{"id":16382,"date":"2022-04-07T18:09:17","date_gmt":"2022-04-07T16:09:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=16382"},"modified":"2022-11-21T18:23:12","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T17:23:12","slug":"cpu-motherboard-compatibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Find Out Which CPU is compatible With Your Motherboard"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684495e17144\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684495e17144\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6684495e17144\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#What_CPU_Is_Compatible_With_My_Motherboard\" title=\"What CPU Is Compatible With My Motherboard?\">What CPU Is Compatible With My Motherboard?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#1_CPU_Socket\" title=\"1. CPU Socket\">1. CPU Socket<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#Types_of_CPU_Sockets\" title=\"Types of CPU Sockets\">Types of CPU Sockets<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#What_Motherboard_Do_I_Have\" title=\"What Motherboard Do I Have?\">What Motherboard Do I Have?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#What_CPU_Socket_Does_My_Motherboard_Have\" title=\"What CPU Socket Does My Motherboard Have?\">What CPU Socket Does My Motherboard Have?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#CPU_Support_List_What_Is_It\" title=\"CPU Support List: What Is It?\">CPU Support List: What Is It?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#2_Motherboard_Chipset_-_Common_Misconception_About_CPU_Sockets\" title=\"2. Motherboard Chipset - Common Misconception About CPU Sockets\">2. Motherboard Chipset - Common Misconception About CPU Sockets<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#3_BIOS_Compatibility\" title=\"3. BIOS Compatibility\">3. BIOS Compatibility<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#How_To_Find_What_BIOS_Version_I_Have\" title=\"How To Find What BIOS Version I Have?\">How To Find What BIOS Version I Have?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#A_much_simpler_yet_slightly_unreliable_way_of_checking_CPU_and_Motherboard_compatibility\" title=\"A much simpler, yet slightly unreliable way of checking CPU and Motherboard compatibility\">A much simpler, yet slightly unreliable way of checking CPU and Motherboard compatibility<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#Are_There_CPU_Socket_Adapters\" title=\"Are There CPU Socket Adapters?\">Are There CPU Socket Adapters?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#What_Are_the_Most_Common_CPU_Sockets\" title=\"What Are the Most Common CPU Sockets?\">What Are the Most Common CPU Sockets?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#What_Is_the_Difference_Between_LGA_1151_and_LGA_1200\" title=\"What Is the Difference Between LGA 1151 and LGA 1200?\">What Is the Difference Between LGA 1151 and LGA 1200?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/cpu-motherboard-compatibility\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>Figuring out which CPUs are compatible with your motherboard can be tricky because of the many factors to consider.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, I\u2019ve put together this guide that will answer all your questions about CPU and motherboard compatibility.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_CPU_Is_Compatible_With_My_Motherboard\"><\/span>What CPU Is Compatible With My Motherboard?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In a perfect world, you could plug any CPU into any motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, this is not how it works.<\/p>\n<p>CPUs have different sockets depending on which brand they're from and what chipset they're built for. The same goes for Motherboards.<\/p>\n<p>When pairing a CPU with a Motherboard, there are three things you have to check to ensure compatibility:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>The CPU's socket<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The motherboard's chipset<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>BIOS compatibility<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_CPU_Socket\"><\/span>1. CPU Socket<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First, you need to check what type of CPU socket your motherboard has, as it has to <strong>match the socket of your CPU<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The CPU socket is the connector on the motherboard where your CPU plugs in to. The Motherboard's socket will be stated in the motherboard\u2019s specifications.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17786\" style=\"width: 1661px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17786\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-17786 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard.jpg\" alt=\"CPU Socket on a Motherboard\" width=\"1661\" height=\"1320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard.jpg 1661w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-300x238.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-1024x814.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-768x610.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-1536x1221.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1661px) 100vw, 1661px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17786\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-17786 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201661%201320%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"CPU Socket on a Motherboard\" width=\"1661\" height=\"1320\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201661%201320%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1661w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1661px) 100vw, 1661px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard.jpg 1661w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-300x238.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-1024x814.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-768x610.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard-1536x1221.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/CPU-Socket-on-a-Motherboard.