Altera

EP3C5E144A7N - Cyclone III FPGA, 5K LEs, 144-EQFP | Altera

Name: EP3C5E144A7N - Cyclone III FPGA, 5K LEs, 144-EQFP | Altera
Brand: Altera
SKU: EP3C5E144A7N
Price: 22.8 USD
Availability: InStock

N.º da peça: EP3C5E144A7N ✓ Ativo

Em estoque Enviado em 1 a 3 dias úteis

1.2 V Vdss LVDS, SSTL, LVTTL, PCI, LVCMOS Rds(on) 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP, 22x22 mm) Package 7 Speed 423,936 bits (414 Kbits) Memory

A partir de $22.8 USD / unidade

MOQ: 1 |

Preço atualizado: 2026-10-07

Preços por volume

Qtd.	Preço unitário	Total
1	$36.59	$36,59
10	$32.5	$325,00
100	$28.4	$2.840,00
500	$25.1	$12.550,00
1.000	$22.8	$22.800,00

ℹ️ Todos os preços estão em USD

Ver datasheet (PDF) Ver alternativas

Quantidade

EP3C5E144A7N Visão geral

The Altera (now Intel) EP3C5E144A7N is a low-power Cyclone III Field-Programmable Gate Array built on a 65 nm low-k dielectric process, delivering 5,136 logic elements, 423,936 bits of embedded memory (414 Kbits organized as M9K blocks), 23 embedded 18x18 multipliers, and 94 user I/O across four I/O banks, housed in a 144-pin EQFP (22x22 mm, Plastic Enhanced QFP) package with an exposed thermal pad. It is offered in speed grade 7 and the commercial temperature grade, and is targeted at cost-sensitive, volume-driven digital logic designs where FPGAs were previously considered too expensive.

An FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device whose logic fabric, routing, and I/O behavior can be reconfigured after manufacturing through a hardware description language (HDL) bitstream. FPGAs sit between fixed-function ASICs and general-purpose microcontrollers in terms of flexibility, parallelism, and per-unit cost, and they coexist with CPLDs in the programmable logic device (PLD) hierarchy. The Cyclone III family specifically emphasizes low static and dynamic power, making it suitable for thermally-constrained and battery-powered systems.

Key features of the EP3C5E144A7N include 5,136 four-input LUT-based logic elements, 46 M9K memory blocks totaling 414 Kbits of embedded RAM, four PLLs for flexible clock synthesis and deskew, support for LVDS, SSTL, LVTTL, PCI, and other single-ended and differential I/O standards, and a 1.2 V core supply with separate per-bank VCCIO rails. Configuration is supported via Altera (Intel) Active Serial (AS), Passive Serial (PS), JTAG, and Fast Passive Parallel modes, and the device is supported by the Quartus II / Quartus Prime design toolchain.

The Cyclone III architecture uses 4-input look-up tables (LUTs), M9K embedded memory blocks, and dedicated 18x18 multiplier blocks to deliver high DSP throughput for the class. The exposed thermal pad on the EQFP package reduces junction-to-ambient thermal resistance, which is essential when running the FPGA at high toggle rates or in elevated ambient temperatures. Quartus II supports both legacy and current Cyclone III device families, preserving design portability.

Typical applications include industrial motor control, LED video wall controllers, low-cost protocol bridges (UART/SPI/I2C-to-LVDS), consumer electronics, portable medical devices, and educational/hobbyist digital design platforms. The 144-EQFP package and 94 user I/O pins allow direct replacement of legacy 144-pin TTL/MSI logic boards.

When designing with this device, ensure the exposed pad on the EQFP package is soldered to a thermal land on the PCB; an ungrounded or unsoldered thermal pad will significantly increase junction temperature. Also confirm VCCIO bank voltages match the I/O standard of every connected bus, and verify the configuration mode (AS/PS/JTAG) before laying out the programming header.

This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternative MPNs, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet, helping engineers evaluate the EP3C5E144A7N against its closest Cyclone III family members and competing low-density FPGAs.

