EP4SGX530KF43C3 - Stratix IV GX FPGA, 531K LE, 1760-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP4SGX530KF43C3 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $4850 | $4,850.00 |
| 10 | $4610 | $46,100.00 |
| 100 | $4250 | $425,000.00 |
| 500 | $3975 | $1,987,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $3700 | $3,700,000.00 |
EP4SGX530KF43C3 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable logic device containing an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs), programmable interconnects, and dedicated hard IP such as block RAM, DSP blocks, PLLs, and high-speed transceivers. FPGAs sit at the top of the digital logic hierarchy (PLD -> CPLD -> FPGA -> SoC FPGA), giving engineers ASIC-class parallelism and throughput while retaining full in-system reprogrammability. The Stratix IV GX family extends this model with embedded PCIe, SATA, and Serial RapidIO hard IP, reducing soft-logic overhead.
Key features of the EP4SGX530KF43C3 include 531,200 logic elements, 28 Mb of embedded memory, 880 18-bit x 18-bit multipliers, 24 transceivers up to 8.5 Gbps, 8 PLLs, and 4 PCI Express hard IP blocks. The KF43C3 ordering suffix indicates K = commercial temperature grade (0C to +85C), F43 = 1760-ball FC-FBGA, and C3 = speed grade 3 (mid-range Fmax). The device supports core VCC of 0.9 V with separate VCCPD, VCCPT, and VCCA_FPLL rails for I/O and PLL supply domains.
Architecturally, the Stratix IV GX uses Altera's adaptive logic module (ALM) - an 8-input fracturable LUT with dedicated carry chain and register chain - plus MLAB memory blocks that can be partitioned into either logic or memory to balance DSP and storage needs. The transceiver tiles integrate PCS and PMA layers, supporting protocols such as PCIe Gen1/Gen2, XAUI, CEI-6G, and CPRI. Power management is enhanced via programmable power technology, which reduces dynamic power by gating unused logic.
Typical applications include high-end ASIC prototyping, wireline 10G/40G framer and MAC designs, software-defined radio (SDR) baseband, radar and electronic-warfare signal processing, military secure communications, video broadcast encoders, and high-performance compute accelerators. The combination of abundant DSP blocks and high-speed transceivers makes it attractive for designs that previously required custom ASICs.
When designing with this FPGA, note that C3 speed grade constrains Fmax: logic-heavy paths typically reach 200-300 MHz, while DSP-heavy paths may run slower depending on pipeline depth. Use Altera (now Intel) Quartus II 13.0 or later with the Stratix IV device support installed, and verify pin-out against the KF43 package diagram before committing to PCB layout - the 1760-ball BGA demands HDI PCB stackup with microvia or laser-via technology.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, parametric alternatives, and practical Quartus design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX530KF43C3 — 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 EP4SGX530KF43C3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Embedded Memory, Transceivers, Process Technology, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX530KF43C2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3755 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX530KF43C2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3450 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43C3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$8905.55 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX360KF43C3N
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Contact for price
View Datasheet →EP4SGX530KF43C3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 531,200 |
| Embedded Memory | 28,033,024 bits (approximately 27.4 Mbits / 3,424 Kbits per block RAM array) |
| DSP Blocks (18x18 multipliers) | 880 |
| Number of Transceivers | 24 (up to 8.5 Gbps per channel) |
| PLLs | 8 |
| PCIe Hard IP Blocks | 4 (Gen1/Gen2 capable) |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Core Voltage (VCC) | 0.9 V |
| Speed Grade | C3 |
| Operating Temperature Range | 0C to +85C (commercial, 'C' suffix) |
| Package | 1760-ball FC-FBGA (KF43) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (flip-chip BGA) |
| Configuration Method | Active serial (EPCS), passive serial, JTAG, Fast Passive Parallel |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (Pb-free) |
| MSL Level | 3 (per JEDEC J-STD-020) |
EP4SGX530KF43C3 Pin Configuration
| Pin Bank 1 | User I/O Bank 1 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD1 / VCCIO1 |
| Pin Bank 2 | User I/O Bank 2 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD2 / VCCIO2 |
| Pin Bank 3 | User I/O Bank 3 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD3 / VCCIO3 |
| Pin Bank 4 | User I/O Bank 4 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD4 / VCCIO4 |
| Pin Bank 5 | User I/O Bank 5 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD5 / VCCIO5 |
| Pin Bank 6 | User I/O Bank 6 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD6 / VCCIO6 |
| Pin Bank 7 | User I/O Bank 7 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD7 / VCCIO7 |
| Pin Bank 8 | User I/O Bank 8 — User I/O bank powered by VCCPD8 / VCCIO8 |
| Pin VCC | Core Supply — 0.9 V core voltage (VCCINT) |
| Pin VCCPT | Programmable Technology Supply — 1.5 V supply for programming technology and PCIe hard IP |
| Pin GND | Ground — Common ground reference for all supplies |
| Pin XCVR_1..24 | Transceiver Channels — 24 high-speed serial channels up to 8.5 Gbps |
Typical Applications
EP4SGX530KF43C3 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Bandwidth Wireline Framer / MAC, Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband, Radar and Electronic-Warfare DSP, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Broadcast Video Processing / Encoder, Military / Secure Communications Modem.
