AMD launched new Spartan FPGAs. The new AMD-branded Spartan UltraScale+ line is the company’s lower-cost and lower-power FPGA family that takes the place of the Xilinx Spartan 6 and Spartan 7 lines.
Expanding AMD Spartan UltraScale+ Family
The new line of AMD Spartan UltraScale+ FPGAs has higher density and new features. Here is the overview slide.
If you are seeing 16nm and thinking that sounds like older process technology than new desktop and server CPUs, or smartphones, it is. At the same time, not all semiconductors are produced on leading nodes, so cost-optimized chips like this tend to be produced on older nodes. There are other improvements as well such as hardened IP for things like memory controllers that no longer require using programmable logic to implement.
Here is the family with the different features. Some features like the hardened IP for memory and PCIe controllers are only available on higher-end chips. That makes sense. There are FPGAs that are used for things like fan control and making lights blink which do not need a huge amount of memory and PCIe I/O.
AMD already has the Zynq UltraScale+ and Artix UltraScale+ lines, so in some ways it is bringing the Spartan line to the more modern process.
These chips will be around for a long time. Just to give you some idea, the standard lifecycle chevron is going into the 2040+ timeframe.
Spartan FPGAs are often in products that take years to design and then are sold and used for decades in the future.
Final Words
Xilinx Spartan FPGAs have been around for a lot of time and will continue to be for decades to come. This is just a quick look at some of the new models so when you spot them in products you know what they are.
This is outside the scope of any mere mortal. Only public for these things is some industry, but mostly MIC and mass surveillance.
FPGA that mere mortals can afford are made on mature processes. VERY “mature”. Like 40+ nm.
Anything below that is going to be searing pricewise. And anything below 20nm is going to be priced like gold.
So, meh. Not really newsworthy for 99% of the public.
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Xilinx Spartan FPGAs indeed have a long-standing reputation for reliability and are set to remain relevant in the tech landscape. The new models, such as the Spartan UltraScale+ and Spartan 7 families, bring enhanced features like high I/O, low power consumption, and advanced security features, ensuring they meet the evolving demands of modern applications plus, It’s exciting to see how these FPGAs will shape future innovations!
For the FPGA market, the introduction of the AMD Spartan UltraScale+ family on 16nm technology is an interesting step. With its increased density and enhanced functionality, this new line is suited for low-power and cost-sensitive applications. It’s remarkable that AMD is able to provide these FPGAs with sophisticated features like memory controller hardened IP. These chips will be relevant for a very long time because of their extended lifespan, which will last until the 2040s. This development demonstrates AMD’s dedication to FPGA technology innovation.