EP1AGX50CF484C6 - Arria GX FPGA, 50K LE, 484-FBGA | Intel
MPN: EP1AGX50CF484C6 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $285 | $285.00 |
| 10 | $262.5 | $2,625.00 |
| 100 | $232 | $23,200.00 |
| 500 | $210 | $105,000.00 |
| 1,000 | $189.5 | $189,500.00 |
EP1AGX50CF484C6 Overview
A field-programmable gate array (FPGA) is a semiconductor integrated circuit whose logic, interconnect, and I/O behavior are defined post-fabrication by a user-supplied configuration bitstream. Within the broader programmable-logic taxonomy, an FPGA sits above CPLDs (smaller, non-volatile) and below structured ASICs; the Arria GX family in particular targets mid-range transceivers and DSP workloads between Cyclone (low-cost) and Stratix (high-performance).
Key features include 4 PLLs, 17 DSP blocks (18 x 18 multipliers), 3.3 V PCI/PCI-X compatible I/O, dedicated high-speed serial channels with embedded 8B/10B encoding, and dynamic on-chip termination. The device is supplied in a commercial-grade C6 speed grade (faster than C7/C8) and is supported by the Quartus II design toolchain.
Architecturally, the EP1AGX50CF484C6 combines a sea-of-LABs fabric with column-based embedded SRAM, multiplier/DSP blocks, and side-band transceiver channels. This heterogeneous layout enables simultaneous implementation of wide parallel datapaths, packet buffers, and multi-gigabit serial links on a single die, which is the hallmark differentiator of Arria GX versus earlier Cyclone and Stratix I families.
Typical applications include telecom backplane aggregation, video broadcast switching, baseband DSP preprocessing, industrial imaging pipelines, and PCIe endpoint prototyping. The integrated 3.125 Gbps transceivers make the part especially attractive for designers replacing discrete SERDES with a single-chip solution.
When designing with this device, plan power sequencing for VCCINT (1.2 V core), VCCIO banks, and VCCR/VCCT (transceiver analog supplies) before configuration, and use the Quartus II PowerPlay early-power estimator before PCB layout to avoid thermal surprises. Configuration via JTAG or active serial (EPCS) requires correct MSEL pin strapping.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in Arria GX alternatives, and practical Quartus II design notes not found on a single manufacturer page.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1AGX50CF484C6 — 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 EP1AGX50CF484C6 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Speed Grade, RoHS Status, Embedded Memory, Operating Temperature.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1AGX50CF484C5N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$108.4 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1AGX50CF484C4N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$175 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1AGX50CF484C4
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$305 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1AGX50CF484C3
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$218 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1AGX35CF484C6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$295 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1AGX50CF484C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Arria GX |
| Logic Elements (LE) | 50,160 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 2,508 |
| Total RAM Bits | 2,475,072 bit (4.5 Mbit embedded memory, full device) |
| Number of I/O | 229 user I/O |
| Number of Transceivers | 8 (up to 3.125 Gbps) |
| Number of PLLs | 4 |
| DSP Blocks | 17 (18 x 18 multipliers) |
| Process Technology | 90 nm CMOS |
| Package | 484-FBGA (Fine-pitch BGA, 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Speed Grade | C6 (commercial) |
| Operating Temperature | Commercial (0 C to +85 C) |
| Supply Voltage - Core | 1.2 V (VCCINT) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
EP1AGX50CF484C6 484-fbga (fine-pitch bga, 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for EP1AGX50CF484C6 (484-fbga (fine-pitch bga, 23 x 23 mm, 1.0 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 EP1AGX50CF484C6.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
EP1AGX50CF484C6 is suitable for 6 applications: Telecom Backplane Aggregation, Video Broadcast Switching, Baseband DSP Preprocessing, Industrial Imaging Pipeline, PCIe Endpoint Prototyping, Aerospace Test & Telemetry.
Telecom Backplane Aggregation
The EP1AGX50CF484C6 fits telecom backplane aggregation because its 8 transceivers deliver up to 3.125 Gbps per channel, supporting protocols like XAUI, Serial RapidIO, and PCIe x4 simultaneously. The 50,160 logic elements are sufficient to implement a 24-port GigE line card with MAC, classifier, and TCAM shadow logic on a single die. Versus a discrete SERDES + CPLD approach, the integrated transceiver channels cut BOM by 30 to 40 percent and reduce board area. Place the device on a 1.2 V VCCINT plane with separate VCCR/VCCT analog rails and use 0.1 uF + 10 uF decoupling close to each transceiver bank.
Recommended
Video Broadcast Switching
For video broadcast routers and SDI/HD-SDI cross-point switchers, the EP1AGX50CF484C6's 17 DSP blocks handle 4:2:2 to 4:4:4 chroma up-conversion while the transceivers carry SDI over coax at 270/1485 Mbps. The 229 user I/O accommodate 64 bidirectional SDI data paths plus 8 LVDS crosspoint control ports. Estimated core power at full utilization is around 5 W, requiring only modest airflow - a 1 oz copper inner-layer thermal pad is sufficient for production chassis. The device's C6 speed grade gives margin for SMPTE 424M (3G-SDI) serialization at 2.97 Gbps.
Recommended
Baseband DSP Preprocessing
In wireless baseband preprocessing the EP1AGX50CF484C6 provides 17 dedicated 18x18 multipliers that, at 250 MHz, deliver ~8.5 GMACS - enough for 4-antenna LTE uplink front-end including FFT, channel estimation, and MIMO detection. Its 4.5 Mbit embedded RAM serves as a circular sample buffer for 20 MHz LTE frames. Use the device's M512/M4K memory blocks as coefficient tables for the FIR filter banks. Power estimate for full DSP utilization is ~6 W; pair with the Arria II GX for thermal headroom if the workload grows.
