Intel's "Nova Lake-S" desktop processors are getting the finishing touches, with a likely arrival scheduled for the second half of 2026. As the successor to "Arrow Lake Refresh," Nova Lake-S introduces a modular design that separates graphics and media functions across distinct tiles. This approach builds on experience from "Meteor Lake," which splits its graphics engine from its media and display units onto separate chiplets. For Nova Lake-S, Intel plans to employ two different GPU architectures: Xe3 "Celestial" for graphics rendering and Xe4 "Druid" for media and display duties, all within a single package. Celestial will manage primary 3D rendering and gaming workloads, while Druid will handle display pipelines and hardware-accelerated video encoding and decoding. By utilizing a more advanced process node, such as TSMC's 2 nm, Intel can optimize media engine performance without increasing costs for the entire GPU subsystem.

On the CPU side, Nova Lake-S is expected to span four primary SKU tiers. The flagship model could feature 52 cores (16 P-cores, 32 E-cores, and four LPE-cores). A 28-core version may target high-end laptops and desktops with eight P-cores, 16 E-cores, and four low-power E-cores. A 16-core variant could serve both the lower-power desktop and laptop segments, featuring four P-cores, eight E-cores, and four low-power E-cores. Finally, an 8-core entry-level part offers four P-cores and four low-power E-cores. Although it remains uncertain whether all SKUs will combine both Xe3 and Xe4 tiles, Intel's tile-based strategy makes it straightforward to mix and match GPU configurations for different market segments. Rumors also suggest that Intel may use its 18A node alongside TSMC's advanced processes for various tile elements. As Panther Lake mobile parts approach the second half of 2025 and Arrow Lake Refresh prepares for its desktop release, Nova Lake-S is the pinnacle of Intel's advanced chip packaging.

In a "Public Real-Time Gold Deck" presentation document, Intel has advertised a good number of current and upcoming processor platforms that offer support for Time Coordinated Computing (TCC). Earlier today, InstLatX64 highlighted interesting "in development" technologies that were mentioned on page 34. The PDF was uploaded—for public consumption—mid-way through May, but Team Blue's "TCC Experience" was last revised on September 2024 (according to a footnote). This is fairly dry material; covering edge applications—suitably capable processors are advertised as dealing with a combination: "of real-time workloads and best effort workloads on the same system, by leveraging many silicon and SW optimizations." Interestingly, this TCC support slide confirms the existence of furthest out "Nova Lake-S" desktop and "Nova Lake-U" mobile processors.

Up until last month, Intel's "Nova Lake" next-gen CPU family was a mostly leaked property—an alleged "matching LGA 1954" socket standard was unearthed very recently. Intel leadership anticipates a loose 2026 launch window. Rumors of a 12-core "Bartlett Lake-S" gaming processor turned up online in April (linked to LGA 1700), following continued speculative talk regarding a lineup of "pure P-core" variants. The latest "TCC Experience" roadmap points to "Bartlett Lake-S" processors arriving—before "Panther Lake"—under the banner of "Intel Core Series 2." A "Bartlett Lake-S 12P" category sits just above "Wildcat Lake" on the TCC slide's timeline. The latter seems to be a lower-end mobile CPU range, likely designed with power efficiency in mind.

Last month, NBD shipping documents linked Intel's next-gen "Nova Lake‑S" (aka "NVL‑S") desktop processor family to an LGA 1954 socket type. Given Team Blue's track record, consumers are not overly enthused by the prospect of another change in mounting profiles. Famously, the current-gen Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" CPU series required a fresh slate of motherboards design—centered around LGA1851. Fortunately, a late March-authored shipping manifest has indicated that a successor will leverage nigh identical dimensions. This intriguing leak was shared on social media by Ruby_Rapids—they happily surmised: "the package size of FCLGA1954 is 45×37.5 mm, too. Today's coolers are mechanically compatible with Nova Lake-S."

Despite leveraging a greater number of pins, the supposed LGA 1954 footprint could grant support for cooling solutions that were designed during the eras of LGA1851 and LGA1700. Naturally, a shift into next-gen Team Blue desktop processor territories will necessitate a fresh swath of mainboards. In sharp contrast, AMD enthusiasts remain happy about the AM5 socket's long-term prospects. According to official company timelines, Core Ultra "Nova Lake‑S" processors are "on track" for a loose 2026 launch window. 2 nm manufacturing details were leaked last month; indicating TSMC's involvement.

