Land grid array
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The land grid array (LGA) is an interface for microprocessors of the Intel Pentium 4 family. Unlike the pin grid array (PGA) interface that is found in all AMD and most Intel processor-based systems, there are no pins on the chip; in place of the pins are 'pads' of bare gold plated copper in which pins on the motherboard contact.
The new Prescott core Pentium 4 chip systems with the new model number system are on this new grid array system. The new "socket" used by these new chips is dubbed Socket 775 or Socket T. The new socket has had numerous problems with heat dissipation, and bent pins in motherboards. Intel supposedly decided to switch to an LGA socket because in theory these interfaces receive a larger contact point, allowing, for example, for higher frequencies. The LGA setup that Intel uses allows it to more evenly power the processor core, which is the main reason for the switch to LGA, other then the fact that they can get a higher 'pin' desity with out worring about too small of pins on the processor that may melt out with the ever increasing thermal requirements of the NetBurst core processors.
LGA is less expensive to produce than both PGA and the similar ball grid array (BGA) interfaces.
Intel released their new LGA format processors in June, 2004.