High-Bandwidth Wireline Framer / MAC
The EP4SGX530KF43C3's 24 embedded transceivers at 8.5 Gbps and 531,200 logic elements make it a strong fit for 10G/40G framer, MAC, and OTN mapper designs. Placed on the line-card side of an OTU-2/OTU-3 system, the FPGA maps PCS lanes into 64b/66b blocks and runs soft logic for GFP/LCAS framing without needing an external PHY. The 8.5 Gbps rate supports XLAUI/CAUI-4 breakouts, while 880 DSP blocks accelerate scrambling and FEC soft-decoding. Designers should budget approximately 30-40% logic utilization for a full OTU-2 multi-lane framer at C3 speed grade.
Recommended
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Baseband
The 531,200 logic elements and 880 18x18 multipliers of the EP4SGX530KF43C3 deliver 1.6 TMACS of DSP throughput, suitable for multi-channel SDR baseband processing at LTE and 5G NR sub-6 sample rates. The 28 Mbits of embedded RAM serve as sample buffers between ADC stages and the FFT/FIR pipelines, while the 24 transceivers accept CPRI or OBSAI fronthaul at up to 8.5 Gbps. The KF43 1760-ball BGA exposes enough user I/O to fan out to JESD204B SerDes links to RF ADCs/DACs, making this part a common choice for tactical-radio and small-cell baseband.
Recommended
Radar and Electronic-Warfare DSP
For phased-array radar and electronic-warfare systems, the EP4SGX530KF43C3 combines 880 DSP blocks with 24 transceivers in a single device. Each 18x18 multiplier cluster supports pulse-compression FIR and FFT butterfly stages, while the high transceivers count streams digitized in-phase/quadrature samples from A/D converters to the FPGA fabric. The KF43 package's large user-I/O count permits direct mating to multiple ADC daughter cards without external glue logic. Designers typically run the device at -1 to -2 speed-grade timing margin for production safety in military temperature screening.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
With 531,200 logic elements, the EP4SGX530KF43C3 is one of the largest Stratix IV GX devices available for ASIC prototyping. The 1760-ball KF43 BGA breaks out to hundreds of user I/O pins, allowing multiple FPGAs in a multi-FPGA partition to be stitched via LVDS or HSTL trace channels. The 28 Mbits of embedded block RAM is suitable for shadow-mapped register modeling, while the 880 DSP blocks emulate ASIC MAC units with cycle-accurate behaviour. Designers should note that timing closure is conservative at C3, so prototyping cycles often target the C2 sibling to validate next-ASIC silicon.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Processing / Encoder
The EP4SGX530KF43C3's 880 DSP blocks accelerate HEVC/H.264 motion-estimation and transform cores for professional broadcast encoders, while the 24 transceivers carry SDI-over-IP (SMPTE 2022-6 / ST 2110) at up to 8.5 Gbps per channel. The 28 Mbits of embedded RAM is sufficient to buffer several 4K lines of 10-bit 4:2:2 video between processing stages. The KF43 BGA package exposes the I/O bandwidth needed to multiplex HDMI 2.0, 12G-SDI, and DisplayPort 1.4 streams alongside the IP transport. Designs typically run at C3 speed grade to meet 300 MHz pixel-clock budgets.
