Can a mother board support multiple CPU types?

[Miss Valeska]

I am wondering if a mother board could support multiple CPU types in some way? Such as, An AMD AM3+ FX CPU like my GIGABYTE GA-970A-D3, And an Intel E8400? I would assume not, but, I've heard of hybrid things before, So, I'm just putting it out there and hoping.

[Agalloch]

Depends on the motherboard. Probably not in the way you want, however, yes it is theoretically and practically possible. The chips must have a compatible pin configuration and connection - the combination of which is commonly known as a socket. LGA 775 is probably the most famous and common socket, and I believe Intel intended for it to be a Universal socket when it was introducted, so it supports a suprisingly wide variety of Intel processors. Usually, you can't replace the processor with wildely different varieties, but some manufacturers (Cyrix comes to mind) have manufactured Intel socket compatible processors that are a direct swap fit.

[Miss Valeska]

Okay, Because, My friend is thinking of buying a Dell OptiPlex 780/SDT, And it has an intel E8400 processor. He would slowly buy better parts for it, (More RAM, A Graphics Card, Etc.) However, Due to his income, He would have to buy the parts probably one at a time. So, If he were to buy a better mother board, He would need to put the original compents into it before he bought better ones.

There are a far bit of AMD FX CPUs we both like, And he would probably buy one of these. But, Until then, He would need to use the intel CPU in the new mother board he would have purchased. (Along with a Graphics Card being this computer's GPU is intregrated, And probably a power supply as well being it's power supply is quite limited.) All of this would be a lot to buy at once, But then to have to buy a new CPU at the same time as well? That would be even worse, So, If it is possible, I would like to see if there are any mother boards which can remedy this. If there is another solution, I'd like to hear it, Thank you.