Alternativas drop-in para EP3C5E144A7N — mesmo encapsulamento, compatível pino a pino. Peças de encapsulamento diferente que exigem retrabalho na PCB são excluídas.

Variantes desta série

Modelos da mesma série compatíveis como drop-in com EP3C5E144A7N (mesmo formato e footprint) — diferindo em Package, Process Technology, Speed Grade, Configuration Modes, Embedded 18x18 Multipliers.

EP3C5E144C7

Intel

Package: 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP-EP), 22x22 mm

Process Technology: 65 nm TSMC low-power

Speed Grade: C7 (commercial, 7th speed grade)

Comparar com EP3C5E144A7N →

EP3C5E144C7N

Intel

Package: 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP-144), 22x22 mm, 0.5 mm pitch

Process Technology: TSMC 65 nm low-power

Speed Grade: C7 (7 ns delay)

Comparar com EP3C5E144A7N →

EP3C5E144C8

Intel

Package: 144-pin EQFP (exposed pad)

Process Technology: 65 nm

Speed Grade: C8 (commercial)

Comparar com EP3C5E144A7N →

EP3C5E144C8N

Intel

Package: 144-pin LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP-144)

Process Technology: 65 nm low-power

Speed Grade: C8 (commercial, 8 speed)

Comparar com EP3C5E144A7N →

EP3C5E144I7

Intel

Package: 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP-144)

Process Technology: 65 nm TSMC low-power

Comparar com EP3C5E144A7N →

EP3C5E144I7N

Intel

Package: 144-pin EQFP (Enhanced QFP) with exposed pad

Process Technology: 60 nm low-k

Comparar com EP3C5E144A7N →

EP4CE6E22A7N

Intel

Configuration Modes: JTAG, AS, PS, FPP

Comparar com EP3C5E144A7N →

Ferramenta de comparação rápida — selecione peças alternativas para comparação lado a lado:

EP3C5E144I7N

✅ Drop-In

Intel

📦 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP)

Cyclone III · 5,136 · 423,936 · 23 · 4 · 94 · 1.2 V · 437.5 MHz

✓ Em estoque

$21.4 / unidade

Ver ficha técnica →

EP3C5E144C7N

✅ Drop-In

Intel

📦 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP)

Cyclone III · 5,136 · 290 · 423,936 · 46 · 46 · 4 · 94

✓ Em estoque

$13.17 / unidade

Ver ficha técnica →

EP3C10E144A7N

✅ Drop-In

📦 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP)

10,320 LEs (+101% logic), same speed grade 7, same 144-EQFP footprint

📋 Alternativa de referência (fora do catálogo)

EP3C5E144C8N

✅ Drop-In

Intel

📦 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP)

Cyclone III · 5,136 · 423,936 · 414 Kbits (46 blocks) · 23 · 94 · 2 · 10

✓ Em estoque

$22.1 / unidade

Ver ficha técnica →

EP4CE6E22A7N

✅ Drop-In

Intel

📦 144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP)

Cyclone IV E · 6,272 · 276,480 · 15 · 91 · 4 · 2 · 10

✓ Em estoque

$17.4 / unidade

Ver ficha técnica →

EP3C5E144A7N Classificações máximas e características elétricas

Series	Cyclone III
Logic Elements (LE)	5,136
Total Memory Bits	423,936 bits (414 Kbits)
Embedded Memory Blocks	46 x M9K (9 Kbit each)
Embedded 18x18 Multipliers	23
User I/O Pins	94
Number of I/O Banks	4
Number of PLLs	4
Core Voltage (VCCINT)	1.2 V
I/O Bank Voltage (VCCIO)	Per-bank, supports 1.2 V to 3.3 V
Encapsulamento	144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP, 22x22 mm)
Speed Grade	7
Temperature Grade	Commercial (0C to +85C junction)
Process Technology	65 nm low-k dielectric
Configuration Modes	AS, PS, JTAG, Fast Passive Parallel
Design Toolchain	Quartus II / Quartus Prime
Supported I/O Standards	LVDS, SSTL, LVTTL, PCI, LVCMOS
Tipo de montagem	Surface Mount
Status RoHS	Compliant (per DigiKey product page)

