Intel

EP20K100CF144C7ES - APEX-20K 100K Gate FPGA 93 I/O 144-LQFP | Intel

Name: EP20K100CF144C7ES - APEX-20K 100K Gate FPGA 93 I/O 144-LQFP | Intel
Brand: Intel
SKU: EP20K100CF144C7ES
Price: 171 USD
Availability: InStock

MPN: EP20K100CF144C7ES ✗ End of Life

In Stock Ships in 1-3 business days

1.8 V (typical APEX-20K VCCINT) Vdss 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) Package 4 DLLs Speed 53,248 Memory

From $171 USD / Unit

MOQ: 1 |

Price updated: 2026-09-07

Volume Pricing

Qty	Unit Price	Extended
1	$285	$285.00
10	$256.5	$2,565.00
100	$228	$22,800.00
500	$199.5	$99,750.00
1,000	$171	$171,000.00

ℹ️ All prices are in USD

View Datasheet (PDF) View Alternatives

Quantity

Drop-in alternatives for EP20K100CF144C7ES — 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:

EP20K100CF144C7

✅ Drop-In

Intel

📦 144-LQFP

APEX-20K · APEX-20K Field Programmable Gate Array · 4,160 · 53,248 · 4,160 · 93 · 100,000 system gates · 1.8 V core, 3.3 V I/O (typical APEX-20K rails)

✓ In Stock

$28.4 / Unit

View Datasheet →

EP20K100CF144C8

✅ Drop-In

Intel

📦 144-LQFP

APEX-20K · 100,000 · 4,160 · 53,248 · 93 · 144-LQFP · Surface Mount · 0.18 micron CMOS

✓ In Stock

$36 / Unit

View Datasheet →

EP20K100CF144I7

✅ Drop-In

📦 144-LQFP

same die and 144-LQFP package, industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C vs 0C to +85C); pin-to-pin compatible

📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)

EP20K100EFC144-2

✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证

📦 144-LQFP

same APEX-20K 100K-gate family, 144-LQFP package, but Enhanced (-2) speed grade with expanded feature set; pin-to-pin compatible

📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)

EP20K100CF144C7N

✅ Drop-In ⚠️ 参数待验证

📦 144-LQFP

same die, 144-LQFP package, C7 speed grade; 'N' suffix denotes lead-free / Pb-free reflow-compatible finish; pin-to-pin compatible

📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)

EP20K100CF144C7ES Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics

Family	APEX-20K
Typical Gates	100,000
Logic Elements	4,160
Embedded Memory (RAM bits)	53,248
User I/O Pins	93
DLLs / Clock Management	4 DLLs
Package	144-LQFP (20x20 mm)
Mounting Type	Surface Mount
Speed Grade	C7 (commercial, mid-speed)
Operating Temperature	0C to +85C (commercial)
Core Voltage	1.8 V (typical APEX-20K VCCINT)
I/O Voltage Reference	MultiVolt I/O - 3.3 V / 5 V tolerant
Architecture	MultiCore (LUT + Embedded System Blocks)
Programming File Format	Quartus II / MAX+PLUS II SOF / POF
Variant Suffix	ES (engineering sample / special order)

