EP1SGX40GF1020C6 - Stratix GX FPGA 41250 Cells 624 IO | Altera
MPN: EP1SGX40GF1020C6 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $449.57 | $449.57 |
| 10 | $425 | $4,250.00 |
| 25 | $405 | $10,125.00 |
| 50 | $380 | $19,000.00 |
| 100 | $360 | $36,000.00 |
EP1SGX40GF1020C6 Overview
What is a Stratix GX FPGA? An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor integrated circuit whose logic fabric, routing, and I/O can be reconfigured by the designer after manufacture. The Stratix GX sub-family adds multi-gigabit serial transceivers and dedicated hard IP for protocols such as PCI Express, Serial RapidIO, and Gigabit Ethernet, placing it in the broader hierarchy: FPGA → programmable Logic Device → digital Integrated Circuit → semiconductor. The 'GX' suffix distinguishes the transceiver-rich variant from the base Stratix family.
Key feature highlights of the EP1SGX40GF1020C6 include 14 embedded DSP blocks for high-throughput signal processing, 4125 LABs (Logic Array Blocks) carrying 10 LEs each, support for configuration via passive serial, fast passive parallel, or JTAG, and a wide range of user I/O standards including LVDS, LVTTL, LVCMOS, SSTL, and HSTL. The 1020-ball FC-FBGA package exposes the full feature set of the silicon and requires careful PCB layout for power, ground, and high-speed signal integrity.
Architecturally, the device combines a fine-grained LE fabric with embedded memory columns, multipliers, PLLs, and up to 20 high-speed transceiver channels (channel count varies by speed grade). The 'C6' speed grade balances timing closure margin against maximum operating frequency for cost-sensitive applications.
Typical applications include high-speed serial interface bridging (PCI Express ×4/×8 endpoints, Serial RapidIO switches, 10 GbE MAC/PHY interconnects), telecom line-card backplane aggregation, military radar signal processing, ASIC prototyping, and high-performance DSP pipelines in test-and-measurement equipment. Its 41,250 LEs and 3.4 Mbit of block RAM are sufficient to host soft processor cores such as Nios II alongside custom accelerators.
Designers should plan power-delivery networks for the 1.5 V core as well as separate PLL, transceiver, and I/O banks; the FC-FBGA-1020 package demands microvia PCB technology and a controlled-impedance stack-up. Verify signal-integrity simulations against the speed grade before tape-out, since the 'C6' grade trades maximum frequency for lower cost.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, verified specifications, drop-in Stratix GX alternatives, and PCB-aware design guidance not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone, giving procurement and hardware engineers a single decision-ready reference.
Drop-in alternatives for EP1SGX40GF1020C6 — 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 EP1SGX40GF1020C6 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Operating Temperature, Package, Speed Grade, Family, Logic Family.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EP1SGX40GF1020C5
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$120 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C5N
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1180 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C5ES
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40FF1020C6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$195 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40DF1020C6
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified✓ In Stock
$1620 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX25FF1020C6
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$135 / Unit
View Datasheet →EP1SGX40GF1020C6 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Family | Stratix GX |
| Logic Elements (LEs) | 41,250 |
| Logic Array Blocks (LABs) | 4,125 |
| Total RAM Bits | 3,423,744 |
| User I/O Count | 624 |
| Embedded DSP Blocks | 14 |
| Core Supply Voltage | 1.425 V – 1.575 V (1.5 V nominal) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) |
| Package | 1020-ball FC-FBGA (33 × 33 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) |
| Speed Grade | C6 |
| Logic Family | CMOS |
| Process Node | 0.13 µm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (BGA) |
| Configuration Method | Passive Serial / Fast Passive Parallel / JTAG |
EP1SGX40GF1020C6 Pin Configuration
| Pin A1 | GND — Ground |
| Pin B1 | VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage |
| Pin C1 | IO[0] — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin D1 | IO[1] — User I/O pin (bank 1) |
| Pin E1 | GXB_RX0_N — Transceiver channel 0 receive (negative) |
| Pin F1 | GXB_RX0_P — Transceiver channel 0 receive (positive) |
| Pin G1 | VCC — Core 1.5 V supply |
| Pin H1 | GXB_TX0_N — Transceiver channel 0 transmit (negative) |
| Pin J1 | GXB_TX0_P — Transceiver channel 0 transmit (positive) |
| Pin K1 | IO[2] — User I/O pin (bank 2) |
Typical Applications
EP1SGX40GF1020C6 is suitable for 6 applications: PCI Express Endpoint Card, Telecom Line-Card Aggregation, ASIC Prototyping Platform, Radar Signal Processing, Test and Measurement Instrumentation, Video Broadcast Processing.
