How to find out which connector is on the motherboard. How to find out the socket of the processor and motherboard

Good day to all! Sometimes many users have the question “How to find out the socket motherboard", As a rule, it is necessary to replace a processor cooler or replace a processor with a more efficient one. This note is a supplement to the instructions for and we will sometimes refer to it.

What is a socket? - I won't use various terms like connection interface ... it's just the place on the motherboard where the processor is installed. Unfortunately processor manufacturers (especially Intel) They love to change it, introducing many users into a stupor - how it happened that I already have an outdated computer and motherboards in the daytime with fire.

This note was written for the usual system units, but in general it can be applied to laptops (there are no special differences, only the line of sockets will be different)

To be frank, a couple of years ago I did not even think that even I would have problems with determining the socket on the motherboard or processor - before they all differed visually ... now it is almost impossible to distinguish them by eye (especially s1156 / s1155 / s1150 / s1151), in the latter case, at least a slightly different processor marking will help us.

In general, I am not a supporter, at any opportunity, to disassemble the system unit and consider various inscriptions there (and it also happens that it is not the socket itself that is indicated, but the possibility of using a non-standard cooler from the written socket) ... I recommend that you turn to software methods, since there are a lot of them and most of the programs are portable.

How to identify a motherboard socket through its model

One of the most simple ways to find out the motherboard socket is to find it by the model name on the official website and view its characteristics, probably this is also the most correct option.

On the CPU tab, in the Package line, our socket will be displayed (in our case, it is Socket1155 LGA). As you can see, everything is quite simple and does not take much of your time.

For laptop owners! Please note, if you decide to replace your processor with a more powerful one and it seems to fit into your socket, be sure to check the Max TDP - there is a possibility that it is hotter and your cooling system simply cannot cope with the heat sink

How to find out the socket of a board with the AIDA64 program

One of my favorite programs that we used in this post about - there it was simply irreplaceable. You can download a trial version for 30 days on the official website, we are interested in the Extreme version.

On the left, expand the category " Motherboard»And in the list that opens, find the item with the same name (you can see in the picture below). On the right side, in the "Physical information about the motherboard" block, you will see the Socket of your motherboard.

Similar to the CPU-Z application, the AIDA 64 utility can show which socket your processor is compatible with.

Piriform Speccy - software from the developers of Ccleaner

Once again, we will be saved by a small utility from Piriform - Speccy. It will be enough for us FREE version, you can download it from the official website.

Unfortunately, the application requires installation, but this shouldn't be a problem for us. We start it, wait until all the information about the system is collected and on the left side we go to the "Motherboard" section. On the right side, in the "Model" line next to the name of the motherboard, the socket of your motherboard will be indicated in a parenthesis (in my case it is LGA1155)

In general, Piroform Speccy provides much more information than just a socket, I recommend that you study in detail the functionality of this application.

HWiNFO - An easy way to find out the motherboard socket

AND last way how to find out the socket (but not the worst one) is using the HWiNFO utility. There is a version for 64 and 32 bit systems (I have a 64 bit OS, so I used HWiNFO64 in the example)... You can go to the download page by clicking on the link below

After launching the application, it will collect information about the system for a while and the “System Summary” window will be displayed, where in the Platform line they will show Socket LGA1155 - this is the answer to our question ...

In fact, these are far from all the ways to determine the socket, it is quite possible to bring more than a dozen more applications and utilities that will cope with this task.

conclusions

Well friends, it's time to sum up. In today's article, we examined the 5 most popular and simple ways to find out the motherboard socket, as practice has shown, there are no problems with the answer to this question - everything can be found out without disassembling the computer (especially important for laptop owners).

P.S. If you are defining a socket for the purpose of an upgrade, then pay attention to the supported processors, since compatibility at the physical level does not mean that the system will eventually start (or maybe you just need to update the BIOS)

Determining the socket of the motherboard and processor may be required in the case when the user is going to assemble a PC for himself or change a graphics accelerator on it. Also, data on the configuration of the socket for installing the processor may be needed when cleaning the system unit and replacing thermal paste. In this case, the user must know about the number of contacts on the processor itself and the rules for installing it. This is always indicated in the user manual. However, if there is no instruction, the socket data will be useful.

How do I know the socket of the motherboard and cpu on a working device?

