AMD XC3S500E-5PQG208C

Overview

XC3S500E-5PQG208C from AMD (formerly Xilinx) is a Spartan-3E FPGA with 500,000 system gates, 11,200 logic cells, and embedded block RAM totaling 360 kbits. It operates at -5 speed grade (100 MHz system clock), uses 1.2 V core voltage, and is packaged in a 208-pin PQFP (Plastic Quad Flat Package) for cost-sensitive industrial control and communication interface designs.

For engineers reviewing the XC3S500E-5PQG208C datasheet, pinout, applications, or equivalent options, key selection criteria include logic density, I/O count (141 user I/Os), differential signaling support (LVDS, LVDSEXT), embedded RAM size, and compatibility with Xilinx ISE design tools and Spartan-3E configuration methods (JTAG, Master Serial).

Technical Context

The XC3S500E-5PQG208C implements a hierarchical FPGA architecture with configurable logic blocks (CLBs), distributed RAM, and dedicated multipliers. It supports SelectIO standards including LVCMOS, LVTTL, PCI, and LVDS, with programmable slew rate and drive strength per I/O bank.

Configuration is performed via Master Serial mode using external PROM or JTAG boundary-scan. The device includes Digital Clock Managers (DCMs) for clock synthesis, phase shifting, and duty cycle correction-supporting input frequencies from 12 to 200 MHz and output jitter under 100 ps RMS.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

XC3S500E-5PQG208C is housed in a 208-pin Plastic Quad Flat Package (PQFP) with 0.5 mm pitch, 28 × 28 mm body size, and exposed thermal pad (non-electrical). Pinout follows Xilinx Spartan-3E family standard layout with dedicated configuration, clock, and JTAG pins.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar FPGA-based logic implementation applications.

Compared with XC3S500E-5PQG208C, the XC3S400-5PQ208C offers lower cost but constrains I/O expansion and memory-intensive buffering, while the XC3S1000-4PQG208C delivers headroom for integration growth but increases power and board area requirements.

Availability

XC3S500E-5PQG208C is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial control, medical instrumentation, and test equipment requiring stable component supply across extended production lifecycles.

Supply support for XC3S500E-5PQG208C includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

AMD acquired Xilinx in 2022 and now develops adaptive computing platforms including FPGAs, adaptive SoCs, and AI engines for heterogeneous compute acceleration.

The Spartan-3E family was designed for cost-optimized, high-volume applications demanding predictable performance, low power, and broad I/O flexibility in industrial and communications infrastructure.

FAQ

What configuration modes does the XC3S500E-5PQG208C support?

The XC3S500E-5PQG208C supports Master Serial, Slave Serial, Slave Parallel, Boundary Scan (JTAG), and System ACE configuration modes. Master Serial is most common for standalone operation using external PROM; JTAG is used for programming and debugging during development. All modes are implemented in hardware and require no internal configuration logic.

Does the XC3S500E-5PQG208C include built-in flash memory for configuration storage?

No, the XC3S500E-5PQG208C is SRAM-based and requires external non-volatile memory (e.g., XCFxx PROM or SPI flash) to store the configuration bitstream. Power-on, it loads configuration via Master Serial or JTAG. The XC3S500E-5PQG208C itself retains no configuration state after power loss.

Can the XC3S500E-5PQG208C operate with a 3.3 V I/O supply while using 1.2 V core voltage?

Yes, the XC3S500E-5PQG208C supports mixed-voltage I/O banks: each bank can be independently set to 1.2 V, 1.5 V, 1.8 V, 2.5 V, or 3.3 V. This allows direct interfacing with legacy 3.3 V peripherals while maintaining 1.2 V core efficiency. Bank voltage is configured via external VCCO pins and must match I/O standard requirements.

How many Digital Clock Managers (DCMs) are integrated into the XC3S500E-5PQG208C?

The XC3S500E-5PQG208C integrates four Digital Clock Managers (DCMs). Each DCM provides clock doubling, halving, phase shifting (0–255°), duty cycle correction, and frequency synthesis. These are essential for synchronizing multiple clock domains, reducing skew in high-speed interfaces, and meeting setup/hold timing constraints in the XC3S500E-5PQG208C design.

Is the XC3S500E-5PQG208C compatible with Xilinx ISE Design Suite 14.7?

Yes, the XC3S500E-5PQG208C is fully supported in Xilinx ISE Design Suite 14.7 - the final official release for Spartan-3E devices. This includes synthesis, place-and-route, timing analysis, and bitstream generation. No later versions (Vivado) support XC3S500E-5PQG208C, as it predates the Vivado architecture transition.