A new rumor suggests that Intel is preparing a lineup of Core Ultra 400K processors with up to 52 cores and 288 MB of bLLC cache. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the rumor mill has picked up its pace recently, with CES 26 being mere weeks away, so the following is likely to be revealed soon. For some time, it has been said that Intel is working on a CPU lineup to compete with AMD’s extremely successful X3D processors. If this latest rumor is accurate, the Core Ultra 400K Nova Lake-S series could be it.
Hardware info leaker Haze2K1 posted specifications for four Nova Lake-S processors ranging from 24 cores to 52 cores, all of which feature Intel’s Big Last Level Cache (bLLC). Intel is using a similar design in providing a large amount of cache to the processor for improved performance.
Nova lake-s with big last level cache:
— Haze (@Haze2K1) December 17, 2025
16p 32e 4lpe
14p 24e 4lpe
8p 16e 4lpe
8p 12e 4lpe
According to VideoCardz and Haze2K1, the above processor specification breaks down as follows:
| Processor | Compute Tile Design | Cores | Big Last Level Cache |
| Core Ultra 9 | Dual | 52 (16P + 32E + 4 LPE) | 288 MB |
| Core Ultra 9 | Dual | 42 (14P + 24E + 4 LPE) | 288 MB |
| Core Ultra 7 | Single | 28 (8P + 16E + 4 LPE) | 144 MB |
| Core Ultra 7 | Singe | 24 (8P + 12E + 4 LPE) | 144 MB |
So, we can see that all of these rumored SKUs utilize 4 Low Power Efficient cores and the Core Ultra 9 tier, with its dual tile design, gets 288 MB bLLC, while the Core Ultra 7 tier, with its single tile design, is halved at 144 MB bLLC. While clock rates and cache memory speeds also play a major factor in performance, at a glance at these specs, it looks like Intel is planning to take AMD head-on with its flagship Core Ultra 400K processors.
Discussion (8 replies)
Join Discussion →Downside is that no matter how great the CPUs may be, they'll end up DOA due to the current ram situation. Same for AMD's next round of X3D stuff, that is unless things take a turn for the better.
Agreed, but if you have the DDR5 already, should be good to go...
Agreed, the potential buyers pool is looking to be pretty shallow.
Yup. Upgraders already on the platform are going to be the biggest demographic, more than likely.
Of course, if both are basically paper launches, perhaps we won't see the previous levels of shortages and price scalping.
52 cores with over two thirds of them being worthless "efficient" cores. no thanks. For my use case its a 16 core processor.
Yeah, to some extent, Intel is really focused on creating x86 mobile processors that will compete with whatever crazy amount of ARM type cores come out but still be able to run Windows natively, and that's what I think the focus on efficiency cores is all about.
However, as an owner of 5800X3D and 9800X3D CPUs, I can say I'm pretty happy with how the 13900HK and 275HX processors in my laptops have performed compared to them when it comes to gaming. I can't really do like-for-like benchmarks since each rig has significantly different specs, but I can say that at 1440p using max settings, each laptop can perform admirably (one with RTX 4080 mobile and the other 5090 mobile) vs the desktops at 4K each with RTX 5090.
Don't get me wrong, I had major doubts about these architectures until trying them, but while I'm not completely sold on it, I am beginning to see what Intel is aiming at. Ultimately, I'm know AMDs top tier X3D CPUs do outperform, but if one was able to score the Intel CPUs for a major discount, I believe they'd be surprised how well they operate.
My biggest complaint is the updates for NPU/AI crap. Dear lord, I couldn't believe how slow MS/Intel was to deliver those. I tested my connection multiple times, and the updates were being delivered at 10-20 MB/s while I had a near gigabit tested connection. That being said, anyone getting one should be ready for updates that could take a while. It ended up being around 4+ hours split across two days since I don't leave my laptops on 24/7. I tried this via WiFi 6+ with near full bars and direct connect to my router, and it didn't matter.
Wait you've managed to get a load on the NPU cores? I've not been able to do that yet!!
Yes/no . . .It was just several updates that listed AI in them, some from GIGABYTE, and some from MS and Intel, and none of those three were giving them in any kind of expedient way. Not kidding when I say I had to spread them out over two nights to finish.
This rumour has been going around for awhile. It does seem likely that Intel wants to launch this product, and unlike Nova Lake-AX it has a healthy chance of reaching the market. But! But. It probably won't hit on day 1 in any significant quantity, it'll be expensive (relative to the platform), and it supposedly will have a PL1 of 250W which is enormous. For the vast majority of users, a 24c/48t Zen6 will be a better CPU. It might win at Cinebench though.