KMS Components ...Naturally

Slot 1
In an effort to move customers away from Socket 7 processors when it released the Pentium II, Intel created the Slot 1 interface for it's processors. They marketed it as a design which was much better and faster than Socket 7 so that the Pentium II would be perceived as a more advanced processor. Because of the high manufacturing costs, the redesign of the processor core to integrate the cache onboard and the fact that the Slot 1 format isn't any faster than a socket design, Intel have now moved back to making socket processor. Therefore Slot 1 packaging will slowly die out.

Slot A In order to get the public to perceive that the Athlon was a direct competitor to the Pentium III, AMD created a packaging for it's processor that was visually similar to the PIII. The Slot A is actually a Slot 1 but wired up back to front. For the same reasons that Intel are abandoning Slot 1 as a package AMD are also abandoning Slot A.

Socket 478 This is Intel's future processor packaging for Pentium 4. This design has 478 pins.

Socket 423 This is Intel's current processor packaging for Pentium 4. This design has 423 pins. It will be phased out by the end of the year in favor of the Socket 478 packaging, because this allows for more data lines which allow the processor to transfer data faster.

FC-PGA2 (Flip Chip Pin Grid Array 2) This is Intel's final processor packaging for Pentium III and Celeron processors. This design has 370 pins, but although it looks visually the same as the FC-PGA design the voltages that these chips use are different, so they are only compatible with FC-PGA2 sockets and not Socket 370 or Socket FC-PGA.

FC-PGA (Flip Chip Pin Grid Array) This is Intel's current old processor packaging for Pentium III and Celeron processors. This design has 370 pins, but although it looks visually the same as the Socket 370 design the voltages that these chips use are different, so they are only compatible with FC-PGA sockets and not Socket 370.

Socket A This is AMD's current processor packaging for the Athlon and Duron processors. This design has 462 pins, but although it looks visually the similar to the Socket 370 design.

P-PGA (Plastic Pin Grid Array) This packaging was used for Celerons up to 533MHz and by Cyrix for the MIII processor. The 370 pins are set in a plastic frame, hence the name. Processors made in this package are compatible with Socket 370 and FC-PGA sockets.

C-PGA (Ceramic Pin Grid Array) This packaging was used for all Socket 7 processors made by AMD, Cyrix and Intel. It has 321 pins and works only in socket 7 boards.