EP4CE15F17I7N vs EP3C10F256I7N
| Part Number |
|
|
| Category | Embedded - FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) | Embedded - FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Array) |
| Manufacturer | Intel | Intel |
| Description | IC FPGA 165 I/O 256FBGA | IC FPGA 182 I/O 256FBGA |
| Package | 256-LBGA | 256-LBGA |
| Series | Cyclone® IV E | Cyclone® III |
| Voltage - Supply | 1.15 V ~ 1.25 V | 1.15 V ~ 1.25 V |
| Operating Temperature | -40°C ~ 100°C (TJ) | -40°C ~ 100°C (TJ) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount | Surface Mount |
| Package / Case | 256-LBGA | 256-LBGA |
| Supplier Device Package | 256-FBGA (17x17) | 256-FBGA (17x17) |
| Number of I/O | 165 | 182 |
| Number of LABs/CLBs | 963 | 645 |
| Number of Logic Elements/Cells | 15408 | 10320 |
| Total RAM Bits | 516096 | 423936 |
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1. What is FPGA Field Programmable Gate Array?
FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a semiconductor device that allows users to change and configure the internal connection structure and logic units of the device through software means after manufacturing to complete the digital integrated circuit of the established design function. FPGA consists of programmable logic resources, programmable interconnection resources and programmable input and output resources, and is mainly used to implement sequential logic circuits with state machines as the main feature.
FPGA is a product further developed on the basis of programmable devices such as [PAL (Programmable Array Logic) and GAL (General Array Logic). As a semi-custom circuit in the field of application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC), it not only solves the shortcomings of customized circuits, but also overcomes the shortcomings of the limited number of gate circuits of the original programmable devices. FPGA realizes a unique method of digital circuits by providing programmable hardware blocks and interconnections that can be configured to perform various tasks, making hardware development more flexible. -
2. Is FPGA a microcontroller?
FPGA is not a microcontroller. There are significant differences between FPGA and microcontroller in terms of function and use.
FPGA is a programmable integrated circuit, which is programmed through hardware description language and can customize the circuit according to needs. It is very suitable for application scenarios that require flexible configuration and high performance. In contrast, microcontrollers (MCUs) are integrated circuits with preset functions, usually used for single tasks and requiring efficient execution.
FPGAs and MCUs also differ in structure and application scenarios. FPGAs offer great flexibility and are suitable for complex applications that require rapid prototyping and reconfigurability. On the other hand, MCUs combine processor cores, memory, and various peripherals in a single chip, designed for specific tasks, and provide cost-effective solutions. -
3. Is FPGA faster than CPU?
FPGAs are faster than CPUs in some cases. FPGAs are programmable hardware devices whose internal architecture can be configured by users as needed, which enables them to process multiple computing tasks in parallel, resulting in higher computing performance in some scenarios.
FPGAs and CPUs have different architectures and design goals. CPUs are general-purpose processors that can perform a variety of tasks, but may require multiple clock cycles to process specific operations. FPGAs, on the other hand, achieve specific computing structures by reorganizing circuits, and have higher parallelism and efficiency. For example, when processing specific tasks such as signals and images, FPGAs can complete them faster than CPUs.
The main advantage of FPGAs is their programmability and flexibility. FPGAs can be reprogrammed and reconfigured as needed, which enables designers to quickly test new and updated algorithms without developing and releasing new hardware, thereby speeding up time to market and saving costs. In addition, FPGAs offer the advantages of superior performance and reduced latency, and are suitable for real-time applications that require low latency and deterministic latency. -
4. Why use FPGA as a digital controller?
The main reason for using FPGA as a digital controller is its flexibility and programmability. FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) is a chip whose internal structure can be changed through programming. It has high flexibility and programmability, which makes FPGA widely used in the field of digital controllers.
The flexibility of FPGA is reflected in the fact that its logic units can be configured to implement different logic functions. Users can use hardware description languages (such as VHDL or Verilog) to write programs to map logic functions to lookup tables (LUTs) and logic units inside FPGA. This flexibility allows FPGAs to adapt to different application requirements and can be reprogrammed as needed to adapt to new application scenarios.
In addition, FPGAs also have high-performance parallel computing capabilities and high-speed data processing capabilities, which makes it play an important role in digital signal processing, image processing, network communication and other fields. The parallel processing capabilities of FPGAs enable it to handle multiple tasks at the same time, improving overall processing efficiency.

