While information continues to leak regarding Intel’s new LGA 1851 socket for its upcoming Arrow Lake CPUs, it has been noted that as things stand the physical CPU size is likely to remain the same as the previous generation, albeit in a socket with a greater number of pins. This has started some speculation as to whether coolers designed for the older LGA 1700 socket will be compatible with the new CPUs, and the release of AZZA’s latest Cube 240 and Cube 360 AIO units may well confirm it.
According to Videocardz, the product manual for these two coolers specifies that not only are they compatible with the LGA 1851 socket but also that they will use the same spacers and bracket mountings as the LGA 1700. This is likely to be good news for those of you with cooling solutions built for the older socket type, as a platform upgrade can be an expensive enough proposition as it is without forking out for a new cooler to boot.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a cooling manufacturer suggest that cross-compatibility exists between these different socket types. A package spotted in a Japanese electronics retailer earlier this year for Noctua’s NH-U12A lists LGA-1851 support on the side, and a closer look at the manual revealed that it also suggests its mounting bars and spacers are shared between both the existing and the upcoming platform.
It’s worth mentioning that cooler compatibility between generations is far from unheard of. AMD also managed to maintain support between AM4 and AM5 sockets while Intel managed to keep a similar level of compatibility between LGA 1200 to LGA 1700.
All that being said, while the release of the new Arrow Lake CPUs isn’t expected until 2024, it might be worth bearing in mind that the switch over to this new socket type might be less of a headache than expected if you’re already running a decent cooler on an LGA 1700 system. Platform jumps can be something of a complicated undertaking if you’re looking to keep up with the cutting edge of CPU technology, so any compatibility crossover is a nice little bonus for those of you planning to make the leap next year.