Intel Atom Z3770 socket: BGA 1380

What the Atom Z3770 is

Intel Atom Z3770 is a quad core Bay Trail-T tablet SoC that Intel released in September 2013 for fanless tablets and 2 in 1 devices. It uses the Silvermont core design on a 22 nm process, running at 1.47 GHz base with burst to 2.39 GHz. The cache is 2 MB L2 (1 MB per module). Power is 2 W SDP, the scenario envelope that sizes tablet thermals. Graphics come from Intel HD Graphics for Atom Z3700 series (311 MHz to 667 MHz).

The four cores are complete Silvermont cores with no Hyper-Threading, so threads equal cores at 4. Burst raises short clocks above the base for touch response, then settles to the sustained envelope. The SoC integrates a dual channel LPDDR3 controller, graphics and tablet I/O on die, which suits thin bodies with soldered memory.

At 2 W SDP the Atom Z3770 belongs to the Atom Z3700 tablet group. The 1.47 GHz base with 2.39 GHz burst suits reading, video and classroom apps with passive cooling. Tablets pair it with eMMC storage and soldered LPDDR3. The How to find your CPU socket type guide shows how to confirm the package before ordering parts.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Atom Z3770 solders to BGA 1380 with 1,380 balls in a 17 by 17 mm footprint and cannot be moved to another board. Tablet makers qualify each model with a specific board and firmware, so even another Bay Trail-T part is not a drop in upgrade. Boards follow tablet layouts with soldered storage and memory throughout.

Power and firmware decide service results. The 2 W SDP envelope sizes the spreader and chassis, and the board firmware must list the exact Atom Z3770 string. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide notes that soldered tablet parts have no desktop mount pattern. Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works covers Intel pairing basics.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is lpddr3-1066, two channels, up to 4 gb, soldered next to the SoC. The dual channel layout feeds the HD Graphics block that shares system RAM, which helps video playback and light games. Capacity locks at purchase, with 2 GB common and 4 GB on larger tablets.

PCIe connectivity is PCIe 2.0 from the SoC with a layout that varies by board. Tablets devote lanes to storage, wireless and sensors rather than graphics slots. Display, USB, cameras and touch controllers follow the device wiring, so the maker spec sheet is the final word on ports.

Cooling uses the tablet chassis and spreader, fully passive at 2 W SDP. Burst behavior is tuned per device, so sustained speed varies with case temperature. There is no fan curve to adjust and no retail heatsink to fit.

Upgrade paths

There is no CPU upgrade path on soldered BGA 1380. The Atom Z3770 cannot be removed, so a faster Bay Trail-T part means a new board or a new tablet. Within the family the two Z3700 parts differ mainly in burst headroom, which rarely justifies a board hunt.

A platform move means a new tablet. Current tablet SoCs use newer packages with LPDDR4 or newer memory and current OS support, which no BGA 1380 board can reach. Batteries and displays age with the board as well, so a whole device replacement usually beats a board swap. Recycle the old tablet through a proper e waste path once data is wiped.