It is rumored that the cache technology of some Intel Nova Lake CPUs is expected to challenge AMD 3D V-Cache

In order to challenge AMD's dominance in the gaming CPU field, Intel is developing Nova Lake processors equipped with enhanced cache technology, whose performance may be comparable to the popular 3D V-Cache in X3D chips. According to whistleblower @Haze2K1, Intel plans to launch at least twoNova LakeAdded "bLLC" (Large Last Line Cache) to the processor.

This improved L3 cache is similar to AMD's 3D V-Cache, which has made the X3D chips a top choice among gaming enthusiasts since 2022. The new processor equipped with bLLC will have 8 P cores and 4 LP-E cores. One version will contain 20 E-cores, while the other will contain 12 E-cores. Both processors are expected to maintain a thermal design power (TDP) of 125 watts.

Intel's bLLC technology has been implemented in Clearwater Forest server processors, where the processor's local cache is integrated into the base block located below the active block. This structural approach borrows from AMD's current 9000-series X3D design, where the V-Cache is connected to the bottom of the CPU chip - a significant improvement over previous generations that placed the cache on top (resulting in thermal issues and clock speed limitations).

However, Intel has rejected the application of technology like AMD's 3D V-Cache in consumer products. In November 2024, Intel technical communications manager Florian Maislinger told YouTubers der8auer and Bens Hardware that they had no plans to launch such a desktop version. The Nova Lake-S series is expected to be available in late 2026 or early 2027, with at least six desktop models coming in the new LGA 1954 package. The lineup will start with the high-end Core Ultra 9 485K with 52 cores and 150 W TDP, to the base Core Ultra 3 415K offering 12 cores and 125 W TDP.