BGA vs PGA

If anyone here can identify the difference between a original PGA CPU and a BGA-->PGA converted CPU, please have a look at the Core 2 Duo in the attached photo and tell me which one it is. I apologize for the image quality - it was taken through a microscope. (If there's any other sure way to tell, let me know).

I am thinking it's a original PGA, because it's sSpec is QBDW, and according to this site, the QBDW package is a 478 pin micro-FCPGA.

 

Is there any difference? Wouldn't all PGAs be BGAs that get pins soldered on?

Or, I could be completely wrong. I don't actually know, I'm just curious and speculating (I know, helpful, right?)

Also, in what applications would it make a difference?

 

I would assume that you're right, in theory. However, there is a great difference between a machine that costs millions precision soldiering them on to the CPU vs some tired person in China not really caring about how good of a job he does.

It's basically a reliability issue. If, say, one of the pins falls off, it will ruin the CPU and perhaps even the motherboard.

 

All of that soldering is done by machines, not by people. It's not the kind of labor a person can feasibly do, especially a low paid third world one as you are suggesting.

 

I am quite sure that someone does not solder all of them by hand. If you were to get a socket, and fill each hole with a pin, and than heat it up good with a heatgun, and heat up the cpu with a heat gun, you can make the connection pretty good. However as Hep mentioned, if a pin breaks off you're pretty much out of luck. It is extremely hard to resolder cpu pins because of their close proximity and difficulty to hold in place

K-TRON

 

Both BGA and PGA are cpu packaging technology. BGA CPU was originally made to directly solder to the chipsets some small sized (8.9', 12.1', 13.3') laptops, like lenovo x61s,
When 478 pins are soldered on BGA cpu, BGA cpu can be used on normal laptops. And all soldering is done by machine. But still, there might be some reliability issues. But if some pins breaks off, you can send it back to the sellers to get it fixed. However, if some pins of PGA cpu breaks off, the whole cpu ruined.

You picture is so unclear, I am not sure which is it. But x9100 qbdw is an PGA ES cpu.

 

Can't imagine how fragile and sensitive the CPU is in terms of their sockets. I guess they all need to be handled with extra care and precaution..