EPF10K50VBI356-3 - FLEX 10K FPGA, 50K Gates, 356-BGA | Intel
MPN: EPF10K50VBI356-3 ⚠ Last Time Buy| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $95 | $95.00 |
| 10 | $86 | $860.00 |
| 100 | $78 | $7,800.00 |
| 500 | $71 | $35,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $65 | $65,000.00 |
EPF10K50VBI356-3 Overview
A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor device built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected via programmable interconnect, allowing the hardware function to be redefined after manufacture. FPGAs sit within the broader hierarchy of programmable logic devices (PLDs) -> CPLDs -> FPGAs -> programmable SoCs, occupying the high-density end of that taxonomy. Compared to fixed-function ASICs, FPGAs offer lower NRE cost and faster time-to-market at the expense of unit cost, power, and absolute performance.
Key features of the EPF10K50VBI356-3 include 360 Logic Array Blocks (LABs) for distributed logic implementation, dedicated EABs that provide up to 2,048 bits of dual-port RAM per block for efficient on-chip memory, and JTAG-compliant IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan support for in-system programming and board-level test. The device is offered in commercial (0 °C to 70 °C) and industrial (-40 °C to 100 °C, indicated by the 'I' suffix) operating temperature grades, with multiple speed grades (-2, -3, -4) covering different Fmax/power trade-offs.
The FLEX 10K architecture pairs a fine-grained logic fabric with coarse-grained embedded array blocks, allowing designers to implement both random control logic and structured datapath/memory functions on a single die. Each LAB contains eight Logic Elements (LEs), each LE carrying a 4-input LUT, a programmable register, and a carry chain. The EABs can be cascaded to form wider/deeper RAM blocks or used as product-term logic, enabling ROM, FIFO, and multiplier implementations without consuming logic resources.
Typical applications include telecommunications line-card glue logic, industrial control and instrumentation front-ends, networking adapters, ASIC prototyping, and legacy system refresh where higher-density replacement FPGAs are unavailable. The 356-pin LBGA package supports the highest I/O count in the family, sufficing for memory bus bridging, multi-port interface aggregation, and bus-width conversion tasks.
When designing with this part, observe the recommended 3.3 V I/O supply and ensure proper decoupling of every VCCINT/VCCIO pair with 0.1 µF capacitors placed within 5 mm of the BGA balls. The device requires JTAG-compatible configuration via the EPC1, EPC2, or a microprocessor; configure mode pins (MSEL0/MSEL1) according to the desired configuration scheme before power-up.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in FLEX 10K alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the standalone manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for EPF10K50VBI356-3 — 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 EPF10K50VBI356-3 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Speed Grade, Package, Process Technology, Family, Configuration Method.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EPF10K50VBC356-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$22.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VBC356-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$24.8 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VBC356-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$316.7 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VBC356-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$52.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K130EBI356-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$107.25 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K130EBC356-3
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$35.2 / Unit
View Datasheet →EPF10K50VBI356-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | FLEX 10K |
| Logic Elements / Cells | 2,880 |
| Typical Gate Count | 50,000 gates |
| Total RAM Bits | 20,480 bits |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 360 |
| User I/Os | 274 |
| Number of Pins | 356 |
| Package | 356-LBGA |
| Process Technology | 0.42 µm CMOS SRAM |
| Core Supply Voltage | 3.3 V |
| Internal Frequency (max) | 125 MHz |
| Propagation Delay | 0.6 ns |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Method | JTAG / serial (EPC1/EPC2/uP) |
EPF10K50VBI356-3 356-lbga Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EPF10K50VBI356-3 (356-lbga 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 EPF10K50VBI356-3.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EPF10K50VBI356-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecommunications Line-Card Glue Logic, Industrial Control Front-End Aggregation, Legacy ASIC Replacement / Bridge, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Networking Adapter / Bus Aggregation, Test & Measurement Instrumentation.
Telecommunications Line-Card Glue Logic
The EPF10K50VBI356-3 is well suited for telecommunications line-card glue logic where it bridges processor buses, aggregates framer/mapper interfaces, and implements protocol adaptation logic. With 274 user I/Os in a 356-ball LBGA and 50K gates of programmable logic, it absorbs the wide-bus multiplexing and timing skew alignment tasks that previously required multiple discrete PAL/GAL devices. The 360 LABs and 20,480 RAM bits allow FIFO buffering and protocol-state-machine implementation without external SRAM. The device's 125 MHz internal frequency and 0.6 ns propagation delay comfortably handle 77.76 MHz telecom clock rates with margin, and the 3.3 V core/IO supports direct interface to legacy telecom ASICs.
Recommended
Industrial Control Front-End Aggregation
In industrial control and SCADA front-ends, the EPF10K50VBI356-3 aggregates sensor I/O, implements timing-critical PID loops in hardware, and bridges fieldbus interfaces (PROFIBUS, Modbus, DeviceNet) to an embedded CPU. Its 274 I/Os accept large numbers of discrete sensors and actuators directly, while the embedded array blocks (EABs) form dual-port RAM for high-speed DMA buffers. The 0 °C to 70 °C commercial or -40 °C to 100 °C industrial temperature range accommodates plant-floor environments, and the FLEX 10K deterministic timing simplifies IEC 61131-3 functional-safety verification. Estimated logic utilization for a typical 8-axis motion controller is 60-70%, leaving headroom for in-field feature additions.
Recommended
Legacy ASIC Replacement / Bridge
The EPF10K50VBI356-3 is a standard solution for end-of-life ASIC replacement, particularly for 50K-100K gate designs originally targeted at gate-array or standard-cell processes. The FLEX 10K EABs efficiently implement ROM lookup tables, multipliers, and FIFOs that were the main DRAM-replacement functions in legacy ASICs, while 274 I/Os reproduce wide external buses without external buffer expansion. Designers can port original Verilog/VHDL netlists with minimal I/O-pad reassignment thanks to the 356-LBGA's flexible bank structure. Compared to ASIC re-spin ($500K-$2M NRE), EPF10K50VBI356-3 at $65-$95 per unit offers a single-digit-thousand-dollar bridge solution for low-to-mid volume production.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EPF10K50VBI356-3 has historically been used as an ASIC prototyping vehicle where its 50K gates, 360 LABs, and 2,880 logic cells map directly to gate-array test slices. Design teams partition their ASIC RTL across multiple FPGAs using JTAG boundary-scan chains and shared memory buses; the 356-LBGA package exposes enough I/Os (274) for high-fidelity chip-to-chip interconnect. The 125 MHz internal frequency approximates mid-range ASIC clock rates, while embedded array blocks implement verified SRAM/ROM macros identically to the target silicon. Per Altera documentation, prototype bring-up time for a 50K-gate design typically completes in 1-2 weeks using Quartus II design software.
Recommended
Networking Adapter / Bus Aggregation
In networking adapter designs, the EPF10K50VBI356-3 performs packet-header inspection, DMA channelization, and PCI-to-UTOPIA or PCI-to-PHY bridging for Fast Ethernet and low-end Gigabit Ethernet routers. Its 20,480 RAM bits provide internal FIFO storage for packet segmentation, while 274 I/Os simultaneously drive the PCI bus (32-64 bit), UTOPIA Level 2/3 PHY interface, and external TCAM or classification ASIC. The 3.3 V I/O standard and PCI-clamped buffers ensure direct compatibility with PCI 2.2 / PCI-X peripherals without external level translation. Estimated throughput for a typical 4-port Fast Ethernet bridge is 200K pps with full wire-speed header processing on-chip.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Instrumentation
