The LGA 1200 socket is compatible with Intel's 10th generation Core processors, code-named "Comet Lake," and Intel's 11th generation Core processors, code-named "Rocket Lake." Some Pentium Gold and Celeron CPUs also support this socket.
This article will discuss which motherboards support the LGA 1200 socket and provide recommendations for CPUs and compatible motherboards, CPU coolers, and memory.
Check out my Recommended LGA 1200 CPUs and Motherboards below.
For compatiblity with Intel's 11th generation processors, you can use any of the 500-series chipsets: Z590, H570, B560, H510. These are roughly sorted from most to least functionality. The W580 and Q570 chipsets are also compatible, but are intended for workstation and business use cases; their availability in stand-alone motherboards is limited.
While the budget-friendly 400-series B460 and H410 won't work with the 11th generation Core processors, the Z490 and H470 400-series chipsets are compatible. However, these chipsets were designed for the 10th generations Core processors, and will limit the capabilities of your system. The W480 and Q470 chipsets are also compatible, but are intended for workstation and business use cases; their availability in stand-alone motherboards is limited.
Z590 | H570 | B560 | H510 | W580 | Q570 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recommended Usage | For Enthusiast Gamer PCs | For General Home and Gaming PCs | For Budget PCs | For Barebones PCs |
For High-End Creative/ | For Nicer Business PCs |
Motherboard Availability | Limited | Limited | ||||
Launch Date | Q1 2021 | Q1 2021 | Q1 2021 | Q1 2021 | Q2 2021 | Q2 2021 |
CPU Overclocking | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Memory Overclocking | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
PCIe 4.0 Slots via Processor (10th Gen CPUs at PCIe 3.0 Speeds) |
One x16 + One x4 or Two x8 + One x4 or One x8 + Three x4 | One x16 + One x4 | One x16 + One x4 | One x16 |
One x16 + One x4 or Two x8 + One x4 or One x8 + Three x4 |
One x16 + One x4 or Two x8 + One x4 or One x8 + Three x4 |
PCIe 3.0 Lanes via Chipset | Up to 24 | Up to 20 | Up to 12 | Up to 6 | Up to 24 | Up to 24 |
Integrated Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 |
DMI 3.0 Lanes | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) | Up to 3 | Up to 2 | Up to 2 | None | Up to 3 | Up to 3 |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 (10 Gbps) | Up to 10 | Up to 4 | Up to 4 | None | Up to 10 | Up to 8 |
USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 Gbps) | Up to 10 | Up to 8 | Up to 6 | Up to 4 | Up to 10 | Up to 10 |
USB 2.0 Ports | 14 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 |
SATA 3.0 Ports | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
PCIe RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | None | None | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
SATA RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | None | None | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
- Find Z590 Chipset 11th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find H570 Chipset 11th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find B560 Chipset 11th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find H510 Chipset 11th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
Z490 | H470 | W480 | Q470 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Recommended Usage | For Enthusiast Gamer PCs | For General Home and Gaming PCs |
For High-End Creative/ | For Nicer Business PCs |
Motherboard Availability | Limited | Limited | ||
Launch Date | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 |
CPU Overclocking | Yes | No | No | No |
Memory Overclocking | Yes | No | Yes | No |
PCIe 3.0 Slots via Processor |
One x16 or One x8 + Two x4 | One x16 |
One x16 or One x8 + Two x4 |
One x16 or One x8 + Two x4 |
PCIe 3.0 Lanes via Chipset | 24 | 20 | 24 | 24 |
Integrated Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 (10 Gbps) | Up to 6 | Up to 4 | Up to 8 | Up to 6 |
USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 Gbps) | Up to 10 | Up to 8 | Up to 10 | Up to 10 |
USB 2.0 Ports | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
SATA 3.0 Ports | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
PCIe RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
SATA RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
For compatiblity with Intel's 10th generation Core processors, you'll need a 400-series or 500-series chipset.
The Z590, H570, B560, and H510 500-series chipsets are compatible with Intel's 10th generation Core processors. These are roughly listed from most to least functionality. The W580 and Q570 chipsets are also compatible, but are intended for workstation and business use cases; their availability in stand-alone motherboards is limited. Intel's 500-series chipsets were primarily designed for 11th generation Core processors but are backward compatible with all 10th generation Core processors.
