EP1K10FC256-3 - ACEX 1K FPGA, 10K Gates, 256-BGA | Intel
MPN: EP1K10FC256-3 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $28.5 | $28.50 |
| 10 | $25.2 | $252.00 |
| 100 | $21.75 | $2,175.00 |
| 500 | $18.4 | $9,200.00 |
| 1,000 | $15.95 | $15,950.00 |
Drop-in alternatives for EP1K10FC256-3 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1K10FC256-3N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$24.5 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K10FC256-2
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$9.95 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K10FC256-2N
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$5.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K10FC256-1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$22.62 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1K10FC256-3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | ACEX 1K |
| Logic Elements | 576 |
| Typical Gates | 10,000 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 136 |
| Embedded RAM Bits | 12,288 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 72 |
| Embedded Array Blocks (EABs) | 3 |
| Core Voltage | 2.5 V |
| Speed Grade | -3 |
| Package | 256-BGA (FBGA) |
| Pin/Ball Count | 256 |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to +70°C (Commercial) |
| Process Technology | 0.18 µm SRAM |
| Programming Interface | IEEE 1149.1 JTAG, in-system programmable |
| MultiVolt I/O Support | 2.5 V / 3.3 V / 5.0 V |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
EP1K10FC256-3 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin A2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 1) |
| Pin B2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin C1 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply (2.5/3.3/5.0 V) |
| Pin C2 | TDI — JTAG test data in |
| Pin D1 | TMS — JTAG test mode select |
| Pin D2 | TCK — JTAG test clock |
| Pin E1 | nCONFIG — Configuration control (active low) |
| Pin E2 | VCCINT — Core supply 2.5 V |
| Pin F1 | nSTATUS — Configuration status (active low) |
| Pin F2 | CONF_DONE — Configuration done |
| Pin G1 | TDO — JTAG test data out |
| Pin G2 | GND — Ground |
| Pin H1 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
| Pin H2 | I/O — User I/O (bank 2) |
Safe Operating Area (SOA) & Thermal Characteristics
No official SOA curve available for this digital IC. Always operate within absolute maximum ratings specified in the datasheet. Ensure adequate cooling and derate as needed.
Typical Applications
EP1K10FC256-3 is suitable for 6 applications: Bus Interface Bridging, Industrial Control and Glue Logic, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Test and Measurement Equipment, Telecom and Datacom Line Cards, Educational and Development Boards.
Bus Interface Bridging
The EP1K10FC256-3 fits bus-bridging between microcontrollers, DSPs, and peripherals by combining 576 logic elements and 12,288 bits of embedded dual-port RAM in a single 256-FBGA device. Its MultiVolt I/O supports direct interfacing to 5.0 V, 3.3 V, and 2.5 V rails, eliminating external level shifters. Typical designs use 3-4 EABs as FIFO buffers for protocol translation (e.g., UART↔SPI or PCI-to-ISA bridges), with the remaining LEs implementing handshake state machines. The 136 user I/Os comfortably accommodate 16-32-bit bus widths plus chip selects and interrupts. Engineers benefit from in-system JTAG programmability, which simplifies iterative glue-logic bring-up versus hand-routing discrete 74-series logic.
Recommended
Industrial Control and Glue Logic
In industrial PLCs, motor controllers, and instrumentation front-ends, the EP1K10FC256-3 replaces dozens of 74-series logic ICs with one programmable device. The 72 LABs comfortably implement encoder-decoder state machines, PWM generation, and quadrature decoding. Its 0.18 µm process and 2.5 V core deliver moderate power consumption for 24/7 industrial environments. The 256-FBGA package suits compact controller boards where board area is at a premium. Designs requiring deterministic timing below 50 ns benefit from the -3 speed grade. For new industrial platforms, designers should evaluate the Cyclone-series for active lifecycle and longer-term support.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
ASIC verification teams use the EP1K10FC256-3 as a fast-prototyping target for control-plane RTL blocks prior to mask tape-out. The 576 logic elements and 12,288 bits of dual-port RAM allow one or two IP blocks (e.g., a register file plus DMA engine) to be validated at near-ASIC clock rates. In-system JTAG programming enables rapid iteration: a new bitstream downloads in seconds versus multi-week ASIC re-spins. The MultiVolt I/O allows direct connection to surrounding ASIC-validation test chips at 2.5/3.3/5.0 V. Engineers often pair multiple EP1K10FC256-3 devices on a single prototyping board to mimic larger ASICs.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Equipment
The EP1K10FC256-3 powers custom logic in low-to-mid complexity test gear such as protocol analyzers, signal generators, and data-acquisition front-ends. Its EAB blocks serve as waveform lookup tables (storing sine, ramp, or arbitrary stimulus patterns), while LEs implement counters, sequencers, and trigger logic. The 136 user I/Os accommodate parallel digital stimulus buses plus trigger inputs/outputs. Designers benefit from reconfigurability: a single board can host multiple instrument personalities via different bitstreams. For new T&M products, the Cyclone-series is recommended, but the EP1K10FC256-3 remains a stable option for long-life test platforms.
