VIA 1.1GigaPro (C3 800A) socket: VIA BGA 368

What the 1.1GigaPro (C3 800A) is

The VIA 1.1GigaPro (C3 800A) is an 800 MHz single-core soldered embedded processor from September 2001. It runs one Centaur Samuel 2 core at 800 MHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 64 KB of on-die L2 with 128 KB of L1 on a 150 nm process. Power is rated near 11 W in a VIA BGA 368 soldered package on a 100 to 133 MHz bus.

The GigaPro name is a performance rating that compares the 800 MHz C3 against faster-clocked rivals, which is why the 1.1GigaPro string maps to 800 MHz silicon. VIA sold GigaPro Samuel 2 parts in 2001 for embedded boards that need socket-free mounting. The chip supports MMX, 3DNow and LongHaul.

An 800 MHz clock with a tiny cache and an 11 W envelope suits embedded Mini-ITX boards with soldered layouts and SDRAM. The ball package removes socket height for slim chassis. That is why the 1.1GigaPro shipped on embedded EPIA-class boards.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 1.1GigaPro is soldered to VIA BGA 368 boards and cannot be replaced. It fits embedded boards with BGA 368 solder lands and a BIOS that lists Samuel 2 GigaPro strings. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Embedded SDRAM boards are the natural match. Boards built for the 1.1GigaPro carry the soldered chip with a board heatsink for the 11 W class. Socketed Socket 370 boards cannot accept the ball package.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is SDRAM through the board chipset, with the exact type set by the embedded board. The soldered CPU has no memory controller. Embedded Apollo boards commonly pair PC100 or PC133 SDRAM with Samuel 2 layouts.

A 100 to 133 MHz bus ties the soldered chip to the chipset, while expansion hangs off the chipset. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Thermal design is board-level with a maker heatsink for the 11 W class and no socket parts to swap.

Upgrade paths

There is no CPU upgrade path from a soldered 1.1GigaPro. The chip cannot move to a faster part. A board replacement with a newer embedded platform is the only move.

For socketed planning, a C3 800A such as VIA C3 800A shows the socketed Socket 370 line at matching clocks with replacement allowed. The VIA BGA 368 page lists the soldered Samuel 2 range.