The Altera Agilex 7 FPGA family spans three distinct series — F-Series, I-Series, and M-Series — each targeting different performance tiers, transceiver configurations, and memory architectures. With nine development kits available from Terasic, selecting the right platform requires understanding how PCIe generation, transceiver tile count, HPS requirements, and memory bandwidth constraints map to your specific design goals. This guide breaks down the key differences and maps each kit to its most suitable application.
F-Series — PCIe Gen4, HPS SoC support, entry to mid-range. Best for PCIe 4.0 designs, 100G networking, and embedded ARM processor applications.
I-Series — PCIe Gen5, CXL x16, high-density transceivers. Targets next-generation connectivity, 400G+ networking, and compute acceleration.
F-Series Kits
F-Series kits are the right choice when your design targets PCIe 4.0, requires an embedded ARM processor via HPS, or involves 100G networking. The Starter Kit offers the most accessible entry point at $5,491, while the FM6FDK and FM6-P add transceiver depth and SoC capability. The AGF023 (2× F-Tile) steps up to 56 Gbps PAM4 and CXL support.
I-Series Kits
I-Series kits step up to PCIe 5.0 and CXL support via R-Tile transceivers. The I-Series Dev Kit is purpose-built for PCIe 5.0 and CXL designs at $9,999. The 4× and 6× F-Tile variants target multi-port 400G+ networking — the FM91 (6× F-Tile) supports QSFPDD800, OSFP, and four QSFPDD ports simultaneously.
M-Series HBM2e
The M-Series HBM2e kit integrates HBM2e memory on-package alongside DDR5 and LPDDR5, eliminating the memory bandwidth wall for HPC, sparse computation, and large model inference workloads.
Key Selection Criteria
PCIe Generation: F-Series for Gen4, I-Series for Gen5 and CXL. This is the first filter — if your host interface requires PCIe 5.0 or CXL, only the I-Series Dev Kit and I-Series Transceiver-SoC Kit qualify.
Transceiver Count and Speed: Applications requiring high-density transceivers such as 400G networking or multi-port optical connectivity should look at the 4× or 6× F-Tile I-Series kits. The FM91 supports QSFPDD800 alongside three QSFP and one OSFP port.
HPS / SoC Requirement: Designs requiring an embedded ARM processor — Linux BSP, real-time control, secure boot — should select SoC-enabled kits: Starter Kit, FM6FDK, FM6-P, or the I-Series Transceiver-SoC Kit.
Form Factor: PCIe add-in card form factor is available on the Starter Kit, DE10-Agilex, FM6FDK, AGF023, and I-Series Dev Kit. Tabletop form factor on FM87, FM91, and M-Series requires external power supplies.
Choosing the wrong development kit early in a project means re-spinning the hardware later. The right platform decision starts with PCIe generation, memory architecture, and transceiver requirements — not price.
For designs requiring conduction cooling, ruggedization, or custom form factors beyond the development kit, Lorentis provides FPGA design services built around the Agilex 7 platform. Our team can assist with board selection, BSP bring-up, IP integration, and production transition. Contact our engineering team to discuss your project requirements.