Highlights:

  • Field-programmable gate arrays, or FPGAs, are specialized processors that are part of the Agilex 3 product family.
  • Intel added authentication to validate user requests and encryption to protect data on the Agilex 3 processor.

Intel’s Altera detailed about Agilex 3 chips series which is optimized to power factory automation systems and connected devices.

The CPU line was first shown off by the Intel Corp. division in February along with several other forthcoming items. The corporate structure of Altera was altered concurrently with the hardware reveal.

Specialized processors called Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are integrated in the Agilex 3 product series. Every circuit in a conventional processor is designed to do a single task and is not adaptable to other computations. On the other hand, FPGAs have programmable circuits that programmers can set up for different purposes.

Because of their customizable nature, the chips can perform better in some scenarios than regular CPUs. A corporation could tailor the programmable circuits of the module for machine learning tasks if it intends to run an artificial intelligence model on its FPGA. The module might execute the model more quickly in this setup as compared to a commercial chip that has less AI-optimized circuitry.

Rebuilding a processor from the ground up to meet the needs of a particular use case can yield even greater performance gains. However, for many hardware projects, custom silicon design is just too costly. When it is not feasible to construct a completely unique semiconductor, but a corporation still needs a processor designed for a particular use case, FGPAs are utilized.

Agilex 3 series FPGAs are designed for applications where power-efficiency takes precedence over performance. According to Intel, the chips will be used in items like industrial robots, linked devices, and driverless cars.

The Agilex 3 series offers 1.9 times better performance than its prior generation FPGAs, the chipmaker disclosed recently. In the range of 25,000 to 135,000 logic elements — FPGA’s components that user can alter for specific tasks — are embedded in every chip of the lineup. Additionally, the circuitry in Agilex 3 processors—most notably a dual-core CPU based on an Arm Holdings plc design—cannot be reprogrammed.

A multitude of additional components supplement the fundamental processing modules of the FPGA series. Multimedia files can be processed by transceivers at up to 12.5 gigabits per second. Furthermore, LPDDR4 memory—a RAM type that consumes less power but is slower than server-grade RAM—has been supported by Intel.

A new set of cybersecurity features completes the improvements. Intel has implemented an authentication capability to validate user requests and an encryption technique to prevent hackers from accessing the data being processed by an Agilex 3 processor. According to the business, tempering efforts can also be detected by its forthcoming FPGAs.

Intel previewed the upcoming version of its Quartus Prime Pro FPGA customization software along with the Agilex 3 feature set. The Agilex 5 chip family, which the business introduced in February along with the Agilex 3 series, is supported by the latest update. It has up to 60% more performance per watt than other rival processors and is built on a ten-nanometer chip.

Altera’s Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Rivera, said, “Working closely with our ecosystem and distribution partners, Altera remains committed to delivering FPGA-based solutions that empower innovators with leading-edge programmable technologies that are easy to design and deploy.”

Midway through 2025, Intel plans to begin delivering Alteryx 3 chips.