---
# System prepended metadata

title: What is more in requirement? FPGA or ASIC?
tags: [FPGA]

---

ASICs are more in demand quantitatively, but [FPGAs](https://www.ampheo.com/c/fpgas-field-programmable-gate-array) have broader accessibility and different application requirements. The choice depends heavily on the specific application, volume, and constraints.
![ASIC-vs-FPGA-1](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/SJG4elenlg.jpg)

Here's a detailed comparison:

**Market Demand Overview**
![企业微信截图_20250923174715](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/Sye63Je2lg.png)

**When FPGAs Are More Required**
**1. Prototyping & Development**
```
verilog

// FPGA: Ideal for prototyping
// Quick iterations, no NRE costs
module quick_prototype (
    input clk,
    output reg [7:0] data_out
);
always @(posedge clk) begin
    // Rapid design changes possible
    data_out <= new_algorithm_version;
end
endmodule
```
**2. Low-Volume Applications**
* Military/Aerospace (radiation-tolerant FPGAs)
* Research & Academia
* Medical equipment prototypes
* Industrial automation (customized solutions)

**3. Applications Needing Flexibility**
* 5G base stations (protocol updates)
* Video processing (codec changes)
* Network acceleration (protocol evolution)
* Automotive prototypes (pre-silicon validation)

**4. Time-to-Market Critical Projects**
* Startups with limited funding
* Consumer electronics with short lifecycles
* Competitive markets requiring rapid deployment

**When ASICs Are More Required**
**1. High-Volume Consumer Electronics**
```
verilog

// ASIC: Mass production optimized
// Billions of units - cost matters most
module smartphone_soc (
    input clk,
    output reg cpu_instruction
);
// Fixed functionality - no changes needed
// Optimized for power, performance, area (PPA)
endmodule
```
**2. Performance-Critical Applications**
* Smartphones (Apple A-series, Snapdragon)
* AI accelerators (Google TPU, NVIDIA)
* Cryptocurrency mining (Bitmain)
* High-performance computing

**3. Power-Sensitive Applications**
* Wearables (Apple Watch, Fitbit)
* IoT devices (battery-powered)
* Mobile devices where battery life is critical

**4. Cost-Sensitive Mass Production**
* USB controllers
* [Power management ICs](https://www.onzuu.com/category/power-management-pmic)
* [Memory controllers](https://www.onzuu.com/category/memory-ic-chips)
* Consumer [SoCs](https://www.ampheo.com/c/system-on-chip-soc)

**Key Decision Factors**
**Cost Analysis Table**
![企业微信截图_20250923174945](https://hackmd.io/_uploads/BkG8pylhel.png)

**Break-Even Analysis**
```
text

FPGA total cost = (Unit cost × Volume) + NRE
ASIC total cost = (Unit cost × Volume) + NRE

Break-even point typically occurs at:
- 10,000 - 1,000,000+ units (depending on complexity)
```
**Industry Trends & Future Outlook**
**Growing FPGA Demand In:**
* Data centers (Microsoft Catapult, Amazon F1)
* 5G/6G infrastructure
* AI/ML edge inference
* Automotive (ADAS, infotainment)
* Medical imaging

**Growing ASIC Demand In:**
* AI accelerators (specialized chips)
* Smartphone SoCs
* Cryptocurrency (despite market fluctuations)
* Automotive (self-driving chips)

**Hybrid Approaches**
**FPGA + ASIC Combinations**
* FPGA for flexibility + ASIC for performance
* Example: Xilinx Versal ACAP (FPGA + AI Engines + Processors)

**Structured ASICs**
* Lower NRE than full-custom ASICs
* Faster time-to-market
* Better performance than FPGAs

**Job Market & Career Perspective**
**FPGA Engineers:**
* Broader opportunities across industries
* Easier entry for new engineers
* More design iterations = more jobs
* Average salary: $90,000 - $150,000

**ASIC Engineers:**
* Higher specialization required
* Concentrated in few companies (Apple, [Qualcomm](https://www.ampheo.com/manufacturer/qualcomm), NVIDIA, [AMD](https://www.ampheo.com/manufacturer/amd))
* Higher salaries but fewer positions
* Average salary: $120,000 - $200,000

**Reality Check by Application Domain**
**Where FPGAs Dominate:**
* Prototyping & emulation (100% FPGA)
* Military/avionics (80% FPGA)
* Research & education (90% FPGA)
* Low-volume industrial (70% FPGA)

**Where ASICs Dominate:**
* Consumer electronics (95% ASIC)
* Mobile devices (99% ASIC)
* High-performance computing (80% ASIC)
* Networking chips (60% ASIC)

**Conclusion**
**For most companies and applications:**

* FPGAs are more accessible and commonly used for development, prototyping, and low-volume production
* ASICs dominate in high-volume consumer markets where performance, power, and cost matter most

**If you're learning digital design:**

* Start with FPGAs - broader applications, easier to experiment
* Transition to ASICs if you want to work on mass-market consumer products

Bottom line: Both are in high demand, but [FPGAs](https://www.ampheoelec.de/c/fpgas-field-programmable-gate-array) offer more entry points and flexibility, while ASICs offer ultimate performance for mass production. The market needs both, but for different applications and stages of product development.