Socket 8

Socket 8 was a CPU socket used by Intel for the Pentium Pro and Pentium II Overdrive processors. It was a 387-pin staggered pin grid array (SPGA) socket, designed to accommodate the physical size and power requirements of these processors. Unlike earlier sockets which primarily supported a single processor architecture, Socket 8 was specifically designed for the Pentium Pro, which featured an integrated L2 cache packaged alongside the CPU core.

The socket supported clock speeds ranging from 150 MHz to 200 MHz for the Pentium Pro, and up to 333 MHz for the Pentium II Overdrive. It operated with a system bus speed of 60 or 66 MHz.

Due to the higher cost and complexity of the Pentium Pro and its associated motherboards, Socket 8 was primarily used in servers and high-end workstations. It was eventually superseded by Slot 1 and Socket 370 for subsequent Intel processor generations, marking a shift away from the SPGA form factor for mainstream desktop CPUs. While Socket 8 represented an important step in CPU design with its integrated L2 cache, its relatively short lifespan meant it was not as widely adopted as other processor sockets of the era. The unique design and targeted market made it a distinct platform within Intel's processor history.