Intel's new CPU socket may not need custom contact frames to improve chip temperatures anymore — the LGA1851 socket allegedly features optional "Reduced Load ILM" to improve temps

Hardware leaker Jaykihn on X (Twitter) claims that Intel's LGA1851 socket for Arrow Lake processors will support two independent loading mechanisms (ILMs): a default one similar to LGA1700 and a secondary model dubbed "Reduced Load ILM" or RL-ILM that is aimed at enthusiasts and overclockers looking for improved thermal performance.

The LGA1700 socket was one of Intel's most unfriendly sockets for overclockers and enthusiasts. The problem is the socket's notoriously bad ILM, which causes 12th Generation Alder Lake , 13th Generation Raptor Lake , and 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs to bend in the center when installed . That leads to poor contact with the CPU cooler, causing temperatures to increase by varying amounts.

This new RL-ILM will purportedly be an optional upgrade that Intel's board partners can utilize if they wish to do so. The more advanced ILM design is reported to cost only $1 more than the default ILM, which could sway many board partners into adopting the higher-performing ILM for mid-range, flagship, and overclocking-specific LGA1851 motherboards.

Specifications of the new RL-ILM design are unknown. However, the intended purpose of the RL-ILM is to prioritize cooling performance, so it will inevitably have a significantly altered design compared to the default LGA1851 or LGA1700 ILM. The biggest problem with the existing LGA1700 ILM is that it puts massive pressure on the central part of the CPU, which, over time, causes the CPU to bend ever so slightly in the middle. This bend does not affect the chip's structural integrity or default operation. Still, it affects the IHS's cooling performance regardless, impacting overclockers and enthusiasts pushing their CPUs to their limit.

To rectify this problem, Intel will inevitably adopt a less aggressive design that spreads the contact points of the ILM across more areas of the IHS, reducing the chance of the CPU bending while in the socket. This will cause the chip's IHS to remain more uniform when touching the contact plate on a CPU cooler, boosting cooling performance and efficiency.

If this claim is legitimate, this new RL-ILM will be an excellent update to the LGA1851 socket. Overclockers and enthusiasts running outgoing LGA1700 motherboards and CPUs are virtually forced to invest in aftermarket contact frames to improve thermal performance. In fact, some high-end cooling manufacturers have engineered custom contact frames customers can use to replace Intel's ILM, such as the Arctic Freezer III .