Low insertion force

Low-insertion-force sockets (LIF) are integrated circuit sockets that are designed so the force required to insert or remove a package is low. As the number of pins increases on a package, and the package itself is large, or both, the use of low insertion force sockets changes from something that is convenient for chips that are changed frequently to an essential feature, as a traditional socket that requires much force to insert and remove causes more mechanical stress that can result in the chip being easily broken or becoming less reliable.

As with an ordinary integrated circuit socket, the chip is simply pushed into the socket, and levered out when removing, commonly with specialized tools as to avoid damaging the chip or the socket. Most modern motherboard processor sockets are now zero insertion force (ZIF) rather than LIF. The reason many motherboards are going to the ZIF style rather than the LIF style is because the higher pin count meant that even with a low insertion force design the overall insertion force of the huge numbers of pins becomes too high for the chip to be easily inserted and removed.