Intel VP says future sockets should last longer and support more CPU generations

Intel VP says future sockets should last longer and support more CPU generations | PC Gamer Skip to main content Open menu Close main menu PC Gamer THE GLOBAL AUTHORITY ON PC GAMES US Edition UK US Canada Australia Subscribe Sign in View Profile Sign out Search Search PC Gamer Games Hardware News Reviews Guides Video Forum More PC Gaming Show PC Gamer Clips Software Codes Coupons Movies & TV Magazine Newsletter Affiliate links Meet the team Community guidelines About PC Gamer PC Gamer Magazine SubscriptionWhy subscribe?Subscribe to the world’s #1 PC gaming magTry a single issue or save on a subscriptionIssues delivered straight to your door or device From$1Subscribe now Don’t miss these Processors Intel Nova Lake CPUs on track for late 2026 as exec downplays shuffling capacity to meet datacenter demand: ‘We have important customers in both datacenter and client and that needs to be our priority’ Motherboards New Intel 900-series leak suggests there are three upcoming motherboard chipsets gamers should care about Processors Intel’s ‘Serpent Lake’ rumoured to be its first chip developed in collaboration with Nvidia Processors It’s 2026, CES is over, and there’s still no sign of Intel’s Arrow Lake refresh, but one hardware channel is adamant it’ll be here in the spring Processors More details of an extra big Intel Nova Lake ‘bLLC’ CPU die with added cache and designed to take on AMD’s X3D chips emerge Processors Panther Lake and 18A ‘create a firm foundation on which to build the new Intel’ Processors Intel announces Arrow Lake ‘Plus’ desktop chips with more cores and clocks for less cash—and IPC-boosting ‘BOT’ tool Processors Intel signals the end for its 12th Gen Core processors, though the architecture lives on under the guise of its 13th and 14th Gen Processors Rumours are swirling once again around Intel ditching its hybrid P-core and E-core chip architectures for a single, ‘unified core’ design, although it looks like we might have a long wait yet Processors Panther Lake’s gaming chops look solid but the battery life is truly what interests me as a PC gamer on the go Processors The rumour that Intel’s next-gen Nova Lake chips will consume up to 700 W of power is nothing to worry about—Core Ultra 400 gaming PCs aren’t going to be melting your house down Processors Nvidia will announce an x86 CPU in collaboration with Intel at its GTC event, according to one report, though Intel itself shoots down the whole idea Gaming Laptops Intel had the most exciting product launch at CES 2026 and I absolutely wasn’t expecting that Graphics Cards Intel is still committed to evolving its Xe graphics architecture, though it’s only talking about AI data centers right now Processors AMD claims Intel’s CES comparisons are ‘not even a fair fight’; Intel says AMD is ‘selling ancient silicon’—but they’re both guilty of using confusing tactics Popular PC Gamer ClipsCrimson DesertMarathonBest PC gearGDCQuizzes Hardware Processors Intel VP says future sockets should last longer and support more CPU generations News By Jacob Fox published 23 March 2026 This could make Nova Lake a platform really worth investing in. 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From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we’ve got you covered. Signup + Once a month SFX Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month! Signup + An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter For many years of back-and-forth between Intel and AMD, one thing has remained pretty certain: if you want platform longevity, you stick with the latter, because Intel changes sockets faster than I get through a pack of Leibniz butterkeks (very fast). But perhaps not for much longer, because Intel’s Enthusiast Channel VP and GM, Robert Hallock, has just hinted he expects longer lasting motherboard sockets.When asked by Club386 whether he sees Intel sockets supporting more CPU generations in future, he responded “I do. That’s it—I do.”Pretty unequivocal, if you ask me.Article continues below You may like Intel Nova Lake CPUs on track for late 2026 as exec downplays shuffling capacity to meet datacenter demand: ‘We have important customers in both datacenter and client and that needs to be our priority’ New Intel 900-series leak suggests there are three upcoming motherboard chipsets gamers should care about Intel’s ‘Serpent Lake’ rumoured to be its first chip developed in collaboration with Nvidia Admittedly this is just one man’s opinion, but the man in question, Hallock, should have a ton of sway over the way things go given he’s VP/GM of the ‘enthusiast channel.’ He was previously director of technical marketing at AMD, following other roles at the same company, so it’s hardly surprising that he’s taking socket longevity, traditionally a staple of AMD platforms, seriously.Intel’s existing Arrow Lake (Core Ultra 200S) and Arrow Lake Refresh desktop chips slot into motherboards with an LGA 1851 socket. It looks like the upcoming Nova Lake (Core Ultra 300S) will use a new LGA 195