Scheduled for 2026, the new Nova Lake generation is likely to be the talk of the town. Nova Lake-S will use socket LGA1954, which will require a new motherboard. However, this socket seems to share the same dimensions as the LGA1851 on Arrow Lake processors. In other words, your current coolers could well do the job, avoiding an additional purchase.
Nova Lake: more contacts on the socket but same size?
On the technical side, this generation promises to be a big leap forward for Intel. Although we’re still only hearing rumours, we’re talking about CPUs with 52 cores (16 P-cores, 32 E-cores, 4 LPE-cores) at the top end of the range, compared with 24 for the current Core Ultra 9 285K. Built with the Intel 18A node, these CPUs promise a substantial leap in performance. Now, if performance is up to scratch, Intel must also win back the hearts of users. A change of CPU and a change of motherboard is a lot, especially for a manufacturer that is multiplying its sockets while its main competitor is emphasising the longevity of its own. Any gesture aimed at softening the bill will therefore be appreciated. Being able to keep your cooling system, whether it’s a top-of-the-range ventirad or a watercooling kit, will obviously ease the financial burden in the event of a migration.
For the moment, the compatibility of the coolers, confirmed by shipping documents, seems solid. The data on these documents indicates that the LGA1954 socket measures 45 mm x 37.5 mm, the same size as an LGA1851 and even an LGA1700. However, while this is physically possible, the battle is not yet won. The layout of the chiplets could complicate cooling, as we saw with Arrow Lake S. If the cooler adapts mechanically, it won’t necessarily be optimal for taming the heat of Nova Lake.