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-17786\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">CPU Socket on a Motherboard<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Every CPU socket has unique physical dimensions and unique pin layouts to facilitate CPU connectivity with your motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>The two major CPU Brands, <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/intel-core-vs-amd-ryzen\/\">AMD and Intel<\/a>, each manufacture a variety of different CPUs with different sockets, meaning you will need an AMD-compatible motherboard for an AMD CPU and an Intel-compatible Motherboard for an Intel CPU.<\/p>\n<p>There's no way around that. But that's not all: Not only does the Motherboard have to be made to handle AMD or Intel CPUs, it also needs the correct <strong>socket<\/strong> for the <strong>particular CPU<\/strong> you're looking to buy (or already have). After all: Both AMD and Intel have <strong>many<\/strong> different socket-types.<\/p>\n<p>Common consumer <strong>Intel<\/strong> CPU sockets include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>LGA 1151<\/li>\n<li>LGA 1150<\/li>\n<li>LGA 1200<\/li>\n<li><strong>LGA 1700<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>AMD CPUs such as the AMD Ryzen 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-motherboard-for-amd-ryzen-5000\/\">5000 series<\/a> use a so-called &#8220;<strong>AM4 Socket&#8221;<\/strong> for their CPUs. The newer 7000-series CPUs, then again, use the so-called &#8220;<strong>AM<em>5<\/em> Socket<\/strong>&#8220;.<\/p>\n<p>There are some High-End Desktop and Server Sockets too:<strong> TR4, sTRX4<\/strong> (for AMD Threadripper CPUs) and <strong>LGA2066, LGA4189<\/strong> (For Intel X-Series CPUs and some Xeons) are some of them.<\/p>\n<p>Each motherboard is built with a specific type of socket which means you\u2019ll need to find out what socket it has to guarantee compatibility.<\/p>\n<p>If you have a CPU with a socket that\u2019s incompatible with your motherboard, it won\u2019t be able to physically plug into the motherboard.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Types_of_CPU_Sockets\"><\/span>Types of CPU Sockets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are three different types of CPU surface mounting methods used for motherboards: <strong>LGA, PGA, and BGA, although BGA is rarely used for consumer CPUs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/lga-vs-pga\/\">LGA vs PGA Sockets Guide<\/a> to find out more about the physical properties of the sockets themselves.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17762\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types.jpg\" alt=\"Motherboard Socket Types\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-17762 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Motherboard Socket Types\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/05\/Motherboard-Socket-Types.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>Delving further into how sockets work isn't necessary for finding CPU+Motherboard compatibility, though, so let's continue:<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Motherboard_Do_I_Have\"><\/span>What Motherboard Do I Have?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let's say you already own a Motherboard and want to upgrade your CPU, or you already picked out a new Motherboard and want to see which CPUs will work with it:<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll need to find the <strong>manufacturer and model of your motherboard<\/strong> to determine which CPUs are compatible with it.<\/p>\n<p>There are a few ways to do this.<\/p>\n<p>The first way is to dig out the box your motherboard came in (If you still have it).<\/p>\n<p>If you bought the motherboard online, you can find the confirmation email to see if it states the name of your motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>You can also check your computer's System Information tool.<\/p>\n<p>Press the \u2018<strong>Windows<\/strong>\u2019 search key and type in \u2018<strong>System Information<\/strong>\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Click on \u2018<strong>System Information<\/strong>\u2019, and a new menu will open that displays a summary of your PC\u2019s components.<\/p>\n<p>Under the column \u2018<strong>Item<\/strong>\u2019, look for \u2018<strong>BaseBoard Manufacturer<\/strong>\u2019 and \u2018<strong>BaseBoard Product<\/strong>\u2019.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16393\" style=\"width: 1068px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16393\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16393\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg\" alt=\"System Information Motherboard Manufacturer Model\" width=\"1068\" height=\"547\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-768x393.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1068px) 100vw, 1068px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16393\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16393 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201068%20547%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"System Information Motherboard Manufacturer Model\" width=\"1068\" height=\"547\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201068%20547%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1068w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1068px) 100vw, 1068px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-768x393.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16393\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Screenshot of my PC's System Information<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The &#8220;<strong>BaseBoard Manufacturer<\/strong>&#8221; is your motherboard\u2019s <em>manufacturer<\/em>, and the &#8220;<strong>BaseBoard Product<\/strong>&#8221; is your motherboard\u2019s <em>model<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>For example, my BaseBoard Manufacturer is MSI (Micro Star International), and my BaseBoard Product is the Prestige X570 Creation.<\/p>\n<p>My exact motherboard is the <strong>MSI X570 Prestige Creation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re having trouble finding your motherboard's name, another option is to use a free program called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cpuid.com\/softwares\/cpu-z.