Intel prepares LGA1954 socket for Nova Lake processors: first details
By ForGeeks Hardware shipping documents have leaked online that suggest Intel may be moving to a new LGA1954 socket for next-generation Nova Lake desktop processors. In parallel, components related to the 900 series system logic kit are mentioned. Despite this, a platform launch is unlikely anytime soon – Intel has previously officially stated that Nova Lake is not expected to be released until 2026.
New socket and mysterious shipments: what’s known
According to information found in logistics documents, Intel has started sending out test hardware intended for the new LGA1954 platform. We’re not talking about full-fledged motherboards, but rather engineering samples – special adapters to evaluate the power system performance on the next generation of chips. All test kits are labeled «NVL-S», indicating desktop versions of Nova Lake.
In addition, chip-rolling tools appear — we’re talking about an 888-pin BGA chip with an area of about 600 mm² (25×24 mm). Presumably, this is the south bridge (PCH) for Nova Lake. By comparison, the current 800 series chipsets, including the Z890, B860, and H810, have a package size of about 650mm², suggesting that the new PCH is slightly smaller. However, the practical significance of this fact remains questionable.
Architecture: up to 52 cores in hybrid configuration
Nova Lake will reportedly replace Arrow Lake and will be part of Intel’s lineup starting in 2026. The processor configuration claims two clusters of eight high-performance Coyote Cove cores and 16 energy-efficient Arctic Wolf cores. In addition, the SoC Tile module is planned to have four LPE (Low Power Efficient) cores. In total, the platform could eventually offer up to 52 hybrid cores.
It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that at this stage we’re talking about preliminary designs, and Intel’s engineering teams are actively testing various layout options. It’s possible that such an ambitious architecture may not make it to mass production in its original form.
LGA1954: a new platform with future potential
If the leak is confirmed, Nova Lake (and possibly the upcoming Razer Lake series) will be compatible with the new LGA1954 socket. It will have 1954 active pads, and the total number of pins, including debug pins, could exceed 2000 – a practice common to Intel’s engineering platforms. For comparison, at one of the exhibitions in Japan, experts counted the number of pins on a motherboard with socket LGA1851, confirming that the actual number of pads exceeds the number specified in the name.
The move to LGA1954 could mean a relatively short lifecycle for the current LGA1851 socket. However, Intel is rumored to be preparing an Arrow Lake Refresh, which could extend the life of the current platform a bit and please users who have already invested in it.
Traditionally, Intel’s desktop platforms have been supported for two generations. The LGA1700 socket has been the exception to the rule, but even then, the 13th and 14th generations were evolutionary versions of Alder Lake rather than full-blown architectural breakthroughs.
