EP4SGX360HF35C4N - Stratix IV GX FPGA, 353600 Cells | Intel
MPN: EP4SGX360HF35C4N β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4850 | $4,850.00 |
| 10 | $4520 | $45,200.00 |
| 25 | $4290 | $107,250.00 |
| 100 | $3995 | $399,500.00 |
| 500 | $3700 | $1,850,000.00 |
EP4SGX360HF35C4N Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around a matrix of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), embedded memory blocks, DSP blocks, and programmable interconnect, allowing hardware designers to implement custom digital circuits without fabricating a custom ASIC. Stratix IV FPGAs sit at the top of the Intel/Altera high-performance product hierarchy: FPGA -> programmable logic device -> PLD -> digital IC. The Stratix IV family is targeted at high-throughput signal processing, high-speed serial interfaces, and embedded processing applications where logic density, memory bandwidth, and transceiver count matter more than ultra-low power.
Key features include 14,144 LABs (Logic Array Blocks), up to 24 transceivers supporting data rates up to 8.5 Gbps (depending on speed grade), dedicated hard IP for PCI Express Gen1/Gen2, 8B/10B encoders/decoders, and on-chip termination. The HF35 package variant (35 mm x 35 mm, 1152-ball FC-FBGA) supports the broadest I/O count in the family. The part is specified for the commercial temperature range (0C to +85C) and uses the C4 speed grade.
The Stratix IV GX architecture combines a fabric of adaptive logic modules (ALMs) with M20K and M512 memory blocks, variable-precision DSP blocks, and dedicated transceiver channels that support protocols such as PCIe, Gigabit Ethernet, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, and CPRI. The 8.5 Gbps transceiver capability, combined with 23 Mbits of on-chip memory, lets the EP4SGX360 act as a single-chip bridge between parallel processing logic and multiple high-speed serial links, eliminating external PHY ICs.
Typical applications include high-performance data acquisition systems, wireless baseband processing, radar and electronic warfare front-ends, broadcast video processing, and high-speed serial protocol bridging. The integrated transceivers make it especially well suited for systems that aggregate multiple 1G/10G Ethernet, CPRI, or Serial RapidIO links into a parallel processing pipeline. The -4N suffix indicates a lead-free, RoHS-compliant commercial-grade part.
When designing with this device, allocate PCB layer stack-up for the flip-chip BGA - the HF35 package requires a minimum of 12 PCB layers with controlled-impedance routing for the transceiver channels. Use the Quartus II design suite (or Quartus Prime for newer projects) for synthesis, place-and-route, and timing closure. Plan power delivery carefully: core rails can exceed 20 A under full utilization.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX360HF35C4N 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 EP4SGX360HF35C4N (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Package, Transceivers, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Family.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX360HF35C4
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View Datasheet βEP4SGX360FF35C4N
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$3550 / Unit
View Datasheet βEP4SGX360HF35C4N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 353,600 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 14,144 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 23,105,536 |
| Memory Blocks | M20K + M512 (per datasheet) |
| Maximum User I/Os | 564 |
| Transceivers | Up to 24 channels (per family datasheet) |
| Max Transceiver Data Rate | 8.5 Gbps |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage (Vcc) | 0.9 V |
| Package | 1152-ball FC-FBGA (HF35, 35x35 mm) |
| Speed Grade | C4 |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes (RoHS compliant, lead-free) |
| Hard IP Blocks | PCIe Gen1/Gen2, 8B/10B encoder/decoder, memory controllers |
| Design Tool | Quartus II / Quartus Prime |
EP4SGX360HF35C4N 1152-ball fc-fbga (hf35, 35x35 mm) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX360HF35C4N (1152-ball fc-fbga (hf35, 35x35 mm) 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 EP4SGX360HF35C4N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX360HF35C4N is suitable for 7 applications: High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridge, Wireless Baseband Processing, Radar and Electronic Warfare Front-End, High-Performance Data Acquisition, Broadcast Video Processing, Network Packet Processing / 10G Ethernet Aggregation, Test and Measurement Instrumentation.
High-Speed Serial Protocol Bridge
The EP4SGX360HF35C4N bridges between multiple high-speed serial protocols (PCIe Gen2, XAUI, Serial RapidIO, CPRI) using its 24 integrated transceivers running up to 8.5 Gbps. With 353,600 logic elements and 23 Mbits of on-chip memory, it can simultaneously terminate up to 8 PCIe Gen2 lanes, aggregate 4 XAUI links (4x3.125 Gbps), or fan-in/out CPRI data from multiple remote radio heads. The hard 8B/10B encoder/decoder eliminates external PHY chips, reducing BOM cost. In a typical wireless base-station design, the EP4SGX360 sits between the backhaul Ethernet and the radio modem, converting between 10G Ethernet and CPRI. Designers should use the Quartus IP catalog's PCS/PMA transceiver toolkit and follow the Stratix IV GX board design guidelines for AC-coupled serial links.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP4SGX360HF35C4N's combination of 14,144 LABs, 23 Mbits of embedded memory (M20K + M512 blocks), variable-precision DSP blocks, and multi-gigabit transceivers makes it well suited for 4G/LTE baseband processing. The large memory supports high-throughput buffering of OFDM symbols, while DSP blocks deliver up to ~1.4 GMACs at full utilization for filter and FFT operations. Transceivers connect directly to RF front-end data converters (JESD204B) or to CPRI fronthaul links. In a typical small-cell base-station design, the FPGA implements PHY-layer functions including channel coding, FFT/iFFT, and digital predistortion. Estimated power consumption at full utilization is ~25-30 W, requiring forced-air cooling. Quartus Prime Power Analyzer should be run during design to validate thermal budgets.
