Best LGA 1151 CPU [Socket H4 / Socket LGA1151 / Socket 1151] 2024

Socket 1151 was first release in August 2015 as a part of LGA1151 desktop platform. LGA 1151 release after success of socket 1150. Socket 1151 is a Land Grid Array type of socket which is use in 6th generation desktop Core microprocessors and 5th generation Xeon processors.

The CPU socket might be one of the essential features to consider while buying a motherboard. And the motherboard you will be buying altogether depends on the type of CPU you have. If your motherboard and CPU are not compatible, you will need a new motherboard with compatible sockets.

As for now, the latest processors by Intel require the LGA 1151 sockets. So let’s say if Intel releases a new CPU that is not compatible with the LGA 1151 socket, you will, unfortunately, have to buy another motherboard along with it to make it work. That is how vital a CPU socket is.

LGA 1151 CPU List

The LGA 1151, also knows as the Socket H4, is a CPU socket compatible with Intel Processors installed on the motherboard. The LG 1151 comes with two revisions. The first revision has been designed to support Intel’s Kaby Lake and Skylake CPUs, while the second revision supports Intel’s Coffee Lake CPUs. The following are some of the best CPUs compatible with the LGA 1151 CPU socket.

Best All-Rounder
If we talk about the best All Rounder on our list, the award goes to the Intel Core i9-9900K as it is the most powerful CPU and gives excellent performance when it comes to any task, ranging from gaming to content creation and so much more.

Fastest Gaming Performance
The Intel Core i7-9700K gives the best performance when we solely consider gaming performance.

Best Hexa-Core
The cheapest LGA 1151 CPU we have on this list is the Intel Core i5-9600K Hexa-core, as it has everything you would expect from a Hexa-core and delivers outstanding performance while performing any task.

Product	Feature	Price
Intel Core i9-9900K	Cores: 8 Base Clock: 3.60 GHz TBT: 5.00 GHz	Check Price
Intel Core i7-9700K	Cores: 8 Base Clock: 3.60 GHz TBT: 4.90 GHz	Check Price
Intel Core i5-9600K	Cores: 6 Base Clock: 3.70 GHz TBT: 4.60 GHz	Check Price
Intel Core i5-9400F	Cores: 6 Base Clock: 2.90 GHz TBT: 4.10 GHz	Check Price
Intel Core i3-9100	Cores: 4 Base Clock: 3.60 GHz TBT: 4.20 GHz	Check Price
Intel Core i5-8400	Cores: 6 Base Clock: 2.80 GHz TBT: 4.00 GHz	Check Price
Intel Core i7-8700	Cores: 6 Base Clock: 3.20 GHz TBT: 4.60 GHz	Check Price
Intel Core i5-6600K	Cores: 4 Base Clock: 3.50 GHz TBT: 3.90 GHz	Check Price

LGA 1150 vs. LGA 1151

The LGA 1150 socket supports CPUs built on the Broadwell and Haswell microarchitecture.

The following are some of the main differences between the LGA 1150 and LGA 1151

1. LGA 1151 has one more contact than LGA 1150
2. LGA 1150 supports Haswell, Broadwell, and Haswell-WS processors, while the LGA 1151 supports Skylake, Kaby Lake, and Coffee Lake.
3. The LGA 1150 is used with Intel chipsets Series 8 and 9, while the LGA 1151 is used for the 100, 200, and 300 series.
4. The LGA 1151 supports only DDR3 memory, while the LGA 1151 has support for DDR 4 memory.
5. The LGA 1151 is the successor to the LGA 1150

AM4 vs. LGA 1151

The LGA 1151 is currently the latest socket for Intel, while the AM4 is the latest for AMD. What concerns us in this comparison is to see which socket is better for the future. PC enthusiasts always fear releasing a new type of socket along with a new processor, which would render their current motherboard useless.

Intel has had this problem of releasing new sockets too soon, making the older ones useless, giving them a bad reputation when you want to check which one will be more futureproof. Unfortunately, however, you can not predict when either of the manufacturers will pull out a new socket.

