Intel Nova Lake-S 28-Core and Arrow Lake-S Refresh Desktop CPUs Discovered, 18A Desktop Processors Enter Pre-QS Stage

Intel’s imminent release of its Nova Lake-S and Arrow Lake-S Refresh desktop CPUs has recently emerged in shipping records from NBD, indicating significant developments on the horizon for PC enthusiasts.

Upcoming Intel CPUs: Nova Lake-S “LGA 1954″& Arrow Lake-S Refresh “LGA 1851”

The Arrow Lake-S series has already made its debut; however, its performance in the gaming sector has raised concerns among users and experts alike. Despite Intel’s efforts to enhance performance through updates and memory optimizations, the AMD Zen 5 series has outperformed it significantly, capturing substantial market share and driving impressive growth in sales.

Nevertheless, Intel plans to make a strong comeback with further advancements in its desktop CPU offerings. Although the Arrow Lake-S Refresh may not be the most anticipated release, it aims to deliver improved performance through optimized clock speeds and enhancements in process technology. Initially, there were expectations for an upgraded neural processing unit (NPU); however, that feature has been shelved, leaving users with enhancements primarily focused on clock speed adjustments on the LGA 1851 socket.

Details regarding PCB/Substrate and ARL-S PPV components for research and development. — Image Source: NBD (via x86isDeadandBack)

It is important to note that the LGA 1851 socket will only support the Arrow Lake-S generation and the upcoming Arrow Lake-S Refresh. The next notable launch, Nova Lake, is set to introduce revolutionary features, including the Coyote Cove P-Cores and Arctic Wolf E-Cores. This lineup promises remarkable advancements with configurations offering up to 52 cores in dual compute tile and 28 cores in single compute tile architectures.

NBD has confirmed a 28-core version of the Nova Lake-S desktop CPU, which is expected to include an 8 P-Core, 16 E-Core, and 4 LP-E core configuration. Additionally, this CPU variant will integrate at least 4 Xe3 integrated GPU cores. While no specifics have been provided regarding clock speeds, thermal design power (TDP), or manufacturing processes, it is noteworthy that the chiplet design utilized in Nova Lake-S may also be featured in the Nova Lake-HX series tailored for high-performance mobile applications.

Cargo description of microprocessors with encryption, highlighting Nova Lake S 28C for research and development. — Image Source: NBD (via x86isDeadandBack)

Intriguingly, Intel’s Nova Lake-S Desktop CPUs have already moved into the Pre-Qualification Sample stage, which indicates they have advanced beyond the engineering phase— a positive sign for the company. The Nova Lake series is set to utilize the cutting-edge 18A process node, which Intel has successfully showcased with their Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest projects, featuring up to an impressive 288 E-Cores.

Intel’s Nova Lake-S Desktop CPUs are anticipated to launch around mid-2026, with new motherboards expected to be unveiled at the subsequent Computex event next year. Keep an eye out for further updates as the launch date approaches!

Comparative Analysis: Nova Lake-S vs. Arrow Lake-S

Feature	Nova Lake-S	Arrow Lake-S
Maximum Core Count	52	24
Maximum Thread Count	52	24
Maximum P-Core	16	8
Maximum E-Core	32	16
Maximum LP-E Cores	4	0
DDR5 Support (1DPC 1R)	8000 MT/s	6400 MT/s
Maximum PCIe 5.0 Lanes	36	24
Maximum PCIe 4.0 Lanes	16	4
Socket Type	LGA 1954	LGA 1851
Maximum TDP	150W	125W
Expected Launch	2026	2H 2025