Intel's next leap in server CPU technology has been revealed through a recent leak, showcasing the enormous LGA9324 socket designed for the upcoming Diamond Rapids Xeon processors. This new socket, reportedly featuring 9,324 pins—over five times more than the consumer-grade LGA1851 Arrow Lake socket—marks a significant advancement in server hardware design.
Unprecedented Pin Count and Power
The leaked image, first spotted by HXL on X, suggests that the LGA9324 socket could have over 10,000 contacts when including debug and auxiliary pins. This would make it the largest LGA CPU socket to date, unless future AMD offerings surpass it. For comparison, Intel's current largest socket, LGA7529, has 7,529 contacts, while AMD's SP5 socket features 6,096.
Diamond Rapids Xeons, expected to launch under the Xeon 7 family, will succeed the Granite Rapids line and introduce both Advanced Performance (AP) and Scalable Performance (SP) variants. The new Oak Stream platform will host these CPUs, with the LGA9324 socket enabling higher I/O, more memory channels, increased TDPs—potentially up to 700W—and even greater core counts.
Technical Implications and Industry Impact
With a nearly 30% increase in pin count over previous sockets, the LGA9324 is poised to support advanced features such as additional DDR5 memory channels and higher power delivery. The sheer size of the socket dwarfs the LGA1851, emphasizing the scale of Intel's ambitions for server performance.
The leaked socket reportedly originated from a scrap yard and was part of a thermal test board, indicating that Intel is actively validating Diamond Rapids with its partners. This development hints that benchmarks or even early CPU samples may surface soon.
Architecture and Manufacturing
Diamond Rapids is expected to utilize the Panther Cove-X architecture, serving as a server counterpart to Coyote Cove on Nova Lake. Built on Intel's 18A process, the launch timeline for Diamond Rapids depends on the readiness of High Volume Manufacturing (HVM), with Panther Lake targeting HVM by late 2025. While Panther Lake's Compute Tile may span 100-150mm², Xeon Compute Tiles could reach up to 600mm², underscoring the complexity of these server chips.
Although Intel has not confirmed an exact release date, industry expectations point to a 2026 launch, positioning Diamond Rapids to compete directly with AMD's upcoming Venice platform.
Engineering Challenges
Some engineers have noted that increasing the number of connection points can raise the risk of failure, especially under high current loads. Gold plating and restricted pin movement are used to mitigate issues like oxidation and fretting failure. Proper derating and cooling are essential to ensure reliability, particularly as power demands continue to rise in high-performance server environments.
Intel's LGA9324 socket represents a bold step forward in server CPU design, promising unprecedented performance and scalability for data centers and enterprise applications.
