Intel is preparing its next generation of Core Ultra desktop processors, codenamed Nova Lake, with internal documents reviewed by VideoCardz outlining specifications across five die packages and up to 13 stock-keeping units (SKUs).
Intel has confirmed Nova Lake will arrive in late 2026.
The platform introduces a large "big Last Level Cache" (bLLC), positioning it to compete more directly with AMD's cache-heavy processor designs, alongside two new core microarchitectures: Coyote Cove performance cores and Arctic Wolf efficiency cores.
The documents suggest Nova Lake may deliver around a 20% instructions-per-clock (IPC) improvement over previous Intel core designs, a measure of how much work a processor can complete in a single cycle.
Core counts in the leaked SKU stack range from 8 to 52, with the flagship part pairing dual compute dies for 16 performance cores and 32 efficiency cores, and doubling bLLC capacity relative to the 28-core dual-die configuration.
Cache totals across the lineup range from 144 megabytes to 288 megabytes of L3 cache.
Platform specifications include support for DDR5 memory at speeds up to DDR5-8000, 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes, two Thunderbolt 5 ports, an NPU 6 neural processing unit and integrated graphics featuring two Xe3 cores.
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Flagship parts carry a Product Base Power (PBP) figure of up to 175W, a 40% increase over the current Core Ultra 9 285K.
Nova Lake will use a new LGA1954 socket, which Intel intends for use across multiple processor generations.
The recap
- Leaked Nova Lake SKUs detail up to 52 cores.
- L3 cache may range from 144 MB to 288 MB.
- Intel says Nova Lake will arrive in late 2026.
