AMD Zen CPU & AM4 Socket Pictured – PGA Design With 1331 Pins Confirmed

[LTC8K6]

I like LGA chips because I can stuff one in my pocket, forget the chip is in there, run it through the wash, and still have a working chip at the end

But you still can't hit it with a hammer, like we all want to do...

 

[PliotronX]

I like LGA chips because I can stuff one in my pocket, forget the chip is in there, run it through the wash, and still have a working chip at the end

Right! That's how I carry around 6900K procs because it's trendy like an iPhone and with Intel's IP67 rating & ToughChip™ technology, Broadwell-E can be accidentally dropped into over 600ft of salty water and still function.

 

[Dresdenboy]

I build AMD systems all the time, even though I am an Intel fan. AMD FX has been my go to budget system for friends and family. So when I say I am concerned about 1,331 tiny little pins in the same space as before, it merely means that I am actually concerned about it. It does not mean whatever your post was trying to imply. Not everyone is like you think they are.

I don't know, where you found a reference to you in my text. This was more a try of a generic view of the changed situation.

The problem with being concerned is: Is it based on hard data or is it a feel? I have no problem with the latter, but it makes this kind of discussions just more difficult.

And given the new use cases (washing, diving, hammering), I think, LGA is better.

 

[LTC8K6]

Well, since there is apparently no real world data on such a dense PGA chip yet, I think we will have to go on our experience with PGA chips, and try to extrapolate how delicate the pins might be.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I like LGA chips because I can stuff one in my pocket, forget the chip is in there, run it through the wash, and still have a working chip at the end

Just don't throw a bunch of LGA S775 CPUs into an anti-static bag, underneath a stock heatsink, and try to ship them all in a cardboard box via the USPS. All (but two CPUs) were damaged. (I was the buyer, unfortunately.)

 

[Doom2pro]

I ordered a PGA AM3+ chip on ebay, being sold as "Untested as is, bent pins"...

I don't think there was a single pin that was 90 degrees factory orientation... It took me an hour with magnifying glasses and tweezers but I got EVERY SINGLE PIN aligned and 90 degrees.

I placed it into the socket, with more force than I would have liked, but it went in (that's what she said) and booted fine, still in use today.

I don't know if you have seen an LGA socket with 90% of the pins mashed like this AM3 CPU was, but I wouldn't touch that with 50 foot tweezers.

AM4 1331 pins? Bring it on!

 

[LTC8K6]

I ordered a PGA AM3+ chip on ebay, being sold as "Untested as is, bent pins"...

I don't think there was a single pin that was 90 degrees factory orientation... It took me an hour with magnifying glasses and tweezers but I got EVERY SINGLE PIN aligned and 90 degrees.

I placed it into the socket, with more force than I would have liked, but it went in (that's what she said) and booted fine, still in use today.

I don't know if you have seen an LGA socket with 90% of the pins mashed like this AM3 CPU was, but I wouldn't touch that with 50 foot tweezers.

AM4 1331 pins? Bring it on!

Just keep in mind the much smaller, and presumably more delicate, pins in AM4. You have a lot more pins in the same size area.

I've actually never come across a damaged LGA socket.

I have straightened out many CPU pins over the years, both Intel and AMD and others. I have also had a pin break off a time or two when straightening it.

 

[andy2000]

The pin density looks similar to Intel's mobile chips (hard to be sure without knowing the size of the chip). With those, the shorter, more closely space pins seem less prone to getting bent that AM2/3 pins.

The exposed capacitors on the bottom of Intel chips often get damaged with careless handling.

 

[crashtech]

...I've actually never come across a damaged LGA socket...

All I can say is that you have been lucky, or just haven't built that many Intel systems. Used motherboards in particular are notorious for having bent pins. I sold a motherboard with pristine pins and had it be returned with bent pins. At least 1 in 10 LGA boards I have dealt with have some kind of pin issue. LGA pins are more delicate and harder to repair than ZIF pins, unquestionably.

 

[EXCellR8]

I can't say that I've dealt with many bent pins either, but I suppose a board with a damaged CPU socket can at least be sourced for other parts. However a processor with bent or broken pins is pretty much only good to skip across a pond.

Fun fact: athlon xp's make absolutely terrific skipping stones

 

[Shivansps]

Personally i prefer LGA, you have to do something really dumb to damage it, like removing the cover before placing the cpu.

With pins, well, accidents happen.

But its not really that big of a issue, im not going to consider that when selecting a cpu.

BTW, on my country, Gigabyte reeplaces the socket for free if it has bend or broken pins.

 

[master_shake_]

Personally i prefer LGA, you have to do something really dumb to damage it, like removing the cover before placing the cpu.

With pins, well, accidents happen.

But its not really that big of a issue, im not going to consider that when selecting a cpu.

BTW, on my country, Gigabyte reeplaces the socket for free if it has bend or broken pins.

it's actually a relatively new thing where the socket protector pops off when you install the cpu.

us old folks may remember lga 775, 1366, 1156, 1155 where you were to remove the protector first.

edit: 775 had a pop off protector too.

 

[Shivansps]

You could still place the CPU and THEN remove the cover manually, ive know a lot of people that removed the cover first of all, that i think is the first cause for LGA problems, the only other thing i can think off is dropping something on the socket while trying to place the cpu.

The problem with pins is that well, you may drop the cpu accidentally on the floor, while getting it out of the box, or when is on a table, etc, thats always my number 1 worry when handling AMD cpus, something like that is more likely to happen than dropping a cpu/screwdriver on a LGA socket and damage it.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The whole, move lever, install CPU, slide cover plate back into place, place lever and watch the plastic protective socket cover pop off is fairly new to me, with 1150 / 1151.

 

[Dresdenboy]

Fun fact: athlon xp's make absolutely terrific skipping stones

Of course - bad area/weight ratio and no flat surface due to the die standing out. Chips with IHS (w/ pins or not) should skip better.