There has been a ton of BGA processor stories over the past year, with the most recent being that Intel will not be releasing the BGA-only 14nm Broadwell processors next year. It is not all bad news for BGA fans though, because Intel is reportedly introducing new BGA versions of Haswell-based chips late this year and in the first half of 2014.
According to a leaked road-map, Intel will release three new Bay Trail based BGA chips under the Pentium and Celeron brands by Q4 2013. Additionally, next year the company will launch three high performance BGA-only Haswell-based processors.
On the low end, Intel will launch three new Bay Trail-D based processors. The J1750 and J1850 will be Celerons while the J2850 will have Pentium branding. The specifications are available in the chart below.
| Base Clockspeed | Cores / Threads | Cache | GPU | GPU Clockspeed | |
| Pentium J2850 | 2.4 GHz | 4 / 4 | 2 MB | Intel HD | 688 / 792 MHz |
| Celeron J1850 | 2.0 GHz | 4 / 4 | 2 MB | Intel HD | 688 / 792 MHz |
| Celeron J1750 | 2.4 GHz | 2 / 2 | 2 MB | Intel HD | 688 / 750 MHz |
For the enthusiast crowd that favors small systems (like Intel’s NUC), the company is releasing three new Haswell-based BGA processors under its Core i5 and Core i7 branding. Specifications for these high end chips are located in the chart below. Interestingly, these Haswell chips in a BGA package come with Intel's much faster Iris 5200 processor graphics. A high end desktop CPU SKU with Intel's GT3e (GT3 GPU with embedded memory) still eludes enthusiasts, however despite the BGA packaging. Note that the BGA Core processors are not coming until at least next year, according to the roadmap (which does note that dates are subject to change).
| Base Clockspeed | Cores / Threads | Cache | GPU | GPU Clockspeed | |
| Core i7 4770R | 3.2 GHz | 4 / 8 | 6 MB | Intel Iris 5200 | 1300 MHz |
| Core i5 4670R | 3.0 GHz | 4 / 4 | 4 MB | Intel Iris 5200 | 1300 MHz |
| Core i5 4570R | 2.7 GHz | 4 / 4 | 4 MB | Intel Iris 5200 | 1150 MHz |
There has definitely been resistance against Intel’s BGA lineups by the enthusiast crowd, for fear that customization and DIY abilities would be hampered and that BGA would take over and displace LGA (socketed CPUs). In this particular case though, I think the new BGA processors are a good thing and so long as there continues to be LGA options for the DIY and enthusiast crowd, I look forward to seeing what platforms these new BGA chips are used in and what motherboard manufacturers offer with them (if they are even offered at retail at all, and not just to OEMs).
I think a BGA version of a desktop CPU with Intel's fastest GT3e processor graphics would actually be welcome since it appears that an LGA version is out of the question, and would be one way to sway desktop users over to Intel's BGA strategy and have them be open to similar options in future chips, such as Broadwell in 2015.
Intel’s integrated graphics
Intel’s integrated graphics will never excite the enthusiast crowd! The only thing Intel can do to excite the enthusiast is to add more cores, and dump the IGPU, Intel’s CPUs are now and will be only be good for enthusiast gaming, as a CPU product paired with either a Nvidia or AMD descrete GPU! Intel’s x86 CPUs are powerfull, but they need Nvidia or AMD GPUs to be of any use for high end gaming! As far as laptop/low end gaming, why spend the extra money for Intel’s anemic GPUs, AMD’s APUs are a better low cost/low power gaming solution, with better graphics!
The BGA cores are meant to
The BGA cores are meant to revitalize the declining sales in desktop systems especially in emerging markets. Intel has seen a decline in desktop sales and these processors can be a way to sell more systems in low income markets on a global scale. The second use for BGA systems are for OEMs and high performance NAS systems. These systems are growing rapidly as the demand for personal cloud storage is increasing. This will allow high speed transcoding to multiple users for SMB and home use to mobile devices. The decision is smart albeit at the expense of the enthusiast. The choices for the enthusiast will be more limited in the future as graphics capability between devices equalizes in the long term between mobile devices and desktops. Personal cloud storage and streaming will become very important as people are switching from standard productivity environments to more fluid and mobile platforms.
-HyperMinimalism
In emerging markets is where
In emerging markets is where ARM will provide a lower cost solution! ARM based servers built around open hardware/software! ARM based computing based on the open hardware developed for use in the giant server farm’s open hardware/software platforms, which is modular and scalable from SMB to supersize! Running Linux on ARM, these servers will be lower cost than any WINTEL products, and ARM has been in emerging markets from day one! And what about BGA cores will help make a low cost solution, Hell BGA will save Intel money, but if the CPU goes, the motherboard cannot be easily repaired in the field, as the CPU will have to be removed by desoldering, and expensive and time consuming process! And what CPUs are used in the controllers of those NAS boxes’s hard drives and SSDs, ARM CPUs, and ARM will run the servers too! Intel will never be able to match the low margin prices that are ARMs Bread and Butter! Who in emerging markets has the money to afford the high cost/high margin costs of Intel’s and M$ products, ARM products are by far the more affordable solution, and just about everyone uses Linux, as Linux is a no cost solution that is everywhere in Emerging world! If any device is going to turn the tide in emerging markets, it will be the ARM based ChromeBook type solutions, That can run Full Linux, why do you think ARM based chromebooks are such hot sellers, people get them and install a Full linux distro of their choice, and have a working netbook, sans the Intel cost and M$ bloat!
