EPF10K250EBI600-3 - 250K Gates FLEX 10KE FPGA, 600-BGA | Intel
MPN: EPF10K250EBI600-3 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $185 | $185.00 |
| 10 | $165 | $1,650.00 |
| 100 | $142 | $14,200.00 |
| 500 | $125 | $62,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $110 | $110,000.00 |
EPF10K250EBI600-3 Overview
An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs / LEs) interconnected by a programmable routing matrix, allowing engineers to implement custom digital circuits without fabricating a mask-set ASIC. The FLEX 10KE architecture pioneered embedded system blocks (ESBs) for on-chip dual-port RAM and ROM; modern FPGAs descend from this LUT-plus-embedded-memory concept. Within the broader taxonomy, an FPGA sits between an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) and a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), offering the highest logic density and the highest per-unit cost trade-off.
Key features of the EPF10K250EBI600-3 include 12,160 logic elements, 12 embedded system blocks providing up to 40 Kbits of on-chip RAM, four phase-locked loops (PLLs) for clock synthesis, 470 maximum user I/O pins, and multi-volt I/O support compatible with 2.5 V, 3.3 V, and 5 V logic families. The "-3" speed grade is the fastest commercial/industrial grade available in the family, enabling higher Fmax on internal logic paths.
The silicon uses a 0.22 µm SRAM-process four-layer-metal CMOS technology, which is why this part requires a configuration device (EPC16, EPC8, or similar) to load the SRAM-based configuration on every power-up. The 600-ball BGA provides extensive I/O count for high-bandwidth parallel interfaces, but the 1.93 mm ball pitch demands advanced PCB fabrication (microvia / HDI stack-ups).
Typical applications include high-speed DSP pipelines, telecom backplane glue logic, PCI/PCI-X bus bridges, industrial control and instrumentation, ASIC prototyping, and legacy replacement of EOL Altera APEX / FLEX designs in long-lifecycle industrial equipment. Modern FPGAs (Cyclone, MAX 10) have replaced FLEX 10KE in new designs, but the part remains supported for installed bases.
When designing with this device, ensure the PCB stack-up supports 1.93 mm BGA pitch with microvia fan-out, and pair the FPGA with an Altera-compatible configuration PROM (EPC16QC100 or similar). The device is commercial/industrial grade at 2.3 V core, but is widely quoted across 2.5 V supply platforms - confirm core voltage before PCB bring-up.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K250EBI600-3 — 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 EPF10K250EBI600-3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Process Technology, Embedded Array Blocks (EABs), Operating Temperature, Configuration Method.
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View Datasheet →EPF10K250EBI600-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 10KE |
| Logic Elements | 12,160 |
| Typical Gate Count | 250,000 system gates |
| Embedded System Blocks (ESBs) | 12 |
| Maximum User I/O | 470 |
| Dedicated Inputs | 4 |
| PLLs | 4 |
| On-chip RAM | Up to 40 Kbits |
| Package | 600-ball BGA (HBGA) |
| Ball Pitch | 1.93 mm |
| Speed Grade | -3 (fastest) |
| Process Technology | 0.22 µm CMOS, 4-layer metal |
| Configuration Method | SRAM, requires external configuration device (EPC series) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Not specified (SnPb / tin-lead finish per legacy distributor listing) |
| Lead-free | no (legacy tin-lead per distributor description) |
EPF10K250EBI600-3 600-ball bga (hbga) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K250EBI600-3 (600-ball bga (hbga) 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 EPF10K250EBI600-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K250EBI600-3 is suitable for 7 applications: High-Speed DSP Pipeline, Telecom Backplane Glue Logic, PCI / PCI-X Bus Bridge, Industrial Control and Instrumentation, ASIC Prototyping, Legacy EOL Replacement (APEX / FLEX Designs), Test and Measurement Equipment.
High-Speed DSP Pipeline
The EPF10K250EBI600-3 fits high-speed DSP pipelines by delivering 12,160 LEs and 4 PLLs that can synthesize multiple clock domains for parallel FIR / FFT datapaths. With 470 user I/O pins and 12 embedded system blocks providing up to 40 Kbits of dual-port RAM, the device can hold coefficient tables and FIFO buffers alongside custom datapath logic. The -3 speed grade yields the highest Fmax in the FLEX 10KE family, directly raising pipeline throughput. Designers typically route the FPGA between a high-speed ADC and a downstream DSP or memory bus, using the PLLs to align sample-clock domains.
