LABs/CLBs | 14,144 |
| Total Memory Bits | 23,105,536 |
| Number of User I/Os | 289 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (commercial) |
| Package | 780-FCBGA, FC-HFBGA (FH29) |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| Speed Grade | C4 (mid-tier) |
| Number of Transceivers | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps) |
| Embedded Multipliers (18x18) | 1,288 |
| Moisture Sensitivity Level (MSL) | 3 (168 Hours) |
| Peak Reflow Temperature | 40 s max |
| RoHS Status | Compliant / Lead-free |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP4SGX360FH29C4N 780-fcbga, fc-hfbga (fh29) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX360FH29C4N (780-fcbga, fc-hfbga (fh29) 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 EP4SGX360FH29C4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX360FH29C4N is suitable for 7 applications: PCIe Gen2 Endpoint Cards, 10G Ethernet Network Interface Cards, ASIC and ASSP Prototyping, Software Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband, High-Definition Video Processing, Radar and Electronic Warfare Signal Processing, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
PCIe Gen2 Endpoint Cards
The EP4SGX360FH29C4N's 24 embedded transceivers rated up to 8.5 Gbps make it well suited for PCIe Gen2 (5 Gbps) endpoint designs in accelerator cards, FPGA co-processors, and host-bus adapters. The Stratix IV GX Hard IP block implements the PCIe PHY, DLL, and TL layers with minimal logic utilization, freeing most of the 353,600 logic elements for application logic such as DMA engines, custom protocol stacks, or data-path offload. Designers typically instantiate the x8 Gen2 IP core and use the dedicated PCIe reference clock input on the FH29 package. A key benefit is deterministic latency on the user-facing application interface, which is critical for real-time data-acquisition and HPC workloads.
Recommended
10G Ethernet Network Interface Cards
With 8.5 Gbps transceivers and 23,105,536 bits of embedded memory, the EP4SGX360FH29C4N implements up to four 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) MAC/PHY channels using XAUI or RXAUI backplane interfaces. The 1,288 18x18 embedded multipliers accelerate forward-error-correction and Reed-Solomon codecs commonly used in OTN/WDM transport gear. The FH29 package's 289 user I/Os accommodate SFP+ cage I2C control plus QSGMII management interfaces. Power consumption is reduced by Stratix IV PowerPlay technology versus prior generations, allowing dense multi-port NIC designs within standard PCIe card power envelopes.
Recommended
ASIC and ASSP Prototyping
ASIC prototyping is a canonical use case for the EP4SGX360FH29C4N because the device's 353,600 logic elements can map large ASIC gate counts (up to ~20M ASIC gates after synthesis overhead). The 23 Mbit of embedded block RAM serves as scratchpad memory for prototype bring-up, while the 1,288 DSP blocks accelerate pre-silicon algorithm validation. The FH29 FC-HFBGA package exposes 289 user I/Os, which is typically sufficient for full ASIC I/O replication when paired with daughter-card high-speed connector breakouts. Compared with software simulation, prototype validation in this FPGA runs orders of magnitude faster and catches timing bugs that pure simulation misses.
Recommended
Software Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband
The 1,288 embedded 18x18 multipliers and high logic density of the EP4SGX360FH29C4N enable full multi-channel SDR baseband processing for waveforms such as LTE, WiMAX, and proprietary military radio standards. The 8.5 Gbps transceivers interface directly to high-speed ADC/DAC pairs (e.g., 12-bit 500 MSPS converters) via JESD204B or parallel LVDS interfaces. Engineers typically instantiate DDC/DUC chains, FFT engines, and channel-codec blocks within the Stratix IV fabric, achieving deterministic latency that is essential for TDMA and frequency-hopping waveforms. PowerPlay dynamic power reduction helps meet SWaP-C targets in man-portable radios.
Recommended
High-Definition Video Processing
Broadcast and medical-imaging systems leverage the EP4SGX360FH29C4N's high logic density and abundant DSP blocks to process multi-stream HD-SDI, 3G-SDI, or DisplayPort 1.2 video pipelines in real time. The 289 user I/Os drive multiple HDMI/SDI input-output channels, while the embedded transceiers support SDI-over-fiber for long-reach distribution. Designers implement scaling, deinterlacing, color-space conversion, and frame-rate conversion in the FPGA fabric with deterministic frame latency. The C4 speed grade provides sufficient timing margin for 148.5 MHz pixel clocks commonly used in 1080p60 video paths.
