Hardware leaker @momomo_us (opens in new tab) has shared a diagram of what appears to be Intel's forthcoming LGA1200 socket. The new socket will house the chipmaker's Comet Lake-S (opens in new tab) desktop processors, which could potentially drop in the first quarter of next year.
The LGA1200 socket, also known as Socket H5, is set to replace the current LGA1151 socket that was introduced with Intel's Skylake processors. Just as its name implies, the LGA1200 socket comes with 1,200 protruding pins, 49 more than the LGA1151 socket.
The mechanical diagrams show that the LGA1200 and LGA1151 socket share similar dimensions. The mounting mechanism is most likely the same as well. This should come as music to Comet Lake adopters' ears as existing CPU coolers that support the LGA115x socket should fit just fine on the new LGA1200 socket. Sadly, they'll still need to spill out cash for a new Intel 400-series motherboard (opens in new tab).
Intel is introducing its first mainstream 10-core desktop chip (opens in new tab) with the Comet Lake. lineup. For this reason, it's important to make sure your cooling solution is capable of handling Comet Lake's increased TDP (thermal design power) before recycling it.
@momomo_us (opens in new tab) previously tweeted a photograph of the land grid array for Comet Lake. Apparently, Intel was able to squeeze in 49 additional pins without modifying the size of the contacts by utilizing the available space on the fiberglass substrate. The added pins are suppose to improve power delivery and support expanded I/O capabilities.
The contact points and notches for the LGA1200 package are located differently in comparison to the LGA1151 package. It seems impossible to get a Comet Lake chip to work on a previous Intel motherboard.