At the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show, Intel revealed its next-generation automotive system-on-chip lineup, unveiling two ambitious platforms, "Frisco Lake" and "Grizzly Lake". The company described these new designs as key steps toward fully software-driven vehicles, where much of the intelligence is handled by high-performance processors instead of dedicated hardware circuits. Intel said these chips would support advanced driver assistance and richer multimedia features. Intel's second generation Software Defined Vehicle, or SDV, Frisco Lake, is built on the upcoming "Panther Lake" architecture. The first volumes are expected in the first half of 2026, and TDP options will be among 20-65 W to meet different use cases. Intel says Frisco Lake will deliver ten times more AI performance and sixty-one percent better energy efficiency compared to the current Raptor Lake-based platform.

The new graphics block is based on the third-generation Xe architecture, known as "Celestial", replacing the older Battlemage design. Frisco Lake also supports twelve simultaneous camera inputs and up to two hundred and eighty audio channels. Linux kernel patch analysis also shows Frisco Lake cores are based on Panther Lake, confirming Intel's adaptation of its client CPUs for automotive use. Looking further ahead, Intel shared an early roadmap for its third-generation SDV platform, Grizzly Lake, which should arrive in the first half of 2027. Codenamed Monument Peak, these chips will use "Nova Lake" cores and may offer up to 32 efficiency-optimized cores along with an integrated Xe GPU capable of about seven TeraFLOPS. Additional features include support for six independent displays, twelve camera interfaces, and compliance with automotive safety standards.

TSMC is pushing forward its plans to make 2 nm process chips in large quantities in the second half of the year, with major customer developments coming to light. After AMD placed its order, reports suggest Intel has also become one of TSMC's first 2 nm customers aiming to use this cutting-edge technology for its next-gen desktop processors. Intel, already a big TSMC customer for advanced processes sent out key compute tiles for its Core Ultra processors to TSMC using different processes like N3B, N5P, and N6. To be exact, these were Intel Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" series laptop processors and Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake" series. While both companies didn't comment on the latest news, industry talk hints that they're cooperating on Intel's upcoming Nova Lake desktop processor set to launch next year (rumors suggest that it could be the Compute Tile). With the codename "NVL-S" Nova Lake combines two groups of eight high-performance "Coyote Cove" P-cores with 16 "Arctic Wolf" E-cores. It also includes four ultra-low-power LPE cores in a separate SoC tile. It is expected that Nova Lake-S will use LGA 1954, which has 1,954 active lands and might have more than 2,000 total pads when you count debug pins.

TSMC's work on 2 nm technology is moving forward as expected. The company uses first-generation nanochip transistor technology to boost performance and reduce power consumption across process nodes with big clients finishing designing silicon IPs and starting validation steps. AMD shared that its next EPYC "Venice" chip will be the first high-performance computing processor to use TSMC's 2 nm process. AMD validated it at TSMC's Arizona plant and is on track to launch it in 2026. Also, word has it that Apple's future iPhone 18 lineup will have its A20 chip made with the same TSMC 2 nm process.

Based on recent shipping manifests that point to custom test hardware for its next "Nova Lake‑S" processors, Intel seems to be gearing up for a big desktop platform update. According to documents obtained by NBD.ltd, Intel isn't moving full motherboards yet. Instead, it's sending out mechanical interposers and re-balling jigs for an 888‑ball BGA chip. Those tools, likely meant for the upcoming 900‑series PCH, aren't finished products but specialized fixtures used to check voltage regulation during assembly. Right now, desktop builders are tied to the LGA‑1700 socket, but Nova Lake‑S is expected to adopt LGA 1954, which offers 1,954 active lands (and possibly more than 2,000 total pads when you count debug pins). That boost in pin count could allow Intel to expand power delivery and I/O without compromise. Still, anyone holding out for Nova Lake‑S will have to wait. Intel plans to roll out "Arrow Lake Refresh" later this year, with Nova Lake‑S not arriving until 2026.

