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Ixiasoft
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Ixiasoft
2.2. Power Estimation Basics
As you provide more details about your design characteristics, estimation accuracy is improved. Altera recommends that you switch from the Intel® FPGA Power and Thermal Calculator to the Power Analyzer in the Quartus® Prime software once your design is available. The Power Analyzer produces more accurate results because it has more detailed information about your design, including routing and configuration information about all the resources in your design.
The accuracy of the power model is determined on a per-power-rail basis for both the Power Analyzer and the Intel® FPGA Power and Thermal Calculator.
For most designs, the Power Analyzer and the Intel® FPGA Power and Thermal Calculator have the following accuracies, with final power models:
- Power Analyzer—within 10% of silicon for the majority of power rails and the highest power rails, assuming accurate inputs and toggle rates.
- Intel® FPGA Power and Thermal Calculator—within 15% of silicon for the majority of power rails and the highest power rails, assuming accurate inputs and toggle rates. Recommended margins are shown in the Report tab, only after device power model status is final.
Characteristic | Intel® FPGA Power and Thermal Calculator | Quartus® Prime Power Analyzer |
---|---|---|
When to use | Any time
Note: For post-fit power analysis, you get better results with the Quartus® Prime Power Analyzer.
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Post-fit |
Software requirements |
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The Quartus® Prime software |
Accuracy | Medium | Medium to very high |
Data inputs |
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Data outputs |
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