Recommended
Radar and Electronic Warfare Signal Processing
Phased-array radar and electronic-warfare systems benefit from the EP4SGX360FH29C4N's combination of 24 transceivers and 1,288 DSP blocks, which together support multi-channel beamforming, pulse compression, and digital down-conversion at carrier frequencies up to 8.5 Gbps. The 23 Mbit block RAM serves as data buffer between ADC inputs and DSP chains, while the 353.6K LEs implement adaptive beam-steering weight calculations. Designers map channelized receivers and matched-filter correlators across the Stratix IV fabric to achieve microsecond-level response times required for threat detection. The -C4 commercial temperature grade suits ground- and shipboard-based systems; airborne applications typically require the -I4 industrial variant.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
High-end oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol analyzers use the EP4SGX360FH29C4N as a pattern generator and protocol decoder engine because of its high logic density and multi-gigabit transceivers. The 289 user I/Os fan out to dozens of digital channels via serializer/deserializer (SerDes) hierarchies, while the DSP blocks accelerate FFT-based spectrum analysis in real time. The 0.9 V core voltage combined with PowerPlay power gating reduces thermal load in dense benchtop instruments. Engineers also leverage partial reconfiguration to swap protocol decoding engines without interrupting data acquisition.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX360FH29C4N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX360FH29C4 | EP4SGX360FH29C3N | EP4SGX360FH29C2XN | EP4SGX360FF35I4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 780-FCBGA (FH29) | 780-FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-FCBGA (FH29) - same | 780-FCBGA (FH29) - same | 1517-FCBGA (FF35) - different |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C4 | C3 (slower) | C2X (slowest) | I4 (industrial) |
| Transceivers | 24 x 8.5 Gbps | 24 x 8.5 Gbps | 24 x 8.5 Gbps | 24 x 8.5 Gbps | 24 x 8.5 Gbps |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 |
| Process / Core Voltage | 40 nm / 0.9 V | 40 nm / 0.9 V | 40 nm / 0.9 V | 40 nm / 0.9 V | 40 nm / 0.9 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to 85C (commercial) | 0C to 85C (commercial) | 0C to 85C (commercial) | 0C to 85C (commercial) | -40C to 100C (industrial) |
Key Differentiators
- Higher Fmax than C3/C2X speed-grade variants (vs EP4SGX360FH29C3N)
- Lead-free terminal finish specified (vs EP4SGX360FH29C4 (non-N))
- Lower-density than Stratix IV E variants like EP4SE530H35C4N (vs EP4SE530H35C4N)
- Smaller package than FF35 variant (vs EP4SGX360FF35I4N)
Design Notes
Estimated: at 85% logic utilization with 50% toggle rate and all 24 transceivers active at 8.5 Gbps, total power dissipation for the EP4SGX360FH29C4N typically falls between 18 W and 25 W. Designers should budget at least 30 W for the worst-case thermal envelope and provide a 12-layer PCB with 2 oz copper on inner power planes. Use the Early Power Estimator (EPE) tool from Intel to refine power numbers before committing to thermal solutions.
The 780-ball FC-HFBGA FH29 package has a junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) of approximately 8 C/W with a properly designed thermal via array under the exposed die region. Place 4-6 thermal vias per mm2 in the BGA break-out region and stitch them to internal copper planes with high thermal conductivity. For forced-air cooling, provide at least 1.5 m/s airflow across the package to keep junction temperatures below 100C in commercial applications.
Stratix IV GX transceivers require matched-length (within 5 mil) differential pair routing with 100 ohm differential impedance. Use a 10-12 layer stackup with stripline geometries for high-speed serial lanes and microstrip for top-layer breakouts. Place AC-coupling capacitors (0.1 uF X7R) immediately adjacent to each transmit differential pair per Intel's Stratix IV GX Hardware Reference Design guidelines. Reference the official Altium/Cadence reference design files for the FH29 ballout.
Do not assume that the EP4SGX360FH29C4 and EP4SGX360FH29C4N differ electrically - the N suffix only changes terminal finish (Pb-free). However, EP4SGX360FF35I4N uses a different package (1517-ball FF35) and cannot be soldered onto an FH29 footprint without PCB redesign. Also verify transceiver reference-clock jitter compliance with the selected Speed Grade - C2X may fail PCIe Gen2 jitter budgets even though the silicon supports 8.5 Gbps raw bit rate.
Keep all high-speed transceiver channels routed on inner stripline layers adjacent to solid GND reference planes to minimize crosstalk and EMI. Maintain 3W spacing between adjacent serial channels where channel density allows. For the FH29 package, place decoupling capacitors on the bottom layer directly under the BGA break-out fanout region with via-in-pad technology for low ESL. Always follow Intel's Stratix IV GX Board Design Guidelines for PDN and SerDes layout.
Compliance Information
RoHS and lead-free confirmed per YIC Electronics / distributor listing. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs. Halogen-free status not explicitly confirmed in available data. Intel's Conflict Minerals report covers this part.