PCI Express Endpoint Card
The EP1SGX40GF1020C6 is well suited to PCI Express ×4/×8 endpoint designs thanks to its integrated multi-gigabit transceivers and hard PCI Express IP block. The 41,250 LEs host a soft Nios II processor, DMA engines, and user logic, while the 624 user I/Os connect to memory and peripheral buses. The 1020-ball FC-FBGA package exposes enough transceiver and I/O pins to support a ×8 PCIe Gen1 link plus parallel fabric interfaces. Designers leverage the C6 speed grade to meet PCIe Gen1 2.5 Gbps timing closure with margin.
Recommended
Telecom Line-Card Aggregation
Used in central-office line cards, the EP1SGX40GF1020C6 aggregates multiple lower-rate serial links (e.g., GbE, OC-12) into higher-speed uplinks via its multi-gigabit transceivers. The 3,423,744 bits of embedded RAM act as packet buffers, while the 14 DSP blocks perform traffic-shaping calculations. The commercial 0–85 °C operating range suits temperature-controlled CO environments. The 1020-ball FC-FBGA provides ample I/O for SGMII, XAUI, and backplane serial interfaces simultaneously, which is essential for line-card designs that must support multiple PHY types.
Recommended
ASIC Prototyping Platform
The EP1SGX40GF1020C6 is widely used for ASIC and SoC prototyping because of its 41,250-LE capacity, large embedded memory, and abundant user I/Os that map cleanly to ASIC pin-outs. Designers partition their ASIC RTL across multiple FPGAs; the FC-FBGA-1020 package provides the high pin count needed for inter-FPGA connections. The multi-gigabit transceivers handle high-speed chip-to-chip serial links on the prototyping board. Quartus II synthesis supports partition-based prototyping flows tailored to the Stratix GX architecture.
Recommended
Radar Signal Processing
The 14 embedded DSP blocks of the EP1SGX40GF1020C6 deliver hundreds of 18×18 multipliers for radar FFT and pulse-compression pipelines. Combined with the multi-gigabit transceivers for ADADC data ingest and the 3.4 Mbit block RAM for sample buffering, the device can implement real-time radar baseband processing on a single chip. The commercial temperature grade suits ground-based and naval radar platforms. The large FBGA package enables dense routing for high-speed LVDS ADC interfaces.
Recommended
Test and Measurement Instrumentation
High-end logic analyzers, BERTs, and protocol analyzers use the EP1SGX40GF1020C6 to drive multi-channel high-speed serial capture and pattern generation. The transceivers handle data rates up to multi-gigabit speeds required by USB 3.0, SATA, and PCIe Gen2 receivers, while the abundant block RAM captures long records at full line rate. The 624 I/Os drive parallel test buses and display backplanes. The C6 speed grade ensures deterministic timing for protocol compliance testing in lab environments.
