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LGA1155 (also known as Socket H2) debuted in 2011 as the successor to LGA1156 and quickly became Intel’s mainstream platform. Over several years it spanned virtually the entire CPU stack — from budget Celeron and Pentium to Core i7 and server‑grade Xeon E3, serving as the dominant platform until it was succeeded by LGA1150 in 2013.
This socket is widely considered one of Intel’s most successful. Despite its age, many LGA1155 processors still handle office and web apps with ease today and can even deliver a playable frame rate in a number of games.
Here’s what matters about LGA1155: key platform traits, supported architectures and chipsets, plus a complete list of processors for this socket.
LGA1155 CPU Architectures and Features
Sandy Bridge
In January 2011, Intel introduced its second‑gen Core processors based on Sandy Bridge, marking a shift to a new monolithic design with integrated graphics, a ring bus, and a notable boost in efficiency.
Key architectural highlights:
- Process: 32 nm; monolithic die with a shared L3 cache and a ring bus linking the cores, graphics, and on‑die controllers.
- Performance per clock: roughly a ten to fifteen percent uplift over Nehalem/Westmere, with better power efficiency.
- Memory controller: dual‑channel DDR3‑1066/1333 (official). ECC support with Xeon E3 when paired with C20x server chipsets.
- Interfaces: DMI 2.0 (about 2 GB/s each direction); 16 PCIe 2.0 lanes from the CPU; additional PCIe 2.0 and SATA via 6‑series chipsets.
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 2000/3000 (Gen6) with DirectX 10.1 and Quick Sync Video (H.264 hardware encode); HDMI 1.4/DisplayPort 1.1a outputs depend on the motherboard.
- Core‑level additions: first‑gen AVX, AES‑NI, Turbo Boost 2.0, a micro‑op cache, improved branch prediction; VT‑x/VT‑d support.
- Thermals and cooling: most desktop SKUs used solder under the heatspreader, which helped temperatures and overclocking headroom.
Sandy Bridge was a major step forward and laid the groundwork for Ivy Bridge. The i5‑2500K and i7‑2600K became especially well‑known for their blend of performance, efficiency, and great temps.
Ivy Bridge
In April 2012, Intel launched its third‑gen Core lineup on Ivy Bridge — a “tick” shifting to a 22 nm process. The CPUs retained LGA1155 compatibility (most 6‑series boards need a BIOS update) and gained updated I/O plus much better integrated graphics.
Key architectural highlights:
- Process: 22 nm Tri‑Gate FinFET; smaller die area and improved energy efficiency at similar clocks.
- Performance per clock: a small gain over Sandy Bridge with noticeably lower power draw and heat at stock speeds.
- Memory controller: dual‑channel DDR3 with official DDR3‑1600 support; Xeon E3 adds ECC when paired with C20x server chipsets.
- Interfaces: 16 PCI Express 3.0 lanes from the CPU; DMI 2.0 to the chipset with the same bandwidth; 7‑series PCH adds native USB 3.0, SATA/RAID refinements, and Intel Rapid Start/Smart Connect/Smart Response; Thunderbolt available via an external controller on select boards.
- Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 2500/4000 (Gen7) with DirectX 11, OpenGL 4.0, and improved Quick Sync Video; up to three simultaneous displays; some boards can output 4K via DisplayPort.
- Instructions and technologies: AVX and AES‑NI carried over, plus F16C (half‑precision conversions) and RDRAND (hardware RNG); Turbo Boost 2.0, VT‑x/VT‑d virtualization.
- Thermals and cooling: most mainstream desktop models use thermal paste under the IHS (not solder), which raises temps when overclocking; delidding helps a lot.
Ivy Bridge cemented Sandy Bridge’s success: it added PCIe 3.0, improved the iGPU and efficiency, and stayed compatible with existing boards. For LGA1155 this was the platform’s peak — Ivy unlocks the full potential alongside PCIe 3.0 and DDR3‑1600, while Xeon E3 chips on this architecture stayed popular in budget builds for years.