Recommended
Military / Secure Communications Modem
The EP4SGX530KF43C3 is widely deployed in tactical radio and secure communications modems because the Stratix IV GX family supports commercial part availability with extended-temperature screening. The 24 transceivers aggregate multi-band RF chains into digital baseband, while the 531,200 logic elements run AES, frequency-hopping, and forward-error-correction (FEC) cores simultaneously. The KF43 BGA's extensive user I/O permits direct attachment to radiation-tolerant memory and DSP co-processors. Per Intel's PCN schedule, this part is in last-time-buy status as of 2026-09-10, so program offices should secure lifetime-buy quantities.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX530KF43C3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX530KF43C2 | EP4SGX530KF43C2N | EP4SGX530HH35C3 | EP4SGX360KF43C3 | EP4SGX360KF43C3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) | Intel (formerly Altera) |
| Package | 1760-ball FC-FBGA (KF43) | 1760-ball FC-FBGA (KF43) - same | 1760-ball FC-FBGA (KF43) - same | 1152-ball FC-FBGA (HH35) - different | 1760-ball FC-FBGA (KF43) - same | 1760-ball FC-FBGA (KF43) - same |
| Logic Elements | 531,200 | 531,200 - same | 531,200 - same | 531,200 - same | 360,000 (-32%) | 360,000 (-32%) |
| Speed Grade | C3 | C2 (-1 grade) | C2 (-1 grade) | C3 - same | C3 - same | C3 - same |
| Lead-Free (N suffix) | No (standard) | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Lifecycle Status | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy | Last-time-buy |
Key Differentiators
- Higher speed grade for tighter timing margins (vs EP4SGX530KF43C2)
- Highest density Stratix IV GX in 1760-ball package (vs EP4SGX360KF43C3)
- Same silicon in HH35 package for board redesign (vs EP4SGX530HH35C3)
Design Notes
The KF43 1760-ball FC-FBGA package has a 1.0 mm ball pitch and demands an HDI PCB stackup (laser-drilled microvias, sequential lamination). Use a Type-4 or finer PCB solder-paste stencil for the BGA footprint. Power decoupling must include 100 nF and 10 uF ceramic caps on every VCCPT pin placed within 5 mm of the pad. A continuous reference GND plane on layer 2 is mandatory to control return paths for the 8.5 Gbps transceiver channels.
At full logic utilization with all 24 transceivers active, the EP4SGX530KF43C3 can dissipate 15-20 W. The FC-FBGA package is rated at approximately 1.5 C/W theta_JB (junction-to-board); a 10-layer PCB with thermal-via arrays under the BGA heat slug is essential. Without forced airflow, expect 25-30C junction rise; provide at least 200 LFM airflow for production reliability.
Do not assume that all Stratix IV GX devices share the same BGA pinout: only devices in the same density (530K LE) and package (KF43) are pin-to-pin compatible. Migrating to a lower-density EP4SGX360KF43C3 removes silicon but keeps the KF43 ball map. Also, when using the PCIe hard IP, the reference clock must be supplied on the correct GXB_RX_REFCLK pin of the active transceiver bank - this is the most common bring-up failure.
Route the eight transceiver lanes per GXB quad as a tightly length-matched bundle (intra-pair skew < 2 ps, inter-pair skew < 50 ps) using stripline on a layer adjacent to a continuous GND plane. Maintain 100 ohm differential impedance for the lane traces. Add AC-coupling capacitors (100 nF) at the FPGA transmit pad; receiver-side coupling is already internal. Pre-emphasis and equalization settings should be tuned per channel using the Quartus II Transceiver Toolkit during board bring-up.
Spread-spectrum clocking on the transceiver PLLs reduces conducted EMI at 8.5 Gbps by approximately 5-10 dB. Enable SSC on the reference-clock input PLL if the downstream PHY tolerates the spread modulation. Spread the FPGA core clocks (PLL outputs to the fabric) using dedicated clock-divider primitives rather than gated nets to avoid spurious harmonic content in the 100-500 MHz band.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliant per Intel material declaration. Not AEC-Q100 qualified; this is a commercial-grade FPGA. Lead-free (Pb-free) BGA balls are SAC alloy. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in available web data.