ARM is more power efficient
ARM is more power efficient at very low wattage than x86 architecture. I don’t think Intel is trying to compete with that market as much as the step above. Intel has the Atom processor which has been very unsuccessful in competing with ARM and it will remain unsuccessful as long as its performance remains marginal.
The move to BGA may provide a lower cost alternative to home and SMB users as people step away from the traditional desktop and move to private NAS solutions with attached devices, all while preserving a healthy profit margin for Intel to spur further growth. x86 architecture wins with TDPs above 40 watts in most scenarios. It sounds as though you think Windows and Intel go hand in hand, but I’m afraid there is no such thing as Wintel.
The reason why ARM is selling so well in with the ChromeBook is because the price is very low – however the performance is also very low. The BGA sockets will allow the core architecture to step down costs and compete with the top end the emerging markets.
Most chromebooks running Full
Most chromebooks running Full Linux, run just fine for their intended purpose! The emerging markets do not need the Intel Over priced software bloated M$ solutions, chromebooks are popular running Chrome OS, or Linux, and I am sure people that live in these emerging markets can and do get real work done on the Full Linux distros on chromebooks! As far as performence most of these devices will utilize their GPUs through OpenCL and the softwre that is and will be written to take advantage of GPU acceleration, for general purpose tasks. such as spreadsheets, LibreOffice has announced such an initiative to use OpenCL and the chip’s GPU for enhanced GPGPU computation on its spreadsheet and other software! You will see ARM based products in the future with 6 or more ARM 64 bit cores, that can be individually turned on as needed, to provide the computational power range of a tablet all the way to a low end haswell core i3, and paired with Nvidia GPUs or other GPU IP, and these GPU will all offer computational acceleration through their GPUs! ARM holdings will supply the IP, for the entire industry that utilizes the ARM IP and the ARM ISA! ARM is a founding member of the HSA foundation, and HSA is the future, especially in the mobile market! The HSA foundation is developing the software and hardware standards that will allow all the computational devices on a computing platform to be easily used for computation, be it CPU or GPU, for number crunching or graphics! Intel’s prices do not justify the added expence, as far as computation and the emerging markets! BGA is OK for laptops and low cost devices, but for desktop and server chips they are just a way for Intel to milk its buyers and OEMs! Who is to say if Intel plans to pass the cost savings on to their customers! Intel’s tray cpu prices, short of Intel dumping Its chips on the market, can not compete with the ARM ecosystem’s producers low prices! Considering intel’s dubious use of fixed benchmarks, and other unfair trade practices over the years, OEM’s will most likely stick with the ARM producers fair and more flexible, low cost ARM based solutions!
Don’t confuse two separate
Don’t confuse two separate arguments, or three, I can’t really tell what you are trying to say other than you are more than likely long on ARM. Intel vs ARM is one argument, and it has nothing to do with bloatware or overpriced software or Windows – which is a separate argument. OEMs, given the chance, will load any system based on ARM, Intel, Nvidia, or AMD with crappy software. Linux distros can be loaded with bloatware and this crappiness that you speak of just as easily on Windows or an Open Source platform. This is done to offset costs and increase profitability.
No stocks for me, just the
No stocks for me, just the truth about Intel’s true intents, The emerging markets are allready steeped in the ARM ecosystem, and Intel with Its costly to maintain chip Fabs, and High Price Margin needs, will never be able to make inroads into these emerging markets at Intel’s customary price point! OEMs Know of Intel’s past attempts at controling markets, at High costs to OEM’s with Intel’s shady dealings, be it rigged benchmarks, other marketing and unfare trade practices (see FTC vs Intel), (see Antutu benchmarks fudged), etc. ARM will be the low cost solution, and Linux will be the OS of choice! Why do you think that IBM forced Intel to license and second source the x86 instruction set to AMD! OEMs will be able to produce many more cost effective products with ARM, sans the Intel domination of the market tactics, that the x86 based OEMs have and continue to suffer with! China is using Linux, and Linux has a long history with ARM, and ARM is everywhere! ARM gets the job done, as well as Linux, without the attatched to the OS Bloat of TIFKAM/IE/ETC of windows, and the high cost (Out of the economics of the Emerging market customer’s price range) Intel over priced SKUs! The future does not include the WINTELs, it already has Linux on ARM! Arm Holdings produces the IP and the ISA, that an entire Industry utilizes, from Apple, qualcomm, and thousands of other companys! The OEM fish aren’t biting, they see the hook, they Know the crook!
Would an Intel J2850 be a
Would an Intel J2850 be a nice upgrade from a AMD E-350? (my currnet HTPC) If they can put one in a feature rich ITX motherboard it would make a great HTPC.