Slotket

In computer hardware terminology, slotkets, also known as slockets, (both short for slot to socket adapter) are adapters that allow socket-based microprocessors to be used on slot-based motherboards.

Socket 8 slocket adapter
Socket 370 slotket adapter

Slotkets were first created to allow the use of Socket 8 Pentium Pro processors on Slot 1 motherboards. Later, they became more popular for inserting Socket 370 Intel Celerons into Slot 1 based motherboards. This lowered costs for computer builders, especially with dual processor machines. High-end motherboards accepting two Slot 1 processors (usually Pentium 2) were widely available, but double-socketed motherboards for the less expensive Socket 370 Celerons were not. The slotkets remained popular in the transition period from Slot to Socket-based Pentium III processors by allowing CPU upgrades in existing Slot 1 motherboards.

Slotkets were never introduced to take advantage of the AMD Athlon processors' transition from the Slot A form factor to the Socket A form factor. Adapters that go the other way around (from socket-based motherboards to slot-based CPUs) have never been introduced, because Socket 8 based motherboards do not support the higher clock frequencies of Slot 1 based processors.

Today, slotkets have largely disappeared, as Intel and AMD have not manufactured CPUs in slot form factors since 1999.

See also


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.