EP4SGX360KF43C4 - 353K LE Stratix IV GX FPGA, 880 I/O, FCBGA-1760
MPN: EP4SGX360KF43C4 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $9085.24 | $9,085.24 |
| 10 | $8630.98 | $86,309.80 |
| 50 | $8176.71 | $408,835.50 |
| 100 | $7722.45 | $772,245.00 |
| 500 | $7268.19 | $3,634,095.00 |
EP4SGX360KF43C4 Overview
What is an FPGA? A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable semiconductor device whose logic functionality, interconnect, and I/O behavior are configured after manufacturing by the customer using a hardware description language. FPGAs sit above general-purpose microcontrollers and ASICs in the flexibility/performance trade-off: ASICs deliver the highest performance per watt but cannot be reconfigured; microcontrollers run software but are bound to a fixed instruction set. Stratix IV family FPGAs target high-throughput signal processing, high-speed serial connectivity, and protocol bridging between ASIC/ASSP blocks.
The 880 user I/Os support a wide range of single-ended and differential I/O standards including LVDS, LVPECL, HSTL, and SSTL, while the integrated high-speed transceivers enable multi-gigabit serial links such as PCIe, Serial RapidIO, XAUI, and CEI. Embedded DSP blocks operate as 9 x 9, 12 x 12, 18 x 18, and 36 x 36 full-precision multipliers at up to 600 MHz, providing a deterministic DSP fabric for FFTs, FIR filters, and modulation/demodulation blocks.
Typical applications include high-end wireless baseband processing, software-defined radio (SDR), radar and electronic-warfare signal chains, medical imaging accelerators, high-performance ASIC prototyping, and 10G/40G line-card bridging. The 1760-ball FCBGA package is designed for high-density board designs using BGA assembly and controlled-impedance multilayer PCBs.
Designers should plan power, decoupling, and signal-integrity analysis up front: the FCBGA-1760 package requires a multi-layer PCB with buried vias, the configuration scheme (AS, PS, JTAG, or FPP) must be selected before PCB layout, and thermal management must dissipate the device's full-load power through top-side heatsinking.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, a curated set of pin-compatible Stratix IV GX family alternatives, and practical design notes that complement - not duplicate - the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX360KF43C4 — 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 EP4SGX360KF43C4 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Operating Temperature Grade, Mounting Type, Process Technology, Series.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX360KF43C3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8905.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43C2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8803.34 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43C3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1975 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43I4
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2350 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43I3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2280 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43C4 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Device Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 353,600 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LAB) | 14,144 |
| Embedded Memory (Bits) | 23,105,536 |
| Memory Blocks | 880 (M9K + M144K) |
| User I/O Pins | 880 |
| DSP Blocks | 9x9, 12x12, 18x18, 36x36 multipliers up to 600 MHz |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V |
| High-Speed Transceivers | Multi-gigabit transceivers (rate per family spec) |
| Package | 1760-ball FC-BGA (FCFBGA) |
| Speed Grade | C4 (commercial, standard performance tier) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP4SGX360KF43C4 1760-ball fc-bga (fcfbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX360KF43C4 (1760-ball fc-bga (fcfbga) 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 EP4SGX360KF43C4.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX360KF43C4 is suitable for 7 applications: Wireless Baseband Processing, Software-Defined Radio (SDR), Radar and Electronic Warfare Signal Chains, High-Performance ASIC Prototyping, Medical Imaging Accelerator (CT/MRI), 10G/40G Network Line-Card Bridging, Industrial High-Speed Test and Measurement.
Wireless Baseband Processing
The EP4SGX360KF43C4's 353,600 logic elements and 880 DSP blocks operating at up to 600 MHz deliver the throughput required for multi-antenna LTE/5G baseband PHY layers. With 23 Mbit of embedded memory, the FPGA buffers symbol-rate data between FFT, channel-estimation, and MIMO detection blocks without external SRAM stalls. The integrated multi-gigabit transceivers link the baseband card to the RF front-end via CPRI or OBSAI serial links, while the 880 user I/Os drive ADC/DAC samples at hundreds of MHz. Placed on a 16+ layer PCB with controlled-impedance routing, the device replaces an entire ASIC+FPGA partition, reducing board area by 30-40% in macro-cell base stations.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR)
Wideband SDR platforms covering 100 MHz to 6 GHz carrier aggregation need both high DSP throughput and flexible interconnect. The EP4SGX360KF43C4's 9x9/12x12/18x18/36x36 configurable DSP blocks perform DDC, DUC, and pulse-shaping at sample rates up to 600 MHz, while the 23 Mbit embedded memory supports re-programmable FIR coefficient banks. The 880 I/Os route ADC samples (LVDS, DDR) directly into the FPGA fabric with deterministic latency. Designers typically pair the EP4SGX360KF43C4 with high-speed ADCs such as the AD9680 (14-bit, 1 GSPS) and use Quartus Qsys to integrate the signal chain. Bitstream reload enables waveform reconfiguration in field, a key SDR requirement.