Under the "NVL‑S" codename, Nova Lake is said to combine two clusters of eight high‑performance "Coyote Cove" P‑cores with 16 "Arctic Wolf" E-cores, plus four ultra‑low‑power LPE cores in a separate SoC tile. That layout would create a 52‑core hybrid chip, though Intel engineers are reportedly still fine‑tuning the exact mix before tape‑out. The new south‑bridge package measures about 25 × 24 mm (around 600 mm²), slightly smaller than the 650 mm² footprint used by today's 800‑series chipsets. Shipping lists reveal jig sizes from roughly 38 × 28 × 6.97 mm up to 50 × 50 × 6.32 mm, which tells us multiple fixture types are being used in test labs around the world. Additionally, moving from LGA‑1851 to LGA‑1954 could hint at a longer‑lived socket, but Intel's history suggests most desktop platforms span just two generations. Whether Nova Lake‑S or any future "Razer Lake" follow‑up will fully exploit this new interface remains to be seen. We are watching closely as more concrete specs emerge ahead of that 2026 launch.

In a letter addressed to stockholders, Intel's new CEO—Lip-Bu Tan—roadmapped the importance of a couple of major upcoming product launches. Starting off, Team Blue's new chief detailed a fresh approach, with the casting off of old strategies: "achieving the results I know Intel is capable of starts by refocusing on our customers. This has been priority number one since my first day on the job. I am listening carefully to their feedback so that we continue driving the changes needed to delight our customers and strengthen our competitive position. Plain and simple, the time for talk is over. We must turn our words into action and deliver on our commitments. I have been pleased to see the leadership team has already started driving the culture change needed to make this happen. As CEO, I will continue to drive this transformation so that we move faster, work smarter and make it easier for customers to win with Intel."

Tan's mentioning of Core Ultra "Panther Lake" processors arriving within the second half of this year aligns with prior official statements. Insiders posited that Panther Lake-H (PTL-H) mobile CPUs were delayed into 2026 due to issues with the Foundry's 18A process node, but an Intel executive dismissed these claims a few weeks ago. Interestingly, the firm's Chinese office outlined an "early 2026 volume launch" of "Panther Lake (18A)" chips during a mid-March AI PC press event. A presentation slide indicated that an Early Enablement Program (EEP) is expected to start in October; Team Blue's loose terminology likely classes the sending off of samples—to OEMs, for approval—as a "real" product launch.

Back in February, we reported on Intel considering a resurrection of the "Arrow Lake Refresh" Core Ultra 300 series of CPUs. However, it seems that @Jaykihn, a reliable source of Intel leaks, has confirmed that Intel will indeed push the refresh of Arrow Lake in the form of Core Ultra 300 series of CPUs, limited to K and KF SKUs only. This means we will likely see only overclockable SKUs being refreshed, with possibly enhanced boost frequency and/or core count. With 125 W TDP, these new SKUs would target high-end markets, passionate overclockers, and system integrators selling high-end builds with these CPUs. The refresh's journey to confirmation has been turbulent. Initial rumors in 2023 suggested an ambitious core-count bump for Arrow Lake-S, followed by speculation that Intel would prioritize NPU upgrades, potentially mirroring Lunar Lake's reported 48 TOPS capability—a massive leap from the current Core Ultra 9 285 K's 13 TOPS. By late 2023, leaks hinted at the project's cancellation, but insiders like Chinese leaker Golden Pig Upgrade later revived hopes, asserting that desktop-focused "ARL-S Refresh" had been quietly resurrected.

Jaykihn's latest intel narrows the scope: only K/KF-series chips will receive tweaks, leaving non-overclockable SKUs untouched. Intel is also reportedly developing new performance profiles for existing Arrow Lake CPUs, separate from warranty-voiding BIOS tweaks. These optimizations, alongside the upcoming Intel Performance Optimization (IPO) program, aim to help OEMs and system integrators push pre-built systems further via safer, stability-focused adjustments to clock speeds, power limits, and memory overclocking. While enthusiasts may still prefer manual overclocking, IPO could democratize performance gains for mainstream users. The Core Ultra 300 series will slot into Intel's LGA-1851 roadmap between the base Arrow Lake-S (Core Ultra 200) and 2026's next-gen Nova Lake-S (Core Ultra 400).

