Tag: Nova Lake

  • Intel Nova Lake Desktop CPUs Rumored to Feature Up to 52 Cores

    Intel Nova Lake Desktop CPUs Rumored to Feature Up to 52 Cores

    Intel is planning to launch its next series of desktop CPUs, known as ‘Nova Lake’, in 2026, though there are many speculations regarding their specifications. Recent leaks suggest that one configuration could feature a whopping 52 cores, which is more than twice that of the previous models. Right now, not much is known about the Nova Lake CPUs or the Arrow Lake Refresh, which might not follow the expected trends.

    Configuration Insights

    A popular leaker, using the handle @Jaykihn, responded to an earlier leak on X that outlined potential configurations for the four anticipated Nova Lake CPUs. The initial report mentioned 48 cores, consisting of 16 Performance cores (P cores) and 32 Efficient cores (E cores) for the Nova Lake S CPU. However, Jaykihn revealed that there are also 4 Low-power Efficiency cores (LP E cores) included in this setup, bringing the total to 52 cores. Likewise, the Nova Lake HX CPU is rumored to have 28 cores rather than the previously thought 24, and the Nova Lake H CPU might come with 16 cores instead of only 12.

    Core Specifications

    In addition, the leaker has confirmed that these CPUs will include Coyote Cove P cores and Arctic Wolf E/LP E cores. It is anticipated that the Nova Lake series will be part of Intel’s Core Ultra 400 series, while the Arrow Lake Refresh will likely offer Core Ultra 300 series processors.

    Earlier, it was thought that Intel would increase the number of E cores to 32 for an Arrow Lake Refresh SKU, which, along with 8 Lion Cove P cores, would mean a total of 40 cores. However, another well-known leaker recently dismissed this rumor on the Chinese platform Weibo, suggesting that Intel may only enhance the NPU aspect of the chip.

    Unofficial Speculations

    As highlighted before, these are merely speculations, and there is no confirmed information about the configurations or how many SKUs will be available for Nova Lake or Arrow Lake Refresh processors.

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  • Intel Nova Lake CPUs: Up to 16 P-Cores & 32 E-Cores Rumored

    Intel Nova Lake CPUs: Up to 16 P-Cores & 32 E-Cores Rumored

    The new Arrow Lake Core Ultra 200 desktop CPUs have yet to persuade gamers to upgrade from the older i9-14900K models. The latest architecture fails to show any meaningful performance improvements, despite several months of software updates. It appears Arrow Lake is merely setting the stage for future innovations, particularly Nova Lake, which is anticipated in 2026.

    Speculation on Nova Lake’s Architecture

    Intel has not revealed any specifications for Nova Lake in their recent quarterly earnings report. However, co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus let slip that “Nova Lake will actually have die both inside and outside for that process. So you’ll actually see compute tiles inside and outside.” This revelation sparked a flurry of speculation on Reddit about potential core counts for the upcoming generation of chips.

    Core Configurations and Variants

    According to a now-deleted post by Exist50 on Reddit, the premium Nova Lake desktop CPUs might include up to 2×8 Coyote Cove P-cores and 2×16 Arctic Wolf E-cores, aligning with the concept of dual compute tiles mentioned by Intel’s co-CEO. Additionally, Exist50 mentioned that there will be high-performance mobile Nova Lake variants with configurations of 8P + 16E cores, as well as mid-range desktop and mobile options featuring just 4P + 8E cores. There will also be ultra-low-voltage (ULV) versions that only have 4 P-cores without any E-cores.

    Future iGPU Tile and Production Nodes

    The specifics of the iGPU tile for Nova Lake remain ambiguous. However, it is confirmed that these chips will be manufactured using Intel’s 18A nodes, similar to the Panther Lake mobile processors set to launch in late 2025.

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  • Griffin Cove and Nova Lake IPC: Intel to Replace E-Cores with P-Cores

    Griffin Cove and Nova Lake IPC: Intel to Replace E-Cores with P-Cores

    Intel’s CPU plans appear to be ever-changing, based on the latest leaks. So far, it’s been revealed that Intel has scrapped Beast Lake, Beast Lake Next, and has also disbanded Jim Keller’s Royal Core initiative. Moreover, there are reports suggesting that Team Blue could launch Panther Lake desktop chips to compete against AMD’s Zen 6 by 2025.

    Future Innovations

    In a recent update regarding IPC metrics for Nova Lake, Moore’s Law Is Dead indicates that Intel might be developing a groundbreaking CPU architecture set to debut in 2027 or later. The source mentions that Intel is working on Griffin Cove P-cores for a yet-to-be-named architecture expected to arrive in 2027 or beyond. These P-cores might utilize the Intel 14A-P, which is an upgrade of the Intel 14A technology anticipated to commence production in 2026.

    Design Changes Ahead

    Interestingly, MLID suggests that Intel could adopt a “Unified Core” approach for E-cores, mirroring AMD’s strategy. The upcoming CPUs based on Griffin Cove or Griffin-Next might eliminate the distinction between P and E-cores, taking inspiration from Zen 5 and Zen 5c cores. Unlike Intel’s separate P and E-cores, the Zen 5 series features similar architecture with minor changes in the Zen 5c for size reduction. Intel seems to be planning to implement a similar design for its 2027 architecture, moving away from the two distinct core types within a single CPU.

    Performance Expectations

    On the performance front, MLID speculates that the Griffin Cove P-cores could see a 10-20% IPC increase compared to Nova Lake and its Coyote Cove P-cores. However, since Griffin Cove is still quite a ways off, any talk of “IPC enhancement” should be approached with skepticism. MLID is aware of this uncertainty and cautions in their video that “anything after Nova Lake is NOT finalized”.

    In addition, MLID claims a potential IPC boost of 9 to 18% for the Coyote Cove P-cores in Nova Lake, although no numbers are provided for the Arctic Wolf E-cores. The leaker further suggests that Nova Lake might implement the refreshed Intel 18A-P process instead of the previously rumored 14A and TSMC 2 nm.

    As we move forward, it remains to be seen what Intel has planned with Nova Lake. In the meantime, we can look forward to the reviews of the Arrow Lake Core Ultra 200 CPUs, which should roll out in the coming years. The end of 2024 is shaping up to be an exciting period for gamers, especially since AMD has announced that the Ryzen 9000X3D will launch next month.

    Moore’s Law Is Dead on YouTube, Teaser image: Intel, Moore’s Law Is Dead, edited.

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