Socket G2 / Socket rPGA988B

Socket G2, also called rPGA988B, was introduced in January 2011 as a socket for the second-generation Core microprocessors. Initially used for dual- and quad-core Core-branded CPUs, the rPGA988B was later utilized for mobile Celeron and Pentium processors. Currently (September 2011), the socket works with single-, dual- and quad-core mobile chips with Thermal Design Power ranging from 35 Watt to 55 Watt, and operating at frequencies up to 2.8 GHz. The socket supports dual-channel DDR3 memory with data rates 1066 MHz for budget chips, 1333 MHz for mis-class models and 1600 MHz for high-performance CPUs. It also supports Direct Media Interface, that provides twice as much bandwidth as DMI on previous generation of Intel Nehalem and Westmere mobile processors.

The socket rPGA988B has 988 pin holes, arranged as 35 x 36 grid, with two plugged pin holes at one of the corners of the grid, and with 18 x 15 section removed from the center of the grid. The socket uses an actuator to lock or release the processor. To lock the CPU the actuator must be turned clockwise, and to release the chip the actuator needs to be turned counter clockwise.

Sockets G1 and G2 have the same number of pin holes, but they are not compatible with each other due to different position of one pin hole.

Supported processors

Although all microprocessors from the table below physically fit into the socket, not all of them may be supported by your motherboard. For that reason before upgrading to any model from this list below, please make sure that the CPU is compatible with the motherboard. See "Upgrading socket G2 motherboards" section further below for tips on how to determine which processors are supported by specific motherboard.

