The End of the Removable CPU ? At least for iNTEL

[MIGMaster]

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Haswell-Broadwell-LGA-BGA-Atom,19314.html

[Shelldrake]

If true this is bad news for do it yourselfers!  :(

[LongBlade]

There are a couple of caveats here.

First, it says DIY will need to be "handy" with a soldering iron.

I have soldered in the distant past. Handy? Dunno. I know how it works. Whether that requires the skill of a welder or not is probably the question.

Second, the free market is about building a better mousetrap. If there is sufficient demand, someone will figure out a way to make a non-solderable mobo kit.

[MIGMaster]

I took a basic electronics course when I was doing my LAN Admin training - we soldered a 8086 computer together - was kinda fun! I solder all the time for RC stuff, but when it comes to a $100+ motherboard and big dollar processor - my self-confidence drops rapidly.  :o

Could be a real opportunity for AMD to gain more market share among enthusiasts. I only buy AMD anyway - just a personal thing.

[eyebiter]

Ever since the LGA775 processor socket was replaced, Intel has been pulling all kinds of stunts.  Surprised the resellers who have to constantly churn incompatible products haven't stood up to Intel before now.  Was bad enough when they took a decent CPU and add ONE PIN to prevent upgrades (LGA1366 -> LGA1567). 

Now looking at the Tick-Tock strategy Intel plans CPU and motherboard socket changes every year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Tick-Tock

All part of the strategy designed to make you purchase both a CPU AND Motherboard to upgrade.

Solder in the CPU, glue the case shut, and make the motherboard non-user removable = disposable computers of the future.

[Arctic Blast]

I've read elsewhere that this all stems from a bad translation of the original article. Hell, SemiAccurate even contradicts it's own Chicken Little like panic mongering in their own article about this :

SemiAccurate has been chasing the last bit of this story for several weeks, there is a very good chance that Broadwell's successor, Sky Lake, will bring back a socketed CPU.

But hey, it's much easier for every PC enthusiast site to do the usual song and dance and panic about the END OF THE PC. Again. For the 20th or so consecutive year.

And really, why would Intel even go down this road? They would be ceding the market to anyone else who wants to step up. AMD would immediately have a golden opportunity to resurrect themselves. You think Motherboard manufacturers might want to help out any other developer willing to help them continues selling high end mobos, or possibly even dive in to the market themselves? It doesn't make any sense.

[Arctic Blast]

Actually, something else has occurred to me on this topic (it does actually happen on rare occasions) : when was the last time that you picked up a new processor and didn't have to replace the motherboard as well because the CPU used a different socket? Every generation of them uses a different one these days. So keeping that in mind, would this actually be that huge a deal if it did come to pass?

[MIGMaster]

Probably more of an issue for overclockers and upgrade nuts - a small, but vocal group of gearheads... I used to be one and then my wife helped me see the "light"  ;)