All Socket 1155 Processors and Their Specifications
Sandy Bridge
| Model | Cores/Threads | Base freq (GHz) | Turbo freq (GHz) | Integrated graphics | L3 cache (MB) | TDP (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i7-2700K | 4/8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | HD 3000 | 8 | 95 |
| Core i7-2600K | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.8 | HD 3000 | 8 | 95 |
| Core i7-2600 | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.8 | HD 2000 | 8 | 95 |
| Core i7-2600S | 4/8 | 2.8 | 3.8 | HD 2000 | 8 | 65 |
| Core i5-2550K | 4/4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | - | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2500K | 4/4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | HD 3000 | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2500 | 4/4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | HD 2000 | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2500S | 4/4 | 2.7 | 3.7 | HD 2000 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-2500T | 4/4 | 2.3 | 3.3 | HD 2000 | 6 | 45 |
| Core i5-2450P | 4/4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | - | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2405S | 4/4 | 2.5 | 3.3 | HD 3000 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-2400 | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | HD 2000 | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2400S | 4/4 | 2.5 | 3.3 | HD 2000 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-2390T | 2/4 | 2.7 | 3.5 | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Core i5-2380P | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | - | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2320 | 4/4 | 3.0 | 3.3 | HD 2000 | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2310 | 4/4 | 2.9 | 3.2 | HD 2000 | 6 | 95 |
| Core i5-2300 | 4/4 | 2.8 | 3.1 | HD 2000 | 6 | 95 |
| Core i3-2130 | 2/4 | 3.4 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Core i3-2120 | 2/4 | 3.3 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Core i3-2125 | 2/4 | 3.3 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 65 |
| Core i3-2120T | 2/4 | 2.6 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Core i3-2105 | 2/4 | 3.1 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 65 |
| Core i3-2102 | 2/4 | 3.1 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Core i3-2100 | 2/4 | 3.1 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Core i3-2100T | 2/4 | 2.5 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G870 | 2/2 | 3.1 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G860 | 2/2 | 3.0 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G860T | 2/2 | 2.6 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G850 | 2/2 | 2.9 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G840 | 2/2 | 2.8 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G645 | 2/2 | 2.9 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G645T | 2/2 | 2.5 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G640 | 2/2 | 2.8 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G640T | 2/2 | 2.4 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G620 | 2/2 | 2.6 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G630 | 2/2 | 2.7 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G630T | 2/2 | 2.3 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G632 | 2/2 | 2.7 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G622 | 2/2 | 2.6 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 65 |
| Pentium G620T | 2/2 | 2.2 | - | HD 2000 | 3 | 35 |
| Celeron G555 | 2/2 | 2.7 | - | HD 2000 | 2 | 65 |
| Celeron G550 | 2/2 | 2.6 | - | HD 2000 | 2 | 65 |
| Celeron G550T | 2/2 | 2.2 | - | HD 2000 | 2 | 35 |
| Celeron G540T | 2/2 | 2.1 | - | HD 2000 | 2 | 35 |
| Celeron G530T | 2/2 | 2.0 | - | HD 2000 | 2 | 35 |
| Celeron G540 | 2/2 | 2.5 | - | HD 2000 | 2 | 65 |
| Celeron G530 | 2/2 | 2.4 | - | HD 2000 | 2 | 65 |
| Celeron G470 | 1/2 | 2.0 | - | HD 2000 | 1.5 | 35 |
| Celeron G465 | 1/2 | 1.9 | - | HD 2000 | 1.5 | 35 |
| Celeron G460 | 1/2 | 1.8 | - | HD 2000 | 1.5 | 35 |
| Celeron G440 | 1/1 | 1.6 | - | HD 2000 | 1 | 35 |
