Gigabyte Unveils LGA 1954 Motherboard For Next Intel Core Ultra
Credit: Gigabyte
According to unconfirmed reports, the next-generation Intel platform with the LGA 1954 processor socket will remain relevant for three, if not four, processor generations. Gigabyte may have been the first to demonstrate a motherboard based on the new Intel Z990 chipset for Nova Lake processors at Computex 2026.
Gigabyte representatives confirmed at the event that the model on display was a future product, but declined to disclose detailed specifications. Experts speculate that the board was designed with Nova Lake-S processors, also known as 4th-generation Intel Core Ultra processors, scheduled for release in early 2027. The flagship chips of this family are expected to feature up to 52 cores, which explains the need for a beefed-up CPU power delivery system.
At the exhibition stand, the CPU socket was completely concealed by a protective shroud, so the exact design and pin configuration of the socket remain unknown. The DDR5 RAM slots were visually unchanged, but the board was showcased with a dedicated external magnetic fan designed to cool the memory modules. The current version uses a wire to connect the fan, but engineers may replace it with a POGO pin in the final version.
The board features two PCIe x16 expansion slots. The first of these supports the PCIe 5.0 standard and features the PCIe EZ-LATCH UP quick-release mechanism, first introduced in the X870 AORUS INFINITY series. Engineers also updated the screwless M.2 EZ-Latch and M.2 EZ-Match drive retention mechanisms. Additionally, the developers unified the design of all M.2 drive slots, so PCIe 5.0-compatible ports no longer have metal heatsinks compared to PCIe 4.0 ports.ю