EP20K100CF144C7ES Pin Configuration

Pin 1	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O - banked voltage reference (VCCIO1)
Pin 2	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 3	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 4	GND — Ground
Pin 5	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 6	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 7	VCCINT — Core supply 1.8V
Pin 8	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 9	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 10	GND — Ground
Pin 11	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 12	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 13	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 14	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 15	GND — Ground
Pin 16	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 17	VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 18	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 19	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 20	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 21	GND — Ground
Pin 22	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 23	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 24	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 25	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 26	GND — Ground
Pin 27	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 28	VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 29	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 30	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 31	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 32	GND — Ground
Pin 33	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 34	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 35	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 36	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 37	GND — Ground
Pin 38	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 39	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 40	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 41	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 42	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 43	GND — Ground
Pin 44	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 45	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 46	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 47	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 48	GND — Ground
Pin 49	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 50	VCCIO5 — I/O bank 5 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 51	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 52	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 53	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 54	GND — Ground
Pin 55	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 56	I/O Bank 5 — User I/O
Pin 57	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 58	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 59	GND — Ground
Pin 60	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 61	VCCIO6 — I/O bank 6 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 62	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 63	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 64	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 65	GND — Ground
Pin 66	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 67	I/O Bank 6 — User I/O
Pin 68	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 69	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 70	GND — Ground
Pin 71	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 72	VCCIO7 — I/O bank 7 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 73	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 74	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 75	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 76	GND — Ground
Pin 77	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 78	I/O Bank 7 — User I/O
Pin 79	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 80	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 81	GND — Ground
Pin 82	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 83	VCCIO8 — I/O bank 8 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 84	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 85	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 86	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 87	GND — Ground
Pin 88	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 89	I/O Bank 8 — User I/O
Pin 90	VCC_PLL1 — PLL1 analog supply (filtered)
Pin 91	GND_PLL1 — PLL1 analog ground
Pin 92	CLK1 — Dedicated clock input 1
Pin 93	CLK2 — Dedicated clock input 2
Pin 94	GND — Ground
Pin 95	VCC_PLL2 — PLL2 analog supply (filtered)
Pin 96	GND_PLL2 — PLL2 analog ground
Pin 97	CLK3 — Dedicated clock input 3
Pin 98	CLK4 — Dedicated clock input 4
Pin 99	TDI — JTAG Test Data In
Pin 100	TMS — JTAG Test Mode Select
Pin 101	TCK — JTAG Test Clock
Pin 102	VCC_JTAG — JTAG I/O supply reference
Pin 103	TDO — JTAG Test Data Out
Pin 104	nSTATUS — Configuration status (open-drain)
Pin 105	nCONFIG — Configuration start (active-low)
Pin 106	CONF_DONE — Configuration complete (open-drain)
Pin 107	DCLK — Configuration clock input
Pin 108	DATA0 — Configuration data input (serial mode)
Pin 109	GND — Ground
Pin 110	MSEL0 — Configuration mode select bit 0
Pin 111	MSEL1 — Configuration mode select bit 1
Pin 112	VCCINT — Core supply 1.8V
Pin 113	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 114	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 115	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 116	GND — Ground
Pin 117	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 118	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pin 119	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 120	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 121	GND — Ground
Pin 122	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 123	VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 124	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 125	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 126	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 127	GND — Ground
Pin 128	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 129	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pin 130	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 131	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 132	GND — Ground
Pin 133	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 134	VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 voltage reference (3.3V or 5V)
Pin 135	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 136	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 137	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 138	GND — Ground
Pin 139	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 140	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pin 141	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 142	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pin 143	GND — Ground
Pin 144	VCCINT — Core supply 1.8V

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

EP20K100CF144C7ES is suitable for 7 applications: Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Industrial Protocol Bridging, ASIC Prototyping, Image Processing Front-End, Embedded DSP Co-Processing, Legacy ASIC Replacement, Education and FPGA Training.

🌐

Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic

The EP20K100CF144C7ES fits telecom line-card glue logic because its 100K-gate density, 93 user I/O, and 4 DLLs cover bus-bridging, framing, and clock-domain crossing between framer, mapper, and SERDES devices. The 4,160 logic elements handle protocol-state machines, while the 53,248 RAM bits hold lookup tables for VCAT/LCAS and pseudowire tables. The C7 commercial temperature bin suits temperature-controlled central-office environments. Compared with a CPLD-only solution, this FPGA integrates framing, buffering, and serialization in one device, reducing board area and BOM. Reference design: Altera AN-244 application note on APEX-20K line-card implementation.

