Intel and Sockets

[Pete48]

Yup, your pc's brains 'n guts sit on a MOBO (motherboard) and on that mobo is the socket into which the Eagle Scout shoulder patch sized Intel CPU goes.  That's called the socket, and Intel says that they'll not be abandoning the socket format any time soon.

Here's the article

Pete

[GrandPaGardener]

Yrs ago, when I worked at a major fortune 500 company, we purchased "systems" and then we added our own content, i.e. co-processors, paged memory banks, and expanded I/O ports. We would test our configuration, to insure it met with our clients needs (i.e. speed). Then, 3 - 4 months after our testing, Intel would come out with another processor, and we would have to start all over. Then 6 months or so latter, Intel would announce the end of life for that particular chip-set, or mother board and would allow for a one time final purchase.

That type of business continues today! What I could see happen is, Intel could create two different MB. One for Business Platforms (i.e. with socket) and those for end users. That way they could shave a few cents $$$ off each MB sold. And as I recall, a surface mount device was cheaper to MFG that one had to be soldered in place. And, it was easer to wave solder than the traditional chip!

AL

[Pete48]

Hi, Al!

Yeah, Intel and their "tick-tock" method of introducing new CPU's can cause havoc on the likes of ASUS and Gigabyte when it comes to the socket configuration that the "next chip" (which in this case, is codenamed "Haswell" and is scheduled for "2013") will require.

And this new Haswell chip is a "tock" in their shipping, so this new chip is gonna be huge, as in fast and realllly stingy with using electricity.

Pete