What's The Difference Between LGA1150, 1151, 1155?

[Chugle]

What's the difference between LGA1150, 1151, 1155, and what would happen if you put a LGA1150 CPU in a LGA1151 socket? I mean, those three I just listed look identical from what I've seen, (I'm quite aware that it gets much more complex than that), so what makes them different?

[minibois]

They are like those toddler toys/puzzles:

 

 

Sure, maybe a ball will fit in the square hole but it is not how it is suppose to be.

So the CPU would just not work.

[Oshino Shinobu]

They are like those toddler toys/puzzles:

 

-snip-

 

Sure, maybe a ball will fit in the square hole but it is not how it is suppose to be.

So the CPU would just not work.

Best analogy ever.

[Godlygamer23]

The numbers refer to the amount of pins found in the socket and on the CPU. 1150=1150 pins, 1151=1151 pins, and 1155=1155 pins. In the case of say 1150 vs 1155, even if you could get the CPU to fit, the functions of the pins have been switched around with LGA1150 because according to Intel, it improved efficiency. Because the functions of the pins are different on LGA1150 versus 1155, you would end up with a dead CPU.

[Alurit]

there are different sockets, the number is the number of pins, you can't just put a cpu to a mobo with a different socket, it isn't compatible.

[Wingfan]

perfect!!

[Tilaron]

Hey, my nephew has one of those! He also enjoys shouting 'no' and dribbling, common for me when building computers.

 

But to stay on-topic: You could force them in, but as Minibois said, they simply won't work, so don't even try.. unless you're extremely bored.

[Chugle]

The numbers refer to the amount of pins found in the socket and on the CPU. 1150=1150 pins, 1151=1151 pins, and 1155=1155 pins. In the case of say 1150 vs 1155, even if you could get the CPU to fit, the functions of the pins have been switched around with LGA1150 because according to Intel, it improved efficiency. Because the functions of the pins are different on LGA1150 versus 1155, you would end up with a dead CPU.

So in some cases is it just companies trying to get you to spend more money?

[Godlygamer23]

So in some cases is it just companies trying to get you to spend more money?

I would imagine that making a customer spend more money just because isn't beneath Intel. I can't verify their efficiency claim since we have no way of actually testing it.

[Ivelin]

THE NUMBER OF PINS, CPU generation and technology on mobo(pci-e revision, ddr3 or ddr4, usb 2.0/3.0/3.1). That's it.

The difference isn't worth upgrading even from 1155 to 1151, unless you really,really want DDR4 or USB 3.1/type C.

[Speedbird]

What's the difference between LGA1150, 1151, 1155, and what would happen if you put a LGA1150 CPU in a LGA1151 socket? I mean, those three I just listed look identical from what I've seen, (I'm quite aware that it gets much more complex than that), so what makes them different?

The difference is pin count, and if you use the wrong CPU/socket, it will not work. You need to use the same socket.

[kaefers]

Imagine, people would change their motherboards for new features like USB 3.0, then USB 3.1, or DDR4, and Intel would not sell any new CPUs!

 

Of course, Intel changes the socket, at least partially, to ensure continuous sales. To think anything else is naive!

Keeping the cpu socket compatible would mean that everyone could upgrade ram and motherboards only, and not worry about cpus unless they really needed more speed which most people just don't. Since mostly everyone overclocks (with the right parts), and cpus do not get that much much faster with each generation, people would easily cheap out on the cpu, making Intel very sad.

 

Intel does it, everyone else does it, the world is evil and greedy

[ApolloX75]

So in some cases is it just companies trying to get you to spend more money?

It often looks that way but Intel started the socket change after LGA 775 since it became horribly confusing for users.

Because of the vast amount of options, and the mix of old and new floating around a lot of issues were coming up constantly. For instance Quad cores on early P35 and 680i chipsets or 775 boards that could only use the Pentium D. The mix of DDR2 and DDR3 boards did not help either.

It makes sense in both directions, money making and compatibility.

[braneopbru]

....It makes sense in both directions, money making and compatibility.

Nope, not buying that one.

All I gotta say to that is this: LGA 2011

[ApolloX75]

Nope, not buying that one.

All I gotta say to that is this: LGA 2011

Except that 2011 itself has gone through three revisions.

[braneopbru]

Except that 2011 itself has gone through three revisions.

 

Exactly my point, There's no need to change physical sockets for the sake of "compatibility"

[ICantThinkOfAnyGoodName]

I would imagine that making a customer spend more money just because isn't beneath Intel. I can't verify their efficiency claim since we have no way of actually testing it.

 

 

Exactly my point, There's no need to change physical sockets for the sake of "compatibility"

The older chipsets of the older sockets probably wouldn`t be able to support the newer CPUs, so making a new socket prevents people from getting a motherboard with an incompatible chipset.

[braneopbru]

.........a new socket prevents people from getting a motherboard with an incompatible chipset.

True. 

 

The target market for LGA 2011 will actually read QVLs; the average consumer...not so much.

[Lesquishy]

Is there a physical difference? So for like water cooling, can i use an all in one cooler (Cooler Master Nepton 140XL) that works for 1150 and it will work on my 1151 cpu?

[Godlygamer23]

Is there a physical difference? So for like water cooling, can i use an all in one cooler (Cooler Master Nepton 140XL) that works for 1150 and it will work on my 1151 cpu?

The mounting points are the same, so yes.

[danieljl]

They are like those toddler toys/puzzles:

 

 

Sure, maybe a ball will fit in the square hole but it is not how it is suppose to be.

So the CPU would just not work.

Your response has nothing to do with what the original question was asking. You must have a lot time on your hands to be able post this. lol

[Coaxialgamer]

So in some cases is it just companies trying to get you to spend more money?

Not really. Not only they are not electrically or mechanically compatible, but the chipset of the board cannot handle the cpu anyway.

[pbelf]

The LGA stands for land grid array which is the style of sockets with the pins in the socket and little pads on the chip. As said the the 1151 etc is the number of pins.

 

The physical dimensions of the chips are very similar but they are not mechnically compatible. On the side of the socket there are little notches that mate with a corresponding cut out on the chip. Intel change the location of these notches between the different versions so the chip won't sit in the incorrect socket. The heatsink connection specifications are the same between all of them.

 

The 2011 sockets have a lot more pins because it takes a lot more connectors to support the 18 cores of the high end xeons. And more pins requires more physical space so the socket is a lot bigger.

 

I don't think intel change the sockets to make money, sometimes new chip features require different electrical connections. It probably also makes it a lot easier to deal with compatibility between architecture revisions as it physically stops people attempting combinations of chips and motherboards that just aren't designed to work together.