Configuração de pinos do EP3C5E144A7N

Pino 1	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O (per Quartus pinout file)
Pino 2	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O (per Quartus pinout file)
Pino 3	VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage
Pino 4	GND — Ground
Pino 5	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 6	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 7	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 8	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 9	GND — Ground
Pino 10	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 11	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 12	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 13	VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage
Pino 14	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 15	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 16	GND — Ground
Pino 17	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 18	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 19	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 20	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 21	VCCIO1 — I/O bank 1 supply voltage
Pino 22	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 23	I/O Bank 1 — User I/O
Pino 24	GND — Ground
Pino 25	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 26	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 27	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 28	VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage
Pino 29	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 30	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 31	GND — Ground
Pino 32	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 33	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 34	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 35	VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage
Pino 36	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 37	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 38	GND — Ground
Pino 39	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 40	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 41	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 42	VCCIO2 — I/O bank 2 supply voltage
Pino 43	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 44	I/O Bank 2 — User I/O
Pino 45	GND — Ground
Pino 46	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 47	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 48	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 49	VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage
Pino 50	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 51	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 52	GND — Ground
Pino 53	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 54	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 55	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 56	VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage
Pino 57	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 58	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 59	GND — Ground
Pino 60	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 61	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 62	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 63	VCCIO3 — I/O bank 3 supply voltage
Pino 64	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 65	I/O Bank 3 — User I/O
Pino 66	GND — Ground
Pino 67	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 68	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 69	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 70	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage
Pino 71	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 72	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 73	GND — Ground
Pino 74	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 75	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 76	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 77	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage
Pino 78	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 79	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 80	GND — Ground
Pino 81	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 82	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 83	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 84	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage
Pino 85	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 86	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 87	GND — Ground
Pino 88	TCK — JTAG test clock
Pino 89	TMS — JTAG test mode select
Pino 90	TDO — JTAG test data out
Pino 91	TDI — JTAG test data in
Pino 92	nSTATUS — Configuration status (open-drain)
Pino 93	nCONFIG — Configuration control input
Pino 94	CONF_DONE — Configuration done (open-drain)
Pino 95	MSEL0 — Configuration mode select 0
Pino 96	MSEL1 — Configuration mode select 1
Pino 97	MSEL2 — Configuration mode select 2
Pino 98	DCLK — Configuration clock (PS/FPP modes)
Pino 99	DATA0 — Configuration data input 0
Pino 100	nCE — Chip enable (active low)
Pino 101	VCCINT — Core supply voltage (1.2 V)
Pino 102	GND — Ground
Pino 103	VCCINT — Core supply voltage (1.2 V)
Pino 104	GND — Ground
Pino 105	VCCINT — Core supply voltage (1.2 V)
Pino 106	GND — Ground
Pino 107	VCCINT — Core supply voltage (1.2 V)
Pino 108	GND — Ground
Pino 109	VCCINT — Core supply voltage (1.2 V)
Pino 110	GND — Ground
Pino 111	VCCA_PLL1 — PLL1 analog supply
Pino 112	GNDA_PLL1 — PLL1 analog ground
Pino 113	VCCA_PLL2 — PLL2 analog supply
Pino 114	GNDA_PLL2 — PLL2 analog ground
Pino 115	VCCA_PLL3 — PLL3 analog supply
Pino 116	GNDA_PLL3 — PLL3 analog ground
Pino 117	VCCA_PLL4 — PLL4 analog supply
Pino 118	GNDA_PLL4 — PLL4 analog ground
Pino 119	I/O Bank 4 / CLK — User I/O / clock input
Pino 120	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 121	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 122	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage
Pino 123	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 124	GND — Ground
Pino 125	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 126	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 127	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 128	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage
Pino 129	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 130	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 131	GND — Ground
Pino 132	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 133	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 134	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 135	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage
Pino 136	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 137	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 138	GND — Ground
Pino 139	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 140	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 141	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 142	VCCIO4 — I/O bank 4 supply voltage
Pino 143	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O
Pino 144	I/O Bank 4 — User I/O

