What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
On May 22, 2023, Intel announced that production-qualified Agilex 7 devices with R-Tile were shipping in volume. The I-Series platform pairs R-Tile hard IP with PCIe 5.0 support and CXL capability, but Intel describes its CXL support as CXL 1.1 with some CXL 2.0 features—not full support for every CXL 2.0 feature. The announcement records a launch-era status, not present-day inventory or product lifecycle.
What Intel announced in May 2023
Intel’s May 22, 2023 announcement said the company was “shipping production-qualified devices in volume.” It called Agilex 7 with R-Tile “the first FPGA with PCIe 5.0 and CXL capabilities” and “the only FPGA with hard intellectual property (IP) supporting these interfaces.” Those are Intel’s dated launch claims, not independently verified market comparisons or statements of current availability.
What R-Tile and the I-Series provide
R-Tile is the Agilex 7 I-Series’ hard-IP element for PCIe and CXL interfaces. Hard IP implements interface functions in dedicated device circuitry rather than relying only on programmable FPGA fabric. Intel positions I-Series for bandwidth-intensive applications and cache- and memory-coherent processor attachment through CXL. These are platform capabilities and positioning, not a guarantee of end-to-end application performance.
Intel’s I-Series product page, accessed October 5, 2026, lists the following interface specifications:
#1 Best Overall
- Designed for students and beginners looking to understand Digital Logic, fundamentals of FPGAs
- Features the Xilinx Artix 7 FPGA compatible with Vivado Design Suite WebPACK Edition (free download available from Xilinx)
- On board user interfaces include 16 user switches, 16 LEDs, 5 user pushbuttons, and a
- Expansion opportunities with four Pmod ports including 3 standard 12-pin Pmod ports and 1 dual
- Does NOT ship with micro USB cable
| Capability | Intel’s stated specification | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| PCI Express | PCIe 5.0, up to x16 at 32 GT/s | 32 GT/s is the signaling rate per lane, not a guaranteed application data rate. |
| Compute Express Link | CXL 1.1 with some CXL 2.0 features | The qualification matters: it does not establish that every CXL 2.0 feature is available on every device or in every configuration. |
| Transceivers | Up to 116 Gbps | This is Intel’s maximum stated transceiver rate; it is distinct from the PCIe lane signaling figure. |
| PCI-SIG listing | Intel labels the FPGA PCI-SIG listed based on its R-Tile PCIe IP | This is Intel’s product-page claim, not a promise that a customer’s complete system will interoperate without validation. |
Source for the specifications and the PCI-SIG listing statement: Intel Agilex 7 I-Series product page.
How the I-Series development kit routes its interfaces
Intel’s I-Series development-kit guide, revision 2025.10.29, describes three R-Tiles capable of PCIe/CXL x16 and two PCIe/CXL 5.0 x16 interfaces routed on the board. The kit uses two of the three R-Tiles for those routed interfaces:
Rank #2
- Arty A7 comes in two FPGA variants: Arty A7-35T features Xilinx XC7A35TICSG324-1L. Arty A7-100T features the larger Xilinx XC7A100TCSG324-1.