Model	Box part numbers	Technology (micron)	Cores	Frequency (MHz)	Turbo freq. (MHz)	L2 cache (KB)	L3 cache (KB)	TDP (Watt)
Core i3-2312M		0.032	2	2100		512	3072	35
Core i3-2308M		0.032	2	2100		512	3072	35
Core i3-2310M		0.032	2	2100		512	3072	35
Core i3-2330M		0.032	2	2200		512	3072	35
Core i3-2330E		0.032	2	2200		512	3072	35
Core i3-2328M		0.032	2	2200		512	3072	35
Core i3-2350M		0.032	2	2300		512	3072	35
Core i3-2348M		0.032	2	2300		512	3072	35
Core i3-3110M		0.022	2	2400		512	3072	35
Core i3-3120ME		0.022	2	2400		512	3072	35
Core i3-2370M		0.032	2	2400		512	3072	35
Core i3-3120M		0.022	2	2500		512	3072	35
Core i3-3130M		0.022	2	2600		512	3072	35
Core i5-2410M		0.032	2	2300	2900	512	3072	35
Core i5-2430M		0.032	2	2400	3000	512	3072	35
Core i5-2450M		0.032	2	2500	3100	512	3072	35
Core i5-3210M		0.022	2	2500	3100	512	3072	35
Core i5-2520M	BX80627I52520M	0.032	2	2500	3200	512	3072	35
Core i5-2510E		0.032	2	2500	3100	512	3072	35
Core i5-3320M	BX80638I53320M	0.022	2	2600	3300	512	3072	35
Core i5-3230M		0.022	2	2600	3200	512	3072	35
Core i5-2540M	BX80627I52540M	0.032	2	2600	3300	512	3072	35
Core i5-3610ME		0.022	2	2700	3300	512	3072	35
Core i5-3340M	BX80638I53340M	0.022	2	2700	3400	512	3072	35
Core i5-3360M	BX80638I53360M	0.022	2	2800	3500	512	3072	35
Core i5-3380M	BX80638I53380M	0.022	2	2900	3600	512	3072	35
Core i7-2630QM		0.032	4	2000	2900	1024	6144	45
Core i7-3612QM		0.022	4	2100	3100	1024	6144	35
Core i7-2710QE		0.032	4	2100	3000	1024	6144	45
Core i7-3632QM		0.022	4	2200	3200	1024	6144	35
Core i7-2720QM	BX80627I72720QM	0.032	4	2200	3300	1024	6144	45
Core i7-2670QM		0.032	4	2200	3100	1024	6144	45
Core i7-2820QM	BX80627I72820QM	0.032	4	2300	3400	1024	8192	45
Core i7-3610QE		0.022	4	2300	3300	1024	6144	45
Core i7-3610QM		0.022	4	2300	3300	1024	6144	45
Core i7-2760QM	BX80627I72760QM	0.032	4	2400	3500	1024	6144	45
Core i7-3630QM		0.022	4	2400	3400	1024	6144	45
Core i7-2860QM	BX80627I72860QM	0.032	4	2500	3600	1024	8192	45
Core i7-3720QM	BX80638I73720QM	0.022	4	2600	3600	1024	6144	45
Core i7-3820QM	BX80638I73820QM	0.022	4	2700	3700	1024	8192	45
Core i7-3740QM	BX80638I73740QM	0.022	4	2700	3700	1024	6144	45
Core i7-2620M		0.032	2	2700	3400	512	4096	35
Core i7-2640M		0.032	2	2800	3500	512	4096	35
Core i7-3840QM	BX80638I73840QM	0.022	4	2800	3800	1024	8192	45
Core i7-3520M		0.022	2	2900	3600	512	4096	35
Core i7-3540M		0.022	2	3000	3700	512	4096	35
Core i7-2920XM		0.032	4	2500	3500	1024	8192	55
Core i7-2960XM		0.032	4	2700	3700	1024	8192	55
Core i7-3920XM		0.022	4	2900	3800	1024	8192	55
Core i7-3940XM		0.022	4	3000	3900	1024	8192	55
Celeron B800		0.032	2	1500		512	2048	35
Celeron B815		0.032	2	1600		512	2048	35
Celeron B710		0.032	1	1600		256	1536	35
Celeron B810		0.032	2	1600		512	2048	35
Celeron B720		0.032	1	1700		256	2048	35
Celeron B820		0.032	2	1700		512	2048	35
Celeron B730		0.032	1	1800		256	1536	35
Celeron 1000M		0.022	2	1800		512	2048	35
Celeron B830		0.032	2	1800		512	2048	35
Celeron B840		0.032	2	1900		512	2048	35
Celeron 1020M		0.022	2	2100		512	2048	35
Celeron 1020E		0.022	2	2200		512	2048	35
Pentium B940		0.032	2	2000		512	2048	35
Pentium B950		0.032	2	2100		512	2048	35
Pentium B960		0.032	2	2200		512	2048	35
Pentium B970		0.032	2	2300		512	2048	35
Pentium B980		0.032	2	2400		512	2048	35
Pentium 2020M		0.022	2	2400		512	2048	35
Pentium 2030M		0.022	2	2500		512	2048	35

There are no CPUs from other manufacturers compatible with socket G2.

Compatible sockets

Socket 989 / rPGA989 (for motherboards supporting second-generation Core microprocessors, mobile Celerons and Pentiums, based on Sandy Bridge microarchitecture).

Compatible package types

988-pin micro-FCPGA10

Upgrading rPGA988B motherboards

To determine which processors are supported by your laptop or computer you will need to find out make and model of your system, and then search on manufacturer's website for upgrade recommendations for that make and model. Most manufacturers don't publish CPU support information for notebooks and OEM systems, but you may be able to find upgrade recommendations in product support forums on manufacturer website, or in forums on dedicated computer hardware sites. In addition to that, try to send an e-mail to manufacturer's customer support, or post in computer-related forums, although don't expect that you will get many responses. If this doesn't work then use CPU-Z or similar program to determine chipset type in your notebook, and look for CPU upgrade information for the chipset. CPU support data for Intel chipsets can be found on CPU-Upgrade.com in Intel chipsets section, or on Intel website. Be careful with this method as it's is less reliable.