5CGXFC7D6F31I7N - Cyclone V GX FPGA, 149.5K LEs, 896-FBGA | Altera
MPN: 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $526.55 | $526.55 |
| 10 | $479.2 | $4,792.00 |
| 100 | $425.6 | $42,560.00 |
| 500 | $372.1 | $186,050.00 |
| 1,000 | $318.45 | $318,450.00 |
5CGXFC7D6F31I7N Overview
Background knowledge: A Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit built around an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) connected by a programmable interconnect fabric. Unlike an ASIC, an FPGA's logic and routing are defined by a user-supplied bitstream after manufacture, enabling rapid prototyping and hardware revision. Cyclone V FPGAs sit in the low-power, low-cost segment of Intel's FPGA portfolio, occupying the space between small CPLDs and high-end Stratix families, and are widely used for parallel DSP, glue logic, video bridging, and protocol bridging.
Key features of the 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N include 5648 LABs (Logic Array Blocks), 6 fractional PLLs for clock management, hard memory controllers, and hard PCIe Gen2 IP blocks. The integrated transceivers operate at data rates up to 3.125 Gbps and support protocols such as PCIe Gen1/Gen2, Gigabit Ethernet, CPRI, and JESD204B. The device supports DDR2/DDR3/LPDDR2 external memory interfaces and provides configurable hard IP for PCIe x1/x2/x4 Gen2 endpoints.
Typical applications include industrial machine vision, motor and motion control, video processing and broadcast equipment, wireless backhaul, small-cell base stations, factory automation, and cost-optimized prototyping. The combination of moderate logic density, embedded transceivers, and low static power makes the device well-suited for fanless, sealed enclosure designs in harsh industrial environments.
When designing with this FPGA, use the Quartus Prime design suite for synthesis, place-and-route, and bitstream generation. Pay close attention to transceiver reference clock jitter, decoupling strategy at the FBGA balls, and thermal management; the package requires a multi-layer PCB with proper via-in-pad or dog-bone fanout for reliable BGA assembly.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in Cyclone V GX alternatives, and practical design notes that go beyond the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N — 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 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Logic Array Blocks (LABs), Mounting Type, Operating Temperature, Package, Series.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
5CGXFC7C6F31I7N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
5CGXFC7D6F31C7N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
5CGXFC9D6F31I7N
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
5CGXFC7D6F31I7
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
5CGXFC5C6F27C7N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$118 / Unit
View Datasheet →5CGXFC7D6F31I7N Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Cyclone V GX |
| Series | 5CGXC7 (F31) |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 149,500 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 5648 |
| Embedded Memory (bits) | 7,880,704 |
| User I/Os | 480 |
| High-Speed Transceivers | 6 channels |
| Transceiver Data Rate | Up to 3.125 Gbps |
| PLLs | 6 fractional PLLs |
| Hard PCIe Gen2 Blocks | Yes |
| Package | 896-FBGA (F31) |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +100C (Industrial) |
| Process Technology | TSMC 28 nm low-power |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
5CGXFC7D6F31I7N 896-fbga (f31) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N (896-fbga (f31) 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 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
5CGXFC7D6F31I7N is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Machine Vision, Wireless Base Station and Small-Cell, Video Processing and Broadcast, Motor and Motion Control, PCIe Endpoint Industrial Cards, Cost-Optimized Prototyping and Hardware Bring-Up.
Industrial Machine Vision
The 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N is well-suited for industrial machine vision pipelines where multiple camera interfaces (MIPI-CSI, GigE Vision, or CoaXPress via transceivers) must be aggregated into a real-time processing fabric. Its 149,500 logic elements and 6 high-speed transceivers at 3.125 Gbps provide enough fabric and serial bandwidth to run Bayer demosaicing, HDR merging, and CNN-based defect detection on the FPGA fabric. The hard PCIe Gen2 IP block simplifies host communication over PCIe x1/x2/x4 with deterministic latency, and the 480 user I/Os expose parallel image sensor and GPIO interfaces for camera trigger, lighting strobe, and encoder feedback. The -40C to +100C industrial temperature grade supports sealed factory enclosures without active cooling.
