What Mean The Specification Terms
For The 2 Most Popular
CPU Socket Type?
In this guide I will explain the 2 most popular CPU socket types to help the Internet's community to understand their motherboard's socket. This guide also serve as an introduction to the CPU socket page for AMD and Intel where I give all the specifications for the 3 most used sockets.
In the computer world, new terms are invented every days. It is easy to understand why so many peoples are confused with all those terms. I will try to make things easier to understand by explaining terms used when talking about socket types.
CPU Socket Types PGA And LGA
The type determines the CPU's form it supports and its architecture. The PGA and LGA are the CPU's forms that are the most popular. Let us have a look to see what those forms have.
PGA CPU Form
PGA stands for Pin Grid Array. As on the image, the CPU's circuits are integrated inside a ceramic layer with an array of pins on the surface.
At the installation the pins are inserted in the socket's holes making contact with the motherboard's circuits.
There are other form variants and they have their own technology. I will not discuss them here, because I think it is not important until you are a complete savvy. But still, here are the variants names I know it exist.
- PPGA stands for Plastic Grid Array
- FCPGA stands for Flip-Chip Pin Grid Array
- CPGA stands for Ceramic Pin Grid Array
- OPGA stands for Organic Pin Grid Array
There is another variant I would like to talk about. I like to call it the sub variant because it goes along with the socket type.
ZIF stands for Zero Insertion Force. The ZIF technology has been introduced to counter the bending problem that was happening with the PGA pins. At the installation, the CPU is inserted without using pressure, then the CPU's pins are gripped by the socket to ensure the pins will contact with the circuits without risking to bend them when closing the socket's cover.
LGA CPU Form
LGA stands for Land Grid Array. If you look at the image, you can see there are no pins. Instead it is an array of pads that is built on the CPU's surface.
At the installation the CPU is sat on the socket's pins where they are fixed to the motherboard and contact with the circuits.
The LGA form offer a clock frequency higher than the PGA caused by its larger contact point. Maybe it is the reason why Intel decided to go back to this form that was used long ago.
[I hope you appreciated the CPU socket type guide
and I invite you to take a look at the other guides.]
- Specifications for the most used CPU Sockets
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