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CPU-Z<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16394\" style=\"width: 404px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16394\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-16394 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg\" alt=\"CPU-Z Motherboard Manufacturer Model\" width=\"404\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg 404w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 404px) 100vw, 404px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16394\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-16394 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20404%20403%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"CPU-Z Motherboard Manufacturer Model\" width=\"404\" height=\"403\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20404%20403%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 404w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 404px) 100vw, 404px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg 404w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model-150x150.jpg 150w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/CPU-Z-Motherboard-Manufacturer-Model.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16394\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Motherboard information shown in the CPU-Z application<\/p><\/div>\n<p>This software collects and displays all kinds of information on the main components of your computer.<\/p>\n<p>Once you've opened CPU-Z, find the &#8216;<strong>Mainboard<\/strong>&#8216; tab, which will display your motherboard\u2019s manufacturer and model.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_CPU_Socket_Does_My_Motherboard_Have\"><\/span>What CPU Socket Does My Motherboard Have?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Once you've figured out the name of your motherboard, head over to Google and <strong>run a search for it,<\/strong> followed by the word \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/what-does-pc-specs-mean\/\"><strong>specs<\/strong><\/a>\u201d or &#8220;<strong>specifications<\/strong>&#8220;.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I would type in \u201c<strong>MSI X570 Prestige Creation specs<\/strong>\u201d into Google for my motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msi.com\/Motherboard\/PRESTIGE-X570-CREATION\/Specification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">first link<\/a> should be from the official manufacturer\u2019s website with a page that\u2019ll neatly list all of your motherboard\u2019s specifications.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16398\" style=\"width: 1518px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16398\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-16398 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs.jpg\" alt=\"MSI Prestige Creation X570 - Specs\" width=\"1518\" height=\"1100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs.jpg 1518w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs-1024x742.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs-768x557.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1518px) 100vw, 1518px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16398\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-16398 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201518%201100%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"MSI Prestige Creation X570 - Specs\" width=\"1518\" height=\"1100\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201518%201100%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1518w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1518px) 100vw, 1518px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs.jpg 1518w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs-300x217.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs-1024x742.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs-768x557.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/MSI-Prestige-Creation-X570-Specs.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16398\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msi.com\/Motherboard\/PRESTIGE-X570-CREATION\/Specification\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MSI<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>For my motherboard, I can see that the MSI X570 Prestige Creation supports all kinds of AMD Processors for the <strong>AM4 socket<\/strong>, as seen in the image above.<\/p>\n<p>This means (for my specific motherboard) I\u2019ll need an AM4 socket CPU from one of the Ryzen series listed in the image above.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a quick summary of how to find which CPU socket your motherboard uses:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Find your motherboard\u2019s manufacturer and model<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Look for your motherboard\u2019s specifications on Google<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Click the link to the official motherboard manufacturer\u2019s website<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>See what socket type your motherboard supports in the listed specifications<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Another example is the Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero motherboard which uses a <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/best-z590-motherboards-for-intel-11900k-11700k-11600k\/\">Z590 chipset<\/a>. This is an especially popular high-end motherboard among gamers.<\/p>\n<p>To find out which CPU is compatible with this motherboard, I\u2019d head over to Google and type in \u201c<strong>Asus ROG Maximus XIII Hero specs\u201d<\/strong>. Then click the <a href=\"https:\/\/rog.asus.com\/us\/motherboards\/rog-maximus\/rog-maximus-xiii-hero-model\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">first link<\/a>, which brings me to the Asus website.