Intel NOVALAKE S coming with LGA 1954 Socket and Intel Z990 Express Chipset Say Goodbye to Arrowlake

[restsugavan]

Intel next generation desktop platform coming with LGA 1954 socket and Intel 900 series chipset.

There are 16 P Coyote Cove Core + 32 E Arctic Wolf Core and 4 nextgen NPU for flagship model totally 52 cores.

Rumors there are Intel Z990 Chipset as flagship PCH and maybe Intel first adopt PCIe 6.0 I/O also NVME SSD 6 ( PCIe 6.0 x4 SSD ) and next generation DDR6 to compete with AMD ZEN 6 with AM5 socket that limited on PCIe 5.0 support.

GAMEOVER for LGA 1851 and very sad to

Maximus / TUF Z800 series owner.

https://www.xda-developers.com/intels-next-gen-nova-lake-s-cpus-lga-1954/

[Chainbold]

Not confirmed, just rumor/speculation.  But if so, LGA 1954 would come towards the end of 2026. That's quite a long time to go. The article mentions the alslo not confirmed AL Refresh that is supposed to launch at the end of of this year. But, who would buy such refresh, knowing a new chipset and socket is already around the corner?    

2 years socket llifetime is maybe a new "record".  😁

From the article: "Since the Nova Lake-S is expected to arrive in the second half of 2026, it perfectly aligns with the company's previous record of moving to a newer socket after every two years.". ehhh? LGA 1700 lastet for 4 years, 2 chipsets and 3 CPU generations. 

[TOC_Neo]

LOL, Can't comment on other things, but there's no DDR6 coming anytime soon. Not even in the next 4 years. Make of that what you will. 

[Int8bldr]

Yeah, well, the problem for intel is that AMD is going to announce to their PRO and non PRO 9000 series Threadripper at Computex 2025.

The non pro is the HEDT this was also implicitly confirmed by ASUS https://videocardz.com/newz/asus-confirms-ryzen-threadripper-9000-series-with-up-to-96-cores . The ASUS MB looks great!

Intel has nothing that can compete unless they do the same as what they did when they created the 79x0XE - 109x0XE series for the x299 platform = take the Granite rapids Xeon and make a "core i9 XE" extreme version.

NOVALAKE S with LGA 1954, is just pathetic in comparison.

I might go with the non-pro 32 or 64 core Threadripper this time if Intel cannot get their act together any more. maybe it's finally time to switch to AMD. 

[restsugavan]

@Int8bldr Hi ☺️👋 

 

Look like Intel is plenty penny now. It financial report Q1/2025 EPS was (-0.19$ per share ) above -100+% for me and all stock holders.

 

Within Lip Bu Tan policy to cutting around 21,000 worker around the globe 🌎 Both CPU development teams from Oregon and Haifa Israel going to throw away the white clothes and surrender. Even Ryzen man Robert Hallock Client Computing Group products manager may resign soon.

Panther Lake was hopeless due the latest SKU configuration support only 4 P Core ( There's not kidding but it truly deadly deal with 32 Zen 6 Core on AM5 final product before AMD switch to AM6 beyond.

 

Here's some engineering samples from Panty (Underwear) Lake 

Intel 18A Node

PTL-H SKU : 4 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores + 0 LP-E Cores + 4 Xe3 Cores (45W)

PTL-H SKU : 4 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores + 4 LP-E Cores + 12 Xe3 Cores (25W)

PTL-H SKU : 4 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores + 4 LP-E Cores + 4 Xe3 Cores (25W)

PTL-U SKU : 4 P-Cores + 0 E-Cores + 4 LP-E Cores + 4 Xe3 Cores (15W)

No hope for us all Intel desktop SKU even NOVALAKE S SKU number of P Core is easily killed by ZEN 6 on day 1.

[Int8bldr]

Pany lake - lol

not sure what intel is trying to do anymore... it's very hard to see...

[Chainbold]

• I don't care too much what "might", or might not, happen at the end of next year. At that time the rumors will be about what might come another 2 years later. For now, I would like to know what the upcoming "AL Refresh" is about.  Probably just some cosmetic changes? 

[restsugavan]

#Chainbold

There are no " Arrow Lake Refresh " due Intel release LGA 1851 to support Meteor Lake S ( which canceled due poor performance when compet against Zen 5 ) & Arrow Lake S. 

Here is Meteor Lake S Engineering sample

Due Intel 4 ( 7nm EUV ) node Intel had suffered from poor yield than there expected. Gelsinger and the board decided to keep Intel 4 for Xeon 5th Generation ( Emerald Rapid ) to take more profit on Data Centre Group products instead. Finally Meteor Lake S faced the same scenario like Cannon Lake S in the past. 

There are 2 generation already supported but one cancelled.

Before cancelling Arrow Lake Refresh aka Intel Core Ultra 300 S Series. Intel had plan to use its Intel 20A ( 3nm EUV that was very poor yield than Intel 3 Node that keep for Xeon 6 P and E Core finally ) .There are 40 Core SKU on master plan ( 16 Lion Cove + 16 Skymont + 8 NPU ) as flagship against AMD Ryzen 9 9950X & Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

However with very seriously poor yield than expected. Gelsinger and the board decided to cancel Intel 20A node and shift focus to Intel 18A node as finall calling.

Thus Arrow Lake Refresh and 40 Core SKU plan above already cancelled due poor yield and the first generation of Robbin Fet facing of burning circuits and degradation during Intel qualification process these bring seriously performance to Arrow Lake Refresh engineering sampling QS1 level as we known.

All the folks Intel decide to move there team to focus Intel 18A products starting with Panther Lake on Notebook and Laptop. Then keep focus on Nova Lake S ( Core Ultra 400 ) and Razor Lake ( Core Ultra 500 ) on LGA 1954 nowadays.

 

[Chainbold]

The AL "refresh" is in the same way rumored based on recents "leaks" as most of the other subjects you mention. I doubt the commercial viability for a 2nd generation, yet you will find numerous recent sources claiming it is still in the books.