| Xeon E3-1225 | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | HD P3000 | 6 | 95 |
| Xeon E3-1220 | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | - | 8 | 80 |
| Xeon E3-1220L | 2/4 | 2.2 | 3.4 | - | 3 | 20 |
| Xeon E3-1230 | 4/8 | 3.2 | 3.6 | - | 8 | 80 |
| Xeon E3-1235 | 4/8 | 3.2 | 3.6 | HD P3000 | 8 | 95 |
| Xeon E3-1240 | 4/8 | 3.3 | 3.7 | - | 8 | 80 |
| Xeon E3-1245 | 4/8 | 3.3 | 3.7 | HD P3000 | 8 | 95 |
| Xeon E3-1260L | 4/8 | 2.4 | 3.3 | HD 2000 | 8 | 45 |
| Xeon E3-1270 | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.8 | - | 8 | 80 |
| Xeon E3-1275 | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.8 | HD P4000 | 8 | 95 |
| Xeon E3-1280 | 4/8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | - | 8 | 95 |
| Xeon E3-1290 | 4/8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | - | 8 | 95 |
Ivy Bridge
| Model | Cores/Threads | Base freq (GHz) | Turbo freq (GHz) | Integrated graphics | L3 cache (MB) | TDP (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core i7-3770K | 4/8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | HD 4000 | 8 | 77 |
| Core i7-3770 | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.9 | HD 4000 | 8 | 77 |
| Core i7-3770S | 4/8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | HD 4000 | 8 | 65 |
| Core i7-3770T | 4/8 | 2.5 | 3.7 | HD 4000 | 8 | 45 |
| Core i5-3570K | 4/4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | HD 4000 | 6 | 77 |
| Core i5-3570 | 4/4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | HD 2500 | 6 | 77 |
| Core i5-3570S | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.8 | HD 2500 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-3570T | 4/4 | 2.3 | 3.3 | HD 2500 | 6 | 45 |
| Core i5-3550 | 4/4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | HD 2500 | 6 | 77 |
| Core i5-3550S | 4/4 | 3.0 | 3.7 | HD 2500 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-3475S | 4/4 | 2.9 | 3.6 | HD 4000 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-3470 | 4/4 | 3.2 | 3.6 | HD 2500 | 6 | 77 |
| Core i5-3470T | 2/4 | 2.9 | 3.6 | HD 2500 | 3 | 35 |
| Core i5-3470S | 4/4 | 2.9 | 3.6 | HD 2500 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-3450 | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | HD 2500 | 6 | 77 |
| Core i5-3450S | 4/4 | 2.8 | 3.5 | HD 2500 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-3350P | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.3 | - | 6 | 69 |
| Core i5-3330 | 4/4 | 3.0 | 3.2 | HD 2500 | 6 | 77 |
| Core i5-3340 | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.3 | HD 2500 | 6 | 77 |
| Core i5-3340S | 4/4 | 2.8 | 3.3 | HD 2500 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-3335S | 4/4 | 2.7 | 3.2 | HD 4000 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i5-3330S | 4/4 | 2.7 | 3.2 | HD 2500 | 6 | 65 |
| Core i3-3250 | 2/4 | 3.5 | - | HD 2500 | 3 | 55 |
| Core i3-3245 | 2/4 | 3.4 | - | HD 4000 | 3 | 55 |
| Core i3-3240 | 2/4 | 3.4 | - | HD 2500 | 3 | 55 |
| Core i3-3225 | 2/4 | 3.3 | - | HD 4000 | 3 | 55 |
| Core i3-3220 | 2/4 | 3.3 | - | HD 2500 | 3 | 55 |
| Core i3-3210 | 2/4 | 3.2 | - | HD 2500 | 3 | 55 |
| Core i3-3250T | 2/4 | 3.0 | - | HD 2500 | 3 | 35 |
| Core i3-3240T | 2/4 | 2.9 | - | HD 2500 | 3 | 35 |
| Core i3-3220T | 2/4 | 2.8 | - | HD 2500 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G2140 | 2/2 | 3.3 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 55 |
| Pentium G2130 | 2/2 | 3.2 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 55 |
| Pentium G2120 | 2/2 | 3.1 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 55 |
| Pentium G2120T | 2/2 | 2.7 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G2100T | 2/2 | 2.6 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G2030 | 2/2 | 3.0 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 55 |
| Pentium G2030T | 2/2 | 2.6 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G2020 | 2/2 | 2.9 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 55 |
| Pentium G2020T | 2/2 | 2.5 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 35 |
| Pentium G2010 | 2/2 | 2.8 | - | HD 3000 | 3 | 55 |
| Celeron G1630 | 2/2 | 2.8 | - | HD 3000 | 2 | 55 |
| Celeron G1620 | 2/2 | 2.7 | - | HD 3000 | 2 | 55 |
| Celeron G1620T | 2/2 | 2.4 | - | HD 3000 | 2 | 35 |
| Celeron G1610 | 2/2 | 2.6 | - | HD 3000 | 2 | 55 |
| Celeron G1610T | 2/2 | 2.3 | - | HD 3000 | 2 | 35 |
| Xeon E3-1225 v2 | 4/4 | 3.2 | 3.6 | HD P4000 | 8 | 77 |
| Xeon E3-1220 v2 | 4/4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | - | 8 | 69 |
| Xeon E3-1220L v2 | 2/4 | 2.3 | 3.5 | - | 3 | 17 |
| Xeon E3-1230 v2 | 4/8 | 3.3 | 3.7 | - | 8 | 69 |
| Xeon E3-1240 v2 | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.8 | - | 8 | 69 |
| Xeon E3-1245 v2 | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.8 | HD P4000 | 8 | 77 |
| Xeon E3-1265L v2 | 4/8 | 2.5 | 3.5 | HD 2500 | 8 | 45 |
| Xeon E3-1270 v2 | 4/8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | - | 8 | 69 |
| Xeon E3-1275 v2 | 4/8 | 3.5 | 3.9 | HD P3000 | 8 | 77 |
| Xeon E3-1280 v2 | 4/8 | 3.6 | 4.0 | - | 8 | 69 |
| Xeon E3-1290 v2 | 4/8 | 3.7 | 4.1 | - | 8 | 87 |
LGA1155 processor naming: what the suffix letters mean
- No letter — standard models with active integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), typical clocks, and a standard TDP (65/95 W).
- K — unlocked multiplier. Enables multiplier overclocking plus tuning of turbo limits and voltages. Requires P67/Z68/Z75/Z77 chipsets.
- P — integrated graphics disabled. A discrete GPU is required.
- S — energy‑efficient versions with lower base clocks and TDP (typically 65 W).
- T — ultra‑efficient versions with even lower base (and often turbo) clocks and reduced TDP (for example, 35/45 W).
What about the Xeon E3 lineup?
Xeon E3 for LGA1155 are “server‑grade” variants of Core i based on Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge (E3‑1200 and E3‑1200 v2 series) focused on stability and enterprise features.
Popular models like the E3‑1230/1240/1270 perform close to Core i7 but lack integrated graphics (exceptions are “…5” SKUs with HD Graphics P3000/P4000) and don’t have unlocked multipliers. The key difference is ECC memory support, which actually works only on server chipsets C20x/C216; on consumer boards, ECC DIMMs either won’t POST or will run without error correction. Xeons typically enable VT‑x/VT‑d and TXT, with clocks and Turbo behavior similar to their consumer counterparts.
Back then Intel didn’t block server CPUs on consumer motherboards, so Xeon E3 parts quickly became popular thanks to competitive pricing at near‑i7 performance.
Performance comparison of the Xeon E3‑1230 v2 and Core i7‑3770:
Is LGA1155 still relevant today?
The platform is well into its second decade, so expectations should be modest. That said, 8‑thread CPUs still provide a comfortable experience in modern browsers, office apps, and most everyday software. With some tinkering, you can even install Windows 11.
As for gaming, higher‑end models can deliver good FPS in most titles released up to roughly 2015–2017. Games from 2017–2020 are conditionally playable, and among newer releases you’ll mainly enjoy well‑optimized titles.
Synthetic benchmarks and gaming performance for the Core i7‑3770K, stock and overclocked:
Critical platform limitations to keep in mind:
- Lack of newer instruction sets (AVX2, FMA), which means some modern games and pro apps simply won’t run.
- Limited memory capacity and bandwidth. Even well‑tuned DDR3 on Z‑series boards falls far short of modern systems.
- Older I/O. No native M.2 support, older USB revisions, and so on.
- No modern hardware features such as SHA extensions, VNNI, or newer crypto instructions; LGA1155 lacks these.
All things considered, building a brand‑new system on LGA1155 rarely makes sense today (unless it’s for nostalgia). But if you already have a decent board for this socket, you’ll find a wide selection of inexpensive CPUs and budget DDR3. Cooling won’t be an issue either: the cooler mounting pattern stayed the same for many generations after LGA1155, and there’s a huge market of compatible coolers.
Processor Recommendations by Use Case
Gaming and productivity:
- i7‑2600K / i7‑3770K — the best overclocking picks for LGA1155. For owners of P/Z‑series boards. Of these two, only the 3770K brings PCIe 3.0 — keep that in mind when choosing a GPU.