Recommended
Video Broadcast Processing
Broadcast studios use the EP1SGX40GF1020C6 for SD/HD/3G-SDI routing, up/down/cross-conversion, and overlay processing. The DSP blocks implement 4:2:2 chroma interpolation and scaling filters in real time, and the multi-gigabit transceivers receive SDI streams at 2.97 Gbps (3G-SDI) directly. The 624 I/Os expose enough pins for multiple SDI input/output channels plus audio embedding and GPI control. The large FC-BGA package supports the signal-integrity layout required by SDI jitter specifications.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for EP1SGX40GF1020C6 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EP1SGX40GF1020C5 | EP1SGX40GF1020C5N | EP1SGX40DF1020C6 | EP1SGX40FF1020C6 | EP1SGX25FF1020C6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Altera (Intel FPGA) | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera | Altera |
| Package | 1020-ball FC-FBGA (33×33 mm) | 1020-ball FC-FBGA (33×33 mm) — same | 1020-ball FC-FBGA (33×33 mm) — same | 1020-ball FC-FBGA (33×33 mm) — same | 1020-ball FC-FBGA (33×33 mm) — same | 1020-ball FC-FBGA (33×33 mm) — same |
| Logic Elements | 41,250 | 41,250 (same) | 41,250 (same) | 41,250 (same) | 41,250 (same) | 25,750 (~38% lower) |
| Speed Grade | C6 | C5 (slower) | C5 (slower) | C6 (same) | C6 (same) | C6 (same) |
| Embedded Transceivers | Yes (multi-gigabit) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | Yes (same) | No (base Stratix) | Yes (same) |
| Total RAM Bits | 3,423,744 | 3,423,744 (same) | 3,423,744 (same) | 3,423,744 (same) | 3,423,744 (same) | 1,944,576 (~43% lower) |
| Core Voltage | 1.425 V – 1.575 V | 1.425 V – 1.575 V (same) | 1.425 V – 1.575 V (same) | 1.425 V – 1.575 V (same) | 1.425 V – 1.575 V (same) | 1.425 V – 1.575 V (same) |
| Operating Temperature | 0 °C to +85 °C (Commercial) | 0 °C to +85 °C (same) | 0 °C to +85 °C (same) | 0 °C to +85 °C (same) | 0 °C to +85 °C (same) | 0 °C to +85 °C (same) |
Key Differentiators
- Higher logic density (41,250 LEs) than the EP1SGX25 family (vs EP1SGX25FF1020C6)
- Integrated multi-gigabit transceivers versus base Stratix (vs EP1SGX40FF1020C6)
- Faster C6 speed grade versus C5 (vs EP1SGX40GF1020C5)
Design Notes
Estimated: The 1020-ball FC-FBGA uses a 1.0 mm pitch on a 33 × 33 mm substrate; this demands microvia (laser-drilled) PCB technology, high-IPC-6012 Class 3 manufacturing, and a high-layer-count stack-up (8+ layers recommended) to fan out the inner balls. Use a 1 oz copper outer layer plus 0.5 oz inner layers for power delivery; controlled-impedance routing for transceiver differential pairs must be modeled against the transceiver channel spec of 100 Ω differential.
Estimated: The Stratix GX core draws substantial current at 1.5 V; budget at least 20 A on the core supply rail for typical 41,250-LE designs with active transceivers. Use a multi-phase buck regulator with output accuracy ±3% across load transients, and decouple with a mix of 470 µF bulk, 22 µF ceramic, and 0.1 µF/0.01 µF high-frequency capacitors placed as close as possible to each VCC/GND ball pair.
Estimated: Transceiver channels must be routed with length-matched (within 150 µm) 100 Ω differential pairs, no more than two vias per Tx or Rx pair, and continuous reference planes on adjacent layers. Series AC-coupling capacitors (typically 100 nF) must be placed on each transmit pair per the Stratix GX handbook; verify DC blocking tolerance against your protocol (PCIe, XAUI, etc.).
The C6 speed grade is the production-grade bin and should not be substituted with I-grade parts on the same board without re-running the Quartus II timing analysis. Industrial-grade (I6/I7) parts differ only in temperature range and require explicit ordering. Mixing FPGA temperature grades on a single JTAG chain can confuse configuration; do not chain C-grade and I-grade parts unless the design is re-validated.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH compliance was not stated in the verified web data; the EP1SGX40GF1020C6 is a legacy Altera part predating widespread RoHS documentation. RoHS-compliant N-suffixed variants (e.g. EP1SGX40GF1020C5N) are recommended for new designs requiring lead-free assembly.
