LGA1200 is the Intel desktop socket for 10th generation (Comet Lake) and 11th generation (Rocket Lake) Core processors. It launched in 2020, uses DDR4 memory, and was replaced by LGA1700 in 2021. It is a closed platform now, bought mainly to replace a failed board or to reuse a processor you already own. The boards still on sale are on the LGA1200 motherboard deals page.
Cheapest LGA1200 boards right now
All 13 LGA1200 motherboards, with price drops and price history
What LGA1200 is
It is a land grid array socket with 1,200 sprung pins in the motherboard and flat pads on the processor. It is the same physical size as the LGA1151 socket before it, but the keying is different and the two are not compatible: a 9th generation processor will not fit an LGA1200 board, and a 10th generation one will not fit LGA1151.
The pins in the socket are easily bent and a bent pin can stop the board working. On a platform this old, many of the boards you find will be open-box or returned stock, so checking the socket is the first job when one arrives.
| Item | LGA1200 |
|---|---|
| Socket type | LGA, 1,200 contacts |
| Launched | 2020 |
| Processors | 10th and 11th generation Intel Core |
| Memory | DDR4, dual channel |
| PCIe | PCIe 3.0; PCIe 4.0 only with an 11th generation chip in a 500-series board |
| Chipsets | 400-series and 500-series |
| Replaced by | LGA1700, in 2021 |
Compatible processors and memory
There are two chipset families and the pairing rules are not symmetrical.
- 500-series boards (Z590, H570, B560, H510) take both 10th and 11th generation Core processors.
- Z490 and H470 boards from the 400-series take 10th generation chips, and 11th generation after a BIOS update on boards whose maker provided one.
- B460 and H410 boards are, with few exceptions, 10th generation only. Do not buy one for an 11th generation processor.
As always, the maker's CPU support list for the exact board is the final word, and BIOS updates and CPU compatibility explains how to read one.
PCIe 4.0 is the other catch. It comes from the 11th generation processor, not the chipset, so you only get it with an 11th generation chip in a 500-series board. Fit a 10th generation chip to the same board and everything runs at PCIe 3.0, and the M.2 slot wired to the processor usually does not work at all. If you own a 10th generation chip, check the manual to see which M.2 slots remain available.
Memory is DDR4 throughout. On B560, H570 and Z-series boards you can run XMP profiles above the processor's official memory speed. On B460, H410 and H510 boards memory is held to the official speed, so a fast DDR4 kit is wasted on them.
Chipsets that pair with LGA1200
We have pages for the three 500-series chipsets that still appear in UK listings:
- Z590: the top chipset, and the only one of the three that overclocks the processor.
- B560: the first Intel B-series chipset to allow memory overclocking, which makes it the better value pairing for a Core i5.
- H510: the entry level, with two memory slots and a short list of ports.
Z490, H470, B460 and H410 boards turn up less often. Motherboard chipsets explained sets out what the Z, B and H letters mean across Intel generations.
Cooler compatibility
LGA1200 keeps the cooler mounting of the LGA115x sockets that came before it, so a cooler from an LGA1150, LGA1151 or LGA1155 system fits without any adapter. It does not match the newer LGA1700 and LGA1851 sockets, which use a wider hole spacing, so a cooler bought for LGA1200 needs a bracket kit to move to a current Intel board.
Platform lifespan and upgrade path
The socket lasted two generations and is finished. The fastest chips it will ever take are the 10-core Core i9 of the 10th generation and the 8-core Core i9 of the 11th. If you have a 10th generation Core i3 or i5, moving to a Core i7 or i9 from either generation is a real step up, but it only makes sense if the processor is cheap, because the money does not carry forward to anything newer.
Buying into LGA1200 in 2026
Building a new PC on LGA1200 is not something we would suggest. For similar money an LGA1700 board in its DDR4 version takes much faster processors and still reuses your memory, and AM4 offers the same on the AMD side.
The sensible reasons to buy are narrower: your board has failed and the processor and memory are fine, or you want two more memory slots or a better set of ports for a PC that otherwise does its job. In those cases an open-box board is often the only stock there is. Read Are Amazon Warehouse motherboards worth it? and work through the used motherboard checklist when it arrives.
What to look for
- A 500-series chipset if there is any chance of fitting an 11th generation chip.
- B560 over H510 if you own, or plan to buy, DDR4 faster than the official speed.
- The accessories: the rear I/O shield, where it is not fixed to the board, is easily lost from returned stock, and an old board's replacement parts are hard to find.
- Size: many of the remaining boards are Micro-ATX, which fits an ATX case too.
Current stock and prices are on the LGA1200 motherboard deals page, and Warehouse offers lists open-box boards across every socket.
Questions people ask
Which processors fit an LGA1200 motherboard?
10th generation (Comet Lake) and 11th generation (Rocket Lake) Intel Core processors. 500-series boards take both. Among 400-series boards, Z490 and H470 models can take 11th generation chips where the maker released a BIOS for it, while B460 and H410 boards are generally 10th generation only.
Does LGA1200 support PCIe 4.0?
Only with an 11th generation processor in a 500-series board. With a 10th generation chip the same board runs at PCIe 3.0, and the M.2 slot connected to the processor is usually disabled.
Are LGA1200 and LGA1151 compatible?
No. The sockets are the same size and share the same cooler mounting, but the processors are keyed differently and will not fit boards made for the other socket.
Is it worth buying an LGA1200 board in 2026?
As a replacement for a failed board, yes, because it saves the processor and memory you already own. For a new build, no: an LGA1700 DDR4 board costs about the same kind of money and takes far faster chips.