Rumored Configurations for Intel’s Nova Lake CPUs: Doubling P-Cores and E-Cores, Featuring Up to 16 P-Cores and 32 E-Cores

Intel’s upcoming "next-gen" Nova Lake lineup has finally seen the light, giving enthusiasts and techies a sneak peek into the anticipated core counts for different CPU models.

Intel’s Nova Lake-S Desktop CPU Lineup: The Successor to Arrow Lake-S SKUs Promising Enhanced Performance with Increased P & E Cores

You could say the Arrow Lake series didn’t quite hit the mark. With lackluster performance from the ARL-S models, the spotlight now turns to Nova Lake for redemption. Intel has been rather tight-lipped about the specifics of Nova Lake, but a new leak on Reddit from user @Exist50, highlighted by HXL, sheds some intriguing light on the potential specs of the Nova Lake-S, HX, U, and H lineups. Here’s the scoop.

From what we gather, Intel’s new CPUs might boast up to 2*8 P-Cores with an additional 16 E-Cores. That’s a solid bump from Arrow Lake-S’s flagship Core Ultra 9 285K. Furthermore, Nova Lake is also gearing up to make a splash in the mobile market with the Nova Lake-H variant. Now, here’s how the core configurations stack up:

• NVL-SK: 2*8+16
• NVL-HX: 1*8+16
• NVL-S/NVL-H: 4+8
• NVL-U: 4+0

If intel is accurate, the high-end Nova Lake-S could flaunt as many as 16 P-Cores and 32 E-Cores. It seems Intel is considering a dual compute tile setup to crank up those core counts, potentially taking on AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 processors, which are rumored to feature up to 32 cores per CCD.

Intel’s Nova Lake-S Desktop CPUs are truly shaping up to be the rightful heir to the Arrow Lake-S line. A part of the "Core Ultra 400" series, these CPUs are set to supersede the "Core Ultra 300" series powered by Panther Lake CPUs, which aren’t intended for mainstream desktops. Right now, all we know about Nova Lake’s architecture involves Coyote Core P-Cores and Arctic Wolf E-Cores. While we’re on tenterhooks for more updates, we’re hopeful more details will unfold as Nova Lake’s launch approaches next year.

A Look at Intel Desktop CPU Generations:

Here’s a quick look at how the generations compare:

• Alder Lake (12th Gen): Powered by Intel 7 with Golden Cove (P-Core) and Gracemont (E-Core), featuring HD 700 Series graphics, this generation supports up to 16/24 cores/threads, with LGA 1700/1800 sockets, DDR5/DDR4, and PCIe Gen 5.0, launched in 2021.

• Raptor Lake (13th Gen): Also on Intel 7 with Raptor Cove (P-Core), maintaining the HD 700 Series graphics, Raptor Lake offers 24/32 cores/threads, debuted in 2022.

• Raptor Lake Refresh (14th Gen): Continuing with the same architecture as its predecessor, available since 2023.

• Arrow Lake (Core Ultra 200): Set on TSMC N3B technology, featuring Lion Cove (P-Core) and Skymont (E-Core), it will employ Xe1 (Alchemist) graphics. It can handle 24/24 cores/threads, with LGA 1851 sockets, arriving in 2024.

• Nova Lake (Core Ultra 400?): Though detailed specs and figures are yet to be fully revealed, Nova Lake, expected by 2026, seems promising, aiming for cutting-edge PCIe Gen 6.0 capabilities.

Keep watching this space for more thrilling developments in Intel’s CPU innovation journey as these releases edge closer.