Altera Corp. has released the latest version of its Quartus II development software for FPGA design. Quartus II software version 12.0 provides customers with productivity and performance advantages such as up to 4X faster compile times for high-performance 28nm designs. Additional upgrades include broadened 28nm device support, including initial support for SoC FPGAs, enhanced Qsys system integration and DSP Builder tools, and improved intellectual property (IP) core offerings.

Quartus II software v12 possesses faster compile times allowing customers to focus design team resources on innovating their designs while maximizing designer productivity. Stratix V FPGA users will achieve on average a 35 percent reduction in compile times. The new software also broadens its support for 28nm FPGAs, including initial support for Altera's SoC FPGAs, which feature a hard dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor. Customers can select and start designing a wide range of low-cost, midrange and high-end 28nm FPGAs.

Also with this release, the updated software has added support for the ARM AMBA AXI-3 interface in its Qsys system integration tool, giving users the flexibility to connect IP cores and IP subsystems based on different standard interfaces. Qsys is the FPGA industry's first system integration tool based on network-on-a-chip (NoC) technology. The tool eases system development by integrating IP functions and IP subsystems using a hierarchical approach.

Altera's new software is available in two editions, namely: free web and subscription editions. The subscription edition simplifies obtaining Altera design software by consolidating software products and maintenance charges into one annual subscription payment. Available at Altera's eStore, this edition is priced at $2,995 for an annual subscription for a node-locked pc license.