The Z490, H470, B460, and H410 400-series chipsets are compatible with Intel's 10th generation Core processors. Similar to the 500-series chipsets, the W480 and Q470 chipsets are also compatible, but are intended for workstation and business use cases; their availability in stand-alone motherboards is limited.
Z590 | H570 | B560 | H510 | W580 | Q570 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recommended Usage | For Enthusiast Gamer PCs | For General Home and Gaming PCs | For Budget PCs | For Barebones PCs |
For High-End Creative/ | For Nicer Business PCs |
Motherboard Availability | Limited | Limited | ||||
Launch Date | Q1 2021 | Q1 2021 | Q1 2021 | Q1 2021 | Q2 2021 | Q2 2021 |
CPU Overclocking | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Memory Overclocking | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
PCIe 4.0 Slots via Processor (10th Gen CPUs at PCIe 3.0 Speeds) |
One x16 + One x4 or Two x8 + One x4 or One x8 + Three x4 | One x16 + One x4 | One x16 + One x4 | One x16 |
One x16 + One x4 or Two x8 + One x4 or One x8 + Three x4 |
One x16 + One x4 or Two x8 + One x4 or One x8 + Three x4 |
PCIe 3.0 Lanes via Chipset | Up to 24 | Up to 20 | Up to 12 | Up to 6 | Up to 24 | Up to 24 |
Integrated Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 |
DMI 3.0 Lanes | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) | Up to 3 | Up to 2 | Up to 2 | None | Up to 3 | Up to 3 |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 (10 Gbps) | Up to 10 | Up to 4 | Up to 4 | None | Up to 10 | Up to 8 |
USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 Gbps) | Up to 10 | Up to 8 | Up to 6 | Up to 4 | Up to 10 | Up to 10 |
USB 2.0 Ports | 14 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 |
SATA 3.0 Ports | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
PCIe RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | None | None | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
SATA RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | None | None | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
- Find Z590 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find H570 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find B560 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find H510 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
Z490 | H470 | B460 | H410 | W480 | Q470 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recommended Usage | For Enthusiast Gamer PCs | For General Home and Gaming PCs | For Budget PCs | For Barebones PCs |
For High-End Creative/ | For Nicer Business PCs |
Motherboard Availability | Limited | Limited | ||||
Launch Date | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 | Q2 2020 |
CPU Overclocking | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Memory Overclocking | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
PCIe 3.0 Slots via Processor |
One x16 or One x8 + Two x4 | One x16 | One x16 | One x16 |
One x16 or One x8 + Two x4 |
One x16 or One x8 + Two x4 |
PCIe 3.0 Lanes via Chipset | 24 | 20 | 16 | 6 | 24 | 24 |
Integrated Wireless | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | None | None | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 | Wi-Fi 6 AX201 |
USB 3.2 Gen 2x1 (10 Gbps) | Up to 6 | Up to 4 | None | None | Up to 8 | Up to 6 |
USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 Gbps) | Up to 10 | Up to 8 | Up to 8 | Up to 4 | Up to 10 | Up to 10 |
USB 2.0 Ports | 14 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 |
SATA 3.0 Ports | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 |
PCIe RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | None | None | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
SATA RAID | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 | None | None | 0, 1, 5, 10 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
- Find Z490 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find H470 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find B460 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
- Find H410 Chipset 10th Gen Motherboards on Amazon
Check out my Recommended LGA 1200 CPUs and Motherboards below.
Check out my Recommended LGA 1200 CPU Coolers below.
Motherboards for Intel processors are made with chipsets provided by Intel. Each chipset offers a unique set of capabilities. However, motherboards must explicitly support features and capabilities for you to use them. Verify that a motherboard supports the features and capabilities you desire.
For Intel's 10th and 11th generation processors, you'll need a motherboard with an LGA 1200 socket and a compatible 400-series or 500-series chipset. The 11th generation Core processors are not compatible with the B460 or H410 chipsets.
For Pentium Gold G6xxx processors, you'll need a motherboard with any 400 or 500-series chipset except for the W580 or W480.