- Xeon E3‑1230 v2 / E3‑1240 v2 / E3‑1270 v2 — “i7 without iGPU or overclocking.” Cheaper and a great fit for non‑Z chipsets. PCIe 3.0 is supported.
Retro gaming or overclocking experiments:
- Core i5‑2500K — 4 cores / 4 threads, excellent OC potential (needs a P/Z‑series board), PCIe 2.0.
Home server / NAS / HTPC:
- Xeon E3‑1265L v2 — the sweet spot: 4 cores / 8 threads, lower TDP, iGPU included.
- Xeon E3‑1220L (v1/v2) — ultra‑efficient option (2 cores / 4 threads, low TDP) for a NAS/router.
Compatibility
LGA1155 compatibility primarily depends on your motherboard’s chipset and BIOS/UEFI version.
For desktops there are two PCH families: 6‑series (Cougar Point — H61/H67/P67/Q65/Q67/B65/Z68) and 7‑series (Panther Point — H77/Z75/Z77/Q75/Q77/B75). Plus server chipsets: C202, C204, C206 (6‑series) and C216 (7‑series). Ivy Bridge CPUs usually work on 6‑series boards after a BIOS update, but you’ll get the full feature set more reliably on 7‑series (native USB 3.0, expanded RAID/Smart Response, etc.). PCIe 3.0 is available only with Ivy Bridge CPUs and if the board/BIOS supports it; ECC for Xeon E3 works only on C20x/C216 server chipsets.
| Chipset | Series (codename) | Segment | iGPU display outputs | CPU OC (K) | RAID (Intel RST/RSTe) | Smart Response (SSD cache) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H61 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Desktop | Yes | No | No | No |
| H67 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Desktop | Yes | No | Yes (RST 10; 0/1/5/10) | No |
| P67 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Desktop/Performance | No | Yes | Yes (RST 10; 0/1/5/10) | No |
| Z68 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Enthusiast | Yes | Yes | Yes (RST 10; 0/1/5/10) | Yes |
| Q67 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Business | Yes | No | Yes (RST 10; 0/1/5/10) | No |
| Q65 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Business | Yes | No | No | No |
| B65 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Business (Entry) | Yes | No | No | No |
| C202 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Server/Workstation | No | No | No (AHCI only) | No |
| C204 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Server/Workstation | No | No | Yes (RSTe; 0/1/10) | No |
| C206 | 6 (Cougar Point) | Server/Workstation) | Yes | No | Yes (RSTe; 0/1/10) | No |
| H77 | 7 (Panther Point) | Desktop | Yes | No | Yes (RST 11; 0/1/5/10) | Yes |
| Z75 | 7 (Panther Point) | Enthusiast | Yes | Yes | Yes (RST 11; 0/1/5/10) | No |
| Z77 | 7 (Panther Point) | Enthusiast | Yes | Yes | Yes (RST 11; 0/1/5/10) | Yes |
| Q77 | 7 (Panther Point) | Business | Yes | No | Yes (RST 11; 0/1/5/10) | Yes |
| Q75 | 7 (Panther Point) | Business | Yes | No | No | No |
| B75 | 7 (Panther Point) | Business (Entry) | Yes | No | No | No |
| C216 | 7 (Panther Point) | Server/Workstation | Yes | No | Yes (RSTe; 0/1/10) | No |
Conclusion and Legacy
LGA1155 is among Intel’s most successful mass‑market platforms of the early 2010s. Across two generations (Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge) it set the tone for the mainstream and stuck around in builds used by both enthusiasts and everyday users.
Over its lifetime the platform managed to:
- Move from 32 nm to 22 nm Tri‑Gate, improving energy efficiency.
- Bring PCI Express 3.0 and native USB 3.0 to the mainstream.
- Substantially upgrade the iGPU and video stack: Quick Sync arrived and matured, and up to three displays became possible.
- Consolidate a monolithic design with a ring bus, shared L3, and a strong instruction set (AVX, AES‑NI).
- Create a “cult” of overclocking via K‑series chips (i5‑2500K, i7‑2600K, later i5‑3570K, i7‑3770K).
- Popularize Xeon E3 in home builds.
LGA1155 proved that a solid architectural base and a vast ecosystem of compatible hardware can keep inspiring builders long after official support ends.