Dropped DDR4 support and a longer than normal lifespan? LGA-1851 will push Intel forward

Intel expects their LGA-1851 socket to last until 2026

In 2024, Intel plans to move to a new CPU socket, a new socket that will allow the company to push their hardware forward with new features and a new generation of processors. With this new socket, Intel is expected to move away from their traditional “Core” CPU branding, signalling a major shift for the company, one that will incorporate many changes to their CPU core design and their manufacturing techniques. 

Intel’s new socket, LGA-1851, is expected to have a lifespan that spans 2024 to 2026, and with this new socket, Intel are expected to start releasing new Tile-based processors, which will feature separate CPU Compute and GPU Compute tiles. These claims come from @leaf_hobby on Twitter, who has discussed Intel’s CPU plans in detail. 

Backing up other recent rumours, @leaf_hobby has stated that Intel will be increasing the L2 cache sizes of their P-cores to 3MB per core with their first LGA-1851 CPU designs, representing a huge increase over Raptor Lake and Alder Lake, which features 2MB and 1.25MB of L2 cache per P-core respectively. Adding additional L2 cache to CPUs allows more data to be stored on-chip, with this data being accessible much faster than if the same data were on DRAM or L3 cache. Having larger caches on a processor can significantly accelerate some workloads, with gaming being a workloads that has been significantly impacted by caching changes in the past.

Intel’s GPU compute tiles are also said to feature their own dedicated L3 cache, suggesting that Intel plans to increase the performance of their integrated graphics with their next-generation LGA-1851 processors.  

With LGA-1851, Intel are said to be dropping DDR4 memory support from their mainstream CPU platforms, making their LGA-1851 socket motherboard DDR5 only. This move from Intel is expected, as DDR5 memory has gotten a lot cheaper to purchase and the performance benefits of fast DDR5 memory modules are well documented.

On the CPU side, Intel are said to have created Arrow Lake-S engineering samples that feature six P-cores and eight E-cores. higher core count Arrow Lake processors are expected, though at this time it is unknown how high these core counts will be.

With LGA-1851 motherboards, Intel are expected to offer users access to more PCIe 5.0 lanes, allowing Intel users to more readily use PCIe 5.0 storage solutions. 

You can join the discussion on Intel’s plans for their LGA-1851 CPU socket on the OC3D Forums.