BGA 1528 socket: CPUs, chipsets and cooler fit
BGA 1528 is Intel ball grid array package for thin and light mobile processors of the Whiskey Lake-U, Coffee Lake-U and Comet Lake-U families. The package carries 1,528 contacts in a 46 × 24 mm footprint and solders directly to the laptop mainboard. Intel lists the package as FCBGA1528 in its specification pages, with a 100 C junction limit across the family.
Quick facts
| Maker | Intel |
|---|---|
| Package type | BGA |
| Contacts | 1,528 |
| Package size | 46 × 24 mm |
| Introduced | August 2018 |
| Status | Legacy |
| Memory | DDR4-2133 to DDR4-2666, LPDDR3-1866 and LPDDR3-2133 plus LPDDR4-2933, two channels, up to 64 GB |
| PCIe from the CPU | PCIe 3.0 with up to 16 lanes from the CPU on Core parts, 12 lanes PCIe 2.0 on value Whiskey Lake-U parts |
| Cooler mounting holes | Not applicable (soldered) |
| Replaces | None |
| Replaced by | None |
Overview
The package arrived with Whiskey Lake-U in August 2018 for 15 W ultrabooks with 2 to 4 cores on 14 nm, then carried Coffee Lake-U with Iris Plus graphics in 2019 across 15 W and 28 W parts, alongside Comet Lake-U in August 2019 for 15 W ultrabooks that added 6-core options in April 2020. Whiskey Lake-U spans Celeron 4205U through Core i5-8365U with UHD Graphics for 8th Gen processors and DDR4-2133 on value parts rising to DDR4-2400 on Core parts. Coffee Lake-U adds Iris Plus 645 and Iris Plus 655 with 128 MB eDRAM on parts such as Core i5-8257U at 15 W and Core i5-8279U at 28 W with DDR4-2400 throughout.
Memory spans DDR4-2133 to DDR4-2666 plus LPDDR3-1866, LPDDR3-2133 and LPDDR4-2933 depending on generation and board design, with two channels and up to 64 GB. PCIe runs at version 3.0 with up to 16 lanes from the CPU on Core parts and on Celeron 4305U, while value Whiskey Lake-U parts such as Celeron 4205U and Pentium Gold 5405U use 12 lanes at version 2.0. Because the chip is soldered, core count, graphics tier and memory size are fixed at purchase.
Processor generations
| Codename | Marketing name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whiskey Lake-U | 8th Gen Core U Refresh | 2018 to 2019 | 15 W thin laptop processors with 2 to 4 cores, UHD Graphics for 8th Gen, DDR4-2133 and LPDDR3-1866 on BGA 1528, launched August 2018 with Celeron 4205U through Core i5-8365U. |
| Coffee Lake-U | 8th Gen Core U with Iris Plus | 2019 | 15 W and 28 W thin laptop processors with 2 to 4 cores, Iris Plus 645/655 on 28 W parts and UHD 620 on 15 W parts, DDR4-2400 and LPDDR3-2133 on BGA 1528, launched 2019 with i3-8140U through i5-8279U. |
| Comet Lake-U | 10th Gen Core U | 2019 to 2020 | Thin laptop processors with 4 to 6 cores, launched in August 2019 with UHD Graphics options and DDR4-2666 on BGA 1528, plus late 6-core parts in April 2020. |
Who BGA 1528 serves
Thin ultrabooks where battery life matters more than sustained clocks take BGA 1528 boards: travel laptops, student machines and business ultrabooks with single fan cooling. Whiskey Lake-U opened the socket in 2018 for 2-core Celeron and Pentium Gold school laptops through 4-core Core i5 office machines at 15 W. Coffee Lake-U followed in 2019 for buyers who wanted Iris Plus graphics without leaving thin chassis.
Within the socket the choice runs from 2-core value parts for web and documents to 4-core Core i5 and Core i7 parts for heavier multitasking to 28 W Iris Plus parts for photo work in a thin body. Comet Lake-U tops the stack with higher clocks plus DDR4-2666 and LPDDR4-2933 for late 2019 and 2020 designs. Graphics stay Intel integrated across the range, so buyers who play or create with heavy 3D should plan on an external GPU over Thunderbolt where the laptop wires it.
Memory and PCIe
Memory support covers DDR4 SODIMM modules plus soldered LPDDR3 and LPDDR4 variants across the three generations. Whiskey Lake-U value parts use DDR4-2133 with LPDDR3-1866, Whiskey Lake-U Core parts and all Coffee Lake-U parts use DDR4-2400 with LPDDR3-2133, and Comet Lake-U reaches DDR4-2666 with LPDDR4-2933. The ceiling stays 64 GB across two channels, and dual channel mode helps graphics and video calls.
PCIe arrives as version 3.0 with up to 16 lanes from the CPU on Core parts and on Celeron 4305U, wired as x4, x2 plus x2, or x1 combinations for NVMe storage and board devices. Value Whiskey Lake-U parts such as Celeron 4205U and Pentium Gold 5405U provide 12 lanes at version 2.0 for similar thin storage layouts. Thin designs typically give x4 to a single NVMe SSD, and Thunderbolt 3 on premium boards adds external graphics and docks through separate controllers.
Identifying and servicing BGA 1528
Identification is simple in Intel documents: Sockets Supported reads FCBGA1528 and Package Size reads 46mm x 24mm. That line separates BGA 1528 from BGA 1440 performance parts at 42mm x 28mm and from LGA 1200 desktop parts at 37.5mm x 37.5mm. The LGA, PGA and BGA: CPU package types explained guide explains why soldered packages cannot move between boards.