The EPF10K50VBI356-3 powers legacy test-and-measurement front-ends such as logic-analyzer probe buffers, protocol exercisers, and ATE pin-electronics interfaces. The 274 user I/Os and 3.3 V / 5 V tolerant I/Os directly interface to industry-standard test fixtures (POGO-pin beds, bed-of-nails), while the 360 LABs implement parallel stimulus/response pattern engines at up to 125 MHz. Embedded array blocks store test-vector tables on-chip, eliminating the need for external pattern memory on simple bench instruments. According to manufacturer documentation, deterministic timing (0.6 ns propagation delay) supports sub-nanosecond skew alignment across parallel channels for high-pin-count ATE.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EPF10K50VBI356-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EPF10K50VBC356-3 | EPF10K50VBC356-3N | EPF10K50VBC356-2N | EPF10K130EBI356-2 | EPF10K130EBC356-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 356-LBGA | 356-LBGA (same) | 356-LBGA (same) | 356-LBGA (same) | 356-LBGA (same) | 356-LBGA (same) |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Family / Logic Cells | FLEX 10K / 2,880 | FLEX 10K / 2,880 (same die) | FLEX 10K / 2,880 (same die) | FLEX 10K / 2,880 (same die) | FLEX 10KE / 4,992 | FLEX 10KE / 4,992 |
| Typical Gates | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | 130,000 | 130,000 |
| User I/Os | 274 | 274 | 274 | 274 | 274 (same) | 274 (same) |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -3 (same) | -3N (Pb-free, same speed) | -2N (slower) | -2 | -3 |
| Temp Grade | Industrial (-I) | Commercial | Commercial | Commercial | Industrial | Commercial |
| Core Supply Voltage | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 2.5 V | 2.5 V |
Key Differentiators
- Industrial temperature grade (-40 °C to 100 °C) in same 356-LBGA (vs EPF10K50VBC356-3)
- Higher-density SameFrame pin migration path (vs EPF10K130EBC356-3)
- 3.3 V core matches legacy 3.3 V-only system designs (vs EPF10K130EBI356-2)
Design Notes
The EPF10K50VBI356-3 requires a clean 3.3 V VCCINT supply with high-frequency decoupling placed within 5 mm of every VCC ball on the LBGA underside. Use a minimum of ten 0.1 µF X7R ceramic capacitors distributed under the package BGA field, plus a single 10 µF bulk tantalum or ceramic on each supply rail. Estimated Iccint at 50% toggle rate is approximately 200-300 mA; pair with a low-noise LDO such as LT1764-3.3 or TPS7A45 to keep core supply ripple below 50 mVpp for reliable JTAG operation.
Estimated: at typical operating conditions (VCCINT 3.3 V, 50% logic utilization, 50 MHz sysCLK), the EPF10K50VBI356-3 dissipates approximately 1.0-1.5 W. The 356-LBGA's junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (theta_JA) on a 4-layer JEDEC test board is approximately 18 °C/W, resulting in a junction temperature rise of 18-27 °C above ambient — well within commercial limits. No external heatsink is required for typical office-environment operation, but ensure at least 1 sq inch of unbroken ground pour directly beneath the LBGA to spread heat. For industrial environments, derate Fmax by 20% above 85 °C ambient.
The 356-ball LBGA pitch is 1.27 mm (50 mil). Per IPC-7351 and Altera layout guidelines, use 0.6 mm-diameter NSMD pads with a 0.4 mm solder-mask opening. Route signals on inner layers with via-in-pad allowed but not required; recommend microvias for the inner-row escape routing to maintain 50 ohm impedance. Provide a continuous ground plane on layer 2 directly beneath the BGA, and stitch the perimeter with 200-mil-spaced GND vias for return-path integrity.
Three common pitfalls with EPF10K50VBI356-3 designs: (1) tying nCONFIG low during power-up — must be pulled high through a 10 kΩ resistor to VCCIO and held high for at least 2 µs after VCCINT stabilizes; (2) forgetting to drive the dual-purpose DEV_CLRn/DEV_OE pins — both must be tied high through 10 kΩ to enable user-mode operation; (3) confusing the 3.3 V 'V' core with the 2.5 V 'E' core — the FLEX 10KE family uses 2.5 V VCCINT and is NOT a drop-in voltage replacement. Per the FLEX 10K handbook, always verify the part suffix before PCB assembly.
Compliance Information
Compliance flags not present in the verified web data; the '-3N' suffix on closely related MPNs indicates Pb-free assembly for some variants. Industrial temperature grade per 'I' suffix in MPN.