CPLDs and FPGAs are programmable logic devices where the logic function is defined in firmware rather than fixed at manufacture. The hardware ships blank; you write the configuration, synthesise it, and load it — the device becomes whatever logic you need.

The split between the two matters. CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices) are lower gate count, non-volatile, and retain their configuration through a power cycle — no external flash required. That makes them the right call for glue logic, bus bridging, power sequencing, and any application where instant-on behaviour matters. FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) are larger, with block RAM, DSP slices, and high-speed transceivers in the bigger families. Use them for signal processing, protocol conversion, motor control, image processing, and SDR — anywhere parallelism beats what a processor can do.

Configuration retention matters at selection time. Most FPGAs are SRAM-based: they lose configuration on power-down and need companion flash and a boot sequence. Flash-based CPLDs and some FPGAs — Microchip's PolarFire included — hold configuration without external memory. If the BOM is tight or boot time is constrained, that distinction changes the design.

Key vendors: Lattice Semiconductor (iCE40 and ECP5 FPGAs, MachXO CPLDs — strong on low-power and CPLD replacement), Intel/Altera (MAX CPLDs, Cyclone/Arria/Stratix FPGAs), AMD/Xilinx (CoolRunner CPLDs, Artix/Kintex/Virtex/Zynq FPGAs — Zynq integrates an ARM core alongside the logic fabric, putting it in SoC territory), and Microchip/Microsemi (SmartFusion, PolarFire — radiation-tolerant options for space and defence).

Selection criteria: logic density (LUTs or macrocells depending on device class), block RAM, DSP slice count, I/O count and standards (LVCMOS, LVDS, HSSI), and package — QFP for prototype-friendly hand soldering, BGA once you're in production.

TRX stocks CPLDs and FPGAs from Lattice, Intel (Altera), AMD (Xilinx), and Microchip through authorised distribution. No minimum order. In-stock parts ship to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria. For sourced parts, we'll give you an actual lead time.

Send us your part number or describe the application — we'll come back with availability and pricing.