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When to Use an All-Programmable SoC vs. an FPGA or 3D ICAll Programmable Planet - Max MaxfieldDec. 19, 2012 |
In the not-so-distant past, it was relatively easy to categorize different types of integrated circuits into well-defined "buckets." For example, we had memory ICs, microprocessors (MPUs), microcontrollers (MCUs), ASICs, ASSPs, SoCs, and of course, FPGAs.
As we've discussed elsewhere on All Programmable Planet, early FPGAs offered only a relatively small amount of fundamental programmable fabric. These devices were of interest for tasks such as gathering "Glue Logic" or implementing simple state machines. Of course, it wasn't long before more sophisticated FPGA architectures began to appear. These devices augmented the traditional programmable fabric with blocks on on-chip RAM, DSP functions, high-speed serial interconnect, and a host of other capabilities.
