The Intel Core Ultra 200K Plus (codenamed Arrow Lake Refresh) series of processors has solidified Intel's position in the processor market, but this is just the beginning. With its next-generation Core Ultra 400 series (codenamed Nova Lake) processors, Intel is bound to completely end who is the dominant player in the gaming CPU field.
With its powerful performance, Intel Core Ultra 400 series is expected to deal a fatal blow to AMD's upcoming Zen 6 chips, preparing to seize gaming dominance from AMD's 3D V-Cache. As one of Intel's most high-profile processors in recent years, Nova Lake has sparked ongoing discussion in the hardware community. Now, foreign media VideoCardz claims that they have seen internal documents that purportedly contain the complete SKU list, which Intel has shared with its partners.
It is reported that the Core Ultra 400 series CPU has up to 52 cores and will be equipped with a dedicated NPU to support faster DDR5-8000 memory and support future compatibility. Intel will release at least 13 Core Ultra 400 series processors. Two of them are high-end models with a TDP of up to 175W, with 52 cores and 44 cores respectively, but the specific model names have not yet been determined. Both CPUs will include 16 high-performance cores.
Nova Lake processors will use Intel's new LGA 1954 socket, marking a major step forward for the company's desktop platforms. According to information reviewed by VideoCardz, Intel attaches great importance to the reusability and forward compatibility of Socket V solutions. Socket longevity is critical to both consumers and system integrators. By designing the LGA 1954 socket to be compatible with multiple generations of processors, Intel is addressing the long-standing criticism of the short lifespan of its recent sockets, such as the LGA 1851, which has limited generation support.
Foreign media VideoCardz reported:
First, Intel has confirmed that the Nova Lake-S series will be named "Series 4," which means it will officially fall under the Core Ultra 400 series.
Data shows that this series will use Coyote Cove performance core (P-core) and Arctic Wolf energy efficiency core (E-core), and be equipped with Intel NPU 6, supporting DDR5 memory up to 8000 MT/s.
At the same time, the document also mentions that it will continue to use the existing Socket V cooling solution and support forward slot compatibility (this is clearly listed as a feature), which means that Intel plans to retain part of the existing cooling ecosystem in the next generation desktop platform. This is good news, as Intel has actually confirmed that the new socket will support multi-generational platform continuation. While not particularly surprising, this has rarely been explicitly emphasized in previous roadmaps.
More than just an upgrade in core count
Platform information also shows that the improvement of Nova Lake-S is not only reflected in the CPU core size. Intel is also preparing to support:
Integrated Wi-Fi 7
Low Energy Audio
Wi-Fi based sensing capabilities
ECC memory support
CUDIMM and CSODIMM memory specifications
Up to four independent display outputs
Additionally, the platform supports:
x16 PCIe 5.0 independent graphics channel
CPU channel split (4×4 configuration)
Chipset offers up to three x4 PCIe 5.0 lanes
Supports up to 8 SSDs (PCIe 5.0 and 4.0)
Two Thunderbolt 5 interfaces
Five package/chip variants
Intel seems to be planning five desktop-level chip packages, starting with 8-core (4P+0E), moving to 16-core, 28-core, and then two dual-die variants, with the flagship configuration up to 52 cores.
All these desktop packages include:
4 low-power E-cores (LP E-core)
NPU 6
Dual channel DDR memory support
24 PCIe Gen5 lanes
2 Thunderbolt 5 interfaces
2 Xe3 GPU cores
In other words, all desktop SKUs will be equipped with the same specifications of small Xe3 core display units.
There are currently 13 SKUs planned, including dual computing module variants
The preliminary SKU list shows product grading, covering 35W, 65W, 125W and 175W power consumption grades. These include two 175W flagship models, corresponding to 52-core and 44-core configurations respectively.
These models are likely to be the rumored Core X series, the successor to the HEDT (high-end desktop) product line. Although Intel has not yet finalized the naming, it is reasonable to continue using the X series naming, and it is also consistent with the mobile naming.
The lower-end product line includes Core Ultra 9, Core Ultra 7, Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 3. Many models support adjustable TDP, which can be as low as 35W.
In addition, at least one GT0 model (MS2KF) appears on the list, which means that Intel is also preparing a "core-less display" desktop processor version similar to the previous F series.
With an unprecedented number of cores, Nova Lake 44-core and 52-core chips are bound to push heat dissipation and power consumption to new heights. The base power consumption (PBP) of these high-performance CPUs is as high as 175W, which is a significant increase of 40% compared to the current flagship Core Ultra 9 285K processor. The impressive increase in processing power also explains the significant increase in power consumption, as these chips are expected to have more than double the core count of Intel's current offerings.
Mass production time
Currently, Intel Nova Lake is scheduled to be launched at the end of 2026, and more detailed information will be disclosed later.