Recommended
Radar and Electronic Warfare Signal Chains
Phased-array radar and electronic-warfare systems demand deterministic latency, real-time FFT processing, and high-bandwidth sample capture. The EP4SGX360KF43C4's 880 DSP blocks deliver >500 GMACs of multiply-accumulate throughput, sufficient for 4096-point FFTs at radar pulse repetition rates. Its 40 nm low-power process keeps thermal dissipation manageable in sealed airborne enclosures. The 1760-ball FCBGA package supports controlled-impedance multi-gigabit serial links for backplane data distribution. Military customers typically specify the industrial-temperature variant EP4SGX360KF43I4 for -40C to +100C operation. System-level BIT (built-in test) uses JTAG access for in-field fault isolation.
Recommended
High-Performance ASIC Prototyping
Pre-silicon ASIC validation requires an FPGA that maps the largest possible logic block and provides abundant transceivers for chip-to-chip interconnect. The EP4SGX360KF43C4's 353,600 LEs can absorb >20M ASIC gates when synthesized through Quartus incremental compilation, while its multi-gigabit transceivers emulate SerDes PHYs at line rate. Design teams partition the ASIC across 2-4 Stratix IV FPGAs using chip-bridging; the 1760-ball FCBGA enables high-density daughter-card assembly. Bitstream encryption and JTAG-based debug (via SignalTap) replicate the ASIC bring-up flow, accelerating firmware/software teams by 6-12 months versus post-silicon waits.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Accelerator (CT/MRI)
CT and MRI scanners reconstruct 3D volumetric images in real time from gantry-detector data streams. The EP4SGX360KF43C4's 880 DSP blocks perform filtered back-projection or iterative reconstruction at sub-second latency, while the 23 Mbit embedded memory caches projection sinograms between reconstruction iterations. The 880 I/Os receive detector readout at LVDS multi-drop rates, and the multi-gigabit transceivers forward reconstructed slices to the workstation array. Medical OEMs benefit from the device's long-life-cycle (Intel continues to ship Stratix IV despite NRND status) and IEC 60601 compliance documentation. Cooling is typically top-side heatsink plus chassis fan.
Recommended
10G/40G Network Line-Card Bridging
High-end router and switch line-cards aggregate 10G/40G Ethernet ports and bridge to ASIC forwarding engines. The EP4SGX360KF43C4 integrates 880 I/Os and multi-gigabit transceivers capable of 10 Gbps XAUI, 40G XLAUI, and PCIe Gen2 host links, eliminating external PHY chips. Its embedded memory buffers packets at line rate, and the DSP fabric handles bulk encryption/IPSec offload. System architects place the FPGA between the network PHYs and the switching ASIC, using it as a flexible aggregation/reduction stage that can be re-configured for new port counts. Bitstream reload enables field upgrades to new protocols (e.g., 25G Ethernet) without hardware changes.
