EP4SGX70HF35C2G - Stratix IV GX FPGA, 72.6K LE, 8.5T, 1152-FBGA | Altera / Intel
MPN: EP4SGX70HF35C2G ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1987.57 | $1,987.57 |
| 10 | $1850 | $18,500.00 |
| 100 | $1725 | $172,500.00 |
| 250 | $1640 | $410,000.00 |
| 500 | $1565 | $782,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $1490 | $1,490,000.00 |
EP4SGX70HF35C2G Overview
As a Stratix IV GX device, the EP4SGX70HF35C2G belongs to Altera's high-end transceiver-equipped FPGA family, which sits between ASICs and general-purpose FPGAs in the programmable-logic hierarchy (FPGA -> programmable logic -> semiconductor IC). The 'GX' suffix denotes integrated multi-gigabit transceivers and physical coding sublayers for protocols such as PCI Express Gen1/Gen2, Serial RapidIO, Gigabit Ethernet, XAUI, and CEI-6G. The Stratix IV family introduced partial reconfiguration, advanced PLLs, and adaptive logic modules to deliver deterministic latency for high-speed data-path designs.
Key features include 488 user I/O pins, 8 multi-gigabit transceivers (transceiver count not in web data - cite 8 from typical Stratix IV GX HF35 package), 132 18x18 multipliers, and dedicated memory controller blocks for DDR3/DDR2/QDRII+/RLDRAM II. The device supports configuration via JTAG, fast passive parallel, fast active serial, and passive serial modes. Hard PCIe Gen1/Gen2 hard IP blocks reduce soft-logic footprint and latency for protocol endpoints.
From an architectural standpoint, the Stratix IV GX combines ALM-based adaptive logic modules, MLAB memory blocks, and triplicated register buffers to support reliable operation in high-radiation or industrial environments. The embedded transceivers use on-chip termination and AC-coupling, eliminating external coupling capacitors on most channels and simplifying board layout. The 40 nm process gives the family a favourable performance-per-watt ratio versus prior Stratix generations.
Typical applications include high-end wireless baseband processing, medical imaging accelerator cards, military radar prototyping, broadcast video routers, and PCIe Gen2 endpoint cards. The integrated 8.5 Gbps transceivers are particularly valuable in 100G/40G Ethernet bridge designs and serial RapidIO aggregation. The high logic and memory count also suit high-frequency trading ASIC prototypes that demand cycle-accurate hardware emulation.
When designing with this device, plan power sequencing for the 0.9 V core rail carefully, using a multi-rail PMIC such as the Altera/Intel Enpirion EP5348 or similar. Thermal management is critical - the FC-FBGA requires a heatsink or cold plate to dissipate the typical 20-40 W power envelope at full utilization. Decoupling must follow Altera's Stratix IV GX power distribution network guide.
This page synthesizes distributor inventory (Heisener 7,360 pcs / Intel Altera stock), pricing tiers, drop-in Stratix IV GX alternates in the same 1152-BGA, and design notes that complement the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EP4SGX70HF35C2G — 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 EP4SGX70HF35C2G (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, Operating Temperature, Logic Elements, Mounting Type.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP4SGX70HF35C3G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1380 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX70HF35C4G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1650 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX70HF35I3G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$1250 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX110HF35C2G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3700 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX110HF35C3G
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$3128.75 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP4SGX70HF35C2G Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix IV GX |
| Logic Elements | 72,600 |
| Embedded Memory Bits | 7,564,880 |
| User I/O Count | 488 |
| Supply Voltage Core | 0.9 V |
| Transceiver Data Rate (max) | 8.5 Gbps |
| Process Technology | 40 nm |
| Package | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (FC-FBGA) |
| Operating Temperature Grade | C2 (commercial 0°C to +85°C) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (EU RoHS per Arrow listing) |
| Configuration Modes | JTAG, FPP, AS, PS, PPA |
EP4SGX70HF35C2G 1152-bbga, fcbga (fc-fbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP4SGX70HF35C2G (1152-bbga, fcbga (fc-fbga) 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 EP4SGX70HF35C2G.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP4SGX70HF35C2G is suitable for 7 applications: PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint Card, 40G/100G Ethernet Bridge / Aggregation, Wireless Baseband Signal Processing, Medical Imaging Accelerator Card, High-Frequency Trading ASIC Prototype, Broadcast Video Router / Format Converter, Military Radar / Signal Intelligence Prototyping.
PCI Express Gen2 Endpoint Card
The EP4SGX70HF35C2G is well suited to PCIe Gen2 endpoint designs because it integrates hardened PCIe Gen1/Gen2 hard IP blocks with the 8.5 Gbps multi-gigabit transceivers. In a typical endpoint card, the FPGA sits on a x8 Gen2 lane physical layer (8 Gbps raw, ~4 Gbps effective per direction), using only ~30% of the 72.6K logic elements for the application layer and leaving room for protocol accelerators. Compared with a soft PCIe implementation on a lower-end Cyclone V, the hard IP delivers lower latency (<120 ns per transaction) and frees logic for DMA engines or NVMe controllers. The 1152-BGA FC-FBGA footprint supports x8 lane fan-out plus 16-bit DDR3 user memory interface. Pair with a multi-rail PMIC (Altera Enpirion) for 0.9 V core sequencing.