Recommended
Radar and Electronic Warfare Front-End
Radar and EW systems require massive parallel DSP for beamforming, pulse compression, and FFT processing. The EP4SGX360HF35C4N provides the logic density, DSP throughput, and high-speed serial I/O (transceivers up to 8.5 Gbps for data offload to back-end processors) needed for phased-array radar. With 353,600 logic elements and 23 Mbits of memory, the device can implement multi-element digital beamforming for arrays of 32-64 elements simultaneously. Embedded memory absorbs large window-function lookup tables, while variable-precision DSP blocks handle FFT/iFFT in beamforming pipelines. The 564 user I/Os connect to ADCs/DACs at the antenna, and the transceivers stream processed data to host processors via Aurora or 10G Ethernet. Designers should pair with high-speed ADCs like the AD9680 (14-bit, 1 GSPS) for wide-bandwidth capture.
Recommended
High-Performance Data Acquisition
In high-channel-count data acquisition systems (DAQ), the EP4SGX360HF35C4N aggregates multiple ADC/DAC channels and pre-processes data before sending it to a host via PCIe Gen2. With up to 24 transceivers, the FPGA can interface with multiple JESD204B ADCs (which use 3.125-6.25 Gbps lanes), then forward pre-processed data over PCIe Gen2 x4 to a CPU. The 23 Mbits of on-chip memory provide deep FIFO buffering between the ADC sample clock and the PCIe transmission, while the 564 user I/Os can interface with parallel LVDS ADCs. Typical applications include medical imaging (ultrasound beamforming), scientific instrumentation, and high-speed test equipment. Quartus II SOPC Builder (or Qsys in newer versions) simplifies PCIe endpoint and DDR3 controller integration.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing
The EP4SGX360HF35C4N handles real-time video processing for broadcast studios, including SD/HD/3G-SDI aggregation, format conversion, and HDR processing. The 24 transceivers support SDI rates up to 3G-SDI per channel, while 564 user I/Os provide parallel interfaces to video crosspoint switches and HDMI/DVI converters. Memory bandwidth from 23 Mbits of embedded memory plus external DDR3 (via the device's memory controller hard IP) supports frame buffers for scaling and deinterlacing. The FPGA's logic density allows multi-channel processing (e.g., 8x 3G-SDI paths simultaneously) with simultaneous mixing and overlay. Quartus II's Video and Image Processing (VIP) suite provides ready-to-use IP for scaling, color-space conversion, and frame-rate conversion.
Recommended
Network Packet Processing / 10G Ethernet Aggregation
The EP4SGX360HF35C4N aggregates multiple 10 Gigabit Ethernet links into a single high-throughput pipeline for packet inspection, deep packet buffering, and QoS scheduling. With up to 24 transceivers at 8.5 Gbps, it can terminate 2x 10G Ethernet (XAUI) plus multiple 1G Ethernet links simultaneously. The 23 Mbits of embedded memory serves as deep packet buffers for statistical QoS, while the 353,600 logic elements implement multi-gigabit lookup engines for ACLs and routing tables. The FPGA's 564 user I/Os provide additional connections to external TCAMs or DDR3/QDR memory for large routing tables. In a typical Top-of-Rack switch application, multiple EP4SGX360s work in parallel under a network processor's control, each handling a slice of the line-rate traffic.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
The EP4SGX360HF35C4N is widely used in high-end oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and protocol testers where massive parallel processing, deep capture memory, and fast serial interfaces are required. The 23 Mbits of embedded memory enables deep waveform captures (millions of samples), while 24 transceivers support multi-lane protocol analyzers for PCIe, USB 3.0 (via PIPE), SATA, and SAS. The 564 user I/Os connect to high-speed ADC front-ends and to external trigger/timing circuitry. Variable-precision DSP blocks accelerate real-time FFT, eye-diagram analysis, and protocol decoding. Designers can use Quartus II's SignalTap II logic analyzer for runtime debugging. The HF35 1152-ball BGA accommodates the dense routing between ADCs, memory, and host interfaces typical in bench-top instruments.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX360HF35C4N β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX360HF35C4 | EP4SGX360HF35C3N | EP4SGX360HF35C3 | EP4SGX360HF35C2N | EP4SGX360FF35C4N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 1152-ball FC-FBGA (HF35, 35x35 mm) | 1152-ball FC-FBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-ball FC-FBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-ball FC-FBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-ball FC-FBGA (HF35) - same | 1517-ball FC-FBGA (FF35) - same 35x35 mm outline, different ball map |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C4 | C3 (one bin slower) | C3 (one bin slower) | C2 (two bins slower) | C4 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 | 564 | ~480 (FF35 has fewer I/Os) |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 |