Recommended
Telecom and Datacom Line Cards
In legacy telecom and datacom line cards (T1/E1 framers, low-density cross-connects, fan-out buffers), the EP1K10FC256-3 implements framing, alarm processing, and clock-recovery glue logic around discrete PHY devices. The 2.5 V core with 3.3 V I/O directly interfaces to classic telecom ASICs. The 12,288-bit embedded RAM hosts small elastic stores and pattern-matching buffers. The 256-FBGA package fits the compact 6-8 layer PCBs typical of line-card designs. Service providers still maintaining installed bases rely on the EP1K10FC256-3 for spares and incremental upgrades before migrating to modern FPGAs.
Recommended
Educational and Development Boards
Universities and FPGA training labs value the EP1K10FC256-3 for teaching digital design, RTL synthesis, and JTAG-based debugging on a real, JTAG-programmable silicon platform. Its 576 logic elements are large enough for meaningful projects (UART, VGA controller, simple RISC core) yet small enough to map cleanly onto a single semester's assignments. The 256-FBGA package is challenging for hand-soldering, so development boards with pre-routed land patterns are typical. Instructors can demonstrate timing closure trade-offs across -1/-2/-3 speed grades using drop-in variants on identical boards.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1K10FC256-3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1K10FC256-3N | EP1K10FC256-2 | EP1K10FC256-2N | EP1K10FC256-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel | Intel |
| Package | 256-BGA (FBGA) | 256-BGA (FBGA) - same | 256-BGA (FBGA) - same | 256-BGA (FBGA) - same | 256-BGA (FBGA) - same |
| Family / Die | ACEX 1K (576 LEs) | ACEX 1K (576 LEs) - same die | ACEX 1K (576 LEs) - same die | ACEX 1K (576 LEs) - same die | ACEX 1K (576 LEs) - same die |
| Speed Grade | -3 | -3 (same) | -2 (faster) | -2 (faster) | -1 (slower) |
| Logic Elements | 576 | 576 | 576 | 576 | 576 |
| Embedded RAM (bits) | 12,288 | 12,288 | 12,288 | 12,288 | 12,288 |
| Maximum User I/Os | 136 | 136 | 136 | 136 | 136 |
| Ball Finish / RoHS | SnPb / Non-RoHS | Pb-free / RoHS | SnPb / Non-RoHS | Pb-free / RoHS | SnPb / Non-RoHS |
| Approx. Unit Price (qty 1, USD) | 28.50 | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] | [DATA_NEEDED] |
Key Differentiators
- RoHS-compliant drop-in alternative available without footprint change (vs EP1K10FC256-3N)
- Faster speed-grade drop-in upgrade path (vs EP1K10FC256-2)
- Dual-port embedded RAM for FIFO and lookup-table designs (vs Discrete 74-series glue logic)
Design Notes
The 256-FBGA package uses a fine-pitch ball grid that typically requires via-in-pad or dog-bone fan-out on a 4-6 layer PCB. Per the ACEX 1K datasheet, all VCCINT and VCCIO pins must have a 0.1 µF decoupling capacitor placed within 100 mils of each pin, with bulk 10-47 µF tantalum or ceramic capacitors on each supply rail. Place a ground pour directly under the BGA to provide low-impedance return paths for simultaneous-switching outputs.
The EP1K10FC256-3 requires a 2.5 V VCCINT core and one or more VCCIO supplies (2.5/3.3/5.0 V MultiVolt) for the I/O banks. Estimated: with all 136 I/Os switching at 50 MHz and 50% toggle rate, peak supply current can exceed 500 mA on VCCINT - use a switching regulator with at least 1 A rating plus 2-stage LC filtering to meet simultaneous-switching-noise (SSN) budgets of ±5% on VCCINT.
MultiVolt I/O allows mixed-voltage interfacing, but each I/O bank must be powered from a single VCCIO rail. Mixing 5 V and 3.3 V inputs on the same bank is not supported. For long-trace or high-speed (>50 MHz) outputs, use 22-33 Ω series termination near the FPGA pin to dampen reflections; for LVTTL/LVCMOS receivers on the far end, place the resistor within 200 mils of the FPGA output.
Do not confuse the EP1K10FC256-3 (SnPb ball finish, non-RoHS) with the EP1K10FC256-3N (Pb-free, RoHS-compliant) - both share the same 256-FBGA footprint but require different reflow profiles and may be flagged by component-placement systems enforcing material compliance. Also note that the ACEX 1K family is NRND; new designs should evaluate Cyclone-series successors, but the EP1K10FC256-3 remains in service for long-life industrial platforms.
Compliance Information
EP1K10FC256-3 is non-RoHS due to SnPb ball finish. Use EP1K10FC256-3N for RoHS-compliant assembly. REACH compliance declared via Intel/Altera material declaration. AEC-Q100 not applicable - this is a commercial-grade FPGA, not automotive-qualified.
