Altera Stratix II Devices Now Open For Orders

First 90-nm, Low-k Device Samples on Schedule for Delivery to Customers Mid-Year

San Jose, Calif., May 3, 2004 - Altera Corporation (NASDAQ: ALTR) today announced that it is accepting customer orders for the first member of its Stratix^® II device family, the EP2S60 FPGA.  Stratix II devices are the industry’s first high-density FPGAs manufactured at the 90-nm process node and the first to be built using performance-enhancing low-k dielectric materials.  The first Stratix II FPGAs are on track for mid-year delivery. 

The Stratix II device family builds on the success of Altera’s industry-leading Stratix device family and provides more than double the logic density, 50 percent higher performance and half the cost of first-generation Stratix devices.  The Stratix II family also delivers 50 percent higher performance than the nearest competing product as indicated by recent benchmark results. 

“Stratix II devices offer unprecedented density, features, and raw processing power that is ideal for our next-generation, high-end stackable PROCSuperstar development systems, as well as our next-generation DSP and imaging board—the PROCStar II,” said Reuven Weintraub, president of Gidel Limited.  “We are looking forward to receiving Stratix II parts to complete the design of our products.”  Gidel provides a wide range of Altera-based FPGA boards, as well as development tools, optimized for cost and performance, to the systems market and for SoC/ASIC/FPGA designers.

“As shown with our success in rolling out 0.13-micron devices, Altera has clearly demonstrated a consistent track record of reliably delivering new products to our customers on time,” said Steve Mensor, Altera’s senior director of new products marketing.  “This announcement is a direct reflection of our confidence that we will continue that track record with our 90-nm products.”

Stratix II Pricing and Availability
100-unit list prices for the Stratix II EP2S60 devices start at $600.  Customers can contact any of Altera’s distributors world wide to place their orders today. 

For more information about Stratix II devices, please visit www.altera.com/stratix2

About Altera
Altera Corporation (NASDAQ: ALTR) is the world’s pioneer in system-on-a-programmable-chip (SOPC) solutions.  Combining programmable logic technology with software tools, intellectual property, and technical services, Altera provides high-value programmable solutions to approximately 14,000 customers worldwide.  More information is available at www.altera.com.

Safe Harbor
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements are generally preceded by words that imply a future state such as “expect” or “on schedule” or that imply that a particular future event or events will occur such as “will”.  Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainty, including without limitation the risk that future performance is dependent on our technology development capabilities, meeting our product development schedules, the design performance of software and other tools, the performance and abilities of our subcontractors to provide wafers and assembly/test services in a timely manner.  Please refer to the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, copies of which are available from the company without charge.

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