Intel's upcoming "Nova Lake" desktop processors are taking shape slowly, featuring a three-tier core design that could reach 52 total cores. Set for 2026, the flagship SKU combines 16 "Coyote Cove" P-cores with 32 "Arctic Wolf" E-cores, supplemented by 4 LPE-cores for background task management. Intel is reportedly also considering 28-core (8P + 16E + 4LPE), and 16-core (4P + 8E + 4LPE) SKUs too. The architectural design choice centers on Intel's hybrid manufacturing approach, leveraging both its internal 14A node and TSMC's 2 nm process technology. This strategic decision addresses supply chain resilience while potentially enabling higher yields for critical compute tiles. Intel's interim co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus noted that Intel Foundry will need to earn Intel Product's trust with each new node, so if a node is not the best for their in-house IP, Intel will move to TSMC for production.

Initial engineering samples are already circulating among developers, according to shipping documentation from NBD, suggesting the validation phase is proceeding on schedule. Some specifications point to significant cache improvements, with documentation suggesting a 144 MB L3 cache implementation. However, the cache topology—whether unified or segmented—remains unspecified. The platform is expected to support PCIe Gen 6.0, though Intel has yet to confirm socket compatibility or memory specifications. However, we need to hold our expectations low. Previously unrealized configurations in Intel's roadmaps, like 40-core "Arrow Lake," never materialized, and instead, we got an eight-P-core version with 16 E-cores, totaling 24 cores. Final specifications may evolve as the platform progresses through development phases.

Intel's freshly uploaded fourth-quarter 2024 "CEO/CFO earnings call comments" document has revealed grand CPU-related plans for 2025 and beyond. One of Team Blue's interim leaders—Michelle Johnston Holthaus—believes that "Nova Lake" processors (a next-generation client family) will arrive in 2026, following a comprehensive rollout of "Panther Lake" CPU products. This official timeline matches previously leaked and rumored development schedules—most notably, in a shipping manifest that was discovered last week. In recent times, industry watchdogs have linked "Nova Lake" to Intel's own 14A node and a TSMC 2 nm process node. Additionally, tipsters pointed to an apparent selection of Coyote Cove performance cores and Arctic Wolf efficiency-oriented cores.

Following yesterday's official announcements, a leaker shared several insights—theorized core configurations and manufacturing details were posted on the Hardware subreddit. Community members were engaged in a debate over Intel's "killing of Falcon Shore," but a plucky contributor—going under the moniker "Exist50"—redirected conversation to all-things "Nova Lake." They believe that Intel has shifted all "compute dies to TSMC" for manufacturing, after a change in plans—initial designs had the "8+16 die" on TSMC's N2P, and the "4+8 die on Intel 18A." Exist50 seemed to have inside track knowledge of product ranges: "Nova Lake (NVL) has a unified HUB/SoC die across mobile and desktop. So yeah, the baseline there is 4+8+4. But there's at least one more die for mobile." The flagship desktop (NVL-S or NVL-SK) chip's configuration could feature as many as sixteen performance cores and thirty-two efficiency cores, due to tile reuse—2x (8P+16E). Exist50 advised Intel CPU enthusiasts to forgo current generation offerings. "Nova Lake" should be: "quite a jump from Arrow Lake (ARL) in terms of MT performance, to say the least. I think anyone who buys ARL will end up regretting it, big time!"

Intel shared some news and updates about its upcoming CPU architectures during the Q4 earnings call. Intel confirmed that "Panther Lake", its next major CPU, is set to be released in late 2025. "Panther Lake" will use Intel's latest 18A manufacturing process and might be part of the Core Ultra 300 series. "Panther Lake" is rumored to combine next-generation "Cougar Cove" P-cores with existing "Skymont" E-cores both in the Compute complex, and in the SoC tile as low-power island E-cores. However, Intel hasn't confirmed if it will be available for desktop systems.

The following CPU architecture, "Nova Lake", is set to debut in 2026. Unlike "Panther Lake", we know "Nova Lake" will work on desktop computers. This suggests desktop users might need to wait until 2026 for an upgrade unless Intel surprises us with a desktop version of "Panther Lake" or an alternative option.