Check Also: Best LGA 1150 CPU List | Best LGA 1155 CPU List

Difference Between LGA 1151 and LGA 1200

The following are the significant differences between the LGA 1151 and the LGA 1200:

1. LGA 1151 has 1151 pins, while LGA 1200 has 1200 protruding pins.
2. The LGA 1151 uses Intel’s 300 series chipsets and supports 8^th and 9^th generation Intel CPUs. On the other hand, 1200 supports 10^th generation CPUs and will use 400 series chipsets.
3. The LGA 1151 has the Architectures names Skylake, Kaby Lake, and Coffee Lake. The LGA 1200 will have it by the name Comet Lake.
4. LGA 1151 uses the right orientation socket key, while LGA 1200 uses the left orientation.
5. LGA 1200 will improve power delivery with its additional 49 pins.

1. Intel Core i9-9900K

The Intel Core i9-9900K might as well be the best gaming processor put out to date. It has super powerful features which give you the performance you desire as Intel is at war with AMD. They launched the Intel Core i9-9900K to take a shot at the throne. This Processor is a top pick for performance-minded games and enthusiasts, but it does come with a hefty price tag. This Processor is compatible with the LGA 1150 socket.

A new feature has in stores is that under the hood, bonding metal or solder is used in place of silicon-based paste along with the glued-on heat spreader. The Soldered Thermal Interface Material works better at dissipating heat when the CPU is under load.

Coming to features, the i9-9900K is a 95- watt TDP processor. This beast features eight cores and 16 threads and has been manufactured on LGA 1151 package. This Processor has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a Turbo Boost frequency of a maximum of 5.0 GHz.

The Intel Core i9-9900K belongs to Intel’s Coffee Lake-S family. Available to all cores is 16 MB of Intel smart cache and comes with a dual-channel memory controller. In addition, it is loaded with Intel UHD Graphics 630, having a GPU frequency of a minimum of 350 MHz and a maximum of 1.2 GHz. As a result, the Intel Core i9-9900K is a mighty high-end processor and is the best for high-performance activities.

Pros

• 5.0 GHz peak one-core clock
• Great Gaming performances
• Supports Multi-thread workloads
• Contains Solder TIM

Cons

• Requires Cooling Setup
• High Price tag
• Heavy Power Consumption

2. Intel Core i7-9700K

The Intel Core i7-9700K is a High-end CPU that fulfills all requirements of gaming enthusiasts and is one of the best LGA 1151 CPUs in the market. In addition, Intel’s Coffee Lake CPU family is a powerful processor providing excellent performances while being available at a reasonable price.

Comings to specs, this Processor contains eight cores and eight threads. It does not feature hyperthreading, but it does come with two extra cores compared to the predecessor. Lack of Hyper-Threading can significantly impact the Processor’s performance while handling multiple tasks or instructions from software. In addition, it comes loaded with a 12 MB L3 cache, and with more cores, you get less cache per core.

The Intel Core i7-9700K comes with a base clock frequency of 3.60 GHz and a maximum Turbo Boost frequency of about 4.9 GHz. Thanks to the multicore chips, clock speed does not remain as important a feature as it used to be, but it still counts.

The Processor has been built on a 14-nanometer production process that is not very efficient when comparing it with AMDs third-generation chips built on a 7-nanometer process. However, there is an improvement in heat transfer between the heat spreader and die using solder-based thermal interface material.

The Intel Core i7-9700K does have some improvements. It has a thermal design power of 95 watts, higher than AMD. In addition, it supports up to 128 GB of DDR4-2666 memory and is integrated with Intel’s UHD Graphics 630.

Pros

• Gives great single-core performance
• Handles High 3D graphics well
• Handles High frame rate pretty well

Cons

• No Hyper-Threading
• No cooling fan or heatsink

3. Intel Core i5-9600K

The Core i5-9600K is a great midrange CPU, providing top gaming performances for the price tag it comes with. It belongs to Intel’s Coffee Lake CPU family, being compatible with LGA 1151 socket, and has a lot to offer. However, the equivalents manufactured by AMD are much better and powerful compared to the Intel Core i5-9600K.

In this Processor, Intel has shifted to Solder-based thermal interface material that is present between the Heat Spreader and Die, which significantly improves heat transfer and dissipation. In addition, the processors employ 14 nm, even though there are CPUs that are 7 nm.

