LGA 2011-3 Backwards Compatible?

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Jon Bartlett

Jon Bartlett

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Jan 6, 2014
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I don't know if this should go under mobos or cpus lol but anyway...

I'm looking at building a computer (duh) and with the Haswell-E 8 core coming out Q3'14, I didn't know if I should wait for it. I came to the conclusion that DDR4 and 8 cores won't become mainstream for a while and that it will be very expensive at first. I feel like I'm building at a really bad time because of generation jumps in cpus, gpus, and ram, but I kinda need a computer now. I currently plan on using a Asus Hero (LGA 1150) but then I wouldn't really be able to upgrade my cpu (i7-4770k) in the future. On to the actual question :D

If I buy a LGA 2011 Mobo, will it work with the Haswell-E (LGA 2011-3) later?

I could care less about ram, I can oc that, so DDR4 isn't a big issue with me. However, the 4-8 core jump is going to be about as big as 2-4, so I don't want to be buying stuff that's going to be obsolete. Any thoughts?
 
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Jon Bartlett

Jon Bartlett

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Jan 6, 2014
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Ok I know that its a modified socket, but will it be backwards compatible?
 
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The Sarge

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Apr 10, 2014
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No. And here's why:

While LGA 2011-3 and LGA 2011 share the same physical processor dimensions of 58.5 x 51.0mm and LGA 2011-3 and LGA 2011 share the same ball pattern pitch of 1.016mm, that's where the similarities end.

LGA 2011-3 CPUs are keyed differently than LGA 2011 CPUs, meaning you cannot put a LGA 2011 CPU into a LGA 2011-3 socket, nor vice-versa; They are physically incompatible. A LGA 2011 CPU will not fit in a LGA 2011-3 socket, and an LGA-2011-3 CPU will not fit in a LGA 2011 socket.

What's more, the CPUs that ride the LGA 2011 socket and the CPUs that ride the LGA 2011-3 socket do not use the same chipset. Even if you were an electronics engineer working for a big OEM like ASUS or Intel and you went and engineered a motherboard that has the chipset that LGA 2011-3 needs, and then you fabricated that motherboard with a LGA 2011 socket, there is no way that motherboard could work. The same goes for if you made a motherboard with the chipset that LGA 2011 needs and then tried to put a LGA 2011-3 socket on it. It also would not work.

And by the way, there is no LGA 2011-1 or LGA 2011-2. That's right: Just in case this wasn't confusing enough for you, Intel went and did that.

So in summary, LGA 2011-3 and LGA 2011 are neither compatible nor interchangeable. Thus if upgrading to an LGA 2011-3 motherboard, you will need to buy an LGA 2011-3 CPU; If you want to use a LGA 2011-3 CPU in a LGA 2011 motherboard then that will not work.
 
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wireframed

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Jul 2, 2014
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That's the bad news. The good news is, Intel is promising Broadwell will be compatible with Haswell-E boards. The HEDT is generally on two-generation jumps, so you at least get a drop-in replacement with the X99 chipset.
 
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