Intel processors that uses gold contacts rather than pins to interface with the socket.
There are two basic motherboard components that determine Intel processor compatibility. The first of these is the socket. This is the slot that houses the CPU. The second is the chip set. This is a collection of integrated circuits that determine most of the motherboard's capabilities.
Socket
A CPU socket contains rows of pin holes. These correspond to the arrangement of the CPU's pins. They fix the processor in place and allow it to transfer data. According to CPU World, some Intel sockets use gold contacts instead of pins. In either case, a processor must precisely fit into the socket in order to function.
Chipset
The chip set facilitates data transfers between the processor and all other computer components. According to Help With PCs, in order to communicate with the chip set, a processor must be compatible the speed of its pathway, or "bus." In Intel chip sets, this is called the "front side bus."
Misconceptions
Just because a processor fits into a given socket does not mean that it is automatically designed to work with that motherboard's chip set. Intel often makes multiple chip sets for the same socket, despite the fact that each chip set is compatible with different processors.
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