The Intel Core i5-9600K has six cores and six threads. It does not feature hyper-threading, and if most of your workload is threaded, you will not get the best performances, but it is excellent for gaming. The Processor comes equipped with a 9 MB L3 cache and a 95W thermal design power rating.

It has a base clock frequency of 3.70 GHz and a maximum Turbo Boost frequency of about 4.60 GHz, which are epic frequencies that make up the desired rates for gaming. In addition, the Processor supports two channels of DDR4 2666 memory and has an integrated UHD 630 graphics engine.

Pros

• Belongs to Coffee Lake Family
• Offers Value for Money
• Great gaming performance

Cons

• No integrated cooler
• No multi-thread

4. Intel Core i5-9400F

The main thing about the Intel Core i5-9400F is that the “F” means this Processor is comparatively cheaper as it does not come integrated with a graphics processor. As a result, the Intel Core i5-9400F is lacking lots of features but is still considered one of the best LGA 1151 CPUs due to its mid-range performance while being affordable at the same time.

The Intel Core i5-9400F belongs to Intel’s Coffee Lake family of CPUs. It comes with six cores and six threads and has a 9 MB L3 cache. Unfortunately, it has a 14 nm process which is a downer compared to AMD’s 7nm. As you can see, there is no hyperthreading, so it will not give out the best performance when performing tasks based on multi-threads. But it still gives excellent performance when it comes to gaming.

The Processor has a base clock frequency of 2.90 GHz, which is not ideal, but it can throw up a turbo boost frequency of up to 4.10 GHz, making it quite fast. Unfortunately, the locked multiplier is a bummer, meaning no overclocking can be performed manually. Also, the Processor comes without an integrated graphic card, so you’ll be needing a dedicated graphics card for it.

Other than all of that, it does provide decent gaming performances and provides value for money which is a great deal to some users.

Pros

• Great gaming performance
• Value for money
• Belongs to Intel’s Coffee Lake architecture

Cons

• Does not have integrated GPU
• Low Base Clock –

5. Intel Core i3-9100

The Intel Core i3-9400 is the only quad-core Processor on our list. Intel offers the Intel Core i3-9400 with or without an integrated graphics card. The one which does have a graphics card comes with the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630. This Processor runs on Intel 300 series chipset motherboards and is compatible with the LGA 1151 socket.

The Processor belongs to Intel’s Coffee Lake architecture and comes with four cores and four threads, meaning it is single-threaded and will have problems performing tasks requiring multi-threads. In addition, it comes with a manufacturing process of 14 nm.

The Intel Core i3-9400 has a base clock frequency of 3.6 GHz and can be dialed up to a maximum turbo boost frequency of 4.2 GHz. Both the models have 6 MB of L3 Intel Smart cache and have been rated at 65 W TDP. The DDR4 memory is set to run at 3400MHz and can support up to 64 GB of RAM.

One great thing about this Processor is that the retailed boxes come with a CPU cooler, meaning you can spend a small amount of money on the Intel Core i3-9400 processor, and you won’t even have to spend extra money on a CPU cooler.

Pros

• Value for money
• Quad-Core make it great for gaming
• Great Clock speeds

Cons

• Lacks versatility – only ideal for gaming

6. Intel Core i5-8400

The Intel Core i5-8400 has turned out to be one of the best LGA 1151 compatible CPUs for gaming. It belongs to Intel’s Coffee Lake architecture and is one of the best Mid-Range CPUs you can get your hands on. In addition, the Intel Core i5-8400 is probably one of the most affordable Coffee Lake processors you can buy and provides value for money.

The Processor comes with six cores and six threads, meaning it lacks hyperthreading which can affect the performance of tasks based on multi-threads, but other than that, it provides incredible gaming performance.

The base clock speed it comes with is pretty low, that is 2.8 GHz. However, it can hit a max turbo speed of 4.0 GHz and be overclocked to a vast 5.1 GHz frequency. Intel’s Highest-end core i5 has now been proven to be faster than the Core i7-7700K.

The Intel Core i5-8400 has the same 14 nm process design and has the same 9 MB of L3 cache with a TDP of 65W. Moreover, this is a powerful midrange CPU providing to-the-point gaming performances and handles heavy tasking very well. It provides excellent value for money.

