B75 is the business-oriented 7-series chipset for Intel's LGA1155 socket. It launched in 2012 with 3rd generation Core (Ivy Bridge), also runs 2nd generation (Sandy Bridge) processors, and supports up to four DDR3 slots with native USB 3.0 but no overclocking. It is now a repair part and the base for cheap new boards from smaller makers, often with an NVMe M.2 slot added. Everything on sale is on the B75 deals page.
Cheapest B75 boards right now
What B75 is and who it is for
The 7-series consumer line-up ran Z77, H77 and B75, with the 6-series H61 continuing below them. B75 was aimed at business desktops: it supports Intel Small Business Advantage, a set of management and security tools for small offices, and it turned up in a great many office PCs. For a home user it is simply a sensible mid-range chipset with more memory slots and ports than H61 and no overclocking.
The reasons to buy one now are the same as for any old platform. You may be repairing an LGA1155 PC and keeping its processor and memory, reusing a spare Core i5, i7 or Xeon as a home server or retro gaming machine, or checking what an existing B75 board can take. If you are starting from nothing, read the last section first.
Key specifications
| Feature | B75 |
|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 |
| Processors | 2nd and 3rd gen Intel Core; Xeon E3-1200 and E3-1200 v2 on many boards |
| Memory | DDR3; up to four slots; up to 32 GB |
| CPU overclocking | No |
| Memory overclocking | No |
| Graphics slot | PCIe 3.0 with a 3rd gen processor; PCIe 2.0 with 2nd gen |
| PCIe from the chipset | Eight PCIe 2.0 lanes |
| SATA | One 6Gb/s and five 3Gb/s |
| USB | Four native USB 3.0, plus USB 2.0 |
| RAID | No |
| Launched | 2012 |
Compatible CPUs
B75 runs both generations of LGA1155 Core processor: 3rd generation (Ivy Bridge), such as the Core i5-3470 or i7-3770, and 2nd generation (Sandy Bridge), such as the Core i5-2400 or i7-2600, along with the matching Pentium and Celeron models. Because B75 arrived with Ivy Bridge, boards support both generations without the BIOS update that some older 6-series boards needed. K-suffix chips work, but run at stock speed: B75 has no CPU overclocking.
Xeon E3-1200 (v1) and E3-1200 v2 processors share the socket, and many of the new B75 boards on sale list them as supported. A Xeon such as an E3-1230 v2 gives four cores and eight threads for little money, which is why these boards are popular for home servers. Intel did not officially support Xeons on B75, so check your exact chip on the board's CPU support list. Many E3 models have no built-in graphics, so plan for a graphics card.
Power delivery on cheap B75 boards is modest. A Core i5 or a Xeon E3 is what most of them are built around; read motherboard VRM explained before pairing a hot Core i7 with a basic board.
Memory: up to four DDR3 slots
B75 supports two modules per channel, so it allows four slots and up to 32 GB, as four 8 GB modules. Many of the small new B75 boards fit only two slots, which limits them to 16 GB, so check the listing if capacity matters. DDR4 does not fit, and registered server memory (RDIMM) is not supported: use ordinary unbuffered desktop DDR3. Low-voltage DDR3L modules are usually dual-voltage and run at 1.5 V, but check before reusing laptop memory.
Memory runs at the processor's rated speed: DDR3-1600 for most 3rd generation chips and DDR3-1333 for 2nd generation. There is no XMP or memory overclocking on B75.
M.2, NVMe and PCIe
B75 has no M.2 support of its own. When a new B75 board has an M.2 slot, the maker has wired it to the chipset's PCIe 2.0 lanes, which gives a ceiling of roughly 1.5 to 2 GB/s at four lanes and less at two. That is still about three times a SATA SSD, and far more than the single SATA 6Gb/s port on the chipset allows. A newer drive works at PCIe 2.0 speed.
Check that the listing states the board can boot from NVMe. Boards of this age need a BIOS with NVMe support added, and some only see the drive for storage. Also check whether the M.2 slot shares lanes with a PCIe slot.
The graphics slot is fed by the processor. With a 3rd generation chip it can run at PCIe 3.0; with 2nd generation it runs at PCIe 2.0. Either is enough for the kind of graphics card that suits a platform this old.
How B75 compares with its neighbours
| H61 | B75 | H77 | Z77 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memory slots | Two | Up to four | Up to four | Up to four |
| CPU overclocking | No | No | No | Yes, with a K processor |
| SATA 6Gb/s ports | None | One | Two | Two |
| Native USB 3.0 | No | Four | Four | Four |
| RAID | No | No | Yes | Yes |
On the next socket, LGA1150, the budget equivalent is H81: a newer processor generation, but only two memory slots and PCIe 2.0 graphics. The LGA1155 socket guide covers the whole platform.
What to check on the listing
- The CPU support list. Your exact processor, especially a Xeon.
- Memory slots. Two or four; it sets your maximum memory.
- NVMe boot. Stated in the listing, not assumed from the M.2 slot.
- New, used or refurbished. Big-brand B75 boards on sale now are usually used or refurbished; go through the used motherboard checklist when one arrives.
- Size and fit. Most are micro-ATX. Boards from branded office PCs may use a proprietary layout or power connector.
- Video outputs. Often VGA and HDMI only.
Buying into an old platform: the honest view
LGA1155 was replaced by LGA1150 in 2013 and nothing new will ever fit it. 2nd and 3rd generation processors are not supported by Windows 11, and Windows 10 support ended in October 2025, so a B75 PC used online needs Linux or another plan for security updates. For an offline retro build, a file server or a home lab machine it remains a cheap and capable base, especially with an NVMe drive and a Xeon.
For a new everyday PC, an H610 or A520 board costs little more and brings a supported processor, faster storage and a far quicker system; begin with how to choose a motherboard. If you are repairing or reusing, compare the B75 deal list with the H81 boards and choose by the processor you already own.
Questions people ask
Can B75 run a 3rd gen i7?
Yes. B75 was launched with 3rd generation Core and runs chips such as the Core i7-3770 at stock speed. A K-suffix i7 works but cannot be overclocked on B75.
Does B75 support NVMe?
Not natively, but many new B75 boards add an M.2 slot wired to the chipset's PCIe 2.0 lanes. Check that the listing says the board can boot from NVMe.
How much RAM does B75 support?
Up to 32 GB of DDR3 on a board with four slots. Boards with two slots are limited to 16 GB.
Does B75 support Xeon processors?
Many B75 boards list Xeon E3-1200 and E3-1200 v2 chips as supported, but Intel did not officially support them on B75. Check your exact model on the board's CPU support list.