- Internal clock speeds exceeding 450MHz, On-chip analog-to-digital converter (XADC), Programmable over JTAG and Quad-SPI Flash
- 256MB DDR3L with a 16-bit bus @ 667MHz, 16MB Quad-SPI Flash, USB-JTAG Programming circuitry, Powered from USB or any 7V-15V source
- 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, USB-UART Bridge
- 4 Switches, 4 Buttons, 1 Reset Button, 4 LEDs, 4 RGB LEDs, 4 Pmod connectors, shield connector
| Board connection | Guide’s description |
|---|---|
| PCIe edge connector | One PCIe/CXL x16 interface connects to the edge connector. |
| MCIO connectors | The other interface connects to MCIO connectors, which can be used for a PCIe/CXL x16 link in endpoint or root-port mode. |
These are kit-specific routing details, not a guarantee that another Agilex 7 board exposes the same number of links or modes. The guide also treats required cables and CXL licensing as separate considerations; do not assume either is included. Consult the development-kit guide for the board configuration and check that its revision matches the hardware being used.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Licensing, IP support, and system validation
The development-kit guide says activating CXL hard IP and using the CXL R-Tile wrapper and soft support logic require a separate CXL IP license. It directs customers to an Altera sales representative for pricing; the guide does not establish a price. Confirm licensing and the exact device, IP, and software configuration before budgeting or committing to a design.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #3
- FPGA Evaluation Platform: DE25-Standard Development Kit designed for evaluation of Intel Agilex 5E FPGA (A5ED013BB32AE4SR1) for advanced programmable logic applications
- Development and Education Focus: Comprehensive development board from Terasic's DE Series, ideal for learning, prototyping, and testing FPGA-based designs and SoC implementations
- Rich Connectivity Options: Features multiple USB ports, Ethernet, audio jacks (pink, blue, green), GPIO expansion headers, and various interfaces for versatile project development
- Interactive Components: Equipped with onboard buttons, switches, LED displays, and indicators enabling hands-on experimentation and debugging of digital logic designs
- Professional Grade Hardware: Robust construction weighing 2.425 pounds with high-quality PCB design, providing a stable platform for complex FPGA development projects
Intel’s R-Tile PCIe IP support matrix lists Gen5 x16 support for endpoint, root-port, and bridge configurations across simulation, compilation, timing, and hardware support levels. That indicates IP support in those categories; it is not a certification that a particular card, board, host, firmware, driver, and workload combination will interoperate. System designers still need to validate their target configuration.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Altera 10M04SA FPGA with 4,000 Logic Elements. This FPGA Development Kit requires an external JTAG Programmer. The MAX10 FPGA is a great chip to learn FPGA programming with. The MAX10 includes the configuration flash, 12 bit ADC, 20KByte of SRAM and low voltage regulators on chip.
- The board includes a 50MHz Oscillator to provide high speed control over internal gates of the MAX 10 FPGA. With 4K Logic Elements, the User can create powerful projects. The MaxProLogic is 100% compatible with the Free Quartus Prime Lite software from Altera. Just download the Quartus software from Altera, and the User can create projects, compile the code, simulate the project in a digital simulator, then download to the MAX 10 using an external programmer.
- 8 Analog Input Channels; 12 bit; 1MSamples/Second. 65 Available I/O’s at connectors. A full datasheet of the MaxProLogic is available that describes all the hardward connections. Schematic is available to give the User further information about the hardware.
- 8 Green User configurable LEDs, On/Off controller. 1 Power Pushbutton Switch; 1 User Configurable Pushbutton Switch. Source code is available to assist the user in understanding how get up and running with the MaxProLogic board.
- Complete Development Kit with tutorials and source code. Please visit the MaxProLogic product page under the earthpeopletechnology website to access all schematics, user manual, data sheets and project files. The MaxProLogic tutorials will get the beginner up and learning Programmable Logic very quickly.
Rank #4
- 8,150 slices containing four 6-input LUTs and 8 flip-flops
- 2,700 Kbits of fast block RAM
- Five clock management tiles, each with a phase-locked loop and mixed-mode clock manager
- 120 DSP slices
- Internal clock speeds exceeding 450MHz
What to check before choosing Agilex 7 R-Tile
- PCIe role and width: Confirm whether the design needs an endpoint, root port, or bridge and whether x16 is supported by the specific device and board.
- CXL feature requirements: Map the required CXL features to Intel’s stated CXL 1.1 support with some 2.0 features; do not infer full CXL 2.0 coverage.
- Board routing: Verify which R-Tiles and physical connectors are actually routed on the target board, and whether the desired mode is documented.
- License and implementation scope: Include the separate CXL IP license and any required wrapper or soft support logic in the design plan.
- End-to-end validation: Treat interface specifications and IP support listings as starting points for qualification, not substitutes for testing the intended system.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
