View source for Socket 7

{{Short description|Physical and electrical specification for an x86-style CPU socket}}
{{Infobox CPU socket
|name        = Socket 7
|image       = [[File:Socket 7.jpg|center|200px]]
|type        = [[zero insertion force|ZIF]]
|formfactors = [[SPGA]]
|contacts    = 321
|protocol    = P5
|fsb         = 66–83&nbsp;MHz System Clock
|voltage     = 2.5–3.5&nbsp;V
|processors  = 75–233&nbsp;MHz Intel  [[P5 (microarchitecture)|P5]]  [[Pentium (brand)|Pentium]], AMD K5 through K6, Cyrix 6x86 (and 6x86MX) P120–P233
|predecessor = [[Socket 5]]
|successor   = [[Socket 8]] (Intel)<br/>[[Slot 1]] (Intel)<br/>[[Super Socket 7]] (AMD)
}}
'''Socket 7''' is a physical and electrical specification for an [[x86]]-style [[Central processing unit|CPU]] socket on a personal computer [[motherboard]]. It was released in June 1995.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Torres|first1=Gabriel|title=A Complete List of CPU Sockets|url=http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/A-Complete-List-of-CPU-Sockets/373/2|website=Hardware Secrets|access-date=23 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924043456/http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/A-Complete-List-of-CPU-Sockets/373/2|archive-date=24 September 2014}}</ref> The socket supersedes the earlier [[Socket 5]], and accepts [[P5 (microarchitecture)|P5]] [[Pentium (brand)|Pentium]] [[microprocessor]]s manufactured by [[Intel]], as well as compatibles made by [[Cyrix]]/[[IBM]], [[AMD]], [[Integrated Device Technology|IDT]] and others.<ref>{{Citation |title=Intel Socket 7 Specification |publisher=pcguide.com |url=http://www.pcguide.com/ref/cpu/char/socketSocket7-c.html |access-date=2009-03-31}}</ref> Socket 7 was the only socket that supported a wide range of CPUs from different manufacturers and a wide range of speeds.
Differences between Socket 5 and Socket 7 are that Socket 7 has an extra pin and is designed to provide dual split rail voltage, as opposed to Socket 5's single voltage. However, not all motherboard manufacturers supported the dual voltage on their boards initially. Socket 7 is [[Backward compatibility|backwards compatible]]; a Socket 5 CPU can be inserted and used on a Socket 7 motherboard.
Processors that used Socket 7 are the [[AMD K5]] and [[AMD K6|K6]], the [[Cyrix 6x86]] and 6x86MX, the IDT [[WinChip]], the Intel [[P5 (microarchitecture)|P5]] [[Pentium (brand)|Pentium]] (2.5–3.5&nbsp;V, 75–200&nbsp;MHz), the Pentium MMX (166–233&nbsp;MHz), and the [[Rise Technology]] [[mP6]].
Socket 7 typically uses a 321-pin (arranged as 19 by 19 pins) [[SPGA]] [[zero insertion force|ZIF]] socket or the very rare 296-pin (arranged as 37 by 37 pins) [[SPGA]] [[low insertion force|LIF]] socket. The size is 1.95" x 1.95" (4.95&nbsp;cm x 4.95&nbsp;cm).
An extension of Socket 7, [[Super Socket 7]], was developed by AMD for their [[AMD K6-2|K6-2]] and [[AMD K6-III|K6-III]] processors to operate at a higher clock rate and use [[Accelerated Graphics Port|AGP]].
Socket 7 and [[Socket 8]] were replaced by [[Slot 1]] and [[Slot 2]] in 1999.[[File:Cyrix IBM CPU 6x86MX PR200 bottom.jpg|thumb|Bottom view of a socket 7, 321-pin SPGA CPU]]
==See also==
* [[List of Intel microprocessors]]
* [[List of AMD microprocessors]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{earlysock}}
{{intelsock}}
[[Category:CPU sockets|Socket 007]]