Shipping manifests at NBD.ltd have revealed the presence of Intel's "Nova Lake" test chips, providing insight into the development timeline of the company's 2026 processor platform. The discovery comes as Intel prepares for the launch of its "Panther Lake" CPUs on the 18A process node in late 2025. Nova Lake is positioned to replace both Panther Lake for mobile devices and "Arrow Lake" for desktop systems. The manufacturing process remains unconfirmed, with Intel potentially using either its in-house 14A node or TSMC's 2 nm technology. Following recent practices, Intel may split production between its own facilities and TSMC for different components. Rumored specifications show that Nova Lake will use Coyote Cove performance cores and Arctic Wolf efficiency cores.

Unlike Lunar Lake, it will not incorporate on-package memory, maintaining a more conventional design approach. The test chip's appearance suggests Intel is adhering to its development schedule. This timing aligns with the company's plans for Panther Lake's mass production in the second half of 2025, a structured transition between generations. Documents point to "Razor Lake" as Nova Lake's eventual successor, though detailed specifications are not yet available. Panther Lake, the immediate predecessor to Nova Lake, will focus primarily on mobile computing, with desktop variants limited to Mini PC implementations. This approach mirrors the Meteor Lake generation, which saw limited desktop release through the "PS" series for Edge platforms. The Nova Lake platform is expected to support DDR5 memory and may introduce PCIe Gen 6.0 compatibility, with final specifications unconfirmed.

FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 7.50 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 7.50 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 7.50 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 7.50 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.

The new AIDA64 update introduces SensorPanel Core template, AVX2 accelerated benchmarks for Intel Arrow Lake processors, and supports the latest graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by AMD, Intel and NVIDIA.

Intel's future processor microarchitectures and their constituent CPU cores have hit the rumor-mill. The "Lion Cove" P-core is now current-gen, as products based on the Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" processor, which implements it, have been announced. "Lion Cove" will also be the main workhorse of "Arrow Lake," and Intel's Xeon 7 P-core server processors. The core ditches Hyper-Threading, but introduces a double-digit percent IPC gain over "Raptor Cove." The thunder of "Lion Cove" was stolen by the new "Skymont" E-core during the "Lunar Lake" technical presentations, as it offers nearly the same IPC as "Raptor Cove," at much lower power, and is held back by a lack of HTT and its inability to operate at high clock speeds that "Raptor Cove" can. We predict "Skymont" is shaking things up at Intel, and will have an impact on the way the company's future CPU cores are designed—to place greater emphasis on power and die-area to achieve IPC growth targets with each generation.

The successor to "Lion Cove" is codenamed "Royal Core." This would be the first time in over five years (since "Sunny Cove") that Intel's P-core codename doesn't use "Cove," signaling a departure from that naming scheme. The first iteration of "Royal Core" will power Intel's "Nova Lake" microarchitecture that succeeds "Lunar Lake." A slightly updated version of this core, codenamed "Royal Core 1.1," will power the "Beast Lake" microarchitecture, which likely falls in the lineage of "Arrow Lake," if not being a direct successor to it. An alleged Intel employee's work project description revealed "Cobra Core," a CPU core that succeeds "Royal Core," although the codename of its parent microarchitecture hasn't been revealed. Microarchitectures such as "Beast Lake," and its successor implementing "Cobra Core" are slated for much later into the decade, and we don't expect them to see the light of the day till at least 2026-27, if not later.

A product roadmap leak at leading PC OEM Dell, disclosed the tentative launch dates of several future generations of processors by Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm. The slide was detailing hardware platforms for future revisions of the company's premium XPS notebooks. Given that Dell remains one of the largest PC OEMs, the dates revealed in the leaked slides are highly plausible.

In chronological order, Dell expects Intel's Core Ultra 200V series "Lunar Lake-MX" processor in September 2024, which should mean product unveilings at Computex. It's interesting to note that Intel is only designing "Lunar Lake" for the -MX memory-on-package segment. This chip squares off against Apple's M3, M4, and possibly even the M3 Pro. Intel also has its ambitious "Arrow Lake" architecture planned for the second half of 2024, hence the lack of product overlap—there won't be an "Arrow Lake-MX."