Intel is reportedly launching two new edge-only processors that feature high-performance cores only, a feature gamers have been requesting. Rumors of a flagship 12-core Bartlett Lake-S CPU surfaced back in November, where it was claimed the part was capable of up to a 6 GHZ single-threaded boost clock rate, 3.4 GHz base clock, and 125 GHz, but also only based on using P-core only design.
No unlocked.
— Jaykihn (@jaykihn0) November 5, 2025
Only 125W SKU.
6.0 ST
5.5 all core MT
3.4 base
Gamers have longed for another CPU offering from Intel, returning to the days sans E or LPE cores where performance remained the focus. However, even as more recent reports of this 12-core and a 10-core variant have surfaced, it seems that the end of the road for the LGA 1700 socket is in sight, and Bartlett Lake-S will not be a consumer part and will only be available in OEM socketed form.
Edge.
— Jaykihn (@jaykihn0) January 16, 2026
It’s a shame because if Intel could release these processors to the PC enthusiast market at a competitive pricepoint they could be a hit there. The 253PE Ultra Core 7 10-core/20-thread processor has already been shown to compete favorably with the Intel Core i5-14500, despite having fewer cores, although it does have more L1, L2, and L3 cache. The following is from TechPowerUp, which gathered data from multiple sources.
At this point, someone is all but guaranteed to post benchmarks for the Core 9 273PTE 12-core/24-thread processor once they can get a hold of a system with it. Intel is already planning to release a 52-core Nova Lake processor this year, which could also show very impressive gaming and productivity performance. One thing is for sure: 2026 is shaping up to be an interesting year when it comes to CPU releases.