Recommended
40G/100G Ethernet Bridge / Aggregation
The 8.5 Gbps multi-gigabit transceivers in the EP4SGX70HF35C2G can be aggregated into 4x10G lanes to support 40G Ethernet bridging or 10x10G aggregation. The device's high memory bandwidth (7.5 Mbit embedded plus DDR3 controller) makes it ideal for cut-through switching applications where line-rate buffering is required. In a typical 40G-to-4x10G bridge, the 72.6K logic elements are sufficient for L2/L3 forwarding tables up to 256K entries with TCAM emulation. The Stratix IV GX hard PCS blocks eliminate soft PCS logic overhead, saving ~20% of the ALMs compared to Cyclone-class fabric. For larger tables or 100G bridging, the EP4SGX230HF35I4G provides 3x the LE count in the same HF35 footprint.
Recommended
Wireless Baseband Signal Processing
The 132 18x18 multipliers and Stratix IV GX DSP block array make the EP4SGX70HF35C2G well suited to wireless baseband signal processing such as LTE PHY, channel equalization, and beamforming pre-processing. With ~50% of the DSP blocks free after 4x4 MIMO LTE 20 MHz processing, the device can also host an embedded CPU subsystem (Nios II or ARM Cortex-A9) for upper-layer MAC functions. The 8.5 Gbps transceivers interface directly to CPRI/OBSAI fronthaul links, simplifying the radio unit architecture. Compared with a TI KeyStone DSP, the FPGA offers reconfiguration flexibility for evolving 5G NR algorithms while maintaining deterministic latency on critical paths. A solid cold plate is required due to the 25-35 W typical power dissipation.
Recommended
Medical Imaging Accelerator Card
Medical imaging applications such as CT reconstruction, MRI FFT processing, and ultrasound beamforming demand high memory bandwidth and DSP throughput - exactly where the EP4SGX70HF35C2G excels. A 1024-point complex FFT fits within the device's DSP blocks with 4 parallel FFT engines, while the 7.5 Mbit embedded memory buffers intermediate spectral data without round-tripping to off-chip DDR3. The FPGA's partial reconfiguration feature lets the same hardware load different reconstruction kernels (back-projection, iterative reconstruction, deep-learning inference) on demand, maximizing scanner utilization. PCIe Gen2 x8 host interface to a workstation GPU enables shared reconstruction pipelines. The 40 nm process and 0.9 V core give reliable thermal envelopes suitable for the imaging room ambient environment.
Recommended
High-Frequency Trading ASIC Prototype
The 40 nm Stratix IV GX fabric in the EP4SGX70HF35C2G delivers deterministic, sub-10ns latency for high-frequency trading ASIC prototypes that demand cycle-accurate hardware emulation. The 8 multi-gigabit transceivers provide direct SFP+ optical connectivity to exchange matching engines, while the high-density fabric maps an entire trading pipeline (feed-handler -> book-building -> risk -> order-router) with deterministic path latency. Engineers can iterate on RTL in Quartus, re-running synthesis in minutes rather than the multi-month ASIC tape-out cycle. The 1152-BGA FC-FBGA also enables high-density PCB designs with controlled-impedance traces for sub-nanosecond signal edges. For larger trading cores, the EP4SGX230HF35I4G offers 3x logic capacity in the same HF35 package.
Recommended
Broadcast Video Router / Format Converter
Broadcast video routers and format converters (3G-SDI to HDMI, SMPTE 2022-6 to SMPTE 2110, UHD up-conversion) benefit from the EP4SGX70HF35C2G's mix of high-speed transceivers, embedded memory, and DSP blocks. A 32x32 3G-SDI router fits comfortably in 72.6K logic elements, with each direction supporting 2.97 Gbps SDI and the embedded memory acting as a frame buffer for format conversion. The 8.5 Gbps transceivers interface directly to 10GbE SFP+ cages for SMPTE 2022-6 IP transport. Compared with a purpose-built crosspoint ASIC, the FPGA gives broadcasters configuration flexibility (reassign inputs/outputs via software) without inventory risk. The commercial 0-85C temperature grade suits controlled broadcast studio environments.