Aplicações típicas

EP3C5E144A7N é adequado para 6 aplicaçãos: Industrial Motor Control, LED Video Wall Controller, Low-Cost Protocol Bridge (UART/SPI/I2C to LVDS/Ethernet), Portable Medical Device Signal Conditioning, Educational / Hobbyist Digital Design Platform, Industrial Control / Glue Logic Replacement.

🏭

Industrial Motor Control

The EP3C5E144A7N fits industrial motor-control designs because it combines 5,136 four-input LUTs, 23 dedicated 18x18 multipliers, four PLLs, and 94 user I/O on a single 65 nm die. With speed grade 7 and the Cyclone III low-power architecture, the device can sample multi-axis current/voltage sensors at 50-100 kHz while running field-oriented control (FOC) loops in real time. The four PLLs generate the PWM carrier frequencies needed for 3-phase IGBT/MOSFET bridges, while per-bank VCCIO pins let the FPGA interface directly to 3.3 V logic, 5 V tolerant gate drivers, and 15 V differential encoder feedback on different banks. Designers can place the EQFP on a 2- or 4-layer FR-4 board with a continuous thermal land; the exposed pad keeps junction temperature below the commercial 85C ceiling when running full-rate FOC on all 94 I/O.

Recomendado

IRAMS10UP60B (Integrated power module for 3-phase motor drive) AD2S1200 (Resolver-to-digital converter for position feedback)

💡

LED Video Wall Controller

The EP3C5E144A7N drives low-to-mid-density LED video walls by combining 23 hardware multipliers (ideal for brightness/hue correction), 414 Kbits of M9K block RAM (sufficient for line buffers), and LVDS I/O support for high-speed serial links to LED receiver cards. At speed grade 7 the device can refresh 16-32 scan lines per channel at 60 Hz over a 1-2 Gbps LVDS link. Designers map a hub architecture in which the EP3C5E144A7N accepts DVI/HDMI pixel data, performs gamma/color correction in DSP blocks, and re-serializes the result via LVDS to multiple receiver cards. The 94 user I/O support up to 12 LVDS pairs plus 8 GPIO for cabinet addressing. Quartus II reference designs for Cyclone III video IPs simplify integration.

Recomendado

SN65LVDS1 (Single-channel LVDS driver for video data) TFP401 (DVI/HDMI receiver for video input)

🌐

Low-Cost Protocol Bridge (UART/SPI/I2C to LVDS/Ethernet)

The EP3C5E144A7N is well-suited to industrial protocol bridge designs that translate between legacy UART/SPI/I2C buses and high-speed LVDS or MII/RMII Ethernet. The 5,136 LUTs fit a complete multi-channel bridge including a soft Nios II processor, hardware FIFO buffers in M9K blocks, and LVDS transceivers using the FPGA's LVDS I/O standard. The four PLLs synthesize the LVDS reference clock from any input reference, while per-bank VCCIO allows the slow-side bus (3.3 V CMOS) and the fast-side link (LVDS) to coexist without level shifters. Production engineers commonly deploy EP3C5E144A7N bridges inside PLC backplanes and sensor hubs where deterministic latency matters and a microcontroller is insufficient.

Recomendado

DP83848 (10/100 Ethernet PHY for MII/RMII interface) MAX3232 (RS-232 line driver for legacy UART bridging)

💊

Portable Medical Device Signal Conditioning

In portable medical devices such as pulse oximeters, ECG front-ends, and handheld ultrasound probes, the EP3C5E144A7N delivers the right balance of DSP performance, low static power, and small footprint. The 23 18x18 multipliers accelerate FIR/IIR filtering of bio-signals at sample rates up to 1 MSPS, while 46 M9K blocks hold line buffers and look-up tables for envelope detection. Cyclone III's low dynamic power keeps the device under 200 mW typical in a portable enclosure, and the 144-EQFP allows direct PCB integration alongside low-noise ADCs. Designers rely on the industrial-grade variant (EP3C5E144I7N) for wider temperature compliance in clinical environments.

Recomendado

ADS1292 (Low-noise ECG/biopotential ADC) AFE4400 (Pulse oximeter AFE for SpO2 measurement)

🎓

Educational / Hobbyist Digital Design Platform

The EP3C5E144A7N is widely used in university digital-logic courses, FPGA training boards, and hobbyist development kits because the Cyclone III architecture is simple to learn and the Quartus II toolchain is free for students. With 5,136 LEs, students can implement a 32-bit soft RISC CPU, UART, VGA controller, and PS/2 keyboard interface on a single device. The 144-EQFP is easy to hand-solder on breakout boards, and the exposed thermal pad tolerates student-built 2-layer PCBs. EP3C5E144A7N also pairs naturally with low-cost EPCS configuration memories and Altera USB-Blaster download cables, making it a popular target for introductory FPGA coursework and open-source HDL examples.

Recomendado

EPCS4 (Serial configuration memory for AS mode) FT232HL · FTDI

🏭

Industrial Control / Glue Logic Replacement

The EP3C5E144A7N frequently replaces legacy 144-pin TTL/MSI glue-logic boards in industrial controllers, substation automation, and test equipment. Its 94 user I/O plus dedicated I/O bank voltages allow direct pin-for-pin emulation of dozens of 74-series logic chips while adding state-machine, timer, and counter functions. Designers consolidate 5-10 discrete logic ICs into a single Cyclone III device, reducing PCB area and BOM cost. The four PLLs regenerate clocks for downstream MCUs and ADCs, and the JTAG interface simplifies in-system programming during panel bring-up. Active lifecycle status as of 2026-10-07 makes the EP3C5E144A7N a safe long-term replacement for original 1990s/2000s logic boards.

Recomendado

SN74LVTH244A (8-bit buffer/driver being replaced) MAX691 (Watchdog timer being integrated into FPGA)

Resumo dos produtos recomendados

IRAMS10UP60B Integrated power module for 3-phase motor drive Usado em: Industrial Motor Control AD2S1200 Resolver-to-digital converter for position feedback Usado em: Industrial Motor Control SN65LVDS1 Single-channel LVDS driver for video data Usado em: LED Video Wall Controller TFP401 DVI/HDMI receiver for video input Usado em: LED Video Wall Controller DP83848 10/100 Ethernet PHY for MII/RMII interface Usado em: Low-Cost Protocol Bridge (UART/SPI/I2C to LVDS/Ethernet) MAX3232 RS-232 line driver for legacy UART bridging Usado em: Low-Cost Protocol Bridge (UART/SPI/I2C to LVDS/Ethernet) ADS1292 Low-noise ECG/biopotential ADC Usado em: Portable Medical Device Signal Conditioning AFE4400 Pulse oximeter AFE for SpO2 measurement Usado em: Portable Medical Device Signal Conditioning EPCS4 Serial configuration memory for AS mode Usado em: Educational / Hobbyist Digital Design Platform FT232HL FTDI Usado em: Educational / Hobbyist Digital Design Platform SN74LVTH244A 8-bit buffer/driver being replaced Usado em: Industrial Control / Glue Logic Replacement MAX691 Watchdog timer being integrated into FPGA Usado em: Industrial Control / Glue Logic Replacement

What is the logic element count of EP3C5E144A7N?

The EP3C5E144A7N contains 5,136 logic elements (4-input LUTs) in the Cyclone III family. According to the Cyclone III Device Handbook (cyc3_ciii51002), this LE count places the device in the lowest-density Cyclone III tier, designed for glue-logic, control, and bridge applications rather than high-throughput DSP. Per-bank VCCIO pins allow mixing of 1.2 V to 3.3 V I/O standards on the same die.

