Intel Announces Arrow Lake Desktop Refresh for Next Year and Nova Lake Desktop CPUs Featuring 18A Tile in Late 2026, 14A Designed for External Customers

Intel has reaffirmed its plans for a refresh of its Arrow Lake Desktop CPUs next year, followed by the introduction of Nova Lake in late 2026. The company also shared critical updates regarding its 18A and 14A process technologies, signaling a robust strategy to maintain competitiveness in the high-performance CPU market.

Upcoming Intel Arrow Lake and Nova Lake Desktop CPUs: Filling the Performance Gap

At the recent Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference, John Pitzer, Intel’s VP of Corporate Relations, revealed insights on the company’s future x86 architecture plans and Integrated Foundry Services (IFS).One of the primary highlights was the acknowledgment of performance gaps in the desktop segment that need addressing, particularly in competition with AMD.

Intel’s first step in this direction is the Arrow Lake “Core Ultra Series 2″CPU refresh, scheduled for launch in the first half of 2026. This new family of processors will be compatible with existing LGA 1851 socket platforms and aims to enhance Intel’s offerings on the desktop side, following a less-than-expected performance from the initial Arrow Lake CPUs.

Following this refresh, Intel is set to launch the Nova Lake Desktop CPUs, which are anticipated to compete against AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 family. Nova Lake will introduce processors under the “Core Ultra Series 4″branding, accommodating up to 52 cores and utilizing the new LGA 1954 socket. The initial models are expected to debut in 2026, with further expansions in 2027, including “K”SKUs aimed at enthusiasts and budget-friendly options.

And then you look at the x86 business, I think we’ve got a strong product portfolio in PCs. We’ve got a couple of holes we’ve got to fill on the desktop front. But quite frankly, we feel confident in the roadmap. We’ll have a refresh of Arrow Lake next year, which will help start the process on the desktop side. And then we’ll conclude that with Nova Lake when we launch late next year into 2027.

John Pitzer – Intel SVP of Corporate Relations (at Goldman Sachs Technology Conference)

Regarding Nova Lake, Intel indicated that while the 18A process is currently allocated for Panther Lake, which is primarily a notebook component, there will be dedicated 18A wafers for Nova Lake. This strategic allocation suggests that at least one tile for Nova Lake will leverage this advanced process technology, promising significant enhancements for both desktop and notebook solutions.

The only thing I’ll remind you is this year’s 18A capacity is really being put in place to support Panther Lake. Panther Lake is only a notebook part. As we think about next year’s CapEx, it’s really going to support Nova Lake, Clearwater Forest, and Diamond Rapids.

John Pitzer – Intel SVP of Corporate Relations (at Goldman Sachs Technology Conference)

Additionally, Intel plans to launch Panther Lake “Core Ultra Series 3″CPUs by the end of this year, with various OEM designs on the way. The ramping of additional WeUs is scheduled for the first half of 2026, which should further solidify Intel’s market position through improved profitability.

We’re excited that we will be launching our first WeU of Panther Lake by end of year. We’ll be ramping multiple new WeUs of Panther Lake coming in the first half of next year. And that will help on the profitability side.

John Pitzer – Intel SVP of Corporate Relations (at Goldman Sachs Technology Conference)

On the subject of process technologies, the transitioning to the next-generation 14A node signifies a shift towards a more customer-inclusive approach. Unlike the 18A process, which was largely tailored for internal products, 14A development has begun engaging external customers from the outset.

Just so there’s no confusion, we are all in on 14A development. That said, we did talk about on the earnings call that in order to generate a good return on our owner’s capital, we need not only demand from Intel products internally, we also need to sign up a significant external customer to make the node work.

John Pitzer – Intel SVP of Corporate Relations (at Goldman Sachs Technology Conference)

In the broader PC landscape, Intel maintains a strong position in the market, with a considerable majority—70%—of PCs having Intel processors. However, competition remains fierce, particularly in desktop segments where AMD’s offerings pose challenges. The impending Nova Lake releases are expected to bridge the performance gaps further, with Intel confident in regaining leadership in desktop performance.

So I’m kind of curious how you think that trends. Yeah, in general, we’re still shipping relatively seven out of every 10 PCs. Our competitor ships two and the ARM competitor ships about one. We feel pretty good about our position.

John Pitzer – Intel SVP of Corporate Relations (at Goldman Sachs Technology Conference)

Intel is focusing heavily on its upcoming CPU architecture, which includes addressing challenges in both the desktop and server markets. With AMD ramping up its Zen 6 architecture and the increasing influence of NVIDIA in the data center space, Intel’s response, particularly with Jaguar Shores, will dictate its standing in the competitive landscape.2026 is poised to be a critical year for Intel as it strives to solidify its position as a leader in advanced chip manufacturing.

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