Socket Geek

BGA 1023 socket: CPUs, chipsets and cooler fit

BGA 1023, also called FCBGA1023, is the Intel soldered package for Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge mobile Celeron and embedded parts. It carries 1,023 balls in a 31 by 24 mm footprint and solders directly to the board. Intel used it from the Sandy Bridge mobile launch in January 2011, followed by Ivy Bridge parts including the U series in January 2013.

Quick facts

MakerIntel
Package typeBGA
Contacts1,023
Package size31 × 24 mm
IntroducedJanuary 2011
StatusLegacy
MemoryDDR3 and DDR3L, two channels, 1066 to 1600 MT/s
PCIe from the CPUPCIe 2.0 on Sandy Bridge, PCIe 3.0 on Ivy Bridge (lane layout varies by board design)
Cooler mounting holesNot applicable (soldered)
ReplacesNone
Replaced byBGA 1170

Overview

The package covers 17 W ULV dual and single core parts for thin laptops plus embedded UE and E parts with ECC on selected designs. Because the chip is soldered, a qualified replacement is impossible without rework equipment, and laptop makers qualify each model with a specific board and BIOS.

Later mobile Celeron parts moved to BGA1170 for Bay Trail and BGA1168 for Haswell ULT. BGA1023 boards are therefore used or old stock. Memory type, display outputs and power limits follow the laptop or carrier design rather than the package name.

Processor generations

CodenameMarketing nameYearsNotes
Sandy Bridge2nd Gen mobile Celeron BGA2011 to 2012Soldered Sandy Bridge mobile Celeron parts for low power laptops and embedded boxes, launched in 2011.
Ivy Bridge3rd Gen mobile Celeron U, UE and E2012 to 2013Soldered Ivy Bridge mobile Celeron parts including the 1007U, 1037U, 947UE, 1047UE and the BGA variant of the 1020E, launched in January 2013.

Soldered package

BGA 1023 processors solder with 1,023 balls and cannot be removed or replaced. There is no retention lever, no pin grid and no aftermarket mounting choice. Thermal design uses the system heatsink sized for the configured TDP, typically 17 W in thin laptops and up to 35 W in embedded boxes with directed airflow.

Because the chip cannot be swapped, the practical check before buying a used BGA1023 laptop is the condition of the whole system. Battery health, fan noise and storage size matter more than the exact Celeron model. A board replacement is the only CPU upgrade path, and it usually costs more than the laptop is worth.

Memory and I/O

BGA 1023 designs use DDR3 memory in two channels, commonly DDR3-1333 in Sandy designs and DDR3-1600 in Ivy designs. Some embedded UE and E carriers enable ECC, which catches single bit errors in long running tasks. Display outputs, USB and storage lanes all hang off the single package through the board wiring.

PCI Express is PCIe 2.0 from Sandy Bridge parts and PCIe 3.0 from Ivy Bridge parts, with a layout that varies by board. Most laptops keep the graphics path internal to HD Graphics and devote lanes to SATA storage and wireless. A discrete GPU is uncommon in this class.

Platform lifecycle

BGA 1023 covers Sandy Bridge from 2011 and Ivy Bridge from 2012 to 2013. Intel moved low power mobile to BGA1170 for Bay Trail and to BGA1168 for Haswell ULT. New compatible boards are therefore used or old stock, not current retail.

For a working BGA1023 laptop the practical path is maintenance: fresh thermal paste, clean fans and an SSD upgrade where the board allows. A platform move means a new laptop on a current BGA package with DDR4 or newer memory. The How to find your CPU socket type guide explains how to confirm the package before ordering parts.

CPUs on BGA 1023

53 processor pages in the database, newest first.