Recommended
Industrial High-Speed Test and Measurement
ATE (automatic test equipment) and bench-top oscilloscopes/logic analyzers demand high-bandwidth signal acquisition, deep trace memory, and deterministic processing. The EP4SGX360KF43C4 supports up to 880 channels of LVDS at DDR rates for state-mode logic analysis, and its 23 Mbit embedded memory can be combined with external QDR SRAM for deep capture. The DSP fabric performs protocol decoding (PCIe, USB, SATA) and eye-margin analysis at real-time rates. Industrial OEMs benefit from the FPGA's long-term availability, JTAG-based field firmware updates, and the ability to add new protocol support via bitstream reload without re-spinning hardware.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX360KF43C4 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX360KF43C3 | EP4SGX360KF43C2 | EP4SGX360KF43C3N | EP4SGX360KF43C2N | EP4SGX360KF43I4 | EP4SGX360KF43I3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 1760-ball FC-BGA (KF43) | 1760-ball FC-BGA (KF43) - same | 1760-ball FC-BGA (KF43) - same | 1760-ball FC-BGA (KF43) - same | 1760-ball FC-BGA (KF43) - same | 1760-ball FC-BGA (KF43) - same | 1760-ball FC-BGA (KF43) - same |
| Speed Grade | C4 | C3 (faster) | C2 (fastest) | C3 (faster) | C2 (fastest) | I4 (industrial, same speed tier) | I3 (industrial, faster) |
| Operating Temperature | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | 0C to +85C (commercial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) | -40C to +100C (industrial) |
| Logic Elements | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 | 353,600 |
| User I/Os | 880 | 880 | 880 | 880 | 880 | 880 | 880 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 | 23,105,536 |
| Lead-Free (Pb-Free) Reflow | Per package variant | Per package variant | Per package variant | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) | Per package variant | Per package variant |
Key Differentiators
- Same-package speed-grade upgrade path within Stratix IV GX KF43 ball-map (vs EP4SGX360KF43C3)
- Industrial temperature option in same KF43 footprint (vs EP4SGX360KF43I4)
- Integrated multi-gigabit transceivers (Stratix IV GX family) (vs EP4SGX360KF40C4)
Design Notes
The EP4SGX360KF43C4 in the FCBGA-1760 package dissipates 10-25 W typical, and can exceed 30 W at high transceiver utilization. A top-side heatsink with thermal interface material (TIM) and 1-2 m/s airflow is mandatory; the exposed die side of the FCBGA must have a thermal pad connected through the package substrate to the top side. Use the PowerPlay Early Power Estimator (EPE) before PCB layout to size the heatsink. The 40 nm process means junction-to-ambient (theta_JA) is dominated by the heatsink's performance, not the package itself - expect 0.3-0.5 C/W with a quality TIM and adequate airflow.
The 1760-ball FC-BGA at 1.00 mm pitch (typical for Stratix IV KF43) requires a 12+ layer PCB with stacked micro-vias for breakout. Each I/O bank (8-12 banks around the die periphery) needs its own VCCIO supply rail and a VREF plane if using referenced I/O standards. Differential pairs (LVDS, LVPECL) must be length-matched to within 50 mil (1.27 mm) and have 100 ohm differential impedance. Transceiver channels need controlled 85-ohm differential impedance with continuous reference plane and no ground splits under the trace.
The EP4SGX360KF43C4 requires at least four separate power rails: VCC (core, 0.9 V), VCCAUX (2.5 V or 3.0 V), VCCIO (per bank, 1.2-3.3 V), and VCCP (1.5 V or 3.0 V for PLL/PCIe). Use a multi-phase buck regulator for VCC (40+ A peak current capability) and dedicated LDOs for each VCCIO bank. Decoupling must include 0402-size 0.1 uF + 1 uF + 10 uF ceramics within 100 mil of every power pin. Estimated: with all rails energized and full DSP/transceiver utilization, total input power can exceed 35 W, so design the upstream 12 V or 24 V supply with 50 W headroom.
Multi-gigabit transceiver channels at 3.125-6.5 Gbps require stripline geometry with continuous ground reference and AC-coupling capacitors (0.01 uF 0402-size) at the receiver pins. Pre-emphasis and equalization settings (TX_VOD, RX_EQ) must be tuned per channel using the Quartus transceiver toolkit with eye-margin analysis; never assume defaults work across all PCBs. For DDR-style memory interfaces (DDR2/DDR3), place VTT termination at the far end of the bus and use fly-by routing with write leveling.
Common pitfalls with the EP4SGX360KF43C4 include (1) using the wrong configuration mode - verify MSEL pin strapping against the Stratix IV configuration handbook before PCB tapeout; (2) forgetting to connect unused transceiver channels to GND through a capacitor (causes crosstalk); (3) failing to add a JTAG chain header for in-system programming and SignalTap debug; (4) not using the Pin Planner to assign I/O standards per bank (some I/O standards are unavailable on certain banks); (5) ignoring the device's NRND status and committing to long-life designs - use the EP4SGX360KF43I4 industrial variant for longevity.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant per Altera/Intel product documentation. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (industrial and military grades available as separate variants). NRND status as of 2026-09-10 - still orderable, not recommended for new designs.