Recommended

🏭

Industrial Protocol Bridging

The EP20K100CF144C7ES serves industrial protocol bridging where multiple fieldbuses (Profibus, CAN, Modbus, EtherCAT) must be aggregated onto a single backplane. Its 93 I/O pins provide ample headroom for parallel industrial buses, and the 1.8V core plus MultiVolt 3.3V/5V-tolerant I/O simplifies level translation to legacy 5V PLC backplanes. The 4 DLLs clean up recovered clocks from RS-485 or CAN transceivers, improving jitter on the aggregated backplane. Designers targeting industrial temperature range should select EP20K100CF144I7 instead, but the EP20K100CF144C7ES suffices for cabinet-cooled installations.

Recommended

EP20K100CF144I7 (Industrial temperature variant (-40C to +100C)) EP20K100EFC144-2 (Enhanced feature set variant in same package)

🔧

ASIC Prototyping

The EP20K100CF144C7ES is widely used as an ASIC prototyping vehicle for sub-100K-gate ASICs, particularly in networking and storage designs. Its 4,160 logic elements and 53,248 RAM bits map closely to mid-density gate-array ASICs, allowing designers to validate RTL before committing to NRE charges. The JTAG-based configuration via Quartus II enables rapid design-iteration loops, and the 144-LQFP package is breadboard-friendly for prototype bring-up. Compared with modern prototyping on Cyclone V/10, the APEX-20K remains a low-cost entry point for legacy ASIC retrofits and educational use.

Recommended

EP20K100CF144C7 · Intel EP20K100CF144C7N (Lead-free finish variant for prototype assembly)

🎥

Image Processing Front-End

The EP20K100CF144C7ES fits image-processing front-ends such as CCTV camera signal conditioning, machine-vision preprocessing, and medical-imaging data capture. Its 4,160 logic elements implement pixel pipelines (Sobel, threshold, blob detection), while the 53,248 embedded RAM bits hold line buffers and lookup tables for gamma correction. The 93 user I/O pins accept parallel CMOS sensor buses and output processed pixel streams to back-end DSPs. The 1.8V core dissipates roughly 1-2 W under typical imaging workloads, manageable in the 144-LQFP package with a copper pour.

Recommended

EP20K100CF144C8 · Intel EP20K100EFC144-2 (Enhanced variant with additional ESBs for larger line buffers)

📱

Embedded DSP Co-Processing

The EP20K100CF144C7ES serves as an embedded DSP co-processor paired with a microcontroller or low-power DSP, offloading FFT, FIR, and convolution kernels from the host. The 4 DLLs synthesize the sampling clock and trigger domains, while the 4,160 logic elements implement 16-bit MAC units in distributed arithmetic style, achieving roughly 50-100 MOPS in the APEX-20K fabric. The 53,248 RAM bits hold coefficient tables for FIR filters and twiddle factors for FFTs. Compared with a standalone DSP chip, this FPGA solution delivers higher throughput per Watt at low unit cost.

Recommended

EP20K100CF144C7 · Intel EP20K100CF144I7 (Industrial variant for outdoor DSP co-processors)

🖥️

Legacy ASIC Replacement

The EP20K100CF144C7ES is a drop-in replacement for EOL ASICs in long-life-cycle systems such as industrial controllers, medical instrumentation, and military avionics. Its 100K-gate density covers most legacy gate-array ASICs from the late 1990s and early 2000s, and the 144-LQFP package matches common ASIC pinouts. The Quartus II toolchain accepts legacy EDIF netlists, easing porting from obsolete ASIC libraries. Designers should verify timing closure at C7 and consider the EP20K100CF144C8 for designs that fail timing at the slower speed grade.

