BGA 559 socket: CPUs, chipsets and cooler fit
BGA 559, also called FCBGA559, is the Intel soldered package for Pineview and Cedarview Atom processors. It carries 559 balls in a 22 × 22 mm footprint and solders directly to the board. The socket debuted in December 2009 with Pineview parts such as the D510 and N450, followed by the N570 in March 2011 and the Cedarview N2600, N2800, D2500, D2550 and D2700 in late 2011.
Quick facts
| Maker | Intel |
|---|---|
| Package type | BGA |
| Contacts | 559 |
| Package size | 22 × 22 mm |
| Introduced | December 2009 |
| Status | Legacy |
| Memory | DDR2-800 and DDR3-800 to 1066, single channel |
| PCIe from the CPU | PCIe from the NM10 chipset (board dependent) |
| Cooler mounting holes | Not applicable (soldered) |
| Replaces | None |
| Replaced by | None |
Overview
The package covers single and dual core Atom parts from 3.5 W netbook chips through 10 W nettop chips, with Hyper-Threading on most duals and PowerVR based graphics for display and video. Because the chip is soldered, makers qualify each model with a fixed board and BIOS, and memory size often locks at purchase on netbook bodies.
Do not confuse BGA 559 with BGA 437. That older package carries 437 balls for 2008 era Diamondville and Silverthorne Atoms such as the N270, while BGA 559 carries Cedarview D series parts that some databases mislabel. Later Intel low power moved to BGA 1170 and newer packages with DDR3L memory.
Processor generations
| Codename | Marketing name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pineview | Atom N400 and N500 series netbooks | 2009 to 2011 | Soldered Pineview Atom parts including the N570 at 1.66 GHz with Hyper-Threading, launched in March 2011 with DDR2 and DDR3 support. |
| Cedarview | Atom N2000 and D2000 series | 2011 to 2012 | Soldered Cedarview Atom parts including the N2600, N2800, D2500, D2550 and D2700, launched in late 2011 with DDR3 memory. |
Soldered netbook package
BGA 559 processors solder with 559 balls and cannot be removed or replaced in the field. There is no lever, no pin grid and no retail cooler mount. Thermal design uses small heatsinks or spreaders sized from 3.5 W netbook chips to 10 W nettop chips, often with a tiny fan.
Because the chip cannot be swapped, the check before buying a used BGA 559 netbook is the whole system. Battery health, screen condition and storage size matter more than small differences between Atom models. A board replacement is the only CPU path, and it rarely pays against a newer low power laptop.
Memory and I/O
BGA 559 designs use single channel memory, commonly DDR2-800 on Pineview N570 bodies and DDR3-800 or 1066 on Cedarview bodies. Maximum sizes stay small at 2 GB on netbooks through 4 GB on Cedarview D series boards. The single 64 bit channel feeds both cores and graphics together.
PCI Express follows the NM10 chipset on Cedar Trail and Pine Trail boards, with board specific wiring to Wi-Fi and storage. Lane counts and versions vary by board, so no per CPU lane claim is made here. Later Intel low power platforms moved I/O onto the processor package.
Platform lifecycle
BGA 559 spans Pineview from December 2009 through Cedarview into 2012. Intel later moved netbooks to Cedar Trail successors and then to Bay Trail on BGA 1170 with DDR3L memory and out of order cores. New BGA 559 boards are not current retail, so working systems are used stock.
For a running netbook the useful work is maintenance: a light operating system, maximum RAM where slots exist, and an SSD where the board allows. A platform move means a new low power laptop on a current package. The How to find your CPU socket type guide shows how to confirm the package before ordering parts.
CPUs on BGA 559
15 processor pages in the database, newest first.
| Processor | Cores / threads | Base / boost | TDP | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Atom D2550 | 2 / 4 | 1.86 GHz | 10 W | Jan 2012 |
| Intel Atom N2600 | 2 / 4 | 1.6 GHz | 3.5 W | Dec 2011 |
| Intel Atom N2800 | 2 / 4 | 1.87 GHz | 6.5 W | Dec 2011 |
| Intel Atom D2500 | 2 / 2 | 1.86 GHz | 10 W | Nov 2011 |
| Intel Atom D2700 | 2 / 4 | 2.13 GHz | 10 W | Nov 2011 |
| Intel Atom N570 | 2 / 4 | 1.67 GHz | 8.5 W | Mar 2011 |
| Intel Atom N550 | 2 / 4 | 1.5 GHz | 8.5 W | Aug 2010 |
| Intel Atom D425 | 1 / 2 | 1.83 GHz | 10 W | Jun 2010 |
| Intel Atom D525 | 2 / 4 | 1.8 GHz | 13 W | Jun 2010 |
| Intel Atom N455 | 1 / 2 | 1.67 GHz | 6.5 W | Jun 2010 |
| Intel Atom N475 | 1 / 2 | 1.83 GHz | 7 W | Jun 2010 |
| Intel Atom N470 | 1 / 2 | 1.83 GHz | 6.5 W | Mar 2010 |
| Intel Atom D410 | 1 / 2 | 1.67 GHz | 10 W | Jan 2010 |
| Intel Atom D510 | 2 / 4 | 1.67 GHz | 13 W | Dec 2009 |
| Intel Atom N450 | 1 / 2 | 1.67 GHz | 5.5 W | Dec 2009 |
Frequently asked questions
Can a BGA 559 processor be replaced or upgraded?
No. The chip solders with 559 balls. A faster netbook means a new board or a new device.
Which processors fit BGA 559?
Pineview parts such as the N570 plus Cedarview parts such as the N2600, N2800, D2500, D2550 and D2700. Diamondville parts such as the N270 use the different BGA 437 package.
What memory does BGA 559 use?
Single channel memory, DDR2-800 on Pineview bodies and DDR3-800 or 1066 on Cedarview bodies.
Is BGA 559 the same as BGA 437?
No. BGA 559 has 559 balls in 22 by 22 mm for Pineview and Cedarview, while BGA 437 has 437 balls for older Diamondville and Silverthorne parts.
Sources and verification
- Intel Atom N2600 Specifications (ARK, FCBGA559)
- Intel Atom D2700 Specifications (ARK, FCBGA559 22x22)
- List of Intel Atom processors (Wikipedia, BGA rows)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .