Shoutbox

Nearly all recent CPUs have a socket connector. There are different types though, and you need a motherboard and CPU that match (and matching RAM and graphics card).

There were different types of slot connectors as well. I wouldn't refer to them as outdated, as date has nothing to do with why they aren't used. They are not "bad" either. It's just that socket connectors can be made more complex while still being kept small. For older CPUs, the difference between the socket and slot versions doesn't determine performance.