Intel appears to be preparing for a new LGA1954 socket for its upcoming Nova Lake processors, as suggested by shipping documents obtained from NBD.ltd and reported by Olrak. These documents also detail the inclusion of testing hardware and PCH tooling, likely intended for the 900-series chipsets. However, it's important to note that Nova Lake has been officially confirmed for a 2026 release, so any immediate launch is unlikely. Nova Lake is the next evolution in Intel's product line, set to follow Arrow Lake in 2026. Early configurations indicate that it may consist of two clusters of eight Coyote Cove performance cores (P-cores) and 16 Arctic Wolf efficiency cores (E-cores), along with four Low-Power Efficient (LPE) cores in the SoC Tile. This setup would result in a total of 52 hybrid cores, a significant leap in core count. However, given Intel's practice of exploring multiple design strategies, the final product may differ from these preliminary specs. The documents also reveal that Intel is actively distributing LGA1954 testing kits to its global facilities. These kits, designated as "NVL-S" (short for Nova Lake Desktop), are not full-fledged motherboards but specialized interposers designed to test voltage regulation for the new platform. This suggests that Intel is in the early stages of development, focusing on critical components before moving on to broader testing. Additionally, the documents mention reball jigs or reballing stations for a BGA chip with 888 balls and a footprint of 600 mm² (25 mm x 24 mm). These tools are likely intended for Nova Lake's Platform Controller Hub (PCH). For context, the current 800-series chipsets (Z890, B860, and H810) use a package that measures around 650 mm², indicating that Nova Lake's south bridge might be slightly smaller. However, this detail alone is not particularly significant for performance or feature comparisons. The limited lifespan of the LGA1851 socket is a disappointment for enthusiasts who have invested heavily in this platform. Typically, Intel platforms last for two generations, a trend that was broken with LGA1700, where the 13th and 14th generations were mere refreshes using the same process nodes and similar architectures. The rumored Arrow Lake Refresh might provide some relief for those invested in the LGA1851 platform. LGA1954 will feature 1,954 electrically active landing pads, with the total count potentially exceeding 2,000 when including debugging pins. This is a common practice, as many sockets actually have more pads than their names suggest. For example, a manual count of the pads on an LGA1851 motherboard at a recent event in Japan confirmed this trend. If this leak proves accurate, Nova Lake and possibly even Razer Lake (a subsequent product) should be compatible with the LGA1954 platform. However, the information provided is still limited, and it's too early to draw definitive conclusions about the full capabilities and compatibility of the new socket. For the latest updates and insights on Intel's next-generation processors, follow Tom's Hardware on Google News and click the Follow button to stay informed.