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16395\" style=\"width: 2406px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16395\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-16395 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs.jpg\" alt=\"ROG Maximus XIII hero Specs\" width=\"2406\" height=\"1162\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs.jpg 2406w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-1024x495.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-768x371.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-1536x742.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-2048x989.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2406px) 100vw, 2406px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16395\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-with-border wp-image-16395 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202406%201162%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"ROG Maximus XIII hero Specs\" width=\"2406\" height=\"1162\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202406%201162%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2406w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2406px) 100vw, 2406px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs.jpg 2406w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-1024x495.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-768x371.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-1536x742.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs-2048x989.jpg 2048w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ROG-Maximus-XIII-hero-Specs.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16395\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/rog.asus.com\/motherboards\/rog-maximus\/rog-maximus-xiii-hero-model\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ASUS<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>The first bullet point on the website states:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Intel\u00ae Socket LGA 1200 for 11th Gen Intel\u00ae Core\u2122 processors and 10th Gen Intel\u00ae CoreTM, Pentium\u00ae Gold and Celeron\u00ae Processors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I would need a CPU with an <strong>LGA 1200<\/strong> socket type for the motherboard.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"CPU_Support_List_What_Is_It\"><\/span>CPU Support List: What Is It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Because the Information on the supported CPUs isn't very detailed in the general specifications list (it just lists general <em>generations<\/em> of CPUs), we'll go a step further and check the motherboard\u2019s <strong>CPU Support List<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>This is to make sure the Motherboard was actually <em><strong>tested<\/strong> <\/em>with the CPU we're thinking of pairing it with. Better safe than sorry.<\/p>\n<p>When you find the page that lists your motherboard\u2019s specifications, you should also see a list\/button or menu item titled \u2018<strong>CPU Support List<\/strong>\u2019 or similar.<\/p>\n<p>For my MSI motherboard, I clicked the \u2018<strong>Support<\/strong>\u2019 tab. I then clicked the \u201c<strong>Compatibility<\/strong>\u201d button.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msi.com\/Motherboard\/PRESTIGE-X570-CREATION\/support#cpu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CPU Support List<\/a> now shows a much more detailed list of all the CPUs that have been tested and confirmed to work by the manufacturer.<\/p>\n<p>I found the same <a href=\"https:\/\/rog.asus.com\/us\/motherboards\/rog-maximus\/rog-maximus-xiii-hero-model\/helpdesk_cpu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CPU Support List<\/a> for the Asus motherboard by clicking the \u2018<strong>Support<\/strong>\u2019 tab and then \u2018<strong>CPU \/ Memory Support<\/strong>\u2019.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16401\" style=\"width: 2459px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16401\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16401\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List.jpg\" alt=\"ASRock B450M Pro4 CPU Support List\" width=\"2459\" height=\"1261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List.jpg 2459w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-1024x525.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-768x394.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-1536x788.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-2048x1050.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2459px) 100vw, 2459px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16401\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16401 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202459%201261%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"ASRock B450M Pro4 CPU Support List\" width=\"2459\" height=\"1261\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202459%201261%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2459w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2459px) 100vw, 2459px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List.jpg 2459w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-1024x525.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-768x394.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-1536x788.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List-2048x1050.jpg 2048w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/ASRock-B450M-Pro4-CPU-Support-List.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16401\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.asrock.com\/mb\/AMD\/B450M%20Pro4\/index.asp#CPU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ASUS ASRock B450M Pro4 CPU Support List<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>With the CPU support list, you can find <em>exactly<\/em> which CPUs are compatible with your motherboard - <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and which BIOS you'll need<\/span>. <em>More on that below<\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Motherboard_Chipset_-_Common_Misconception_About_CPU_Sockets\"><\/span>2. Motherboard Chipset - Common Misconception About CPU Sockets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>An example: You would expect any generation of LGA 1151 Socket CPU to work with any LGA 1151 Socket motherboard, right?