Socket 5 was a CPU socket used in mid-1990s Intel Pentium processors and compatible CPUs. It had 320 pins and supplied 3.3 volts of power. Its successor, Socket 7, reused many elements of the design and allowed for some backwards compatibility. Both are now obsolete but can be found at auction sites and surplus stores. Socket standards govern the number, size, and arrangement of pins and pin holes, as well as the level of voltage supplied to the CPU. Socket 5 only lasted a year before being replaced by Socket 7, which supported newer dual voltage processors and introduced a “key pin” extension.
Socket 5 was a specification that outlined the physical and electrical connection between a computer’s central processing unit (CPU) and the motherboard. It was used in Intel® Pentium® processors during the mid-1990s and by competing companies making Intel® compatible processors. Socket 5 had 320 pins and was designed to supply 3.3 volts of power to the CPU. Its successor, Socket 7, reused many elements of the Socket 5 design and allowed for some degree of backwards compatibility. Both platforms have been obsolete since the late 1990s, although replacement processors and motherboards can be found at auction sites and surplus stores.
The CPU of a typical personal computer (PC) connects to a computer’s motherboard via a series of metal pins that carry electrical signals. These pins, located on the underside of a CPU, plug into a series of holes on the motherboard. The number, size, and arrangement of the pins and pin holes are governed by the CPU socket specifications. The companies that design and market CPUs set these standards, allowing a mix of different chips and motherboards to be used together as long as they are of the same socket type. Socket standards also specify the level of voltage to be supplied to the CPU.
The Socket 5 standard was created by Intel® in the mid-1990s for the second iteration of its Pentium® processor line. Specifically, Pentium® processors running between 75 and 133 megahertz were supported, while earlier and later models used other socket types. Some of Intel’s competitors took advantage of the spec by selling low-cost drop-in replacement chips compatible with Socket 5. The socket was roughly square with an array of staggered pins, meaning the pins were arranged in a diagonal pattern that allowed them to be spaced more closely than in previous layouts.
Socket 5 only lasted about a year before a replacement was released, but the layout and pin arrangement were reused for its successor, Socket 7. Socket 7 supported newer dual voltage processors and introduced a “ key pin” extension designed to prevent users from inserting a CPU upside down. These modifications were small enough to allow a Socket 5 CPU to fit into a Socket 7 motherboard. Adapters were also sold to upgrade Socket 5 motherboards, allowing the new Socket 7 processors to be used in motherboards using the previous models.
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