Intel Socket LGA1954 for “Nova Lake” Pictured in the Flesh, Confirms 2L ILM Design

Here is the first picture of Intel’s next-generation desktop Socket LGA1954. We had only seen concept renders of the socket, until now. A successor to the current LGA1851, LGA1954 will seat Core Ultra “Nova Lake” desktop processors that introduce significantly higher CPU core counts and cache sizes to the desktop platform, dialing up compute power available to the segment. A key design change with LGA1954 over LGA1851 is its 2-lever ILM (independent loading mechanism), similar to Intel’s HEDT and server sockets. Also, LGA1954 appears to be more squarish than rectangular, which is probably how Intel achieved the higher pin counts. The 2L ILM design allows for a more uniform retention of the ILM brace against the processor package.

Despite the significant change in socket design, LGA1954 is expected to retain cooler compatibility with the current LGA1851 and previous LGA1700, which means your CPU coolers purchased way back in 2021 could be reused for the next-generation processors. This is similar to how AMD managed to retain cooler compatibility between sockets AM4 and AM5, which are fundamentally different socket types—one is a PGA ZIF socket, the other is an LGA. We could expect a long string of leaks leading up its debut.