<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, this isn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n<p>Intel has segmented the LGA 1511 socket into two versions that aren\u2019t backward or forward compatible. 6000 and 7000 series CPUs are only compatible with LGA 1151 100 and 200 series motherboards.<\/p>\n<p>8000 and 9000 series CPUs are only compatible with LGA 1151 300 series motherboards.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If you got dizzy reading through the above, I understand! Don't worry; with your motherboard\u2019s specifications, the CPU Support List that you can find online for any motherboard, you won't need to worry about chipsets. You can just rely on the manufacturer's testing and updating of that CPU Support List.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the only fool-proof way to find exactly which CPUs are compatible with your specific kind of motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>But, there's one more thing:<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_BIOS_Compatibility\"><\/span>3. BIOS Compatibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>BIOS compatibility is another key feature to check when purchasing a new CPU.<\/p>\n<p>From the same CPU support list you found earlier, a column will say \u2018<strong>Validated BIOS<\/strong>\u2019 or \u2018<strong>Validated Since BIOS<\/strong>\u2019, or similar.<\/p>\n<p>This means that the CPU in that list will be compatible with the motherboard, <strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">but<\/span> only if you have - <em>at a minimum -<\/em> the BIOS Version displayed in that row.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So this leads to a logical next question for someone upgrading their CPU:<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Find_What_BIOS_Version_I_Have\"><\/span>How To Find What BIOS Version I Have?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The easiest way to find your BIOS version is to press the \u2018<strong>Windows<\/strong>\u2019 search key and type in \u2018<strong>Command Prompt<\/strong>\u2019, or &#8220;<strong>CMD<\/strong>&#8220;.<\/p>\n<p>Open the Command Prompt and enter: <strong><em>wmic bios get smbiosbiosversion<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After pressing ENTER, your current BIOS version will be displayed:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16403\" style=\"width: 518px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16403\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16403\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/Command-Prompt-BIOS-version-1.jpg\" alt=\"Command Prompt BIOS version\" width=\"518\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/Command-Prompt-BIOS-version-1.jpg 518w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/Command-Prompt-BIOS-version-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 518px) 100vw, 518px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16403\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16403 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20518%20250%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Command Prompt BIOS version\" width=\"518\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20518%20250%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 518w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 518px) 100vw, 518px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/Command-Prompt-BIOS-version-1.jpg 518w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/Command-Prompt-BIOS-version-1-300x145.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/Command-Prompt-BIOS-version-1.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16403\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Screenshot of my command prompt displaying my BIOS version<\/p><\/div>\n<p>You can also find your BIOS version by going to the \u2018<strong>System Information<\/strong>\u2019 screen on your computer and finding the column that says \u2018<strong>BIOS Version\/Date<\/strong>\u2019.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16404\" style=\"width: 1067px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16404\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16404\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version.jpg\" alt=\"System Information BIOS Version\" width=\"1067\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version.jpg 1067w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version-768x393.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1067px) 100vw, 1067px\"><\/noscript><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16404\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16404 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201067%20546%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"System Information BIOS Version\" width=\"1067\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201067%20546%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 1067w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1067px) 100vw, 1067px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version.jpg 1067w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version-300x154.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version-1024x524.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version-768x393.jpg 768w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2022\/04\/System-Information-BIOS-Version.jpg\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-16404\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Screenshot of my System Information displaying my BIOS version<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Now you can compare your current BIOS version with the minimum BIOS version your new CPU requires.<\/p>\n<p>If your current BIOS needs to be updated, you\u2019ll need to head back to your motherboard model\u2019s page on the manufacturer\u2019s website.<\/p>\n<p>Each manufacturer has different instructions when it comes to updating the BIOS. It typically involves downloading the new BIOS version onto a USB and then booting your computer from the USB drive.<\/p>\n<p>Do check our <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/update-bios-without-cpu\/\">BIOS updating Guide here<\/a>, for an easy walkthrough.