For Celeron G59x5 processors, you'll need a motherboard with any 400 or 500-series chipset except for the W580 or W480. Celeron G59x0 processors are only compatible with motherboards using the Z490, H470, B460, Q470, or H410 chipsets.
for a specific LGA 1200 Core CPU:
A "K" in the model name means it is an unlocked processor that supports overclocking. You will need a motherboard with the Z590 or Z490 chipset to support CPU overclocking.
Best Intel 11th Gen High-Frequency CPU and Motherboard
- Our recommended Intel 11th gen high-frequency CPU:
- Up to 5.3 GHz: perfect for games, video editing, and high-intensity tasks.
- 8 cores / 16 threads: Quite a few cores considering the frequency! This combination makes it a great all-around system that can handle almost any task.
- You'll want to use a good cooler, as the "Thermal Velocity Boost Frequency" feature will improve your clock speed based on how cool you can keep it.
- Virtualization features make it great for running virtual machines.
- Check the latest price of the Intel Core i9-11900K on Amazon
- For the Intel Core i9-11900K CPU, you'll need a motherboard with the Z590 or B560 chipset to support PCIe 4.0.
- Our recommended motherboard to pair with the i9-11900K:
- Four NVMe M.2
slots, which is great! (two @ PCIe 4.0 speeds, two @ PCIe 3.0 speeds).
- This board includes various headers for accessories, including 3 ARGB headers for lighting control and separate AIO and water pump headers.
- Audio noise canceling and an optical audio output port
- Z590 chipset supports overclocking for K-prefixed CPUs.
- PCIe 4.0 support
- Wi-Fi 6E makes it easy to reach the fastest speeds and future-proof your Wi-Fi system.
- Bluetooth 5.2
is great for streaming music to Bluetooth headphones.
- Two 2.5 Gb Ethernet ports are faster than most Internet speeds with room to spare for file transfers.
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
- Check the latest price of the ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero on Amazon
- Four NVMe M.2
Best Intel 11th Gen Value CPU and Motherboard
- Our recommended Intel 11th gen value CPU:
- Costs less than the i9-11900K, but still excellent performance at up to 4.9 GHz.
- 6 cores / 12 threads: There are a decent number of threads to make it good at everyday multi-threading tasks, such as having tons of browser windows open.
- Check the latest price of the Intel Core i5-11600K on Amazon
- Intel Core i5-11600KF is a backup option if this one isn't in stock. It is the same other than the lack of integrated graphics support.
- For the Intel Core i5-11600K CPU, you'll need a motherboard with the Z590 or B560 chipset to support PCIe 4.0.
- Our recommended motherboard to pair with the i5-11600K:
- Three NVMe M.2
slots, which is excellent (one @ PCIe 4.0 speeds, two @ PCIe 3.0 speeds).
- PCIe 4.0 support
- Wi-Fi 6 makes it easy to reach the fastest speeds and future-proof your Wi-Fi system.
- One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port, which is faster than most Internet speeds with room to spare for file transfers.
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
- Check the latest price of the ASUS TUF Gaming Z590-Plus WiFi on Amazon
- Three NVMe M.2
Best Intel 10th Gen High-Frequency CPU and Motherboard
- Our recommended Intel 10th gen high-frequency CPU:
- Up to 5.3 GHz: perfect for games, video editing, and high-intensity tasks.
- 10 cores / 20 threads: Quite a few cores considering the frequency! This combination makes it a great all-around system that can handle almost any task.
- Check the latest price of the Intel Core i9-10900K on Amazon
- Our recommended feature-rich motherboard to pair with the i9-10900K:
- Two NVMe M.2
slots at PCIe 3.0 speeds.
- Wi-Fi 6 support provides fast Wi-Fi connectivity to your desktop.
- Bluetooth 5.0
is great for streaming music to Bluetooth headphones.
- One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port are faster than most Internet speeds with room to spare for file transfers.
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds!
- Check the latest price of the MSI MPG Z490 Gaming Carbon WiFi on Amazon
- Two NVMe M.2
Best Intel 10th Gen Value CPU and Motherboard
- Our recommended Intel 10th gen value CPU:
- Up to 5.1 GHz: perfect for games, video editing, and high-intensity tasks.