Service follows ultrabook practice rather than desktop practice. There is no retention bracket and no aftermarket mounting pattern to match. Repasting and fan cleaning follow the laptop maker manual, and board replacement is the only path when the processor fails. The How to find your CPU socket type guide shows where to find the socket line in maker specifications.
CPUs on BGA 1528
29 processor pages in the database, newest first.
| Processor | Cores / threads | Base / boost | TDP | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intel Core i7-10610U | 4 / 8 | 1.8 / 4.9 GHz | 15 W | May 2020 |
| Intel Core i7-10810U | 6 / 12 | 1.1 / 4.9 GHz | 15 W | Apr 2020 |
| Intel Core i3-8140U | 2 / 4 | 2.1 / 3.9 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2019 |
| Intel Core i5-8260U | 4 / 8 | 1.6 / 3.9 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2019 |
| Intel Core i3-10110U | 2 / 4 | 2.1 / 4.1 GHz | 15 W | Aug 2019 |
| Intel Core i5-10210U | 4 / 8 | 1.6 / 4.2 GHz | 15 W | Aug 2019 |
| Intel Core i7-10510U | 4 / 8 | 1.8 / 4.9 GHz | 15 W | Aug 2019 |
| Intel Core i7-10710U | 6 / 12 | 1.1 / 4.7 GHz | 15 W | Aug 2019 |
| Intel Core i5-8257U | 4 / 8 | 1.4 / 3.9 GHz | 15 W | Jul 2019 |
| Intel Core i7-8557U | 4 / 8 | 1.7 / 4.5 GHz | 15 W | Jul 2019 |
| Intel Celeron 4305U | 2 / 2 | 2.2 / 2.2 GHz | 15 W | Apr 2019 |
| Intel Core i5-8279U | 4 / 8 | 2.4 / 4.1 GHz | 28 W | Apr 2019 |
| Intel Core i5-8365U | 4 / 8 | 1.6 / 4.1 GHz | 15 W | Apr 2019 |
| Intel Core i5-8365UE | 4 / 8 | 1.6 / 4.1 GHz | 15 W | Apr 2019 |
| Intel Core i7-8569U | 4 / 8 | 2.8 / 4.7 GHz | 28 W | Apr 2019 |
| Intel Core i7-8665U | 4 / 8 | 1.9 / 4.8 GHz | 15 W | Apr 2019 |
| Intel Celeron 4205U | 2 / 2 | 1.8 / 1.8 GHz | 15 W | Jan 2019 |
| Intel Pentium Gold 5405U | 2 / 4 | 2.3 / 2.3 GHz | 15 W | Jan 2019 |
| Intel Celeron 4305UE | 2 / 2 | 2.0 / 2.0 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2018 |
| Intel Core i3-8145U | 2 / 4 | 2.1 / 3.9 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2018 |
| Intel Core i3-8145UE | 2 / 4 | 2.2 / 3.9 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2018 |
| Intel Core i5-8265U | 4 / 8 | 1.6 / 3.9 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2018 |
| Intel Core i7-8560U | 4 / 8 | 1.8 / 4.6 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2018 |
| Intel Core i7-8565U | 4 / 8 | 1.8 / 4.6 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2018 |
| Intel Core i7-8665UE | 4 / 8 | 1.7 / 4.4 GHz | 15 W | Oct 2018 |
| Intel Core i3-8109U | 2 / 4 | 3.0 / 3.6 GHz | 28 W | Apr 2018 |
| Intel Core i5-8259U | 4 / 8 | 2.3 / 3.8 GHz | 28 W | Apr 2018 |
| Intel Core i5-8269U | 4 / 8 | 2.6 / 4.2 GHz | 28 W | Apr 2018 |
| Intel Core i7-8559U | 4 / 8 | 2.7 / 4.5 GHz | 28 W | Apr 2018 |
Frequently asked questions
Can a BGA 1528 processor be replaced or upgraded?
No. The processor is soldered to the board. Upgrading means replacing the board or the whole laptop, so choose core count and memory size at order time.
What is the difference between BGA 1528 and BGA 1440?
BGA 1528 at 46 × 24 mm serves 15 W thin laptops with Whiskey Lake-U, Coffee Lake-U and Comet Lake-U plus 28 W Iris Plus parts. BGA 1440 at 42 × 28 mm serves 45 W performance laptops with Coffee Lake-H and Comet Lake-H. The two packages do not interchange.
Does BGA 1528 use DDR4 or LPDDR?
Boards use DDR4 SODIMM modules or soldered LPDDR3 and LPDDR4, depending on the design. Whiskey Lake-U starts at DDR4-2133 with LPDDR3-1866, Coffee Lake-U uses DDR4-2400 with LPDDR3-2133, and Comet Lake-U tops out at DDR4-2666 and LPDDR4-2933. Two channels carry up to 64 GB.
Does BGA 1528 support PCIe Gen4?
No. Core parts run PCIe 3.0 with up to 16 lanes from the CPU, while value Whiskey Lake-U parts run 12 lanes at version 2.0. Exact slot wiring follows the laptop or board design.
Sources and verification
- Intel Celeron Processor 4305U specifications (Intel)
- Intel Core i3-8140U specifications (Intel)
- Intel Core i5-8365U specs (TechPowerUp)
- Intel Core i7-10610U specifications (Intel)
- Intel Core i7-10810U specifications (Intel)
- Intel Core i7-10810U specs (TechPowerUp)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .