Altera Cyclone V E Ordering Codes Guide

A Cyclone V E orderable part number identifies more than logic density. Altera's official example 5CEFA9F31C7N reads as 5C | E | F | A9 | F | 31 | C | 7 | N: Cyclone V family, E enhanced-logic variant, the F embedded-hard-IP option, A9 member, FineLine BGA, 896 pins, commercial temperature, fabric speed grade 7 and lead-free packaging.

The production OPN 5CEFA7F31I7N follows the same field order but selects the A7 member and industrial temperature. The complete OPN belongs on the BOM and purchase order; 5CEA7 alone does not specify hard-IP option, package, temperature, speed or material status.

Open the full-size Cyclone V E ordering diagram and zoom.

Decode 5CEFA9F31C7N field by field #

Member and hard-IP fields are separate decisions #

Cyclone V E member codes are A2, A4, A5, A7 and A9, corresponding to approximately 25K, 49K, 77K, 150K and 301K logic elements. The preceding hard-IP character is not part of the density. B means no hard PCIe or hard memory controller, while F means no hard PCIe and as many as two hard memory controllers.

That distinction matters in shortage screening. A candidate with the same A7 density and F31 package but a different embedded-hard-IP field is not automatically equivalent. Recompile the released Quartus design and verify that the required memory-controller resources and pin assignments exist on the proposed device.

Package codes and footprint boundaries #

The official decoder lists FineLine BGA codes F17, F23, F27 and F31 for 256, 484, 672 and 896 pins. Ultra FineLine BGA uses U15 and U19 for 324 and 484 pins. Micro FineLine BGA uses M13 and M15 for 383 and 484 pins.

An equal ball count does not establish compatibility. F23, U19 and M15 all identify 484-pin packages, but the package families, body dimensions, pitch and ball maps differ. They are not pin-to-pin alternatives. Keep the package letter and numeric code together during quotation comparison.

Altera's current Cyclone V E product table also shows that package availability varies by density. A larger member may not exist in the package used by a smaller member, and usable GPIO counts differ. Package-plan and pin-file checks are therefore required before proposing density migration.

Temperature, speed and suffixes #

The official options are C for commercial 0°C to 85°C, I for industrial −40°C to 100°C and A for automotive −40°C to 125°C junction temperature. Fabric speed grades are 6, 7 and 8, with 6 fastest. A wider-temperature or faster-grade device can enter engineering review only when every architectural and physical field remains acceptable.

N identifies lead-free packaging. Altera says to contact the manufacturer regarding leaded availability. ES identifies an engineering sample and must not be treated as a production equivalent. SC identifies internal-scrubbing support for selected Cyclone V E, GX, SE and SX devices; availability must be confirmed with Altera.

Replacement screening and pin-to-pin limits #

For a first-pass alternate, preserve the 5CE family/variant, embedded-hard-IP field and complete package code. Then compare member, temperature, speed and suffix. A faster speed grade or wider temperature range may be acceptable after engineering and AVL review, but it does not by itself prove interchangeability.

The official vertical-migration guidance requires Pin Migration View in Quartus Prime Pin Planner. Devices in the same package can still differ in dedicated, configuration and power pins. The PCB must connect migration-sensitive pins correctly, and the design must not use resources unavailable in the smallest migration device.

Reject a claimed drop-in alternate when:

• the family variant changes between E, GX, GT or a SoC family;
• the embedded-hard-IP character changes without design review;
• package type or package code changes;
• a same-ball-count package uses a different package family;
• the temperature or speed grade is outside the qualified build;
• ES or SC appears unexpectedly;
• Quartus Pin Migration View reports incompatible assignments;
• bank, clock, configuration, memory-interface or dedicated-pin requirements differ.

For example, 5CEFA7F31C8N and 5CEFA7F31I7N retain family, hard-IP option, density and F31 footprint. The industrial grade widens the low-temperature range and grade 7 is faster than grade 8, so it can be screened as a shortage alternate. It may cost more and still requires timing, power, qualification and customer approval. Changing F31 to F23 or U19 is not pin-to-pin.

Procurement checklist #

1. Copy the complete OPN from the released BOM. 2. Confirm 5C family, E variant and B/F embedded-hard-IP field. 3. Match the A2–A9 member code to the required resources. 4. Treat package letter and package code as one footprint field. 5. Confirm ball count, body, pitch, shipping media and moisture handling for the exact product record. 6. Match temperature and fabric speed to the qualified Quartus build. 7. Preserve N material status and reject ES unless explicitly authorized. 8. Check the official package plan, pin information and vertical-migration figure. 9. Run Quartus Pin Migration View and recompile timing and pin assignments.

Conclusion #

Cyclone V E part numbers are safe to compare only when the hard-IP and physical-package fields remain visible. In 5CEFA7F31I7N, the first F describes embedded hard IP, while F31 defines the 896-pin package. A wider temperature range or faster speed grade may be useful during shortages, but a different package family, hard-IP option or engineering-sample suffix crosses the drop-in boundary.

Official references #

• Altera Cyclone V Device Overview
• Altera Cyclone V E Available Options
• Altera Cyclone V E product and ordering table
• Altera Cyclone V I/O vertical migration guidance
• Altera Cyclone V device datasheet
• Altera 5CEFA7F31C8N product record