EPF10K250EFI672-3 - 250K Gate FLEX 10KE FPGA 672-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EPF10K250EFI672-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $185 | $185.00 |
| 10 | $168.5 | $1,685.00 |
| 100 | $149.75 | $14,975.00 |
| 250 | $138.2 | $34,550.00 |
| 500 | $125 | $62,500.00 |
EPF10K250EFI672-3 Overview
A Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a programmable logic device that combines configurable logic blocks, programmable interconnect, and I/O cells into a single semiconductor die. FPGAs sit within the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLDs) -> complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs) -> FPGAs -> system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) platforms, and are widely used to implement glue logic, digital signal processing, custom bus interfaces, and prototype ASIC functionality without the NRE cost of a masked gate array. The FLEX 10KE family uses a CMOS SRAM process that allows in-system reconfiguration via an industry-standard configuration interface such as ByteBlaster or JTAG.
Key features of the EPF10K250EFI672-3 include up to 250,000 typical gates (over 100,000 usable logic elements), 470 user I/O pins for high pin-count designs, dual-port EABs of up to 16 Kbits each for embedded memory or multiplier functions, multiVolt I/O supporting 2.5 V and 3.3 V interfaces, and JTAG-compliant boundary-scan test. The 672-ball FineLine BGA package (1.27 mm pitch) supports board densities typical of telecom line cards and high-performance data-path designs.
The architecture uses a four-input look-up table (LUT) logic element backed by continuous FastTrack interconnect, achieving tpd in the 0.4 ns class for the -3 speed grade. Each EAB can implement true dual-port RAM with independent read/write clocks, enabling FIFO and dual-buffer designs without external memory. The FLEX 10KE was historically targeted at glue-logic integration and is now commonly found in legacy equipment maintenance and industrial-control retrofits.
Typical applications include telecommunications line-card interface logic, industrial machine control, custom peripheral bridges for PCI/ISA buses, and prototype ASIC replacement. With 470 user I/Os the device can sink several wide buses in parallel without external muxing. The FLEX 10KE supports EDIF 2 0 0 and 3 0 0, LPM, VHDL, and Verilog design entry through the Altera MAX+PLUS II and Quartus tool chains.
When designing with this part, ensure proper decoupling with 0.1 µF ceramic capacitors close to every VCC pin and a single bulk 33 µF tantalum per supply island. The SRAM cells are volatile, so an external configuration PROM (EPC2 or EPC8) must be present on the board to load the bitstream at power-up. Operating temperature and speed-grade suffixes must match the system ambient and timing budget. This page synthesizes distributor pricing, same-brand and cross-brand drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K250EFI672-3 — 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 EPF10K250EFI672-3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Core Supply Voltage, Process Technology, I/O Supply Voltage.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF10K250EFC672-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$99.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K250EFC672-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$108 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K250EFC672-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$115 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K200EFC672-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$115 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K200SFC672-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$320 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K250EFI672-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 10KE |
| Typical Gates | 250,000 |
| User I/O Pins | 470 |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 12 |
| EAB Dual-Port Width | Up to 16-bit |
| Propagation Delay (tpd) | 0.4 ns (typical, -3 speed grade) |
| Core Supply Voltage | 2.5 V |
| I/O Supply Voltage | 2.5 V / 3.3 V (multiVolt I/O) |
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA, 1.27 mm pitch |
| Process Technology | CMOS, SRAM-based configuration |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG / ByteBlaster (EPC2/EPC8 PROM) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C (commercial) |
| Design Entry | EDIF 2 0 0 / 3 0 0, LPM, VHDL, Verilog |
| RoHS Status | Unknown (legacy Altera non-RoHS device) |
EPF10K250EFI672-3 672-ball fineline bga, 1.27 mm pitch Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K250EFI672-3 (672-ball fineline bga, 1.27 mm pitch 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 EPF10K250EFI672-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K250EFI672-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line-Card Interface, Industrial Machine Control Backplane, Custom PCI / ISA Bus Bridge, ASIC Prototype and Emulation, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Legacy Avionics and Defense Retrofit.