<\/p>\n<p>Other manufacturers allow you to update the BIOS directly in the BIOS startup menu.<\/p>\n<p>Remember, you only need to update your BIOS if your new CPU requires you to.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t update your BIOS before installing the new CPU, it won\u2019t be able to run. You would then have to reinstall the old CPU and update the BIOS (or <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/update-bios-without-cpu\/\">update your BIOS without a CPU<\/a>, which <em>isn't<\/em> possible on all motherboards).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_much_simpler_yet_slightly_unreliable_way_of_checking_CPU_and_Motherboard_compatibility\"><\/span>A much simpler, yet slightly unreliable way of checking CPU and Motherboard compatibility<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you haven't heard of <strong>PC Part Picker<\/strong>, you're in for a treat.<\/p>\n<p>It's a website that lets you pick parts and pretty much plan out your custom PC. Well, the cool thing is, it does a pretty good job at checking inter-component compatibility.<\/p>\n<p>Basically, what you do, is:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Head over to the <a href=\"https:\/\/pcpartpicker.com\/list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">PC Part Picker Builder<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Select either a CPU or a Motherboard that you already own or know you'll want<\/li>\n<li>Then after you've added that part to you build, select the other part. The list that'll come up <strong><em>should<\/em><\/strong> now only show products that are compatible with the motherboard or CPU you have already picked.<\/li>\n<li>You can ignore the rest of the components, or tinker some more and actually build the entire PC<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>That was much easier, right? It's not correct 100% of the time, though, so use it with caution. PC Part Picker is unreliable, especially when it comes to compatible BIOS Versions. It does gets sockets and chipset compatibility right most of the time, though.<\/p>\n<p>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/pcpartpicker-compatibility-warnings-explained\/\">PCPartPicker Guide here<\/a> will also help you out with any obscure warnings that are displayed on their site (which happens a lot).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Finding which CPUs are compatible with your motherboard is a straightforward process as long as you know the manufacturer and model of your motherboard and don't shy away from digging through some specifications.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_There_CPU_Socket_Adapters\"><\/span>Are There CPU Socket Adapters?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>You may be wondering if there's a device that allows you to fit an LGA 1200 CPU into an LGA 1511 motherboard socket. However, socket adapters do not exist because of compatibility issues.<\/p>\n<p>If you have already purchased a new CPU and find out your motherboard is incompatible, you have two options.<\/p>\n<p>First, you can return the CPU and purchase a different one that\u2019s compatible with your motherboard.<\/p>\n<p>The other option is to buy a new motherboard with a socket type that\u2019s compatible with your new CPU.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_the_Most_Common_CPU_Sockets\"><\/span>What Are the Most Common CPU Sockets?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For Intel CPUs:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>LGA 1151 for 7th, 8th, and 9th Gen Core, Pentium, and Celeron CPUs<\/li>\n<li>LGA 1200 for 10th and 11th Gen Core, Pentium, and Celeron CPUs<\/li>\n<li>LGA1700 for 12th gen Intel CPUs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Intel workstations typically use the LGA 2066 socket for 10th Gen Intel Core Extreme Processors like the Intel Core i9-10980XE.<\/p>\n<p>AMD keeps it much simpler for mainstream desktop CPUs by primarily using the AM4 and AM5 socket.<\/p>\n<p>AM4 sockets are supported by 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000 series Ryzen Desktop CPUs, while 7000 Series Ryzen CPUs need the AM5 socket. <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/amd-threadripper-3990x-review\/\">Threadripper CPUs<\/a> run on the TR4 and sTR4 Socket.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_the_Difference_Between_LGA_1151_and_LGA_1200\"><\/span>What Is the Difference Between LGA 1151 and LGA 1200?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>LGA 1200 CPUs have exactly 49 more pins than LGA 1151 CPUs.<\/p>\n<p>LGA 1200 was introduced in 2020 as a compatible socket for Comet Lake and Rocket Lake desktop CPUs. LGA 1151 and LGA 1200 components can not be used interchangeably.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll need a CPU and a motherboard with the exact same socket in order for your computer to work.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Now I\u2019d love to hear from you! Were you able to find a CPU that is compatible with your motherboard?<\/p>\n<p>Do you have any questions on which CPU you should get? Let me know in the <a href=\"#comments\">comments<\/a> below or on our <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">forum<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Figuring out which CPUs are compatible with your motherboard can be tricky because of the many factors to consider. Therefore, I\u2019ve put together this guide that will answer all your questions about CPU and motherboard compatibility. What CPU Is Compatible With My Motherboard? In a perfect world, you could plug any CPU into any motherboard....<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2343,"featured_media":16383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74],"tags":[119,117],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16382"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2343"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16382"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20710,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16382\/revisions\/20710"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}