According to the latest industry news, Intel's next-generation Nova Lake-S desktop and Nova Lake-H mobile processor product lines are expected to introduce at least one model equipped with a 12-core Arc Xe3P architecture integrated graphics card (iGPU). The overall graphics performance is expected to be close to entry-level independent graphics cards.
This news first originated from a post on the X platform by the whistleblower @jaykihn0, which echoes the Nova Lake-S iGPU device ID previously added to the Linux 7.3 kernel driver stack. An update on the Linux side shows that Intel may be planning as many as seven different SKUs for the upcoming Core Ultra 400 desktop processor series, and this revelation about graphics configurations completes some details of this lineup.
It is reported that at least one of the Nova Lake-S desktop processors will use a 12-core Xe3P iGPU. This specification is considered to be an alternative to entry-level independent graphics in terms of performance positioning. Referring to the performance of the current Arc Xe3 B390 integrated graphics card in actual tests, its graphics performance is already usable in light games and high-resolution multimedia scenarios. Therefore, it is widely speculated that under the premise of architectural upgrade, the 12-core Xe3P solution will further improve throughput and energy efficiency. Another previous rumor pointed out that the Xe3P architecture is expected to improve overall performance by at least about 25% compared to the existing Xe3 design, which also provides additional credibility to this revelation about the 12-core configuration.
On the mobile side, the Nova Lake-H series has also been revealed to offer a variety of 12-core Xe3P graphics configurations, consistent with the iGPU specifications of the current Core Ultra X7 358H and Core Ultra X9 388H mobile processors. Both existing products are equipped with 12-core Xe3 graphics units, which can already provide respectable frame rate performance at low to medium image quality settings in mainstream AAA games. The news further pointed out that Nova Lake-S and Nova Lake-H models for the mid-to-low-end market will adopt a more simplified graphics configuration, down to 4-core Xe3 or 2-core Xe3, to control overall power consumption and cost.
It's worth noting that there's no sign at this stage that Intel will launch a 10-core Xe3 or Xe3P iGPU configuration in the Nova Lake generation similar to the one seen in the Arc G3 CPU family for the handheld platform. In the previous release of the Arc G3 processor for handheld consoles and thin and light gaming notebooks, the 10-core graphics solution was regarded as a mid-range design aimed at balancing power consumption and graphics performance. However, the Nova Lake-S/H pointed to by this revelation seems to be more inclined to form a clearer separation between high-end and entry-level gears. This strategy of simplifying SKUs is expected to be reflected in clearer market positioning in subsequent product releases, but the specific model and frequency parameters have yet to be officially confirmed.
The current Arc B390 iGPU has taken the lead in the field of high-performance integrated graphics, and relevant tests show that it surpasses competitors such as AMD Radeon 890M in some application scenarios. In this context, the industry's expectations for the Xe3P architecture are mainly focused on two aspects: one is the structural optimization of the graphics pipeline and shading unit, and the other is the ability to tune the different power consumption ranges of notebooks and desktops. If the rumors are true, the large-scale decentralization of 12-core Xe3P will further weaken the necessity of entry-level independent graphics in the light gaming and content creation market, and promote integrated graphics-based whole-machine solutions to become the default choice of more OEMs.
Overall, as the Nova Lake-S iGPU device ID gradually appears in the Linux kernel driver stack, and multiple whistleblowers have successively disclosed the core number and graphics architecture details, the upgrade path of the Intel Core Ultra 400 series in the graphics subsystem is gradually becoming clear. However, the above information still all comes from unofficial channels, involving key parameters such as specific models, frequencies, power consumption settings, and time to market. Intel has not yet given a public explanation. As the time window when Nova Lake processors are expected to debut in late 2026 is approaching, more details surrounding the Xe3P integrated graphics performance and product line layout still need to be further verified by subsequent driver updates and official conferences.