Telecommunications Line-Card Interface
The EPF10K250EFI672-3 is well suited to telecom line-card glue logic thanks to its 470 user I/Os which can fan in/out TDM buses, framer ICs, and backplane SERDES without external muxing. With up to 250,000 typical gates and 12 dual-port EABs implementing FIFOs of up to 16 bits wide, the device handles cell buffering, HDLC framing, and timing recovery in legacy SONET/SDH and PDH equipment. Its 0.4 ns tpd class timing (speed grade -3) supports the 77.76 MHz STS-3 rate cleanly. The 672-FBGA package conserves board area on dense line cards while keeping signal integrity manageable on FR-4 backplanes. Designers pair the FPGA with a 2.5 V core rail, multiVolt I/O to 3.3 V framers, and an EPC8 configuration PROM for autonomous boot. Migration to Cyclone IV is recommended only when designs are being upgraded; existing cards benefit from the part's drop-in compatibility with EPF10K250EFC672-3.
Recommended
Industrial Machine Control Backplane
In PLC and CNC retrofit systems, the EPF10K250EFI672-3 acts as the central glue-logic hub aggregating encoder counters, stepper/direction generators, and fieldbus bridges. The 470 user I/Os absorb dozens of 24 V optocoupled inputs through resistor dividers, while the 12 EABs implement position-capture FIFOs and lookup tables for servo compensation curves. Commercial 0-70 °C operation suits most factory-floor cabinets, and the 2.5 V core with multiVolt I/O simplifies interfacing to legacy 5 V peripherals via level shifters. The 672-FBGA's 1.27 mm pitch eases probe-and-debug during commissioning. For industrial designers, the FLEX 10KE tool chain (MAX+PLUS II and Quartus) supports VHDL and Verilog entry for control-loop state machines, with deterministic 0.4 ns tpd enabling sub-microsecond response on real-time interrupt paths.
Recommended
Custom PCI / ISA Bus Bridge
The EPF10K250EFI672-3 is a proven bridge solution between legacy PCI (33 MHz) or ISA buses and modern processors lacking those interfaces. With up to 250,000 gates the device implements transaction translators, interrupt controllers, and DMA engines in a single chip. The 470 user I/Os accommodate the full 32-bit PCI bus plus arbitration and side-band signals, while the 12 dual-port EABs hold line buffers and configuration headers. Speed-grade -3's 0.4 ns tpd comfortably meets 33 MHz PCI timing on FR-4. Many industrial PC/104, VME, and CompactPCI adapter cards still ship with the FLEX 10KE for exactly this reason. Designers verify signal-integrity budgets with IBIS models, then drop in the EPF10K250EFC672-3 if the slower C-temp grade suffices.
Recommended
ASIC Prototype and Emulation
Pre-mask ASIC emulation historically used the EPF10K250EFI672-3 because its 250K typical gates, 470 I/Os, and 0.4 ns tpd mapped comfortably to mid-complexity ASICs in the 100K-150K usable-gate range. Engineers compiled ASIC RTL (synthesizable VHDL/Verilog) into FLEX 10KE LUTs to validate functionality, timing margins, and board-level interfaces before committing to silicon. The EABs emulate SRAM macros and register files. Speed-grade -3 emulates 100-150 MHz ASIC clocks on typical logic paths, sufficient for most pre-silicon validation. Today the part also serves re-spin emulation for legacy ASIC designs where the original mask set is unavailable. Migrating emulations to a Cyclone IV or MAX 10 is straightforward using Quartus II back-annotation.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
Logic-analyzer and protocol-analyzer front-ends often integrate the EPF10K250EFI672-3 to pattern-generate, capture, and pre-process high-speed digital signals. The 470 user I/Os feed multi-channel comparators, while the 12 EABs implement deep capture FIFOs (16 bits wide) holding thousands of samples per channel before offload to a host CPU via PCI or USB. The 0.4 ns tpd enables pattern generation at 200 MHz on simple repeating sequences. MultiVolt I/O lets the same board probe 2.5 V, 3.3 V, and (with external dividers) 5.0 V targets. Engineers designing bench instruments keep spare FLEX 10KE parts in their lab inventory because the 672-FBGA footprint appears across multiple legacy product lines. Verify timing closure with the Quartus II timing analyzer before committing.
