LGA1150 is the Intel desktop socket for 4th generation (Haswell) Core processors, launched in June 2013, and for the two 5th generation (Broadwell) desktop chips that followed. It uses DDR3 memory and was replaced by LGA1151 in 2015. It is an end-of-line platform, bought today to repair an old PC, to reuse a processor you already own, or to build a cheap home server. The boards still on sale are on the LGA1150 motherboard deals page.
Cheapest LGA1150 boards right now
All 25 LGA1150 motherboards, with price drops and price history
What LGA1150 is
It is a land grid array socket with 1,150 sprung pins in the motherboard and flat pads on the processor. It looks much like the LGA1155 socket before it and the LGA1151 socket after it, but the notches that key the processor are in different places, so a chip from either neighbour will not fit. What does carry over is the cooler mounting, covered below.
| Item | LGA1150 |
|---|---|
| Socket type | LGA, 1,150 contacts |
| Launched | June 2013 |
| Processors | 4th generation Core (Haswell and the 2014 Haswell Refresh), 5th generation desktop Core on 9-series boards, Xeon E3-1200 v3 |
| Memory | DDR3 or DDR3L, dual channel |
| Chipsets | 8-series (Z87, H87, B85, H81, Q85, Q87) and 9-series (Z97, H97) |
| CPU overclocking | Z87 and Z97 only |
| Replaced by | LGA1151, in 2015 |
Compatible processors
Every LGA1150 board takes the original 4th generation chips: Core i3, i5 and i7 models numbered 4xxx, plus the Pentium and Celeron parts of the same family. The Haswell Refresh models released in 2014 generally work on 8-series boards too, but some needed a BIOS update first. The two 5th generation desktop chips, the Core i5-5675C and i7-5775C, need a 9-series board; most 8-series boards do not run them.
Xeon E3-1200 v3 processors use the same socket and are a popular way to get a four-core, eight-thread chip into an old system. Intel paired them officially with its server chipsets, and support on consumer boards depends on the maker and the BIOS: many H81, B85, H87, Z87 and 9-series boards list them, some do not. Several Xeon E3 v3 models also have no integrated graphics, so you will need a graphics card. The maker's CPU support list for the exact board is the final word, and BIOS updates and CPU compatibility explains how to read one.
Memory
LGA1150 is DDR3 only. Boards take standard 1.5V DDR3 and low-voltage 1.35V DDR3L, and the processors are rated for DDR3-1600. DDR4 modules have a different notch and will not go in. Only Z87 and Z97 boards run memory above the official speed with any reliability; on the other chipsets a faster kit simply runs at the lower figure. Entry-level boards, including most H81 models, have two memory slots, so check the count if you are moving four modules across from an old board.
Chipsets
The letters follow the usual Intel pattern, explained in Motherboard chipsets explained. Z87 and Z97 overclock K-series processors. H87 and H97 are the full-featured non-overclocking chipsets, B85 and the Q-series are business-oriented, and H81 is the entry level.
H81 is by far the most common chipset in what is still sold, because most of the new-build boards from smaller makers use it. It has its own page at H81 motherboards, and the H81 chipset guide covers its limits in detail: two memory slots, fewer USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s ports than the chipsets above it, and PCIe 2.0 lanes from the chipset.
M.2 and NVMe on an LGA1150 board
When these boards were first sold, few had an M.2 slot and almost none could boot from an NVMe drive. Many of the new-build boards on sale now add an NVMe M.2 slot, usually with a BIOS that boots from it. Read the listing carefully: "M.2" on its own can mean a SATA-only slot or a WiFi card slot. You want the listing to say NVMe and, ideally, that the board boots from it.
On H81 and B85 boards that slot normally runs from the chipset's PCIe 2.0 lanes, so a modern NVMe drive will run well below its rated speed. It is usually still quicker than a SATA SSD, depending on how many lanes the slot gets, but there is no point paying for a fast drive to put in it.
Cooler compatibility
LGA1150 shares its cooler mounting holes with LGA1155, LGA1156, LGA1151 and LGA1200, so a cooler from any of those fits without an adapter. LGA1700 and LGA1851 use a wider spacing and need a bracket kit.
Windows and the age of the platform
4th and 5th generation Core processors are not on Microsoft's supported list for Windows 11, and Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 in October 2025. A replacement board keeps a PC running, but not on a Windows version Microsoft supports for these chips. For a home server or a Linux machine that matters far less, which is one reason these boards still sell.
Buying into LGA1150 in 2026
Do not build a new everyday PC on this socket. The processors are only available used, the fastest of them has four cores, and a budget AM4 or DDR4 LGA1700 board with a new processor gives far more for the money. How to choose a motherboard is the place to start for a new build.
The good reasons to buy are repair and reuse: the board in a working Haswell system has failed, you have a Core i5, i7 or Xeon E3 v3 and DDR3 memory to hand, or you want a low-cost box for file serving or retro gaming. What you find is mostly new boards from smaller makers plus some used and refurbished boards from the larger brands. For the second kind, read Are Amazon Warehouse motherboards worth it? and work through the used motherboard checklist when it arrives.
What to look for
- The chipset: a 9-series board for a 5th generation chip, a Z-series board to overclock a K-series chip, and the CPU support list for a Xeon.
- Memory slots: two on most H81 boards, four on most others.
- NVMe boot stated in the listing, not just "M.2", if you want to boot from an NVMe drive.
- Size and connectors: many remaining boards are Micro-ATX; prebuilt office PCs often use non-standard boards and power connectors that a retail board will not replace.
- The rear I/O shield, often missing from used and returned boards.
Current stock is on the LGA1150 motherboard deals page. For the older 2nd and 3rd generation socket, see the LGA1155 socket guide.
Questions people ask
Will a 4th gen Intel CPU work in an LGA1155 or LGA1151 board?
No. 4th generation Core processors need an LGA1150 board. The three sockets look similar, but the notches that key the processor are in different places, so the chip will not seat in either of the other two.
Does H81 support NVMe?
The chipset itself was designed before NVMe booting was common, and original H81 boards rarely boot from an NVMe drive. Many new-build H81 boards add an NVMe M.2 slot with a BIOS that boots from it; check that the listing says NVMe boot. The slot runs from PCIe 2.0 lanes, so expect less than a modern drive's rated speed. See the H81 chipset guide.
Will a Xeon E3-1231 v3 work in my LGA1150 board?
Often, but not always. Xeon E3-1200 v3 chips use the same socket, and many consumer boards list them, but support depends on the board and its BIOS. Check the maker's CPU support list for your exact model. Many of these Xeons have no integrated graphics, so you also need a graphics card.
Can an LGA1150 PC run Windows 11?
Not officially. 4th and 5th generation Core processors are not on Microsoft's supported processor list for Windows 11. Windows 10 support ended in October 2025, so for a long-term Windows PC a newer platform is the better choice.
Do LGA1150 boards use DDR3 or DDR4?
DDR3 only, including low-voltage DDR3L. DDR4 modules are keyed differently and will not fit the slots.