ProcessorCores / threadsBase / boostTDPLaunched
Intel Celeron 1007U2 / 21.5 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Celeron 1020E2 / 22.2 GHz35 WJan 2013
Intel Celeron 1037U2 / 21.8 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Celeron 1047UE2 / 21.4 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Celeron 947UE1 / 11.4 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Core i3-3227U2 / 41.9 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Core i3-3229Y2 / 41.4 GHz13 WJan 2013
Intel Core i5-3337U2 / 41.8 / 2.7 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Core i5-3339Y2 / 41.5 / 2.0 GHz13 WJan 2013
Intel Core i5-3437U2 / 41.9 / 2.9 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Core i5-3439Y2 / 41.5 / 2.3 GHz13 WJan 2013
Intel Core i7-3537U2 / 42.0 / 3.1 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Core i7-3687U2 / 42.1 / 3.3 GHz17 WJan 2013
Intel Core i7-3689Y2 / 41.5 / 2.6 GHz13 WJan 2013
Intel Pentium 2129Y2 / 21.1 GHz10 WJan 2013
Intel Core i5-3365M2 / 42.8 / 3.5 GHz35 WNov 2012
Intel Core i7-3525M2 / 42.9 / 3.6 GHz35 WNov 2012
Intel Celeron 8872 / 21.5 GHz17 WSep 2012
Intel Core i3-2377M2 / 41.5 GHz17 WSep 2012
Intel Pentium 2117U2 / 21.8 GHz17 WSep 2012
Intel Pentium 9872 / 21.5 GHz17 WSep 2012
Intel Pentium 9972 / 21.6 GHz17 WSep 2012
Intel Core i3-3120ME2 / 42.4 GHz35 WAug 2012
Intel Core i3-3217UE2 / 41.6 GHz17 WAug 2012
Intel Celeron 8071 / 21.5 GHz17 WJul 2012
Intel Celeron 8772 / 21.4 GHz17 WJul 2012
Intel Core i3-3217U2 / 41.8 GHz17 WJun 2012
Intel Core i5-3317U2 / 41.7 / 2.6 GHz17 WJun 2012
Intel Core i5-3427U2 / 41.8 / 2.8 GHz17 WJun 2012
Intel Core i7-3517U2 / 41.9 / 3.0 GHz17 WJun 2012
Intel Core i7-3517UE2 / 41.7 / 2.8 GHz17 WJun 2012
Intel Core i7-3555LE2 / 42.5 / 3.2 GHz25 WJun 2012
Intel Core i7-3667U2 / 42.0 / 3.2 GHz17 WJun 2012
Intel Core i7-3612QE4 / 82.1 / 3.1 GHz35 WApr 2012
Intel Core i7-3615QE4 / 82.3 / 3.3 GHz45 WApr 2012
Intel Celeron 7971 / 11.4 GHz17 WJan 2012
Intel Celeron 8672 / 21.3 GHz17 WJan 2012
Intel Pentium 9772 / 21.4 GHz17 WJan 2012
Intel Core i3-2367M2 / 41.4 GHz17 WOct 2011
Intel Pentium 9672 / 21.3 GHz17 WOct 2011
Intel Celeron 7871 / 11.3 GHz17 WJul 2011
Intel Celeron 8572 / 21.2 GHz17 WJul 2011
Intel Celeron 8472 / 21.1 GHz17 WJun 2011
Intel Core i3-2340UE2 / 41.3 GHz17 WJun 2011
Intel Core i3-2357M2 / 41.3 GHz17 WJun 2011
Intel Core i5-2467M2 / 41.6 / 2.3 GHz17 WJun 2011
Intel Core i5-2557M2 / 41.7 / 2.7 GHz17 WJun 2011
Intel Pentium 9572 / 21.2 GHz17 WJun 2011
Intel Core i3-2310E2 / 42.1 GHz35 WFeb 2011
Intel Core i5-2515E2 / 42.5 / 3.1 GHz35 WFeb 2011
Intel Core i5-2537M2 / 41.4 / 2.3 GHz17 WFeb 2011
Intel Core i7-2715QE4 / 82.1 / 3.0 GHz45 WJan 2011
Intel Core i5-2415M2 / 42.3 / 2.9 GHz35 W2011

Frequently asked questions

Can a BGA 1023 processor be replaced or upgraded?

No. The chip solders with 1,023 balls. A faster laptop or box means a new board or a new device. Memory on soldered boards also locks at purchase in many designs.

Which processors fit BGA 1023?

Sandy and Ivy Bridge mobile Celeron U and M BGA parts plus embedded UE and E parts such as the 1007U, 1037U, 947UE, 1047UE and the BGA variant of the 1020E. Socketed rPGA twins of some SKUs use Socket G2 instead.

What memory does BGA 1023 use?

DDR3 and DDR3L SODIMM memory in two channels, 1066 to 1333 MT/s on Sandy Bridge and 1066 to 1600 MT/s on Ivy Bridge. ECC is available on embedded UE and E designs where the board wiring enables it.

What is the difference between BGA 1023 and Socket G2?

BGA 1023 at 31 by 24 mm solders down low power mobile and embedded parts up to 35 W. Socket G2 at 37.5 by 37.5 mm carries socketed M, QM and MX parts that can be replaced where the laptop allows access. Some embedded SKUs such as the Celeron 1020E ship in both packages.

Sources and verification

  1. Mobile 3rd Gen Core Family Datasheet Vol. 1 (Intel, rPGA988B and BGA1023 packages)
  2. Intel Celeron 1047UE Specifications (ARK, FCBGA1023 31x24mm)
  3. Ivy Bridge microarchitecture on Wikipedia (mobile sockets)

Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .