BGA stands for Ball Grid Array, which is a type of surface-mount packaging used for integrated circuits. BGA packages are used to permanently mount devices such as microprocessors onto a printed circuit board (PCB) . A BGA can provide more interconnection pins than can be put on a dual in-line or flat package, making it a solution to the problem of producing a miniature package for an integrated circuit with many hundreds of pins. The BGA is descended from the pin grid array (PGA), which is a package with one face covered (or partly covered) with pins in a grid pattern which, in operation, conduct electrical signals between the integrated circuit and the PCB on which it is placed. In a BGA, the pins are replaced by pads on the bottom of the package, each initially with a tiny solder ball stuck to it. The advantages of using a BGA include a reliable high density of pins, better heat conduction, and low inductance leads for superior electrical performance. However, there are also disadvantages to using a BGA, such as lack of flexibility in the solder balls, difficulty in inspecting and finding out whether soldering was done right, and the fact that soldering a BGA is expensive.