Intel Nova Lake S Motherboard Revealed With LGA 1954 Socket and Q970/B960 Chipsets
Intel's upcoming Nova Lake S desktop platform is taking shape as Chinese manufacturer Decenta has revealed an ATX motherboard featuring the new LGA 1954 socket. Identified as the M26-NVLS-ATX09, the board appeared in photographs shared by @wxnod, providing an early look at Intel's next generation desktop ecosystem. The motherboard targets industrial computing, embedded systems, and enterprise applications rather than gaming enthusiasts.
According to Decenta's official product listing, the motherboard supports Intel Nova Lake S processors rated up to 125 W TDP, with Q970 and B960 chipset options. Both configurations feature an 8+1+1 phase power delivery system, 4 DDR5 UDIMM slots supporting up to 256 GB at 6400 MT/s in dual channel operation, and a primary PCIe 5.0 x4 M.2 storage interface. Additional connectivity includes HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA, wired Ethernet, a legacy PCI slot, and an M.2 E Key interface for optional WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity.
The primary differences between the 2 motherboard configurations involve PCIe expansion and storage capabilities.
Intel Q970 vs B960 Motherboard Specifications
| Feature | SKU1 (Q970 Expected) | SKU2 (B960 Expected) |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Socket | LGA 1954 | LGA 1954 |
| Memory | 4 DDR5 slots, 256 GB, 6400 MT/s | Same |
| Primary PCIe Slot | 2 PCIe 5.0 x16 slots, x16 or x8/x8 | 1 PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| Additional PCIe Slots | 2 PCIe 5.0 x4 and 2 PCIe 5.0 x2 | 1 PCIe 4.0 x4 and 1 PCIe 4.0 x2 |
| Primary M.2 Storage | PCIe 5.0 x4 | PCIe 5.0 x4 |
| Secondary M.2 Storage | PCIe 4.0 x4 or SATA | SATA only |
| SATA Ports | 4 | 3 |
| Legacy PCI | 1 slot | 1 slot |
Decenta lists 2 configurations but does not explicitly associate each SKU with its respective chipset. The assignments above reflect their expected capabilities.
Earlier leaked Intel 900 series specifications also suggest that Q970 provides up to 44 total PCIe lanes, including 8 PCIe 5.0 lanes from the chipset, compared with 34 total lanes on B960 and no chipset provided PCIe 5.0 connectivity. Q970 is additionally expected to support Intel vPro management features for enterprise deployments. These chipset specifications have not yet received final public confirmation from Intel.
Another interesting detail is the socket retention mechanism. The photographed motherboard appears to feature a conventional single lever design rather than the dual lever mechanism previously associated with some LGA 1954 implementations. This could indicate different mounting solutions across motherboard segments, although the final configurations remain unconfirmed.
The announcement follows ASRock Z990 motherboard models appearing in shipping records, indicating continued development across Intel's upcoming desktop lineup. While Decenta has not announced pricing or availability, its published specifications offer a clearer look at the commercial and industrial side of the Nova Lake platform.
Decenta's motherboard provides an interesting perspective on Intel's LGA 1954 ecosystem beyond gaming hardware. The Q970 configuration appears positioned for systems requiring extensive expansion and enterprise connectivity, while B960 offers a more streamlined alternative.
The 256 GB memory capacity is particularly relevant for industrial applications and professional workloads, although DDR5 6400 should not be considered the performance ceiling of Nova Lake. For gamers, the bigger developments will come from Z970 and Z990 motherboards, where memory overclocking, power delivery, and platform pricing could determine Intel's competitiveness against AMD's next generation Ryzen processors.
Would you consider upgrading to Intel Nova Lake and LGA 1954, or would you wait for Z990 gaming motherboards and independent performance benchmarks?
