Intel Nova Lake Power Consumption Leak: 496W PL2, 854W PL4

Key Takeaways

1. The flagship Intel Nova Lake-S processor may draw over 700 W during full multi-core use, with a PL2 power limit exceeding 400 W.
2. Power limit specifications for Nova Lake-S include PL1 at 150 W, PL2 at 496 W, PL3 at 498 W, and PL4 at 854 W.
3. Conflicting reports exist, with some leakers suggesting the power limits may not apply to the 52-core model but rather to the 42-core variant.
4. Intel’s upcoming processors, including Nova Lake, are expected to have significantly higher power requirements compared to previous generations.
5. Official announcements regarding Intel’s next-gen processors are still months away, so leaked specifications should be viewed with caution.

Thanks to a steady stream of leaks and rumors, we’re learning quite a bit about Intel’s upcoming Nova Lake desktop processors, particularly their expected power limits. Recently, it was reported that the flagship 52-core Nova Lake-S could draw over 700 W during full multi-core use. Additional reports have indicated that the PL2 power limit for these Nova Lake-S chips also exceeds 400 W.

Power Limit Specifications Revealed

Leaker HXL has shared a table with details about the PL1, PL2, PL3, and PL4 power limits for Nova Lake-S. According to the leaker, these numbers apply to the dual-compute-tile Nova Lake-S K-series models, which feature up to 52 cores.

From the leaked power limit data, it’s evident that the dual-compute-tile Intel Nova Lake desktop CPUs require significant power. The PL1 is set at 150 W, while PL2, PL3, and PL4 are 496 W, 498 W, and 854 W respectively. This makes the high-end Intel Core Ultra 400 series look extremely power-hungry. For example, the Intel Arrow Lake Core Ultra 9 285K has a PL1 of 125 W and a PL2 of 250 W. Meanwhile, the notorious 14th-gen Core i9-14900K, which runs at 6 GHz, shares the same PL1 and PL2 values as the Core Ultra 9 285K.

Conflicting Information from Other Leakers

However, another leaker, Jaykihn, has disputed HXL’s claims, referring to the leaked Nova Lake power limits as “outdated,” a sentiment echoed by UNIKO’s Hardware. More intriguingly, Jaykihn suggests that these figures may not pertain to the flagship 52-core Core Ultra 9 but rather to the 42-core Core Ultra 7 Nova Lake SKU, which includes 14 P-cores, 24 E-cores, and 4 LP E-cores.

In essence, it’s possible that Intel has adjusted, maybe even reduced, the power limits for the Core Ultra 7 variant to align more closely with our expectations for Arrow Lake CPUs.

That being said, it’ll be several months before we hear any official announcements regarding the next-gen Intel processors. Therefore, it’s wise to approach the leaked Nova Lake specifications, including power limits, with caution.

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