The right silicon footprint
Match your CPU to the correct socket, chipset, memory standard, cooling class, and power delivery. Silicon does not negotiate with the wrong LGA — verify every dimension before committing.
CURRENT-GEN SOCKETS
LGA 1700
12th–14th Gen Core (Alder · Raptor · Raptor Refresh)
- DIMENSIONS
- 37.5 × 45 mm
- PINS
- 1700
- TDP
- 125W base / 253W boost
- CHIPSETS
- Z790 · Z690 · B760 · H770 · H670 · B660 · H610
- MEMORY
- DDR4 / DDR5 (board dependent)
LGA 1851
Core Ultra Series 2 (Arrow Lake-S)
- DIMENSIONS
- 37.5 × 45 mm
- PINS
- 1851
- TDP
- 125W base / 250W boost
- CHIPSETS
- Z890 · B860 · H810
- MEMORY
- DDR5 only (4800–8400 MT/s)
LGA 4677
Xeon Sapphire / Emerald Rapids
- DIMENSIONS
- 61 × 81 mm
- PINS
- 4677
- TDP
- 250W–350W TDP
- CHIPSETS
- C741 · W790
- MEMORY
- DDR5 RDIMM / MCR-DIMM 8-channel
AM5
Ryzen 7000 / 8000 / 9000 (Zen 4 · Zen 5)
- DIMENSIONS
- 40 × 40 mm
- PINS
- 1718 (LGA)
- TDP
- 65W–170W TDP (PPT 230W)
- CHIPSETS
- X870E · X870 · X670E · B850 · B650 · A620
- MEMORY
- DDR5 only (5200–8000 MT/s)
AM4
Ryzen 1000–5000 (Zen · Zen+ · Zen 2 · Zen 3)
- DIMENSIONS
- 40 × 40 mm
- PINS
- 1331 (PGA)
- TDP
- 65W–105W TDP (PPT 142W)
- CHIPSETS
- X570 · B550 · B450 · X470 · A520
- MEMORY
- DDR4 only (2666–3600 MT/s sweet spot)
sTR5
Threadripper 7000 / Pro 7000WX
- DIMENSIONS
- 76 × 58 mm
- PINS
- 4844 (LGA)
- TDP
- 350W TDP
- CHIPSETS
- TRX50 · WRX90
- MEMORY
- DDR5 R-DIMM 4-channel / 8-channel (Pro)
SP5
EPYC 9004 / 9005 (Genoa · Bergamo · Turin)
- DIMENSIONS
- 76 × 58 mm
- PINS
- 6096 (LGA)
- TDP
- 200W–400W TDP
- CHIPSETS
- Server platform only
- MEMORY
- DDR5 RDIMM 12-channel
SP6
EPYC 8004 Siena
- DIMENSIONS
- 58 × 75 mm
- PINS
- 4844 (LGA)
- TDP
- 200W TDP
- CHIPSETS
- Server platform only
- MEMORY
- DDR5 RDIMM 6-channel
COOLER CLASS MATRIX
MEMORY SUPPORT BY SOCKET
6-STEP INSTALL PROCEDURE
Prepare workspace
Anti-static mat or unfolded anti-static bag, grounded environment, all components within reach, manuals open to the install diagram. Wash hands and remove jewellery.
Open the socket
Unhook the retention arm and lift the load plate. On LGA: leave the protective plastic cover in place until the CPU is seated — it pops off automatically. Never touch socket pins.
Align the CPU
Find the gold triangle on the CPU's corner. Align it to the matching triangle on the socket. The CPU should drop in with zero resistance — if it doesn't, you have the orientation wrong. Stop and rotate.
Close & latch
Lower the load plate, then close the retention arm. Resistance is normal — that's clamping force. Listen for the snap of the load-plate cover ejecting (LGA). Stash that cover in your motherboard box for warranty returns.
Apply paste & mount
Pea-sized drop of thermal paste, centered. Mount the cooler in a cross-pattern: tighten each screw two turns, rotate, repeat, until snug. Never max-torque any single screw before others.
Cable & first POST
Plug in the CPU-EPS 8-pin (or dual 8-pin on high-end). Verify the cooler fan header is on CPU_FAN, not CHA_FAN. Power on. If no POST, check for the debug LEDs labelled CPU / DRAM / VGA on most modern boards.
COMPATIBILITY & INSTALL NOTES
BIOS update
Newer CPUs on existing sockets often require a BIOS update before the board will POST. Most modern boards support flashback via USB — no functioning CPU required. Always verify your board's CPU support list against the silicon you intend to install.
Cooler retention compatibility
AM5 uses the same mounting holes as AM4, so most AM4 coolers transfer directly. LGA 1700 introduced a new ILM and mounting pattern — older LGA 115x/1200 coolers require an upgrade bracket from the vendor (free from most manufacturers).
Thermal paste
Apply a pea-sized drop (~0.3 ml) centered on the IHS. For LGA 1700 use the dual-rectangle method or a thin spread to bridge the elongated die package. Pre-applied paste should be cleaned with 99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth before re-mount.
Pin orientation
Match the gold triangle on the CPU corner to the matching triangle on the socket. Never force seating — silicon should drop in under its own weight with the retention arm fully open. Bent pins on PGA (AM4) and damaged contacts on LGA are not warrantied.
Power delivery (VRM)
High-end SKUs (14900K, 9950X3D, Threadripper) demand boards with 16+ phase VRM and adequate heatsinks. A board's VRM rating is more important than chipset tier — a B650 with a strong VRM can outperform an X670E with weak power stages.
PCIe generation
PCIe 5.0 GPU lanes are available on AM5 (full × 16) and LGA 1700 (split as × 8/8 + × 4 NVMe) on premium boards. Older PCIe 4.0 GPUs work in any 5.0 slot — negotiated down automatically.
ESD precautions
Always discharge static against a grounded metal surface before handling silicon. Work on an anti-static mat or directly on the anti-static bag — never on carpet. Wear an ESD wrist strap for sensitive overclocking-bin parts.
Z-height clearance
Tower coolers like the NH-D15 (165 mm) clash with tall RAM heatsinks. Verify cooler-RAM clearance, and check case CPU-cooler height limits — micro-ATX and ITX builds often cap at 140–155 mm.
Need a compatibility check?
Send us your build list — our technical desk validates socket, VRM, RAM, cooler clearance, and PSU headroom in under 24 hours.