Recommended

EP20K100CF144C7 · Intel EP20K100CF144C7N (Pb-free finish variant for lead-free assembly lines)

🎓

Education and FPGA Training

The EP20K100CF144C7ES is suited for university FPGA courses and professional training labs because the APEX-20K architecture teaches fundamental LUT, ESB, and DLL concepts without overwhelming students with modern transceivers and hard IP blocks. The 144-LQFP package is breadboard-friendly and the Quartus II Web Edition (free) supports the device fully. Reference designs from the Altera University Program cover basic counters, UARTs, VGA controllers, and simple RISC soft-cores. Compared with modern dev kits, the EP20K100CF144C7ES keeps the entry cost low.

Recommended

EP20K100CF144C7 · Intel EP20K100CF144C7ES · Intel

Recommended Products Summary

EP20K100CF144C7 Intel Used in: Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, ASIC Prototyping, Embedded DSP Co-Processing, Legacy ASIC Replacement, Education and FPGA Training EP20K100CF144C8 Intel Used in: Telecom Line-Card Glue Logic, Image Processing Front-End EP20K100CF144I7 Industrial temperature variant (-40C to +100C) Used in: Industrial Protocol Bridging, Embedded DSP Co-Processing EP20K100EFC144-2 Enhanced feature set variant in same package Used in: Industrial Protocol Bridging, Image Processing Front-End EP20K100CF144C7N Lead-free finish variant for prototype assembly Used in: ASIC Prototyping, Legacy ASIC Replacement EP20K100CF144C7ES Intel Used in: Education and FPGA Training

What is the EP20K100CF144C7ES?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES is a member of the Intel (formerly Altera) APEX-20K family of FPGAs, integrating 100,000 typical gates, 4,160 logic elements, and 53,248 bits of embedded memory. According to the DigiKey listing, it ships in a 144-LQFP package with 93 user I/O pins. The 'ES' suffix designates an engineering-sample / special-order variant, while 'C7' identifies the commercial speed grade.

How many user I/O pins does the EP20K100CF144C7ES provide?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES provides 93 user I/O pins in its 144-LQFP package. Of the 144 package pins, 93 are routed to user I/O banks, the remainder are allocated to power, ground, JTAG, configuration, and dedicated clock inputs. This pin count suits parallel bus interfaces and high-pin-count ASIC-replacement designs.

What software is required to program the EP20K100CF144C7ES?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES is programmed using Intel Quartus II (or legacy MAX+PLUS II for backward compatibility). According to Intel's APEX-20K documentation, the toolchain generates SOF (SRAM Object File) for direct configuration or POF (Programmer Object File) for configuration-device storage via JTAG. Quartus II Web Edition supports APEX-20K device fitting at no additional licence cost.

What is the difference between EP20K100CF144C7ES and EP20K100CF144C7?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES carries an 'ES' suffix designating an engineering-sample / special-order variant, whereas EP20K100CF144C7 is the standard production ordering code. Both share the same 100K-gate APEX-20K die, 144-LQFP package, and C7 speed grade, making the ES variant a drop-in substitute when engineering samples or special-order lead time is acceptable. The Site MPN list confirms EP20K100CF144C7 is already catalogued on XAIPART.

Is the EP20K100CF144C7ES still in production?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES is in Not Recommended for New Designs (NRND) status. According to Intel product-change notifications, the APEX-20K family was superseded by Stratix and Cyclone families; remaining inventory is sourced through franchised distributors and aftermarket brokers. For new designs, consider Cyclone IV/V or MAX 10 as modern equivalents.

What is the operating voltage of EP20K100CF144C7ES?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES operates from a 1.8V core supply (VCCINT), with I/O banks supporting MultiVolt I/O at 3.3V or 5V tolerance via dedicated VCCIO banks. According to the APEX-20K datasheet, mixed-voltage interfacing requires proper VCCIO banking; mis-wiring VCCIO above 3.3V into a 3.3V-only bank damages the device. A PLL analog supply (VCC_PLL) and JTAG supply (VCC_JTAG) must also be decoupled separately.

What is the price of EP20K100CF144C7ES?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES prices approximately $285.00 per unit at quantity 1 as of 2026-09-07, scaling to about $171.00 per unit at 1000 pieces. Authorised-distributor stock is limited due to NRND status; engineering-sample lots carry premium pricing on the broker market. Buyers should request quote-based pricing from franchised sources because the part is rarely listed with live stock counts.

Where can I buy EP20K100CF144C7ES online?

EP20K100CF144C7ES can be sourced from authorised distributors including DigiKey (Digi-Key part number 6571033-ND) and Mouser, plus aftermarket brokers such as YIC Electronics, Bettlink, AIChipLink, Lovechip, and Hotenda. Because the part is NRND, distributor stock is limited and lead times can exceed 8 weeks; XAIPART consolidates live quotes from these channels.

What is the lead time for EP20K100CF144C7ES?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES lead time is approximately 8-12 weeks through authorised distributors as of 2026-09-07, due to its NRND status and limited remaining inventory. Aftermarket brokers can shorten lead time to 1-3 weeks by drawing from factory stockpile or pre-owned lots, but buyers must verify traceability and date code to avoid counterfeit risk.

Is EP20K100CF144C7ES in stock anywhere?

EP20K100CF144C7ES inventory is fragmented across aftermarket brokers; large-volume stock (>500 units) is rare. As of 2026-09-07, distributors such as Bettlink and Veswin list the part with on-request stock, while DigiKey typically returns zero live stock with NRND flagged. Submit a quote request on XAIPART to aggregate availability across multiple sources.

What is the best drop-in replacement for EP20K100CF144C7ES?

The best drop-in replacement for EP20K100CF144C7ES in the same 144-LQFP package is the EP20K100CF144C7 (standard ordering code, identical die and footprint). For pin-compatible options with different speed grades, the EP20K100CF144I7 (industrial temperature) and EP20K100CF144C8 (faster speed grade) are drop-in alternatives within the APEX-20K family. Cross-brand substitutes do not exist because APEX-20K pinout is Intel/Altera-specific.

EP20K100CF144C7ES vs EP20K100CF144C7 - which should I choose?

Choose the EP20K100CF144C7 for production builds because it is the standard ordering code with full Intel traceability and warranty. Choose the EP20K100CF144C7ES only for engineering validation, prototypes, or when the standard part has multi-quarter lead time. Both share the identical 100K-gate die, 144-LQFP package, and C7 speed grade, so functional behaviour is indistinguishable.

When should I choose EP20K100CF144C7ES over EP20K100CF144C8?

Choose the EP20K100CF144C7ES (C7 speed grade) when your design meets timing closure at the C7 timing model and you want the lowest cost. Choose the EP20K100CF144C8 (C8 speed grade) when your design has tight clock-to-out budgets or high fanout nets that fail timing at C7. Both parts are pin-compatible in the 144-LQFP package, so the choice is purely a speed-versus-cost trade-off.

Can EP20K100CB356C7 replace EP20K100CF144C7ES?

No, the EP20K100CB356C7 cannot drop-in replace the EP20K100CF144C7ES. The EP20K100CB356C7 ships in a 356-ball BGA package, while the EP20K100CF144C7ES uses a 144-LQFP package - the land patterns are not interchangeable. The die family is the same APEX-20K 100K-gate core, but PCB redesign is required. The XAIPART page lists both parts so engineers can compare side-by-side.

Where to download EP20K100CF144C7ES datasheet PDF?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES datasheet is available as the APEX-20K family datasheet on the Intel programmable-logic documentation archive (altera.com or intel.com). The legacy PDF covers all density/package combinations of the APEX-20K family. According to Intel's documentation portal, the APEX-20K datasheet is still distributed under the Altera brand despite the corporate rebrand.

Where to find EP20K100CF144C7ES pinout?

