Intel isn't going to retain the same socket for the upcoming desktop processors as has been spotted in the latest NBD shipping manifest, but the socket size is identical.
Different Socket for Intel Nova Lake But Thankfully, Your CPU Cooler Can Stay; NBD Shipping Manifest Reveals LGA 1954 Socket Size
It's Intel's usual routine to switch sockets after one or two generations and, as you may already know from previous reports, Intel's next-gen desktop processors, aka Nova Lake CPUs aren't going to fit the LGA 1851. That said, it's not a big deal for users who just want to build a PC from scratch, but for those who are coming from older sockets, including the LGA 1851 and even the LGA 1700, they will be forced to switch their motherboards.
Thankfully, your CPU coolers won't need a replacement since the LGA 1954 is the same size as the LGA 1851 and LGA 1700. The latest NBD shipping log revealed the dimensions of the LGA 1954 socket, which is for the Nova Lake processors. Previously, the NBD shipping logs didn't contain the socket dimensions, but this time it's clear that the LGA 1954 will retain the same 45 x 37.5 mm size, which is exactly what the LGA 1851 and LGA 1700 measure.
This means your current CPU cooler will likely fit, but you will still need to change your motherboard. Intel's LGA 1954 socket motherboards will probably fall under the 900 series and Nova Lake CPUs under the Core Ultra 400S naming convention. The current-gen Arrow Lake CPUs are called Core Ultra 200S, but since the Core Ultra 300 naming convention is said to be reserved for Panther Lake mobile chips, Intel will likely skip the Core Ultra 300 naming series for the Nova Lake.
Nova Lake will bring a hybrid architecture and will be the first to break the 50-core barrier in the mainstream CPU market. Packed with up to 16 Coyote Cove P-Cores, 32 Arctic Wolf E-Cores, and 4 LPE-Cores, the flagship CPU can bring up to 52 cores in total, which is more than twice the core count of the Core Ultra 9 285K, the flagship Arrow Lake-S processor. Nova Lake is supposedly going to use Intel's 14A process node and TSMC's 2nm node for other tiles. Moreover, it's likely that Nova Lake could also see X3D processors since Intel's 18A-PT node is ready for next-gen 3DIC designs.
Intel direly needs a powerful competitor to AMD's X3D chips and there is no better way than to do it by stacking additional 3D Cache chiplets. The Nova Lake is expected to be unveiled next year, while the Panther Lake chips are scheduled for a late 2025 launch.
News Source: @RubyRapids
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