Intel Core i3-4100E socket: BGA 1364

What the Core i3-4100E is

Intel Core i3-4100E is a dual core Haswell embedded part that Intel released in September 2013 for carriers with long lifecycles. It uses the Haswell core design on a 22 nm process, running at 2.4 GHz with no turbo. The cache is 3 MB Smart Cache. Power is 37 W. Graphics come from Intel HD Graphics 4600 (400 MHz to 900 MHz).

The two cores carry Hyper-Threading for 4 threads. The GT2 graphics block covers console output and signage playback without a separate chip. The SoC integrates the dual channel memory controller with ECC support and 16 PCIe 3.0 lanes on die. ECC matters for controllers and signs that run for months without reboot.

At 37 W the Core i3-4100E belongs to the Haswell E embedded group. The fixed 2.4 GHz clock suits deterministic control loops and kiosk playback with passive or small active cooling. Carriers pair it with DDR3L and SATA or eMMC storage. The How to find your CPU socket type guide shows how to confirm the package before ordering parts.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Core i3-4100E solders to BGA 1364 with 1,364 balls in a 37.5 by 32 mm footprint and cannot be moved to another board. Embedded carriers qualify each E model with a specific board and BIOS for a locked lifecycle, so even another E part is not a drop in swap. Boards follow COM Express and Qseven formats with the SoC wired per carrier.

Lifecycle and firmware decide embedded builds more than raw speed. The board BIOS must list the exact Core i3-4100E string with ECC support. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide notes that soldered embedded 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 ddr3l-1333 and 1600, two channels, up to 16 gb, ecc. ECC catches single bit errors in long running tasks, which is the main reason to pick E parts over mobile twins. Capacity reaches 16 GB where the carrier allows.

PCI Express is PCIe 3.0 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Embedded carriers wire lanes to NICs, fieldbus, mini PCIe and mSATA rather than graphics slots. Display outputs follow the carrier wiring, so the maker manual is the final word on ports.

Cooling uses the carrier heatsink or spreader sized for 37 W. The industrial temperature range needs validation with the enclosure, not just the chip rating. Repaste helps only where the carrier design permits service.

Upgrade paths

There is no CPU upgrade path on soldered BGA 1364. The Core i3-4100E cannot be removed, so a faster E part means a new carrier. Within the family the two E SKUs differ mainly in clocks and TDP, which rarely justifies a carrier hunt in qualified fleets.

A platform move means a new embedded carrier. Current Intel embedded lives on newer BGA packages with DDR4 and current OS support, which no BGA 1364 carrier can reach. Storage and wireless age with the carrier as well, so a whole box replacement usually beats a carrier swap.