Spartan-3 Generation FPGAs Deliver Lowest Total Cost

50% Lower Total Cost than Competing FPGAs

Spartan®-3 generation FPGAs deliver the industry’s lowest total cost with
a unique combination of integrated on-chip features, system performance
and flexible power management modes.

Key factors that deliver lower system cost designs include:

• Low device cost
• External component cost reduction
• Reduced engineering cost
• Efficient system board designs
• Less inventory and manufacturing costs
• Quality and reliability improvement

Low device cost

Choose from a large selection of device and package options.

• Designers choose exactly what they need without wasted resources.
• Small form factor packages are available for extremely cost sensitive applications.

External component cost reduction

Integrate external system components.

• Eliminate total number of components that competing solutions require such as:
  • Voltage regulators.
  • Decoupling capacitors.
  • Buffers.
  • Line drivers.
• Decrease board cost and ensures manufacturing efficiency.

Figures

1. Reduced power rail count means fewer power regulators and lower cost regulators due to more tolerant Vcc specifications.
2. True 3.3V I/Os result in high noise tolerance with no external input buffers.
3. LVCMOS and LVTTL drive strength eliminate the need for signal output buffers and line drivers.
4. Due to digital implementation of DCM, fewer external components are required.

   top

Reduced engineering cost

Spend less time designing and debugging systems.

• Industry's most comprehensive IP library.
  • Complex advanced system designs are customizable to get to market sooner.
• Low cost development kits for Spartan-3 generation platforms to jump start evaluation and prototyping.
• Comprehensive design tool suite available to support all phases of the design cycle.
• World class service and support.

Efficient system board designs

Simplify system board design and reduce engineering and manufacturing costs.

• Low power rail count requires fewer voltage regulators that simplifies and shrinks board designs.
• Broadest support of native I/O standards eliminates additional buffers, drivers and translators.
• Integrates standard components like differential termination resistors on-chip.

Less inventory and manufacturing cost

Reduce manufacturing infrastructure costs.

• Fewer components minimize ordering, reduces material holding cost and simplifies logistics.
• Lower cost standard tolerance (5% and 10%) components allow reuse of excess inventory in other products, shortens lead times and minimizes write offs.
• Smaller boards and fewer components shorten manufacturing setup.
• Increase productivity and reduce rework and RMA costs.

Quality and reliability improvement

Use fewer components and simpler boards.

• Decrease PCB complexity with reduced soldering connections.
• Lower layer count.
• Increase signal integrity.
• Decrease FITs from misalignment and cold solder joint failures, etc.

   top