Motherboards are subcategorized by the type of
processor socket they have. The
processor socket (also called a CPU socket) is the connector on the motherboard
that houses a
CPU and forms the electrical interface and contact with the CPU.
Processor sockets use a
pin grid array (
PGA) where pins on the underside of the
processor connect to holes in the processor socket. Computers based on the
Intel
x86 architecture include socket processors.
See "What
You Need to Know About Motherboards" in the
Quick Reference section of
Webopedia.