| RoHS / Lead-Free | Yes (RoHS, lead-free) | No (non-RoHS, leaded) | Yes (RoHS, lead-free) | No (non-RoHS, leaded) | Yes (RoHS, lead-free) | Yes (RoHS, lead-free) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) | 0C to +85C (Commercial) |
| Approximate Qty-1 Price (USD) | $4,850 | ~$4,650 (legacy non-RoHS, slight discount) | ~$4,200 (-1 speed grade discount) | ~$4,000 (older leaded, deeper discount) | ~$3,750 (-2 speed grade) | ~$4,900 (similar logic, smaller pkg) |
Key Differentiators
- Highest-I/O HF35 package in the Stratix IV GX family (vs EP4SGX360FF35C4N)
- C4 speed grade - fastest commercial timing (vs EP4SGX360HF35C3N)
- RoHS compliant (lead-free) with modern assembly compatibility (vs EP4SGX360HF35C4 (non-RoHS leaded variant))
- 24 integrated multi-gigabit transceivers up to 8.5 Gbps (vs Cyclone IV GX (e.g., EP4CGX150))
Design Notes
The HF35 1152-ball FC-FBGA package requires a minimum 12-layer PCB stack-up with 1 oz copper for power and 0.5 oz for signals. Use a high-density interconnect (HDI) process with micro-vias (laser-drilled, 75-100 um pad) for breakouts from inner ball rows. Route transceiver channels on the top layer or stripline with controlled 100-ohm differential impedance (90-ohm USB-style is NOT supported). Maintain at least 25 mil clearance between adjacent transceiver pairs to minimize crosstalk. Stratix IV GX board design guidelines (AN 528) provide stack-up templates - follow them verbatim for first-pass success.
Estimated: at full utilization (~85% logic, full 23 Mbit memory, all 24 transceivers active at 8.5 Gbps), the EP4SGX360HF35C4N draws approximately 25-30 W. The core rail VCC (0.9 V) can exceed 25 A under peak load; design the VRM with low-impedance power planes (at least 4 layers of 2 oz copper stitched by vias) and place decoupling capacitors every 1-2 inches around the BGA footprint. Use Quartus Prime Power Analyzer to validate the specific design's power profile before committing to a thermal solution. Recommended decoupling: 100 nF X7R 0402 under the BGA (one per quadrant), 10 uF bulk polymer tantalum every 2 inches.
Pin multiplexing and configuration scheme require careful PCB planning. The EP4SGX360HF35C4N uses a dedicated MSEL[4:0] configuration-bank mode selection; pull these to defined logic levels before VCCINT ramps. The CONF_DONE, nSTATUS, and nCONFIG signals must be pulled up correctly or the device will not initialize. JTAG (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI) signals must be length-matched within 1 inch for stable boundary-scan operation. Use the Quartus Pin Planner early in the schematic capture phase to assign pins and avoid late-stage re-spins. Refer to the Stratix IV GX Configuration User Guide (UG-SIVXGX) for the full checklist.
Estimated: without airflow and with a 4-layer PCB, the HF35 package has theta_JA of approximately 8-12 C/W. At 30 W dissipation this implies a 240-360 C junction rise - far beyond the 125 C Tj limit. A heatsink with thermal interface material (TIM) and 200 LFM forced air is essential for production designs. For laboratory bench testing, a copper heat spreader (1 oz copper inner-plane bond) plus a 30x30 mm heatsink will typically keep Tj below 100 C at 25 W dissipation. Validate with thermal simulation (FloTHERM or equivalent) before prototyping.
Multi-gigabit transceiver channels up to 8.5 Gbps require signal-integrity analysis on all serial links. AC-coupling capacitors (typically 100 nF 0402 X7R) must be placed within 0.5 inch of the FPGA TX pins and 0.25 inch of RX pins. Use Mentor Graphics HyperLynx or ANSYS SIwave for channel simulation; validate insertion loss (target < -10 dB at Nyquist) and return loss (< -8 dB at Nyquist). Reference clock jitter must be below 1 ps RMS for 8.5 Gbps operation - use a dedicated low-jitter clock generator like the Si5345 or equivalent.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per 'N' suffix in MPN. Intel/Altera material declaration available on product page. Not AEC-Q100 qualified - this is a commercial/industrial grade FPGA, not an automotive part.
