CompTIA A+® Certification All-In-One For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

2.2. Identifying Socket Types

Intel decided to develop a new standard for upgrading a processor on motherboards, beginning with the 80486 chips and continuing with the Pentium-class processors. This standard — a processor socket designed to hold a specific processor chip with the appropriate number of pins — enabled Intel to develop new chips with compatibility of a particular socket in mind. For example, if a socket is developed with 321 pins, Intel could develop a new processor that has 321 pins and know that the processor will work with any motherboard that has the right socket. This allows the consumer to upgrade a processor much easier than in the past. Intel could design a new chip for an old socket so that customers could update their computers by dropping the new processor in the compatible socket.

Original Pentium processors supported mainly Socket 5 with 320 pins or Socket 7 with 321 pins. Thus, to add a Pentium processor to a motherboard, you determine what socket exists on that board and then purchase a CPU to fit in that socket. You also have to remember to match the voltage of the board to the voltage required by the CPU. Figure 2-7 helps you identify a CPU socket in your system.

Sockets are normally labeled by type along the side of the socket. For example, in Figure 2-7, the socket is labeled as PGA 370, meaning that it is Socket 370 and will hold any processor designed for Socket 370. (Socket 370 is a socket that holds a processor containing 370 pins.)

Figure ...