- 8 cores / 16 threads: While it has fewer cores than the 10900K, this should still make for a great all-around system that can handle everyday tasks.
- Check the latest price of the Intel Core i7-10700K on Amazon
- Our recommended value motherboard to pair with the i7-10700K:
- One NVMe M.2
slot at PCIe 3.0 speeds; the second M.2 slot will be disabled for 10th generation CPUs).
- The smaller microATX form factor is backward compatible with any full-size ATX case.
- One 1 Gb Ethernet port is faster than most Internet speeds.
- Check the latest price of the ASUS Prime B560M-A on Amazon
- One NVMe M.2
Locked Intel CPUs are typically bundled with a stock CPU cooler and are identifiable by the absence of the "K" in their model name. While these coolers are adequate for preventing the CPU from overheating, they may limit the processor's performance during demanding tasks such as gaming. Additionally, stock coolers may produce noticeable noise when running at maximum speed.
A higher TDP cooler is recommended to sustain the peak speeds for extended periods to ensure optimal performance.
Best LGA 1200 AIO Liquid Coolers
Enermax Liqmax III 360
Enermax Liqmax III 360 Supports LGA 1200: YES Max TDP: 360 watt Type: Liquid Cooler I was very impressed with the cooling capability of the Enermax Liqmax III 360, which boasts an excellent 360-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 2066, 2011-3, 2011, 1700, 1200, 1366, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150 and AMD AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2+, FM2, FM1.
I found that the Enermax Liqmax III 360 operates quietly and unobtrusively, with a noise level of just 14-27 dBA, making it a great choice for anyone who values a quiet computing environment.
If you are considering the Enermax Liqmax III 360, it's important to note that it will take up a decent amount of space in your computer case, so make sure to check the dimensions before purchasing.
We found that the Enermax Liqmax III 360 has an impressive cooling capacity, providing efficient heat dissipation even under heavy workloads.
The quiet operation of the cooler made for a more comfortable and distraction-free computing experience.
Best LGA 1200 Dual-Fan Air CPU Coolers
Noctua NH-D15
Noctua NH-D15 Supports LGA 1200: YES Max TDP: 220 watt Type: Heatsink & Fans Dual 140 mm fans provide 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.
Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.
Quiet operation at 24.6 dBA.
Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510
Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510 Supports LGA 1200: YES Max TDP: 180 watt Type: Heatsink & Fans As someone who isn't a big fan of flashy LED lights, I appreciated the simplicity of the Thermaltake TOUGHAIR 510, which doesn't have any fancy lights but still looks great in my system.
I found that the dual 120 mm fans on the TOUGHAIR 510 did an excellent job of keeping an LGA 1200 CPU cool, even under heavy workloads.
If you're worried about the TOUGHAIR 510 taking up too much space in your system, Thermaltake offers a few single-fan variants that use different orientations, so you can choose the one that works best for your setup.
With a max speed of 2000 RPM, the TOUGHAIR 510 provides optimal cooling performance when you need it most.
With a 180-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power), the TOUGHAIR 510 offers solid cooling performance and is a great choice for anyone looking for a reliable and efficient cooling solution for their CPU.
Before purchasing memory, we suggest that you review your motherboard specification to verify which speeds are supported. For example, if a DDR4 motherboard stated that it supports "DDR4 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200 / 3000," that would mean that it could support DDR4-3400, DDR4-3333, and DDR4-3300 with memory overclocking, and DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3000 at stock speeds. Motherboard specifications also indicate the maximum capacity per stick of RAM (DIMM) and across all slots.
for a specific LGA 1200 CPU:
Recommended DDR4
- At an effective frequency of 3200 MHz, this memory hits the fastest supported stock DDR4 speeds.
- It is also available in other (effective) frequencies for overclockers, including 3600 MHz and 4000 MHz.
- Lower-speed versions are also available on Amazon, in various capacities, including DDR4-2933 , DDR4-2666 , and DDR4-2400
- The low-profile form factor ensures that the heat spreaders don't get in the way of other devices, including your CPU heatsink.