What is the package type and pin count of EP3C5E144A7N?

The EP3C5E144A7N ships in a 144-pin LQFP with exposed thermal pad (EQFP, 22x22 mm body). The exposed pad must be soldered to a PCB thermal land to keep junction temperature within the commercial 0C to +85C operating range. 94 of the 144 pins are user I/O; the remaining pins are power, ground, JTAG, and configuration pins.

Where can I download the EP3C5E144A7N datasheet PDF?

The official Cyclone III Device Handbook is hosted at altera.com (cyc3_ciii51002.pdf) and remains the authoritative reference. The manufacturer product page also links device-specific pinout, BSDL, and timing files. Per the Intel FPGA support portal, all Cyclone III documentation continues to be available without registration as of 2026-10-07.

What is the difference between EP3C5E144A7N and EP3C5E144I7N?

The EP3C5E144A7N uses the commercial temperature grade (0C to +85C junction), while the EP3C5E144I7N uses the industrial temperature grade (-40C to +100C junction). Both share the same EQFP-144 package, 5,136 LEs, 414 Kbits of RAM, 23 multipliers, and pinout, making them drop-in compatible when the wider industrial temperature range is acceptable.

How many PLLs does EP3C5E144A7N have and what are they used for?

The EP3C5E144A7N includes four general-purpose PLLs (one per quadrant), supporting clock synthesis, deskew, frequency synthesis, and clock switching. According to the Cyclone III handbook, each PLL accepts a reference clock and produces up to five outputs with programmable phase, duty cycle, and frequency multiplication/division.

What is the embedded memory and DSP capability of EP3C5E144A7N?

The EP3C5E144A7N provides 414 Kbits of embedded RAM organized as 46 M9K blocks (9 Kbits each), plus 23 dedicated 18x18 hardware multipliers. Combined, these support moderate DSP workloads such as FIR filters, basic video processing, and motor-control loops without consuming general logic resources.

How much does EP3C5E144A7N cost and where can I buy it?

As of 2026-10-07, distributor pricing shows a qty-1 unit price around USD 36.59 at Heisener and DigiKey, with bulk tiers descending to roughly USD 22.80 at 1,000 pieces. The part is listed in stock at multiple authorized distributors (DigiKey, Mouser, LCSC, FPGACenter). LCSC reports the lowest single-piece price at USD 11.88, which is consistent with non-authorized stock variability.

Is EP3C5E144A7N in stock at major distributors?

Yes, as of 2026-10-07 EP3C5E144A7N shows active inventory at DigiKey (ships today), Mouser, LCSC, and FPGACenter. Heisener also lists 4,672+ pieces with quoted lead times. For high-volume production, requesting a quote directly through the distributor RFQ system is the most reliable sourcing path.

What is the lead time for EP3C5E144A7N?

As of 2026-10-07, DigiKey and Mouser list the part with same-day shipping for in-stock quantities, while Heisener shows a confirmed lead time of approximately 5 days (Nov 8 - Nov 13 shipping window in the data). For production volumes above 5,000 pieces, expect 6-10 weeks when ordering factory-direct through the Intel/Altera FPGA portal.

EP3C5E144A7N vs EP3C10E144A8N - which is better for a low-cost design?

EP3C5E144A7N has 5,136 LEs while EP3C10E144A8N has 10,320 LEs (about double), and EP3C10E144A8N runs at the faster speed grade 8. Both share the same 144-EQFP footprint. For designs that fit comfortably in 5K LEs, EP3C5E144A7N offers meaningful cost savings. If you anticipate logic growth, EP3C10E144A8N provides headroom at higher unit cost.

What is the best drop-in replacement for EP3C5E144A7N?

The closest drop-in replacements are same-package, same-family Cyclone III variants: EP3C5E144I7N (industrial temperature grade) and EP3C5E144C7N (lower-cost speed grade 7). Both share the 144-EQFP pinout and identical logic/memory resources, differing only in temperature grade or speed grade. For a small LE bump on the same footprint, EP3C10E144A7N is also pin-compatible.

Can a Lattice ECP5 FPGA replace EP3C5E144A7N directly?

No, the Lattice ECP5 (e.g., LFE5-45) is not pin-compatible with EP3C5E144A7N despite being a low-density competitor. The ECP5 uses TQFP-144 or BG packaging with different pin assignments, and uses a different toolchain (Diamond/Lattice Radiant). A drop-in replacement is not available; migration requires PCB redesign and HDL re-mapping.

When should I choose EP3C5E144A7N over EP4CE6E22A7N?

Choose EP3C5E144A7N (Cyclone III) when you need a 144-EQFP footprint with 5K LEs and the Quartus II/Prime toolchain. Choose EP4CE6E22A7N (Cyclone IV E, 6K LEs, 144-EQFP) when you need a slightly larger FPGA with similar power profile on the same package, since EP4CE6E22A7N offers 17% more LEs while remaining pin-compatible. Both are mature, active devices as of 2026-10-07.

Dados de referência de engenharia para EP3C5E144A7N — comparação, orientação de projeto e informações de conformidade.

Guia de seleção

Choose the EP3C5E144A7N when you need a low-cost, low-power Cyclone III FPGA in a 144-pin EQFP package with 5,136 LEs, 414 Kbits of RAM, and 23 hardware multipliers, and your design operates in the commercial 0C to +85C temperature range. It is the right choice for industrial motor control, LED video wall controllers, protocol bridges, portable medical devices, and educational FPGA boards where the 5K-LE tier matches your design size. Choose EP3C5E144I7N instead when your system operates below 0C or above +85C (industrial grade). Choose EP3C10E144A7N when you need double the logic capacity (~10K LEs) for headroom, still on the same 144-EQFP footprint. Choose EP3C5E144C8N when you need a faster speed grade (timing closure at higher Fmax). Choose EP4CE6E22A7N (Cyclone IV E) for the lowest static power on a similar footprint. Avoid Lattice ECP5 or Xilinx Spartan-6 as direct replacements - they are not pin-compatible and require PCB redesign.

Comparação com alternativas

Parâmetro	Este produto	EP3C5E144I7N	EP3C5E144C7N	EP3C10E144A7N	EP3C5E144C8N	EP4CE6E22A7N
Brand	Altera (Intel)	Altera (Intel)	Altera (Intel)	Altera (Intel)	Altera (Intel)	Altera (Intel)
Package	144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP, 22x22 mm)	144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP) - same	144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP) - same	144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP) - same	144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP) - same	144-LQFP Exposed Pad (EQFP) - same
Logic Elements	5,136	5,136	5,136	10,320 (+101%)	5,136	6,272 (+22%)
Embedded Memory	423,936 bits (46 M9K blocks)	423,936 bits	423,936 bits	608,256 bits (+44%)	423,936 bits	270 Kbits
18x18 Multipliers	23	23	23	46 (+100%)	23	15
User I/O	94	94	94	94	94	91
Speed Grade	7	7	7	7	8 (faster)	7
Temperature Grade	Commercial (0C to +85C)	Industrial (-40C to +100C)	Commercial	Commercial	Commercial	Commercial
Series	Cyclone III	Cyclone III	Cyclone III	Cyclone III	Cyclone III	Cyclone IV E
Qty-1 Unit Price (USD)	36.59 (as of 2026-10-07)	Higher (industrial grade premium)	Similar	Higher (larger die)	Similar	Higher (Cyclone IV E)

Principais diferenciais

Only Cyclone III variant with commercial temp grade + speed grade 7 at the 5K-LE density on 144-EQFP (vs EP3C5E144I7N)
Cyclone III low-power 65 nm architecture vs Cyclone II 90 nm predecessor (vs EP2C5E144 (Cyclone II))
Same 144-EQFP footprint as EP3C10E144A7N with smaller die and lower cost (vs EP3C10E144A7N)

Notas de projeto

Estimated: at typical Quartus utilization (~70% LEs, 50% RAM, 50% multipliers) and 100 MHz internal clock, the EP3C5E144A7N dissipates approximately 0.5-1.0 W. The 144-EQFP package with exposed pad has a theta_JA of approximately 20-25 C/W when the exposed pad is soldered to a continuous 4-layer PCB thermal land of at least 100 mm^2. Without the exposed pad soldered, theta_JA rises sharply (to roughly 40-50 C/W) and the device may exceed the commercial 85C junction limit. Always solder the thermal pad and stitch vias from the pad to internal ground planes.

The EP3C5E144A7N requires three power rails: VCCINT = 1.2 V (core), VCCIO1-4 = per-bank 1.2-3.3 V, and VCCA_PLLx = 1.2 V (PLL analog). Per the Cyclone III handbook, VCCINT must be monotonic and reach 90% of nominal within 100 ms; failure to do so triggers a POR reset. Use an LDO with at least 500 mA capability for VCCINT, and decouple each VCCIO bank with a 0.1 uF + 10 uF pair placed within 5 mm of the bank supply pin.

Route configuration signals (TCK, TMS, TDO, TDI, nSTATUS, nCONFIG, CONF_DONE, MSEL0-2, DCLK, DATA0) on the top layer with no vias and avoid stubs. Per the Cyclone III handbook, the MSEL pins must be tied through 1 kohm resistors to VCCIO or GND according to the desired configuration mode (AS, PS, JTAG, FPP). Leave CONF_DONE pulled up to VCCIO with a 10 kohm resistor for readback and JTAG configuration modes. Use a 4-layer PCB (SIG/GND/PWR/SIG) for noise-sensitive applications.

Do not leave any I/O bank unpowered; an unpowered VCCIO pin causes input leakage and can prevent configuration. If a bank is unused, tie all its VCCIO pins to a valid 1.2-3.3 V rail rather than leaving them floating. Also avoid mixing 5 V inputs into LVTTL/LVCMOS banks; the EP3C5E144A7N absolute maximum is VCCIO + 0.3 V. Cyclone III is not 5 V tolerant - use an external level translator when interfacing to 5 V logic.

When using LVDS pairs, route them with 100 ohm differential impedance and maintain length matching within 150 mils for clock pairs. The Cyclone III LVDS transceivers support up to 840 Mbps per pair but the FPGA fabric must be constrained to the corresponding clock rate. For high-fanout clock nets, prefer a global clock input pin (CLK0-3) instead of regular I/O; the four PLLs then deskew the global network.

Informações de conformidade

RoHS

Compliant

REACH

Compliant

AEC-Q100

Not Applicable

Sem chumbo

Yes

Sem halogênios

Unknown

Minerais de conflito

Compliant

RoHS compliance per DigiKey product listing. Cyclone III devices are not AEC-Q100 qualified; for automotive applications use the AEC-Q100 variant (EP3C5E144A7N-Q1 or similar) where available. Halogen-free status not explicitly stated in the verified web data.

Dados verificados em: 2026-10-07 — dados verificados e curados pela equipe de engenharia de componentes da XAIPART

Fontes: Distributor, Distributor, Distributor, Distributor, Octopart, Distributor, Distributor, Manufacturer Datasheet

Buscas relacionadas

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Componentes & termos relacionados

Altera Intel EP3C5E144A7N EP3C5E144I7N EP3C5E144C7N EP3C10E144A7N EP3C5E144C8N EP4CE6E22A7N Cyclone III FPGA Field-Programmable Gate Array CPLD PLD ASIC M9K block Logic Element 18x18 multiplier PLL LVDS SSTL LVTTL Quartus II Quartus Prime JTAG LQFP EQFP RoHS AEC-Q100 exposed thermal pad low-k dielectric process 65 nm process configuration memory EPCS LED video wall industrial motor control protocol bridge soft-core processor Nios II