5CEBA4F17C8N vs 5CEBA2F17A7N

The 5CEBA4F17C8N and 5CEBA2F17A7N are both Intel (formerly Altera) Cyclone V FPGAs in the FBGA-256 package, but they differ in logic density and speed grade. The 5CEBA4F17C8N belongs to the A4 density variant with approximately 49,000 logic elements and is rated at speed grade C8 (commercial temperature). The 5CEBA2F17A7N belongs to the A2 density variant with approximately 25,000 logic elements and is rated at speed grade A7 (automotive temperature grade). The 5CEBA4F17C8N offers roughly twice the logic capacity of the 5CEBA2F17A7N, while the 5CEBA2F17A7N targets automotive applications requiring AEC-Q100 qualification.

Both devices are offered in the same 256-ball FBGA package (17 mm x 17 mm, 1.0 mm pitch) under the Cyclone V F17 package designation, so they share the same physical footprint and ball map. However, pin-to-pin compatibility in a design context also depends on whether the specific I/O assignments, transceiver channels, and dedicated pins are used identically. A direct drop-in replacement should only be attempted after verifying the pinout and resource mapping against the respective Intel Cyclone V device pin-out files.

Not directly. Although both are Cyclone V FPGAs in the same F17 package, the 5CEBA4F17C8N has a higher logic density (A4 vs. A2) and a different speed grade (C8 vs. A7). A design compiled for the A4 device may exceed the logic, memory, or DSP resources of the A2 device. Additionally, timing closure must be re-verified because the A7 speed grade has different timing characteristics than C8. Substitution requires recompilation and full validation against the target device datasheet.

The 5CEBA4F17C8N is specified with a C8 speed grade, which corresponds to the commercial temperature range (typically 0°C to 85°C junction temperature) per Intel Cyclone V documentation. The 5CEBA2F17A7N is specified with an A7 speed grade, which corresponds to the automotive temperature range (typically -40°C to 125°C junction temperature) and is intended for automotive-qualified applications. Designers must confirm the exact operating conditions in the Intel Cyclone V device datasheet before use.

Yes. Both devices are members of the Intel Cyclone V E family and share the same configuration architecture, including support for active serial, passive serial, JTAG, and other configuration schemes. They also use the same power supply rails (VCC, VCCIO, VCCA, etc.) as defined for the Cyclone V E family in the F17 package. However, actual current consumption and decoupling requirements may differ due to logic density and speed grade differences, so the power distribution network should be validated per device.

The 5CEBA2F17A7N is better suited for automotive applications. Its A7 speed grade indicates an automotive temperature range and the device is intended to meet automotive qualification requirements. The 5CEBA4F17C8N uses the C8 commercial speed grade and is not specified for the automotive temperature range. For automotive designs, the 5CEBA2F17A7N should be selected, provided its lower logic density meets the design requirements.

According to Intel Cyclone V device specifications, the 5CEBA4F17C8N (A4 density) provides approximately 49,000 logic elements (LEs), while the 5CEBA2F17A7N (A2 density) provides approximately 25,000 LEs. The A4 variant also includes more embedded memory and DSP blocks than the A2 variant. Exact resource counts should be confirmed in the Intel Cyclone V Device Overview or datasheet.

Both the 5CEBA4F17C8N and 5CEBA2F17A7N are part of the Intel Cyclone V family. Product lifecycle status can change over time, so designers should verify the current lifecycle status (active, last-time-buy, or obsolete) directly with Intel or authorized distributors such as DigiKey, Mouser, or TTI before committing to a design. No lifecycle guarantee should be assumed without checking the latest manufacturer or distributor data.