Recommended
Legacy Avionics and Defense Retrofit
Defense retrofit programs use the EPF10K250EFI672-3 as a form-fit-function replacement for obsolete discrete-logic and early ASIC implementations. With 470 user I/Os the FPGA replaces several 80-pin QFP components, saving board real estate and weight. Embedded array blocks provide FIFO buffers for MIL-STD-1553 and ARINC 429 databus bridges. The commercial 0-70 °C temperature range is acceptable for cabin/cargo-bay applications; flight-critical paths use the industrial-temp grade or screened variants. Designers must validate radiation tolerance via lot-level testing because the FLEX 10KE is not radiation-hardened by design. The 672-FBGA is preferred for its mechanical robustness under vibration compared to fine-pitch QFP. For newer defense programs, Intel recommends migration to the Cyclone IV or Stratix families.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K250EFI672-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K250EFC672-3 | EPF10K250EFC672-2 | EPF10K250EFC672-1 | EPF10K200EFC672-3 | EPF10K200SFC672-2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 672-ball FineLine BGA, 1.27 mm pitch | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same | 672-ball FineLine BGA - same |
| Brand | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) | Intel (Altera) |
| Typical Gates | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | 250,000 | 200,000 | 200,000 |
| Speed Grade | -3 (fastest) | -3 | -2 (slower) | -1 (slowest) | -3 | -2 |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to 70 °C (industrial) | 0 °C to 70 °C (commercial C) | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C | 0 °C to 70 °C |
| Configuration Interface | JTAG / EPC8 PROM | JTAG / EPC8 PROM | JTAG / EPC8 PROM | JTAG / EPC8 PROM | JTAG / EPC8 PROM | JTAG / EPC8 PROM |
| Lifecycle Status | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND | NRND |
Key Differentiators
- Same-die alternative with commercial-temp grade (vs EPF10K250EFC672-3)
- Lower-cost speed-grade option with same footprint (vs EPF10K250EFC672-2)
- Higher gate density at the same speed grade (vs EPF10K200EFC672-3)
- Family-wide drop-in compatibility (vs EPF10K200SFC672-2)
Design Notes
Estimated: the EPF10K250EFI672-3 core draws up to 500 mA at 2.5 V (1.25 W) when fully utilized, plus I/O current proportional to switching activity. A typical 25 % toggle rate on 200 I/Os at 3.3 V adds roughly 0.5 W. Designers should provide 0.1 µF ceramic decoupling at every VCCINT and VCCIO pin pair, plus a single 33 µF tantalum bulk capacitor near the package. Sequence VCCINT before VCCIO to avoid I/O latch-up; the FLEX 10KE datasheet recommends a 100 ms ramp with VCCIO lagging VCCINT by no more than 100 ms.
The 672-ball FineLine BGA at 1.27 mm pitch requires 4-6 layer FR-4 with continuous power and ground planes under the package. Escape routing uses microvia or 0.2 mm dog-bone fan-out. Matched-length traces (±50 mil) on global clocks and high-speed I/O groups prevent timing skew. Thermal vias under the center ball grid (≥25 vias at 0.3 mm drill) help dissipate the ~1.5 W typical load. For prototype builds, use a socket-less solder reflow profile with peak 245 °C and TAL ≤ 60 s to avoid BGA warpage.
Do not omit the external configuration PROM: FLEX 10KE SRAM cells are volatile and the device will not boot without a valid bitstream. Verify EPC8 or EPC16 compatibility when migrating from earlier FLEX 10K designs. Do not mix 5 V signals directly into I/O pins — use 100 Ω series resistors or level shifters to stay within the 3.3 V VCCIO absolute-maximum rating. Finally, never apply power to the device without a known-good configuration file; floating I/O pins can drive bus contention in multi-FPGA systems.
Compliance Information
RoHS compliance marked as 'Non-RoHS Compliant' on Fly-Wing Electronic catalog entry; the part predates Altera's lead-free transition. Not AEC-Q100 qualified — this is a commercial/industrial FPGGA, not automotive-grade. Reach, halogen, and conflict-mineral data not stated by manufacturer.
