Why PGA?

Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
edited August 2003 in Hardware
I just remembered something I've been meaning to bring up for a while. Why are we still using PGA cpus? I thought that something like BGA was better because the connections had more area which = lower resistance which = potentially higher clockspeed. If they've done it for RAM and various other chips, why not CPUs? Is it just because BGA is very fragile, or what?

Comments

  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2003
    PGA = Pin Grid Array
    BGA = ?

    (sign me, the dumb one...) :p
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    BGA, or Ball Grad Arrays, are used for surface-mounting chips, not plugging them in.
  • shwaipshwaip bluffin' with my muffin Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    ball grid array

    I believe BGA chips must be soldered on :-/
  • primesuspectprimesuspect Beepin n' Boopin Detroit, MI Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    I'm no expert, but I would have to say that it probably has a lot to do with manufacturing costs.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited August 2003
    Bah! Duct tape! :D
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    Ball Grid Arrays are hard-soldered into the socket using a reflow process.

    To remove said processor would require the solder to be reheated and "reflowed". Same principle is used for insertion in the first place. It _can_ get messy and fubar (which is why is surface-mount 'pick & place' machines were invented).
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2003
    Shorty said
    Ball Grid Arrays are hard-soldered into the socket using a reflow process.

    To remove said processor would require the solder to be reheated and "reflowed". Same principle is used for insertion in the first place. It _can_ get messy and fubar (which is why is surface-mount 'pick & place' machines were invented).
    That would certainly cut down on the CPU upgrade market.:wtf:
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    profdlp said
    Shorty said
    Ball Grid Arrays are hard-soldered into the socket using a reflow process.

    To remove said processor would require the solder to be reheated and "reflowed". Same principle is used for insertion in the first place. It _can_ get messy and fubar (which is why is surface-mount 'pick & place' machines were invented).
    That would certainly cut down on the CPU upgrade market.:wtf:

    I dunno. Could be a market for home reflow combi ovens ;D

    Attach ya processor, warm your pastry and grill ya bacon all in one go :D
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited August 2003
    Shorty said
    I dunno. Could be a market for home reflow combi ovens ;D

    Attach ya processor, warm your pastry and grill ya bacon all in one go :D
    Why do I get the eerie feeling that they are filming the late-night Infommercial for that product right now? :rolleyes::D
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited August 2003
    profdlp said
    Why do I get the eerie feeling that they are filming the late-night Infommercial for that product right now? :rolleyes::D

    Betcha MM is working on it ;D
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