Each motherboard has a socket that is designed to house a processor. This means that it is impossible to install a processor designed for SocketAM3 + on a SocketFM2 + motherboard. The number of contacts (or legs, as they are also called) and connectors for these contacts will be different.

Therefore, in order not to be mistaken and correctly combine the mother with the process, it is worth determining their socket. To do this, you can use the capabilities of Windows itself or third-party programs.

Consider the following example:

• We press "Win + R" and enter "msinfo32".

• The System Information window opens. It is worth paying attention to the "Model" section. Often the motherboard model is indicated here. In our case, the laptop model.

• By copying the model name and pasting it into the Google or Yandex search box, you can immediately go to the official website of the product manufacturer.

• The official website of the manufacturer always indicates the socket of the motherboard and processor.

If you do not want to search the network for product information, you can install the Speccy program. Having launched it on your PC, select the "Central Processor" section in the menu on the left and see information about the socket.

It is important to note that there are many programs on the network with which you can get data about the socket of the motherboard and processor.

How to find out the motherboard and cpu socket on non-working devices?

If the components are not connected or the computer is not working, it is quite easy to find out the socket of the motherboard and processor. To do this, you need to do the following:

• We look at the motherboard. We find the processor socket. Open the lid that fixes the graphics accelerator and look at the name of the socket.

As for the processor socket, in most cases it is indicated on the processor cover. More precisely, the processor model is indicated, which you entered in the search engine, you can get information about the socket.

Also, if you have a product box, then on back side in the table technical characteristics a socket will be specified.

For more information on how to find out the motherboard socket, see the video:

How to find out the socket of the motherboard? This worries those who decide to put more powerful processor or users who have problems with the performance of the computer, in particular the motherboard or CPU. There are several ways to obtain this information. Let's consider each of them separately, and the user will decide for himself which one is best to use.
Whichever method you use, you will not be able to determine the socket marking, only its name. Therefore, in the future, only on the official sites you can find such a board and read its specification, where the name of the socket will be written in one of the lines.
It is worth noting right away that no built-in tool in operating system will not allow you to fully get information about which socket is provided. And although, for example, the device manager contains information about all components, the motherboard model cannot be identified here, you can only get information about the pre-installed drivers.

Learn a socket using software

This option is the most optimal, since such applications provide comprehensive information about all the details of the computer that are on this moment connected to it. The most prominent representative of such software is the AIDA64 program. It can be downloaded from, but it must be said that it is paid. In order not to spend money on the purchase of this software, use trial version, where all the tools are also available in full, but the application in such a situation will work for a limited period of time. The choice of the version is generally not important in order to get information about which socket for the processor is provided.

After installing and running the application, follow these steps:

• in the left part of the window, go to the position with the name of the program, and in the right part of the window, click on the Motherboard icon;

• after that, the icons and names to them on the right will change, among which it is necessary to find a similar name, as in the previous paragraph;

• the screen will display the full specification of the motherboard, but in the specific issue under consideration, we are interested in the line highlighted in yellow in the screenshot - the marking of the board.

After receiving this information, you can go to the manufacturer's website or simply drive the name into search bar browser to determine which socket is provided here.

Find out the mother socket in BIOS settings

Absolutely in all motherboards where initial settings, for example, the priority of loading from a particular device.

This method has only one drawback: this item is not provided on outdated motherboard models.

After you have started the computer, press several times on the button "Dell", "F2", "F10" or another, provided by the motherboard itself. It is impossible to give precise recommendations here, due to the abundant number of manufacturers and models. However, on the screen, as a rule, there is a hint which specific key to click.

Depending on, the location of the marking will also change. However, there are the main places where you need to look for such information:

• in sections containing the word System or Motherboard;
• some BIOS-UEFI editions have a Hardware tab, which contains information about all hardware.

Finally, it is worth mentioning one nuance about this method: if you went to see what board you have installed, then you definitely should not change any settings.

Visual inspection of the motherboard

This method is generally universal, and it is suitable in any situation, because if at the moment, then no software will not help to find out the name of the motherboard model, and, accordingly, the socket.

Before inspecting the motherboard, do the following:

• turn off the computer, power supply and surge protector;
• disconnect all wires that are currently connected to the system unit.

After the above steps are completed, unscrew the bolts that secure the side cover of the system unit (shown in the screenshot).

To remove the housing cover, as a rule, there is a special groove, use it and start moving it to the back to disconnect it.