Recommended
Wireless Base Station and Small-Cell
The 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N's 6 integrated transceivers at up to 3.125 Gbps and CPRI/OBSAI support make it a strong fit for small-cell base station baseband units, RRH (remote radio head) fronthaul, and wireless backhaul equipment. Its 149.5K logic elements handle LTE PHY layer DSP including channel coding, FFT/iFFT, and digital predistortion (DPD) at modest bandwidths. Hard PCIe Gen2 and multiple Ethernet MAC blocks enable clean hand-off to the host processor or backhaul modem, while the 896-FBGA package provides sufficient GPIO for RF front-end control, antenna calibration, and synchronization timing I/O. The industrial temperature rating supports outdoor small-cell enclosures.
Recommended
Video Processing and Broadcast
The 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N is widely used in broadcast video routers, multi-format format converters, and SDI-over-IP gateway products thanks to its 480 user I/Os and 6 transceiver channels at 3.125 Gbps. Three transceivers can simultaneously transport 3G-SDI/HD-SDI streams, while the remaining transceivers carry 10GbE or AES67 audio-over-IP traffic. The 7,880,704 bits of embedded RAM provide frame buffering for deinterlacing, scaling, and color-space conversion without external memory. Hard PCIe Gen2 IP enables clean host bridging for content management and the 6 fractional PLLs generate independent video and audio clocks with sub-ps jitter.
Recommended
Motor and Motion Control
Multi-axis motor drives benefit from the 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N's parallel processing fabric, 6 fractional PLLs, and high GPIO count for FPGA topology and resolver/encoder feedback. With 149.5K logic elements the device can implement FOC (field-oriented control) loops for 4-8 axes simultaneously, plus current-loop ADC sampling at 100 kHz+ per axis. The 6 transceivers support EtherCAT, Profinet, or SERCOS III industrial Ethernet, while the hard PCIe Gen2 IP enables host connectivity for supervisory PLC or motion controller cards. Industrial -40C to +100C temperature rating tolerates drive cabinet ambient temperatures adjacent to power electronics.
Recommended
PCIe Endpoint Industrial Cards
Recommended
Cost-Optimized Prototyping and Hardware Bring-Up
The 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N serves as a low-cost, low-power FPGA for ASIC prototyping, design verification, and hardware bring-up. Its 149.5K logic elements and 7,880,704 bits of embedded RAM are sufficient to map medium-complexity ASIC RTL blocks for clock-accurate validation, while the 6 transceivers at 3.125 Gbps allow the prototype to mimic production serial interfaces. Quartus Prime supports incremental compilation, letting multiple engineers work in parallel on the same device. The 896-FBGA (F31) footprint is also shared with the higher-density 5CGXFC9 parts, providing a clear migration path if prototype fabric utilization exceeds the C7 density.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | 5CGXFC7C6F31I7N | 5CGXFC7D6F31C7N | 5CGXFC9D6F31I7N | 5CGXFC7D6F31I7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 896-FBGA (F31) | 896-FBGA (F31) - same | 896-FBGA (F31) - same | 896-FBGA (F31) - same | 896-FBGA (F31) - same |
| Brand | Altera (now Intel) | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Logic Elements | 149,500 | 149,500 (same density) | 149,500 (same density) | Approximately 184,000 (C9 density) | 149,500 (same density) |
| Speed Grade | C7 (mid) | C6 (slower) | C7 (same) | C7 (same) | C7 (same) |
| Temperature Grade | Industrial -40C to +100C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Commercial 0C to +85C | Industrial -40C to +100C | Industrial -40C to +100C |