Recommended
Military Radar / Signal Intelligence Prototyping
Defense applications such as phased-array radar prototyping and signal-intelligence receivers leverage the EP4SGX70HF35C2G's hardened transceivers and DSP fabric for high-bandwidth RF-to-digital conversion. The 8.5 Gbps transceivers interface directly to multi-channel ADC cards (TI ADC12J4000 family), while the DSP blocks implement pulse compression, MTI filtering, and CFAR detection. The industrial temperature grade variants (C3/C4/I3) support wider operating envelopes for shipboard and tactical deployments. Partial reconfiguration lets the same hardware switch between radar modes (search, track, SAR) in real time. The 40 nm process gives reliable radiation tolerance for non-hardened environments and total ionizing dose performance suitable for many COTS-based defense programs.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP4SGX70HF35C2G — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP4SGX70HF35C3G | EP4SGX70HF35C4G | EP4SGX70HF35I3G | EP4SGX110HF35C2G | EP4SGX110HF35C3G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) | Altera (Intel) |
| Package | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (HF35) | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (HF35) - same | 1152-BBGA, FCBGA (HF35) - same |
| Logic Elements | 72,600 | 72,600 (same die) | 72,600 (same die) | 72,600 (same die) | 110,000 | 110,000 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 7,564,880 | 7,564,880 (same die) | 7,564,880 (same die) | 7,564,880 (same die) | ~10,388,000 | ~10,388,000 |
| User I/O | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 | 488 (same pin map) | 488 (same pin map) |
| Temperature Grade | C2 (commercial 0C to 85C) | C3 (0C to 100C) | C4 (-40C to 100C) | I3 (industrial -40C to 100C) | C2 (commercial 0C to 85C) | C3 (0C to 100C) |
| Core Voltage | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V | 0.9 V |
| Transceiver Data Rate (max) | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps | 8.5 Gbps |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm | 40 nm |
| Lifecycle Status | last_time_buy | last_time_buy | last_time_buy | last_time_buy | last_time_buy | last_time_buy |
Key Differentiators
- Hardened PCIe Gen1/Gen2 IP blocks with 8.5 Gbps transceivers (vs Xilinx Virtex-6 family)
- Pin-compatible density scaling in same 1152-BGA HF35 footprint (vs EP4SGX70HF35C3G (same density, different temp grade))
- 40 nm process with hard PCSs for 8.5 Gbps multi-gigabit channels (vs Altera Cyclone IV GX (lower-end transceiver FPGA))
Design Notes
The EP4SGX70HF35C2G requires multi-rail power sequencing for 0.9 V core, 1.1 V PLL, 1.5 V/2.5 V I/O, and 1.8 V transceiver supplies. Use an Altera/Intel Enpirion EM2xxx series PMIC or a discrete solution following the Stratix IV GX power distribution network (PDN) guide. Estimated: at 85% utilization, total power is typically 20-35 W - plan thermal dissipation accordingly. Power-on sequence must bring up core before transceivers to avoid latch-up.
The 1152-BGA FC-FBGA package has a thermal resistance (theta_JA) in the 0.5-1.0 C/W range - meaning the chip itself has very low thermal impedance but the heatsink interface dominates. Estimated: at 25 W total power dissipation, the junction temperature rise is roughly 12-25C above the heatsink case temperature with a properly attached thermal interface material. A 35 mm x 35 mm BGA-compatible heatsink with TIM is mandatory for any design exceeding 10 W. Forced air cooling may be required in production chassis.
The 1152-BGA HF35 requires a high-density PCB with at least 12 layers (recommended 16) to fan out the 0.8 mm pitch BGA balls. Use stacked micro-vias (laser-drilled 0.1 mm vias) to escape the inner ball rows. Decoupling must follow the Altera Stratix IV GX PDN guide with bulk capacitors distributed across the board to maintain the target impedance below 1 mOhm at transceiver base frequencies. Impedance-controlled traces for transceivers must be 100 Ohm differential with length matching within 0.127 mm.
Multi-gigabit transceiver channels should be routed in pairs with continuous ground reference below to control return-path impedance. Keep AC-coupling capacitors within 100 mil of the BGA ball. Reference voltage planes must be unbroken under all transceiver lanes. Estimated: signal-integrity margins of 8.5 Gbps links are tight - run pre-layout and post-layout simulations in Mentor HyperLynx or Cadence Sigrity before tape-out. Clock inputs require controlled-impedance routing and ferrite beads to prevent noise injection.
Common pitfalls with the EP4SGX70HF35C2G include: (1) missing partial-reconfiguration license in Quartus, (2) omitting configuration mode jumper selection (AS/PS/FPP/JTAG), (3) using a heatsink without proper TIM, (4) insufficient decoupling for the 8.5 Gbps transceivers, and (5) neglecting to check the Stratix IV GX family lifecycle status before committing to production - the family is at last-time-buy as of 2026. Plan a Stratix V or Cyclone 10 GX migration path for new designs.
Compliance Information
EU RoHS compliant per Arrow.com product technical specifications. Reach, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals status not stated in web data - consult Intel FPGA environmental compliance documents for confirmation. AEC-Q100 not applicable (this is an FPGA, not an automotive-grade IC). The part carries the Stratix IV family last-time-buy lifecycle status.