Motherboard markings are most often clearly spelled out on it. One has only to visually inspect it carefully.

If this name is hidden under a processor cooler or video card, you can also look for a sticker that can be placed anywhere. It also has motherboard markings.

How to find out the socket of a laptop motherboard

Finally, we can say that all methods were considered for system units. For laptops, the first two methods are similar. As for the third, here you can see back panel, read model name laptop, after which on the official website, familiarize yourself with its specification, where both the motherboard model and the socket will be unambiguously indicated.

Every self-respecting user is obliged to know which socket is used in his motherboard, even if he did not personally assemble his computer. Why is this information needed? And how do you know the socket of the motherboard? It is needed to upgrade a computer, replace components, repair. Each socket supports its own set of processors with which it can work. If the user purchases an incompatible microchip, he simply cannot connect it.

How to find out the motherboard socket in the system

If there is working system, then you can easily determine which connector is used in a given motherboard. To understand the question of how to find out the motherboard socket, you need to use a special program or search for the required information on the Internet. If the user knows the model of the installed equipment, he can find in search engines all the information you need about specific components. The description of the motherboard model on the manufacturer's website will indicate which socket is used in it. You don't even need to go to the manufacturer's portal to get the data you want. Even online stores that sell components provide the necessary information.

What is a socket?

The most important element of a computer is the motherboard. Compared to other system components, it has the largest dimensions. It is to her that other components are connected, and she coordinates the work of all devices. When people talk about a socket, they mean a special connector on the motherboard. The processor is inserted into it. A socket is a programming interface for connecting the CPU to the system. Specific model processor fits a limited number of motherboards. Which one, determines the type of electrical connector (connector). For this reason, it is so important to study the characteristics of the motherboard before replacing the old processor.

Programs for determining the motherboard socket

To solve the problem, you can use the software designed for this. If for some reason the user is not satisfied with the option of searching for the necessary data on the Internet for some reason and he still does not know how to find out the socket of the motherboard, you should use a special program. By launching the application, you can find out a lot of useful information about the system and installed components.

List of programs:

• Everest (discontinued)
• AIDA64 is a logical continuation of the previous program. Now it is actively developing, new versions are being released;
• CPU-Z (provides information about the processor, socket, RAM);
• ASTRA32;
• SysInfo Detector.

All of the above programs have the necessary functionality and support for the Russian language. There are others special applications to determine the configuration of the computer. If for some reason the user is not satisfied with any of the above options, he can search for a program that he likes on his own.

How to use AIDA64

This program widely used system administrators for information about installed components, finding drivers, and other special tasks. Ordinary users love it for its simplicity and clear interface... So how do you know the motherboard socket via AIDA64? It's simple.

The program automatically scans the computer at startup, collecting and distributing data across sections. The procedure lasts from a few seconds to a minute or more. The exact time depends on the performance and workload of the system. On the left, the user sees a set of sections. By selecting the desired item, you can find out information about the installed equipment:

• motherboard, socket, processor;
• video subsystem;
• audio codecs;
• memory modules;
• peripheral devices;
• network card;
• operating system;
• other objects.

How do I know which socket is installed on the motherboard by running the AIDA64 program? You need to open the "Motherboard" tab on the left, then select the section of the same name. The window on the right will provide helpful information... The information you need will be under the heading "System Board Physical Information." The first item in the section is titled “Number of CPU Sockets”. To the right of it is a specific parameter. This is the information you are looking for. Examples of what may be there: 1 LGA775, 1 LGA1156, 1 AM3, etc. The number "1" means that the system has only one physical socket for connecting the processor. This is how most motherboard models are equipped. Although there are also dual-processor systems, these options are usually used in servers.

The above instruction is also suitable for those who are interested in the question of how to find out the motherboard socket through Everest. This program is the predecessor of the AIDA64 application. It can be used for systems aged 3 or more. In this case, it will show objective information on all components. It is better to run AIDA64 on newer computers.

How does the type of processor socket affect system performance?

The type of processor socket does not directly affect the speed of the computer. Then why many people are still interested in how to find out the socket of the motherboard? Although the type of electrical connector does not directly affect the performance of the system, it determines which processor models can be installed in a given configuration. Old connectors do not support new CPUs with more advanced characteristics. For the owner of the system, this means limiting the choice of processors that he could install, thereby increasing the performance of the computer.

