Intel Core i3-390M socket: Socket G1

What the Core i3-390M is

Intel Core i3-390M is a dual core Arrandale mobile processor that Intel released in January 2011 for socketed laptops. It runs at a fixed 2.67 GHz with no turbo and includes Hyper-Threading, so 2 cores give 4 threads. Cache is 3 MB Intel Smart Cache. Power is 35 W on a 32 nm process with 382 million transistors on an 81 mm2 die.

Threaded office apps benefit from 4 threads even at modest clocks. The 390M topped the Arrandale mobile i3 range on clocks. Fixed clocks keep fleet images stable.

Graphics are Intel HD Graphics at 500 MHz to 667 MHz on the same package graphics die. The block covers laptop displays at native resolution. Memory is DDR3 at 1066 MT/s in two channels.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Core i3-390M fits Socket G1 with 988 pins in rPGA988A form. This page covers the socketed version. HM55 and HM57 boards from the Calpella wave carry it where the BIOS lists the exact 390M string.

Board makers publish the final CPU lists. A board that omits the string may refuse to boot even when the chipset matches. Check the list before buying a used laptop for parts.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is DDR3-1066, two channels, up to 8 GB. A matched pair helps shared graphics more than a single larger module. ECC is not supported.

PCI Express is revision 2.0 from the package for wireless and storage. Most 390M systems never add a discrete card.

Cooling follows the 35 W mobile pattern with a single fan and a board specific heatsink. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide notes laptop heatsinks stay board specific.

Upgrade paths

On Socket G1 the 390M already tops the Arrandale mobile i3 range, so the next step is a Core i5 M with turbo where lid access and firmware allow it. Memory and storage move with the board. A nearby socketed Arrandale reference is the Pentium P6300 class on the same socket.

A full platform change needs a new laptop. Keep the old body for spare use.