Recommended
Telecom Backplane Glue Logic
In telecom backplane glue-logic designs, the EPF10K250EBI600-3 bridges disparate bus standards (UTOPIA, POS-PHY, H.110) and timing domains while exposing 470 user I/Os for high-density parallel bus termination. The FLEX 10KE's embedded system blocks supply the FIFOs required for clock-domain crossing between backplane segments, while the 4 PLLs generate the multiple frequency references needed by TDM buses. Per the FLEX 10KE datasheet, the multi-voltage I/O banks support 2.5 V, 3.3 V, and 5 V signaling, eliminating external level shifters. Industrial temperature grading suits central-office deployment.
Recommended
PCI / PCI-X Bus Bridge
The EPF10K250EBI600-3 is well-suited to PCI / PCI-X bus bridge implementations, where its 470 I/Os carry 64-bit bus plus side-band signals and its 4 PLLs generate the 33 MHz / 66 MHz / 133 MHz PCI-X reference clocks with low skew. The 12 embedded system blocks provide buffer and FIFO memory for posted-write and read-retry queues required by PCI-X protocol. The -3 speed grade ensures timing margin on the longest 64-bit registered I/O paths at 133 MHz. Designers use the FPGA to bridge legacy PCI cards onto modern PCI-X or CompactPCI backplanes.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Instrumentation
For industrial control and instrumentation, the EPF10K250EBI600-3 integrates encoder counters, PWM generators, deterministic state machines, and multi-axis motion controllers into a single 600-BGA device, eliminating multiple CPLDs and discrete logic. Industrial temperature grading and 470 I/Os support direct connection to resolver / encoder feedback, H-bridge drivers, and 24 V opto-isolated inputs. The FLEX 10KE architecture's deterministic timing model (no OS, no caches) suits hard-real-time motion loops. Long-term supply is critical here, which is why the FLEX 10KE family remains on Intel's last-time-buy roadmap.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping
Engineers use the EPF10K250EBI600-3 as an ASIC prototype vehicle because its 250K-gate density closely matches typical mid-complexity ASICs and its Quartus synthesis flow mirrors ASIC RTL hand-off. The 4 PLLs and 12,160 LEs provide flexibility for clock-tree prototyping and large register-rich blocks, while 470 I/Os expose realistic ASIC-pin-count I/O behavior. The -3 speed grade over-estimates post-layout ASIC timing to flag critical paths early. Migration to foundry ASIC requires re-mapping the FPGA I/O buffer primitives to ASIC I/O libraries, but the RTL remains untouched.
Recommended
Legacy EOL Replacement (APEX / FLEX Designs)
The EPF10K250EBI600-3 is the canonical replacement for end-of-life Altera APEX 20K and earlier FLEX 10K designs where board rework is not feasible. Because FLEX 10KE parts use identical configuration pin-out, JTAG chain order, and 600-BGA ball-map across the family, existing PCBs can drop-in the EPF10K250EBI600-3 with no layout changes - only the Quartus project needs recompiling. This is the most common reason the FLEX 10KE family remains on Intel's last-time-buy roadmap rather than being fully discontinued. Long-lifecycle industrial and military programs rely on this continuity.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
Test and measurement equipment - logic analyzers, protocol exercisers, BERT testers - benefits from the EPF10K250EBI600-3's 470 I/Os to drive or sample many channels in parallel, plus the 12 embedded system blocks for deep capture FIFOs. The 4 PLLs synthesize the multiple baud-rate references needed by modern multi-standard testers (USB, Ethernet, CAN, SPI, I2C). Industrial temperature grading and high logic density allow one FPGA to replace several discrete test ASICs. Legacy ATE vendors still ship FLEX 10KE-based modules alongside newer Cyclone-based ones.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K250EBI600-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K250EBC600-3 | EPF10K250EBC600-2 | EPF10K250EBC600-1 | EPF10K200EBI600-2 | EPF10K200SBC600-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Package | 600-BGA HBGA (1.93 mm pitch) | 600-BGA HBGA (same) | 600-BGA HBGA (same) | 600-BGA HBGA (same) | 600-BGA (same family footprint) | 600-BGA (same family footprint) |