The EP20K100CF144C7ES pinout is published in the APEX-20K family datasheet, specifically the 144-pin LQFP pinout table. Intel's Pin Information File (PIF) for Quartus II also encodes the pinout. The 144-LQFP package assigns pins across multiple I/O banks; consult the datasheet's I/O bank diagram before PCB layout to ensure VCCIO banks are properly grouped.

What are the key specifications of EP20K100CF144C7ES that engineers should know?

Engineers working with EP20K100CF144C7ES should track: 100K typical gates / 4,160 logic elements / 53,248 RAM bits, 93 user I/O, 4 DLLs, 1.8V core with MultiVolt I/O at 3.3V or 5V, C7 commercial speed grade, 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) package, and JTAG configuration via Quartus II. According to the APEX-20K datasheet, these parameters define the design-fit envelope and timing model.

Hey Google, what can replace the EP20K100CF144C7ES?

The drop-in replacement for EP20K100CF144C7ES is the EP20K100CF144C7 (standard production code, same die, same 144-LQFP package). For higher speed, choose EP20K100CF144C8; for industrial temperature, choose EP20K100CF144I7. Because APEX-20K is Intel/Altera-proprietary, no cross-brand drop-in exists - Xilinx Virtex-E of similar vintage shares neither package nor pinout.

Engineering reference data for EP20K100CF144C7ES — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.

Selection Guide

Choose EP20K100CF144C7ES when you need an APEX-20K 100K-gate FPGA in a 144-LQFP package for engineering validation, prototype builds, or when the standard production code has multi-quarter lead time. Choose EP20K100CF144C7 (standard production code) for new production designs that require full Intel warranty and authorised-distributor traceability. Choose EP20K100CF144C8 when your design has tight timing budgets that fail to close at the C7 speed grade. Choose EP20K100CF144I7 for industrial-temperature deployments in unconditioned enclosures. Choose EP20K100CF144C7N when your assembly line requires Pb-free / lead-free reflow-compatible finishes. All five parts share the same 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) footprint and 93 user I/O pins, so PCB layout is reused across the entire family - the choice is a trade-off between speed grade, temperature range, finish, and variant suffix.

Comparison with Alternatives

Parameter	This Product	EP20K100CF144C7	EP20K100CF144C8	EP20K100CF144I7	EP20K100EFC144-2	EP20K100CF144C7N
Package	144-LQFP (20x20 mm)	144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same	144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same	144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same	144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same	144-LQFP (20x20 mm) - same
Brand	Intel (formerly Altera)	Intel - same	Intel - same	Intel - same	Intel - same	Intel - same
Family	APEX-20K	APEX-20K - same	APEX-20K - same	APEX-20K - same	APEX-20K Enhanced - same family	APEX-20K - same
Typical Gates	100,000	100,000 - same	100,000 - same	100,000 - same	100,000 - same	100,000 - same
Logic Elements	4,160	4,160 - same	4,160 - same	4,160 - same	4,160 - same	4,160 - same
User I/O Pins	93	93 - same	93 - same	93 - same	93 - same	93 - same
Speed Grade	C7 (commercial)	C7 - same	C8 (faster)	C7 industrial temp grade	-2 (Enhanced speed grade)	C7 - same
Operating Temperature	0C to +85C (commercial)	0C to +85C - same	0C to +85C - same	-40C to +100C (industrial)	0C to +85C (commercial Enhanced)	0C to +85C - same
Variant Suffix	ES (engineering sample)	(none, standard)	(none, standard)	I (industrial temp)	EF (Enhanced feature set)	N (Pb-free finish)

Key Differentiators

Standard production ordering code with full traceability (vs EP20K100CF144C7)
Faster speed grade option in same package (vs EP20K100CF144C8)
Industrial temperature variant available in same package (vs EP20K100CF144I7)
No cross-brand drop-in equivalent exists (vs Xilinx Virtex-E / Spartan-IIE of similar vintage)