Recommended
Industrial Imaging Pipeline
The EP1AGX50CF484C6 is well suited to machine-vision pipelines combining Camera Link, CoaXPress, or GigE Vision inputs. Its 8 transceivers can carry CoaXPress at up to 3.125 Gbps per link, while the 50K LE fabric implements Bayer demosaic, color correction matrix, and JPEG/MJPEG compression in a single chip. The 90 nm process and commercial 0 to +85 C range tolerate typical factory-floor ambient; specify the industrial I-grade variant for harsher enclosures. Use a 4-layer PCB with continuous ground pour under the FBGA for thermal spreading.
Recommended
PCIe Endpoint Prototyping
The EP1AGX50CF484C6 includes a hard PCIe x4 endpoint IP block in the transceiver PHY, supporting PCIe Gen1 (2.5 Gbps) with full hard-IP protocol stack. Designers can prototype Gen1 endpoint cards for storage controllers, instrumentation, or test equipment on a development board before taping out an ASIC. The 50K LE provides ~40K ALMs equivalent logic for the user application plus DMA engine. Use the Quartus II PCIe Compiler to generate the endpoint reference design and integrate your application layer via Avalon-ST.
Recommended
Aerospace Test & Telemetry
Although not radiation-hardened by design, the EP1AGX50CF484C6 is widely used in aerospace telemetry ground equipment and pre-flight validation systems where its 8 transceivers aggregate multiple MIL-STD-1553 or ARINC-429 channels via external transceivers. The 4 PLLs provide independent clock domains for IRIG-B timecode, GPS-disciplined reference, and sensor sampling. For flight applications, lot acceptance screening (LAT) per MIL-PRF-38535 is recommended. Its commercial 0 to +85 C range is suitable for rack-mounted ground equipment. Power consumption at full utilization is ~6.5 W.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1AGX50CF484C6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1AGX50CF484C5N | EP1AGX50CF484C4N | EP1AGX50CF484C4 | EP1AGX50CF484C3 | EP1AGX35CF484C6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same | 484-FBGA (23x23 mm) - same |
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Logic Elements | 50,160 | 50,160 | 50,160 | 50,160 | 50,160 | 35,160 (-30%) |
| LABs/CLBs | 2,508 | 2,508 | 2,508 | 2,508 | 2,508 | 1,408 |
| Speed Grade | C6 | C5 (~15% slower Fmax) | C4 (~25% slower Fmax) | C4 (~25% slower Fmax) | C3 (~30% slower Fmax) | C6 (same as target) |
| Transceivers (3.125 Gbps) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| User I/O | 229 | 229 | 229 | 229 | 229 | 229 |
| Lead-Free Finish | Per part marking | Yes (N suffix) | Yes (N suffix) | Per part marking (no N) | Per part marking | Per part marking |
Key Differentiators
- C6 commercial speed grade (vs EP1AGX50CF484C5N)
- 50K logic elements vs 35K siblings (vs EP1AGX35CF484C6)
- Pin-compatible scalability across 4 speed grades (vs EP1AGX50CF484C3)
Design Notes
Estimated: full-die utilization at 250 MHz logic, 8 transceivers at 3.125 Gbps, and 17 DSP blocks draws roughly 5 to 6.5 W from VCCINT (1.2 V) plus 1 to 1.5 W from VCCR/VCCT analog rails. Plan a dedicated 1.2 V switching regulator rated for at least 8 A peak with 1 percent set-point accuracy. Use separate ferrite beads on VCCINT and VCCR/VCCT, with 0.1 uF X7R + 10 uF bulk + 47 uF polymer caps at each transceiver bank. Bring VCCINT up before VCCIO per Intel power-sequencing requirements.
Use a 4-layer PCB minimum with continuous ground plane under the 484-FBGA. Microvia stacks are not required at 1.0 mm pitch but recommend 0.4 mm via-in-pad with filled/capped plating for clean thermal dissipation to inner copper pours. Keep all 8 transceiver trace groups length-matched within 150 mils and routed over a continuous reference plane with no plane splits; impedance target is 100 ohm differential for AC-coupled links. Add a JTAG header (TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI) on every board for factory programming.
Three pitfalls cause most Arria GX board respins: (1) wrong MSEL pin strapping for the desired configuration mode - double-check against the device handbook table before PCB layout; (2) sharing VCCIO banks between 3.3 V LVTTL and LVDS - use separate I/O banks with independent VCCIO rails; (3) omitting the 100 ohm differential termination resistors on unused transceiver channels - leave them AC-coupled to GND with the on-die termination disabled, otherwise the bias network oscillates.
Transceiver TX pre-emphasis and RX equalization must be tuned per channel using the Quartus II Transceiver Toolkit. Estimated pre-emphasis setting for 3.125 Gbps over FR4 trace lengths of 8 to 14 inches is VOD = 800 mVppd with -3 dB de-emphasis. Run the IBIS-AMI simulations early in the design cycle to validate channel loss. Reference the Arria GX handbook section on ALTGX megafunction for protocol-specific PHY settings (PCIe, XAUI, CEI-6G).
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance per Intel product documentation; halogen-free status not explicitly stated in available data. AEC-Q100 not applicable (FPGA, not an automotive-grade IC).