| Family | FLEX 10KE | FLEX 10KE | FLEX 10KE | FLEX 10KE | FLEX 10KE | FLEX 10KE (10K200S die) |
| Logic Elements | 12,160 LEs | 12,160 LEs | 12,160 LEs | 12,160 LEs | ~9,984 LEs (-18%) | ~9,984 LEs (-18%) |
| System Gates (typical) | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | 200,000 (-20%) | 200,000 (-20%) |
| Maximum User I/O | 470 | 470 | 470 | 470 | ~470 (same ball map) | ~470 (same ball map) |
| Speed Grade | -3 (fastest) | -3 (fastest) | -2 (slower) | -1 (slowest) | -2 (slower) | -3 (fastest) |
| Ball Finish | Tin-lead (SnPb, non-RoHS) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Lead-free (RoHS) | Tin-lead (SnPb) | Lead-free (RoHS) |
| Configuration Method | SRAM + external EPC PROM | SRAM + external EPC PROM | SRAM + external EPC PROM | SRAM + external EPC PROM | SRAM + external EPC PROM | SRAM + external EPC PROM |
Key Differentiators
- Highest logic density in the FLEX 10KE family with -3 (fastest) speed grade (vs EPF10K200EBI600-2)
- Tin-lead (SnPb) ball finish explicitly supports legacy SnPb-process lines (vs EPF10K250EBC600-3)
- True 470 user I/O pins at the 600-BGA footprint (vs EPF10K130EBC356-3)
Design Notes
Estimated: The EPF10K250EBI600-3 600-BGA at 1.93 mm ball pitch requires a 4-6 layer PCB stack-up with 0.20 mm via pads and 0.30 mm drilled microvias or larger 0.45 mm dog-bone fan-out vias. Per Altera's BGA layout guidelines, signal layers should run orthogonal between power/ground planes to maintain 50 ohm impedance. Power planes for VCCINT (2.3 V core) and VCCIO banks must be continuous under the BGA field, with at least 4 decoupling capacitors (0.1 µF X7R) per VCCIO bank placed within 5 mm of the BGA balls.
The EPF10K250EBI600-3 requires a dedicated 2.3 V VCCINT regulator capable of supplying the FLEX 10KE core, plus separate VCCIO rails for each I/O bank (2.5 V, 3.3 V, or 5.0 V). Estimated: quiescent Icc at 250,000-gate utilization reaches 1.5-2.5 A through VCCINT under full toggle activity, requiring a switching regulator with at least 3 A peak rating. Per Altera's power estimation tool, users should run PowerPlay early in the design cycle to size bulk decoupling (typically 4-6 × 47 µF polymer + 10 × 0.1 µF X7R per VCC rail).
Configure the EPF10K250EBI600-3 for Fast Passive Parallel (FPP) mode when bitstream size is large, or Passive Serial (PS) mode for simpler PCB layout at the cost of longer configuration time. The nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE pins must be pulled up to VCCIO of the configuration bank (typically 3.3 V). JTAG chain (TCK, TMS, TDI, TDO) should be buffered for boards exceeding 6 inches between devices; add a 33 ohm series termination on TCK. Route MSEL pins according to the datasheet's configuration mode table - incorrect MSEL settings are a common first-prototype failure mode.
The 600-BGA HBGA package provides an exposed heat-spreader lid that must be soldered to a copper pad on the top PCB layer for thermal dissipation. Estimated: with 1.5-2.5 A core current at 2.3 V and ~70% toggle activity, the device dissipates 3-6 W, requiring thermal vias (12 × 0.3 mm) under the lid and an outer copper pour. Forced-air cooling (1-2 m/s) is recommended for industrial enclosures. Designers should run thermal simulation with the actual post-route utilization to verify junction temperature stays below 100°C.
Common first-prototype pitfalls with the EPF10K250EBI600-3 include: (1) missing EPC-series configuration PROM - the FPGA does not retain configuration on power-down and will not boot without one; (2) incorrect MSEL pin strapping for the chosen configuration mode; (3) VCCINT/VCCIO pin reversal on the BGA - the 600-ball map is dense and prone to power-rail shorts if not reviewed; (4) using the wrong Quartus II version - FLEX 10KE is not supported by Quartus Prime, only legacy Quartus II 13.0sp1 or earlier; (5) ignoring -3 vs -2 vs -1 speed grade impact on timing closure - downgrading speed grade after PCB fabrication forces re-spin.
Compliance Information
Tin-lead ball finish per distributor listing (Fly-Wing Electronic explicitly describes '600-BGA TIN LEAD'). RoHS-compliant equivalent is EPF10K250EBC600-3.
