10M16SAU169I7G Datasheet, Specifications & Application Guide – Altera MAX 10 FPGA

1. Overview of the 10M16SAU169I7G

The 10M16SAU169I7G is a non-volatile FPGA from the Altera (Intel) MAX 10 family, fabricated on a 55 nm process node. It integrates 16,000 logic elements (LEs), embedded SRAM, user flash memory, a dual 12-bit analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and up to four PLLs—all in a compact 169-ball UBGA package. Because the configuration bitstream is stored in on-die flash, the device boots instantly without an external configuration ROM, simplifying board design and reducing BOM cost.

The part number decodes as follows: 10M16 = MAX 10 with 16K LEs, S = single power-supply mode, A = analog block (ADC enabled), U169 = 169-ball UBGA package, I = industrial temperature range (−40 °C to +100 °C), and 7 = speed grade 7 (highest performance). This combination makes the 10M16SAU169I7G an excellent choice for industrial IoT, motor control, sensor fusion, and embedded vision applications that demand high reliability across a wide temperature range.

Looking for related Altera MAX 10 devices? Browse our selection of Altera FPGA components or explore our full FPGA catalog for pin-compatible alternatives.

2. Key Specifications & Parameters

3. Block Diagram & Architecture

The MAX 10 architecture is built around an array of logic elements organized into Logic Array Blocks (LABs), surrounded by embedded memory (M9K blocks), DSP multiplier blocks, and I/O elements. The integrated dual ADC connects to an analog input multiplexer that can route up to 18 external analog channels, while the internal flash stores both the configuration image and user data. Dual-boot capability allows field upgrades with a safe fallback image.

Figure 1: Block diagram of the Intel MAX 10 FPGA architecture highlighting the logic fabric, embedded memory, DSP multipliers, PLL, ADC, and user flash memory blocks.

4. Pinout & Package Information

The 10M16SAU169I7G uses a 169-ball UBGA (Ultra-Fine-Pitch Ball Grid Array) package with a 0.8 mm ball pitch and a total body size of approximately 11 × 11 mm. The compact form factor makes it suitable for space-constrained designs. The 130 user I/O pins are organized across multiple I/O banks, each independently configurable for voltage levels from 1.2 V to 3.3 V. Dedicated clock inputs, JTAG pins, and analog input channels are allocated to specific ball locations per the official pin-out table.

Figure 2: The Altera MAX 10 FPGA in a UBGA package, representative of the 10M16SAU169I7G 169-ball configuration.

5. Typical Applications & Circuit Design

The 10M16SAU169I7G is widely deployed in industrial automation, motor drives, sensor hubs, IoT edge gateways, video surveillance pre-processing, medical instrumentation, and test & measurement equipment. Its instant-on configuration, integrated ADC, and robust industrial temperature rating make it an ideal single-chip solution where a separate MCU + FPGA combination would otherwise be required.

For rapid prototyping, the Terasic DE10-Lite and the Arrow BeMicro MAX 10 evaluation boards both feature MAX 10 FPGAs with on-board USB-Blaster programming, SDRAM, and expansion headers. The free Quartus Prime Lite Edition provides a complete design flow including synthesis, place-and-route, timing analysis, and JTAG programming.

Figure 3: A MAX 10 FPGA evaluation kit—ideal for prototyping designs based on the 10M16SAU169I7G before moving to production.

Need development tools or companion ICs? Check out our Intel semiconductor catalog for power regulators, level shifters, and other support components commonly used alongside MAX 10 FPGAs.

Video Tutorial: Getting Started with Intel MAX 10 FPGA

6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)