Everything you need to know about intel and amd 2018 sockets

In recent times, motherboards and sockets have been arriving that adapt to a new processor architecture, both AMD with its AM4 and Intel and the LGA 1151 socket .

Index of contents

Intel Kaby Lake and AMD Ryzen sockets

AMD has taken a step forward with a completely new architecture with its Ryzen processors and Intel has been doing the same since the arrival of the sixth generation Skylake processors. All this has meant new sockets and new motherboards that can generate some confusion among future buyers who want to build a computer or who want to upgrade their equipment.

We are going to try to shed a little light on the motherboards, the sockets and the processors that are compatible, you will not want to buy a Ryzen processor and place it on a LGA 1151 motherboard… if you have understood what I wrote, then you have to see what as soon as possible our table below. Let's start.

Intel 1150/1151

Intel has added a new socket since the arrival of Skylake (6700K, i5 6600k, etc.). This socket is the LGA 1151 which is also compatible with the new Kaby Lake processors (seventh generation) that have come out recently, such as the i7 7700K and 7600k that we have already analyzed.

Intel Core i5-7600K - Processor with Kaby Lake technology (Socket LGA1151, Frequency 3.8 GHz, Turbo 4.2 GHz, 4 Cores, 4 Threads, Intel HD Graphics 630)

• Cach: 6 MB SmartCache, bus speed: 8 GT / s DMI3 Support memory type DDR4-2133 / 2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 at 1.35 V Support 4K resolution (4096 x 2304 pixels) at 60 Hz PCI Express settings: up to 1x16, 2x8, 1x8 + 2x4Thermal Design Power (TDP): 91 W

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If you already have an LGA 1151 motherboard and plan to upgrade to a Kaby Lake processor, with a simple BIOS update you should be able to use it without any problems.

Unfortunately, motherboards with the LGA 1150 socket no longer support the new processors and remain in the Haswell and Broadwell generation. In the following table we will see in detail the latest Intel sockets, the motherboard chipsets and what processors we can install on them.

Socket	Chipsets	Architecture Name
LGA 1151	H110, B150, Q150, H170, Q170, Z170 B250, Q250, H270, Q270, Z270	Kaby Lake Skylake
LGA 1150	H81, B85, Q85, Q87, H87, Z87, H97, Z97	Broadwell Haswell

AMD AM4 / AM3 + / FM2 +

In the case of AMD, the last socket they have used is AM3 + for the well-known processors of the FX line and they have recently made the jump to AM4 with Ryzen. AMD also owns the FM2 + socket that can only be used with APU processors.

Starting with the implementation of the new AM4 motherboards, Ryzen-based APU low-power processors will no longer need any dedicated socket and can also be installed on AM4 .

All motherboards that are AM3 + are no longer suitable for the new Ryzen processors nor can they use the new DDR4 memories, so if you plan to build an AMD computer at this time, it will be a complete renovation, not only of the motherboard and CPU, also from memories.

AMD RYZEN 7 1700X Octa Core 3.8GHZ

• Processor frequency: 3.8 GHz Number of processor cores: 8 Processor socket: Socket AM4 Number of processor filaments: 16 Operating processor mode: 64-bit

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In the following table we can see the sockets, chipsets and the family of processors that are compatible. Fortunately it is not as chaotic as on the Intel platform, as the move from an FX processor to a Ryzen is a world of difference in performance.

Socket	Chipsets	Architecture Name
AM4	A300, B300, X300, A320, B350, X370	Ryzen
AM3 +	970, 980G, 990X, 990FX	Piledriver Bulldozer
FM2 +	A58, A68H, A78, A88X	Steamroller Excavator

Final thoughts and tips

As of today both are offering very similar performance, both with the latest generations of Intel processors (Skylake - Kaby Lake) and the new Ryzen 7 from AMD, so whatever your choice will be fine.

When connecting your latest purchase to one of these motherboards, remember these tips:

• Look at any markings in the corner of the CPU and socket that tell you which position to insert it in. Most sockets have a lever to raise or lower the bracket to secure the processor's fix. CPU coolers may come with Various brackets to secure it to the motherboard. Always make sure to remove the old thermal paste if you are going to use an already used heatsink or if you are cleaning the motherboard.

I hope this guide has been useful to you and remember to read our guide on: The best motherboards on the market. Which platform do you like the most?