LGA1151 is the Intel desktop socket used for 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th generation Core processors, from 2015 onwards. It comes in two versions that look identical and are not compatible with each other, which is the single most important thing to know before buying a board. It is a long-retired platform, bought today almost entirely to keep an existing PC running. The boards we can still find are on the LGA1151 motherboard deals page.
Cheapest LGA1151 boards right now
All 53 LGA1151 motherboards, with price drops and price history
Amazon Warehouse offers on LGA1151 boards
What LGA1151 is
It is a land grid array socket with 1,151 sprung pins in the motherboard and flat pads on the processor. Intel used it for four processor generations, but changed the electrical layout halfway through. The socket, the keying and the cooler mounting stayed the same, so an 8th generation processor will drop into a 100-series board and close under the lever. It simply will not start.
The two versions
| First version | Second version | |
|---|---|---|
| Processors | 6th generation (Skylake) and 7th generation (Kaby Lake) | 8th and 9th generation (Coffee Lake) |
| Chipsets | 100-series and 200-series: H110, B150, H170, Z170, B250, H270, Z270 | 300-series: H310, B360, B365, H370, Z370, Z390 |
| Most cores | Four | Six (8th generation), eight (9th generation) |
| Overclocking chipsets | Z170, Z270 | Z370, Z390 |
The rule is simple: match the chipset series to the processor generation. If your processor is a Core i5-6500 or i7-7700K you need a 100- or 200-series board. If it is a Core i5-8400 or i9-9900K you need a 300-series board. There is no supported way across the divide.
Within each version there are smaller catches. A 100-series board needs a BIOS update before it will run a 7th generation chip, and an early 300-series board may need one for the 9th generation. The maker's CPU support list settles it; BIOS updates and CPU compatibility shows how to read one. Few boards of this age can update without a working processor fitted, so buy one that already supports your chip where you can.
Memory
Nearly all LGA1151 boards use DDR4. A small number of early 100-series boards were built for DDR3L instead, so confirm the memory type in the listing. Only Z-series boards run memory above the processor's official speed. On B- and H-series boards of this era memory is held to that official figure, which ranges from DDR4-2133 to DDR4-2666 depending on the generation, so a faster kit will work but only at the lower speed.
Chipsets
We do not have separate chipset pages for this socket because too few boards remain on sale, so they are all listed together under LGA1151. The letters follow the usual Intel pattern: Z-series overclocks K-series processors, B- and H-series do not, and H110 and H310 are the two-slot entry level. Motherboard chipsets explained covers the naming. Everything on the platform is PCIe 3.0. Most boards have at least one M.2 slot, but whether it takes NVMe drives, SATA drives or both varies by board, so check before buying an SSD for it.
Cooler compatibility
LGA1151 shares its cooler mounting with the other LGA115x sockets (LGA1150, LGA1155, LGA1156) and with the later LGA1200. Any cooler made for one of those fits. Intel's current sockets use a wider spacing, so a cooler from this system needs a new bracket to move to LGA1700 or LGA1851.
Platform lifespan and upgrade path
The socket was replaced by LGA1200 in 2020 and no new boards are being designed for it. What is on sale is mostly remaining stock and open-box returns.
There is one consideration that goes beyond hardware. Windows 11 officially supports 8th generation Core processors and newer, and does not support the 6th and 7th generation, and Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 in October 2025. A replacement board for a 6th or 7th generation system therefore keeps alive a PC that cannot officially move to Windows 11. For an 8th or 9th generation system that concern does not apply.
Buying into LGA1151 in 2026
Do not build a new PC on this socket. The processors are old, they are only available used, and newer platforms give far more for the money: see how to choose a motherboard for where to start instead.
The reason to buy is repair. If the board in a working Core i5 or i7 system has died, a replacement costs far less than a new processor, board and memory together, and a six- or eight-core 8th or 9th generation system still has useful life in it. Most of what you will find is open-box, so read Are Amazon Warehouse motherboards worth it? and follow the used motherboard checklist. Pay particular attention to the socket pins, which on a board this old may have been through several processor changes.
What to look for
- The right chipset series for your processor generation, before anything else.
- The memory type, and enough slots for the modules you own. Entry-level boards have two.
- The size your case takes. Many remaining boards are Micro-ATX; prebuilt PCs from the large brands often use non-standard boards and power connectors, in which case a retail board may not fit at all.
- The rear I/O shield and any M.2 screws, which often go missing from returned stock.
Whatever stock remains is on the LGA1151 motherboard deals page, and Warehouse offers shows open-box boards across every socket.
Questions people ask
Will an 8th or 9th generation processor work in a Z170 or Z270 board?
No. 8th and 9th generation Core processors need a 300-series chipset such as B360, Z370 or Z390. They fit the socket of a 100- or 200-series board physically, but the board will not start.
Will a 6th or 7th generation processor work in a 300-series board?
No. Chips such as the Core i5-6500 or i7-7700K need a 100- or 200-series board. The two versions of LGA1151 are incompatible in both directions.
Do LGA1151 boards use DDR3 or DDR4?
Nearly all use DDR4. A few early 100-series boards were made for DDR3L instead, so check the memory type in the specification before you order, and match it to the modules you already own.
Can I use my LGA1151 cooler on a newer Intel board?
On LGA1200, yes, without changes. On LGA1700 and LGA1851 the mounting holes are further apart, so you need an adapter bracket from the maker of the cooler.