Pros

• Six cores give excellent performance
• Have bundled cooler
• Value for money

Cons

• Has locked multiplier

7. Intel Core i7-8700

The Intel Core i7-8700 is an excellent CPU functioning similar to the more expensive version, i.e., the 8700K; however, you lose the overclocking feature, but you save money. The Processor belongs to Intel’s Coffee Late family of CPUs and has all the best features stacked into it. As a result, the CPU almost has similar features compared with the more expensive version, the Intel Core i7-8700K, and comes with a lower price tag.

This Processor comes with six cores and 12 threads, meaning it has hyperthreading that gives it high-end gaming performances and can handle multi-thread-based tasks efficiently.

The Intel Core i7-8700 has a base clock frequency of 3.20 GHz and can be Turbo Boosted to a clock speed of about 4.60 GHz. Although it may seem handicapped due to the locked ratio multiplier, it still gives performances similar to Intel’s Core i7-8700K, also costing you a lot less, so it does have a lot to offer.

This Processor gives you all the benefits of a 14nm process and has a TDP of 65W. It is loaded with 12 MB of L3 cache and contains a DDR4-2666 capable memory controller, just like the flagship 8700K version. It also comes with an integrated UHD Graphics 630 and has an Intel Stock cooler.

Pros

• Similar performance when compared with the Intel Core i7-8700K
• Lower

Cons

• Bundled cooler not up to the mark
• Ratio Multiplier locked

8. Intel Core i5-6600K

Although the Intel Core i5-6600K might be limited when it comes to cores and threads, it does offer a lot for gamers looking for a powerful CPU at a lower price. First, this is because the CPU offers excellent middle ground for performance and price. Second, this Processor belongs to Intel’s Skylake architecture.

The Intel Core i5-6600K features four cores and four threats, meaning there is no hyperthreading. But the Processor still gives decent performance when it comes to gaming and multi/heavy tasking. However, a lack of hyper-threading can hamper performances when you use heavily threaded programs and software.

It has a base clock speed of 3.50 GHz and can be Turbo boosted to a frequency of about 3.90 GHz. The Processor has a 91W thermal design power design. It has only 6 MB of L3 cache and is compatible with DDR4-2133 memory support.

This CPU is excellent for gamers who are on a low budget and still hope for harvesting the best from their gaming performances. It is a great mid-range CPU and has a lot of powerful features to offer.

Pros

• Performance similar to early Core i7 chips
• Great Improvement in graphics
• Value for money
• Has fully unlocked core multiplier meaning you can perform plenty of tweaks

Cons

• Graphics are still not up to the mark for serious gaming
• Skylake chips will require a new motherboard
• Lacks hyperthreading
• Has a higher TDP than previous counterparts

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FAQ

• Does LGA 1151 support DDR4?

Answer: Most motherboards of LGA 1151 support DDR4. Some also support DDR3, while some have slots for both.

• What is the fastest 1151 CPU?

Answer: The fastest overall CPU on this list is, without a doubt, the Intel Core i9-9700K

• Which LGA 1151 CPU is best for gaming?

Answer: The best LGA 1151 CPU for gaming on our list is the Intel Core I7-9700K which has all it takes to provide you the ultimate gaming experience.

• Which LGA 1151 CPU is best for mining?

Answer: The Intel Core i5-7600K is the best and most reliable LGA 1151 CPU, which will get the mining job done perfectly. However, the most powerful CPU for mining, on the other hand, is the Intel Core i7-8700K.

Final Words

With this final segment, we wrap up this article on some of the best LGA 1151 CPUs in the market. We have discussed some of the top LGA 1151 CPUs in-depth, highlighting their main features and specs, along with their pros and cons.

We have also discussed some of the key features you will have to look for while searching for the best CPU to meet your needs. Features like the number of cores, threads, and clock speed matter a lot while looking for a CPU.

Choosing the perfect CPU for yourself entirely depends on what your needs are. For example, if you are in search of a great gaming CPU, you get a wide range of CPUs to choose from. However, if you plan on performing multi-thread-based tasks, then you should go for a multi-thread CPU.

Whichever CPU you choose depends on your personal preference and what you are looking for in a CPU. Your budget will also be having a say in which CPU you will be choosing. Try to give weightage to the main features that are required of a CPU.

Hopefully, this article would have helped you, and now it will be much easier for you to choose which CPU suits you best.