▁Histor ically , ▁F PG As ▁have ▁been ▁slower , ▁less ▁energy ▁efficient ▁and ▁generally ▁achieved ▁less ▁functionality ▁than ▁their ▁fixed ▁AS IC ▁counter parts . ▁An ▁older ▁study ▁showed ▁that ▁designs ▁implemented ▁on ▁F PG As ▁need ▁on ▁average ▁ 4 0 ▁times ▁as ▁much ▁area , ▁draw ▁ 1 2 ▁times ▁as ▁much ▁dynamic ▁power , ▁and ▁run ▁at ▁one ▁third ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁corresponding ▁AS IC ▁implementations . ▁ ▁More ▁recently , ▁F PG As ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁X il inx ▁Vir tex - 7 ▁or ▁the ▁Al tera ▁Str at ix ▁ 5 ▁have ▁come ▁to ▁rival ▁corresponding ▁AS IC ▁and ▁A SS P ▁(" Application - specific ▁standard ▁part ", ▁such ▁as ▁a ▁stand alone ▁USB ▁interface ▁chip ) ▁solutions ▁by ▁providing ▁significantly ▁reduced ▁power ▁usage , ▁increased ▁speed , ▁lower ▁materials ▁cost , ▁minimal ▁implementation ▁real - est ate , ▁and ▁increased ▁possibilities ▁for ▁re - configuration ▁' on - the - fly '. ▁A ▁design ▁that ▁included ▁ 6 ▁to ▁ 1 0 ▁AS IC s ▁can ▁now ▁be ▁achieved ▁using ▁only ▁one ▁F P GA . ▁ ▁Adv antages ▁of ▁F PG As ▁include ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁re - program ▁when ▁already ▁deployed ▁( i . e . ▁" in ▁the ▁field ") ▁to ▁fix ▁bugs , ▁and ▁often ▁include ▁shorter ▁time ▁to ▁market ▁and ▁lower ▁non - rec urr ing ▁engineering ▁costs . ▁V end ors ▁can ▁also ▁take ▁a ▁middle ▁road ▁via ▁F P GA ▁pro tot yp ing : ▁developing ▁their ▁prototype