Intel Nova Lake flagship CPU rumor claims 52-cores: 16 performance, 32 efficiency, 4 low-power

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Intel's Nova Lake processors continue to be the subject of rumors, some of which have floated the idea that this might be the next generation of desktop CPUs from Team Blue, even though the silicon isn't due until 2026.

However, a fresh rumor has suggested that there could be an Arrow Lake Refresh in the cards for desktop, but regardless, we've just heard more about the Nova Lake flagship CPU - and how it might have more cores than previous speculation indicated.

According to well-known hardware leaker Jaykihn on X (see the above post), there will be 52 cores in total with the flagship for Nova Lake, as opposed to 48 as previous aired via the rumor mill. Jaykihn reminds us that LPe (low-power efficiency) cores will also be present with Nova Lake, for the first time ever with Intel's desktop processors.

So, the full configuration is purportedly 16 performance cores, 32 efficiency cores, plus 4 low-power cores, for a total of 52.

We should clarify that this is the current plan at Intel, but the Nova Lake flagship has not been finalized, and may yet be altered from the given configuration. We're also told the architecture used in the performance cores is Coyote Cove, with Arctic Wolf in the efficiency (and LP) cores.

Remember, we won't get Nova Lake until next year, but as mentioned, there's apparently a possibility of Intel pushing out an Arrow Lake Refresh on desktop later in 2025. Previously, the word from the grapevine was that this refresh had been canceled, but it's possible that this may not be the case after all.

As ever, don't read too much into these rumors, but Intel has maintained a yearly cadence for CPU releases on the desktop in recent history - so it'd seem somewhat odd if Team Blue skipped a beat, and we didn't get a new processor range this year.