| Transceiver Channels | 6 at 3.125 Gbps | 6 at 3.125 Gbps | 6 at 3.125 Gbps | 6 at 3.125 Gbps | 6 at 3.125 Gbps |
| Hard PCIe Gen2 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RoHS / Lead Finish | RoHS compliant lead-free | RoHS compliant lead-free | RoHS compliant lead-free | RoHS compliant lead-free | Non-RoHS (with lead) |
Key Differentiators
- Same silicon density as 5CGXFC7D6F31I7 but with industrial temperature rating (vs 5CGXFC7D6F31C7N)
- Mid-tier speed grade (C7) gives balanced Fmax vs. cost (vs 5CGXFC7C6F31I7N)
- Higher LE density than the F27-footprint 5CGXFC5 family (vs 5CGXFC5C6F27C7N)
Design Notes
Estimated: At typical Cyclone V GX utilization (~70% logic, 70% RAM, all 6 transceivers active, 200 MHz fabric clock), the 5CGXFC7D6F31I7N dissipates approximately 3-5 W. The 896-FBGA package requires at least a 6-layer PCB with a continuous ground plane beneath the BGA and thermal via array connecting the center balls to the inner/outer copper pour. Use multiple thermal vias (24-32 minimum, 0.3 mm drill, 0.5 mm pitch) under the exposed thermal balls. For sealed enclosures with no airflow, attach a small heatsink or spreader plate to the top of the package to keep junction temperature below 100C at industrial-grade ambient.
The 896-FBGA (F31) footprint requires either microvia or dog-bone fanout with 0.8 mm ball pitch. Use ENIG or ENEPIG surface finish to ensure reliable BGA solder joint formation; OSP finish is acceptable for prototypes but discouraged for production. Decouple each transceiver bank with 0.1 uF and 10 uF capacitors placed within 100 mils of the relevant power balls, and use a separate analog supply plane for VCCPLL and VCCHIP to minimize jitter coupling. Match differential transceiver trace lengths within 5 mils and maintain 100-ohm differential impedance with ground reference on the layer-2 plane.
Do not assume the 5CGXFC7C6F31I7N (slower speed grade) can be substituted for a -7N design without verifying timing closure — running a C6 part at C7 timing margins typically fails setup/hold at full transceiver rates. Similarly, the 5CGXFC7D6F31C7N (commercial temp) must not be used in industrial -40C environments; cold-start timing closure and hot-temperature leakage behavior differ. Always confirm pin-compatibility against the F31 Ball Map file before substituting, especially across silicon revisions where I/O bank assignments may have shifted.
Sequence the Cyclone V GX core and I/O supplies per the datasheet Power-On Reset (POR) requirements: VCCINT (0.9 V/1.0 V) must ramp first, followed by VCCPD (2.5 V/3.0 V), then VCC and VCCAUX. Reverse sequencing or simultaneous ramp can cause in-rush currents exceeding 3 A and may trigger POR events. Use a dedicated power sequencing IC or a discrete RC/MOSFET sequencer; budget at least 6 distinct supply rails (VCCINT, VCC, VCCPD, VCCAUX, VCCA_PLL, VCC_HSSI) plus optional VCCBAT for battery-backed design security keys.
Route each of the 6 transceiver channels as a tightly-coupled differential pair with continuous reference plane (no plane splits) and via counts minimized (≤2 vias per Tx/Rx pair). Isolate the HSSI power islands from the digital fabric supply using ferrite beads or filter capacitors to prevent switching noise from coupling into the PLLs. Place the transceiver reference clock oscillator within 250 mils of the REFCLK ball, route as a 50-ohm controlled-impedance trace, and guard-band with ground vias on either side of the trace.
Compliance Information
RoHS-compliant lead-free per -7N suffix; halogen-free status not confirmed from provided data. AEC-Q100 not applicable — this is a Cyclone V GX FPGA, not an automotive-grade part; for AEC-Q100 needs evaluate Cyclone V automotive-qualified parts separately.
