Intel’s next desktop CPU lineup, codenamed Nova Lake, might shake things up with a massive core count increase. The top-end model might offer up to 52 cores, more than double the cores found in the current Arrow Lake chips, which is wild if true.
According to a detailed post on X, the Core Ultra 9 flagship could sport 16 Performance cores, 32 Efficient cores, and an extra 4 Low-Power Efficient cores, for a total of 52 cores. Even the mid-range Core Ultra 5 model seems interesting, boasting 8 Performance, 16 Efficient, and 4 Low-Power Efficient cores, surpassing the highest-end Arrow Lake chip in every core category.
New Intel Desktop CPUs coming..🧐🧐🧐
150W for Core Ultra 9/7. Core Ultra 5 125W. pic.twitter.com/mW0MS2lKM9— chi11eddog (@g01d3nm4ng0) June 16, 2025
For context, the current Intel Core Ultra 9 285K features 8 Performance and 16 Efficient cores, so this rumored jump is pretty huge. The lowest Nova Lake model reportedly won’t be left behind, with 12 cores split as 4P, 4E, and 4 Low Power Efficient cores.
If these numbers hold up, Nova Lake could represent Intel’s most significant leap in raw CPU performance since the Alder Lake generation in 2021. That generation introduced the hybrid core design with up to 8 Performance and 8 Efficient cores, followed by Raptor Lake increasing Efficient cores to 16 a year later. Arrow Lake, released last October, actually cut thread counts by dropping HyperThreading support on Performance cores, so Nova Lake’s rumored core count would be a stark reversal.
Adding to the hype, Nova Lake’s Performance cores are thought to be codenamed Coyote Cove, with the Efficient cores called Arctic Wolf. The overall performance boost could be pretty spectacular if these bring IPC improvements. Yikes, right?
It’s tricky to compare this to AMD’s rumored next moves. Rumors suggest AMD’s Zen 6 architecture might feature chiplets with anywhere from 12 to 32 cores. A 12-core chipset would likely mean a 24-core top CPU, while a 32-core chipset could push that to 64 cores, given AMD’s tradition of using two chiplets in their flagship desktop CPUs.
However, the 32-core chiplet is probably based on Zen 6c, a compact core design, with the full Zen 6 chiplet topping out at 12 or 16 cores. That would translate to total core counts of 24 or 32, and with multithreading, 48 or 64 threads. So, if you look at it from a thread count angle, it’s 48 threads from 24 complete Zen 6 cores versus 52 mixed cores from Intel. Quite the showdown!
Regarding release timelines, Nova Lake could land in late 2026, with broader availability in early 2027. Intel hasn’t confirmed which production node will power Nova Lake, but rumors mention Intel’s 18A and 14A nodes or even TSMC’s N2 process. Meanwhile, AMD’s Zen 6 server variant is confirmed to use TSMC’s N2 node, and the desktop version will probably follow suit.
So, the latter half of 2026 will be an interesting period for desktop CPU fans. Intel’s rumored core counts could push the envelope, but AMD’s chiplet strategy might keep things competitive. Which side are you leaning toward? Will Intel’s core explosion disrupt the market, or will AMD’s efficiency and architecture hold the crown?
New Intel Desktop CPUs coming..🧐🧐🧐
150W for Core Ultra 9/7. Core Ultra 5 125W. pic.twitter.com/mW0MS2lKM9— chi11eddog (@g01d3nm4ng0) June 16, 2025