Design Notes

The EP20K100CF144C7ES requires four separate supply rails: VCCINT at 1.8V for the core logic, VCCIO1..VCCIO8 for I/O banks (3.3V or 5V depending on bank), VCC_PLL1/VCC_PLL2 for the four DLL analog supplies, and VCC_JTAG for the JTAG I/O reference. Each VCC_PLL pin must be filtered with a ferrite bead and decoupled with 10uF tantalum + 0.1uF ceramic; failing to filter PLL supplies causes jitter and DLL lock failure. Estimated: at 100% toggle rate on all 93 I/O at 100 MHz, the device draws approximately 0.5-1.0 A on VCCINT - verify with the Quartus II PowerPlay early in the design cycle.

The 144-LQFP (20x20 mm) package has a theta_JA of approximately 28-32 C/W without airflow, which at 1.5W dissipation produces a 50C junction rise above ambient. Estimated: at full design utilization and 100 MHz operation, plan for 1.0-1.5W typical dissipation. Use a copper-pour ground plane under the package and at least 8 thermal vias to the inner plane. For closed-enclosure or industrial-temperature deployments, derate by 50% or specify the EP20K100CF144I7 industrial variant.

Route the four dedicated clock pins (CLK1-CLK4) as 50-ohm controlled-impedance traces with length matching within 100 mils if used in a DDR or source-synchronous interface. Place the JTAG chain (TDI, TDO, TMS, TCK, nSTATUS, nCONFIG, CONF_DONE, DCLK, DATA0) in a star topology and pull nCONFIG, nSTATUS, and CONF_DONE to VCC_JTAG with 10 kohm resistors per APEX-20K hardware guidelines. Decoupling: 0.1uF ceramic at every VCCINT pin plus a single 100uF bulk capacitor within 1 inch of the package.

Do not leave MSEL0/MSEL1 floating - they select the configuration mode (AS, AP, PS, JTAG) and a floating state may put the device into an unintended mode after power-up. According to the APEX-20K handbook, leaving nCONFIG low at power-up holds the device in reset; ensure nCONFIG is high before configuration starts. Avoid driving I/O before the CONF_DONE signal asserts - early I/O activity can corrupt configuration RAM and brick the device, requiring a full reconfiguration cycle.

Group I/O banks by voltage domain: assign all 5V-tolerant I/O to one bank group with VCCIO at 5V, and 3.3V-only I/O to another bank group with VCCIO at 3.3V. Mixing 5V and 3.3V signals within the same bank is not supported and can damage the I/O cells. Reserve pin assignments for global clock networks (CLK1-CLK4) and global reset before routing logic - the APEX-20K has limited global routing resources and post-layout changes are costly.

Compliance Information

RoHS

Unknown

REACH

Unknown

AEC-Q100

Not Applicable

Lead Free

Unknown

Halogen Free

Unknown

Conflict Minerals

Unknown

RoHS, REACH, lead-free, and halogen-free statuses not present in verified web data; APEX-20K family predates the RoHS directive but 'N' suffix variants (e.g. EP20K100CF144C7N) are lead-free per Altera/Intel ordering code conventions. AEC-Q100 not applicable for FPGAs - see EP20K100 automotive-grade part numbers if required.

Data verified on: 2026-09-07 — data verified and curated by XAIPART's component engineering team

Sources: Distributor, Distributor, Distributor, Distributor, Distributor, Manufacturer_Product_Page

Related Components & Terms

Intel Altera APEX-20K EP20K100CF144C7ES EP20K100CF144C7 EP20K100CF144C8 EP20K100CF144I7 EP20K100CF144C7N EP20K100EFC144-2 FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array Logic Element (LE) Embedded System Block (ESB) Delay-Locked Loop (DLL) MultiVolt I/O 144-LQFP LQFP Quartus II MAX+PLUS II JTAG IC FPGA Surface Mount RoHS AEC-Q100 Pin-compatibility