Central processing units (CPUs) are not universal. Depending on the used production technology, year of manufacture, manufacturer's firm and other parameters, they can have a different design.

Therefore, when replacing the CPU, you should know exactly which type will be suitable for this purpose. Type of used motherboard(MP) processors are uniquely defined by such a concept as a socket. In this article, we will take a look at how to find out the socket of the motherboard.

A socket is just a connector on the MP for connecting the CPU and its cooling system to the motherboard. In most cases, these devices are in the form of a snap-on block, into which the CPU is inserted, providing electrical contact of all its terminals with the corresponding signal conductors of the MP.

There are currently two types of CPU designs:

• having pins in the form of standard pins or "legs" (mainly AMD CPUs before the advent of ThreadRipper);
• having conclusions in the form contact pads(all Intel CPUs over the past decade and top AMD CPUs).

The former use the PGA (pin grid array) connector, the latter use the LGA (land grid array) connector. They do not have any particular difference either in the quality of contact, or in the speed of information exchange, or in reliability. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, but in terms of the set of parameters, they are approximately identical.

Important! Since the cost of the CPU is often several times higher than the cost of the MP, it was more correct to transfer such an unreliable element as the legs from the processor to the MP. Therefore, the use of LGA connectors is economically expedient: if the legs break, the MP is replaced, which is significantly cheaper than the CPU.

Socket number

The socket is designated as its index or digit (number); in some cases, an established symbol or a synonym for the name. The number in the name, as a rule, indicates the number of contacts used, however, there are exceptions.

For example:

1. Socket AM3 is a processor socket for a CPU AMD series Phenom II. Its other name is Socket 941. It uses a PGA connector of the PGA-ZIF type with 941 pins. In this case, the processor has 938 pins.
2. Socket H or LGA 1156 is a processor socket for Intel CPUs with Linfield and Clarkdale cores. Has respectively 1156 contacts.
3. Socket G3 (aka FCPGA 946) is a connector for connecting mobile Intel CPUs to laptops. It has a PGA design and 947 contacts.

Important! The number in the designation does not always indicate the number of processor pins. These numbers can exactly correspond to the number of contacts, or they can differ by several units, both up and down.

Now let's consider how to find out which socket is used on the motherboard.

How to find out the socket on my motherboard

The type of CPU and MP connection used can be found different ways... Some of them will require user access to the inside of the PC, some will make it possible to do without opening the computer case:

• It is necessary to inspect the MP and find the connector designation on it. It is always written on a substrate. Therefore, you don't even need to remove the cooler and CPU for this purpose.
• This information is necessarily contained in the instructions for the MP or CPU. If there is no instruction, you can, knowing the model names of these devices, determine the types of connectors used in your system by downloading information from the Internet. To do this, just go to the support site of the CPU or motherboard manufacturer.
• In the event that it is not possible to open the PC case, and there is no instruction or any other information, you can use special programs system diagnostics, which will unambiguously determine all the parameters of interest, including the type of CPU or MP socket used.

Each of the methods has its own advantages and disadvantages and is used depending on the circumstances. The most reliable, of course, is the first, however, to get access to system unit it is not always possible. It can, for example, be sealed with warranty seals.

Recognition programs

The easiest way to see the type of socket in use is with system programs, which provide information not only about it, but also about all the devices located on the motherboard.

The method is considered quite reliable, however, in some cases it may give an incorrect result. These include:

• use of outdated software;
• an attempt to diagnose MP with modified BIOS settings affecting the recognition result of the PC hardware.

The first reason can be easily eliminated by downloading more modern version, and the second is so rare that the probability of encountering it is less than one in a million.

Let's consider the most popular programs that are used to determine the type of a socket:

1. CPU-Z. The most basic utility that contains information about all processors (and socket types) currently in use. In addition to information about the processor, it gives brief description by MP, memory, video card, etc. For information about the connector, see home page programs.
2. AIDA. Universal program hardware diagnostics and testing. Not only determines the hardware of the PC, but also gives links to information about all of its "hardware" up to the manufacturer's website and links to instructions for each component of the system. The socket type can be seen under "Motherboard" - CPU - Chassis type.
3. Speccy. Same simple program diagnostics issuing full information about the system and manufacturers of all components of the diagnosed PC. Information about the connector is located in the "Central Processor" - Constructive section.