Why does Intel make new sockets every time a new CPU lineup comes out?

[setsakara]

It's really stupid because when a new CPU comes out you have to get the new CPU but also a new motherboard. Why can't it be like AMD who keeps a socket like AM4 for a really long time THEN changes to AM5 when a completely new CPU lineup comes out????

[fuzz0r]

Greed, I'm guessing.

[Slave2school]

AMD has been the redheaded step child for a while now. Different philosophies.

[IkeaGnome]

Really if you look at it, Intel’s boards are typically good for 2 generations. 6xx and 7xx work for 12th and 13th gen. 
Yes AM4 lasted a long time but they are the outlier as pointed out. On top of that there’s new boards with new CPU lines for AMD still. You can just use more generations of cpu with them. 

[Dedayog]

4 minutes ago, setsakara said:

It's really stupid because when a new CPU comes out you have to get the new CPU but also a new motherboard. Why can't it be like AMD who keeps a socket like AM4 for a really long time THEN changes to AM5 when a completely new CPU lineup comes out????

Intel is doing 2 CPU generations on a motherboard, AMD stretched that to 4?

 

I am sure there is a bit of greed to it, but also when you overhaul a CPU architecture, you make changes and improvements, some result in a new motherboard being necessary.

 

So it's a bit of both.

[setsakara]

14 minutes ago, Slave2school said:

AMD has been the redheaded step child for a while now. Different philosophies.

Nice PC, all thats missing is a 4090

[Slave2school]

3 minutes ago, setsakara said:

Nice PC, all thats missing is a 4090

Thanks, trust me I know! I want to see what AMD can do here. I might go Red Green to Red Red.

[CommanderAlex]

As @Dedayog said, those improvements enhance the platform for their latest generation of processors. 

 

My $0.02 is that I only upgrade my platform every 4-5 years so I'm not concerned with upgrading just the CPU, but the overall platform as well. Consider into effect the costs for the motherboard and longevity of it after running 4+ years...I would want new hardware so a new motherboard is in the works. 

[JTS_1401]

46 minutes ago, setsakara said:

It's really stupid because when a new CPU comes out you have to get the new CPU but also a new motherboard. Why can't it be like AMD who keeps a socket like AM4 for a really long time THEN changes to AM5 when a completely new CPU lineup comes out????

Well greed may not be the only answer. Intel used the LGA775 socket in 12 series of CPUs in 4 lineups, which includes over 200 models of CPU. The LGA775 motherboards rarely fully support a third of them. In many cases, the RAM, VIA, power delivery elements, or south/north bridge is incapable of being infinitely forward compatible. The limits posed by the number, inefficiencies, and resistance of physical traces will bottleneck the advancements in transistor speed, miniaturization, precision, and centralization of components.

 

TLDR: If the same socket is used over several lineups of CPU, there will be wasted potential in some way or another.

[Sarra]

Keep in mind that while AM4 supported a LOT of CPU's, there were chipset limitations all over the place. A X570/B550/A520 chipset wouldn't support a 1700X, for example, because of limits with the BIOS.

 

I really like AMD's philosophy for this more than Intel for a few reasons. Biggest of which is maturity. B550 and Ryzen 5000 are really stable. Almost all of the kinds have been ironed out. I've had so few problems with my Ryzen setup, it's amazing. With Intel, you're basically getting the first or second generation of a platform, so there can be really annoying problems, and they might be different from previous years, and different from subsequent years.

 

And that is a big reason I'm skipping Ryzen 7000. That, and I seriously have no reason to upgrade.

[SupaKomputa]

Reason 1 : already mentioned.

Reason 2 : business ecosystems. releasing a socket every 2 generations, obviously benefitted Intel, but also 3rd party board partners. People will upgrade every 2-3 years, buy a new motherboard instead of say 5 years on AMD. Intel love to cater third party manufacturer demand for different solution, that's why we se more Intel mobo models than AMD. It keeps the business afloat.

47 minutes ago, JTS_1401 said:

If the same socket is used over several lineups of CPU, there will be wasted potential in some way or another.

It does on AM4 actually, the older chipset doesn't have extra features for Ryzen 5000 like pcie 4 etc. But the bottom line is we CAN use all AM4 cpus which is great for consumers, but not business wise.

[solado]

1 hour ago, setsakara said:

It's really stupid because when a new CPU comes out you have to get the new CPU but also a new motherboard. Why can't it be like AMD who keeps a socket like AM4 for a really long time THEN changes to AM5 when a completely new CPU lineup comes out????

 

[Mister Woof]

1. They don't want to deal with people complaining about CPUs not working when they go to the store since older boards need BIOS updates. Remember AMD mail-in bootkits? 

2. Most people don't upgrade every year or so.

3. Those who do will generally want whatever new features will appear on next gen boards anyway.

 

 

[Mick Naughty]

Wouldnt want an old board with limited features and a new cpu.
They wouldnt work, so it would just be dumb. My very limited power board isnt gonna handle a new gen cpu, especially the rate at which they are going.
A nice old board with an cpu and still stuck on ddr5 when that becomes years old.
Same with nvme coming out, makes the best for everything than holding on to old tech just to partly support one new piece.