Next-Gen Mainstream Consumer Platform: Early Intel Nova Lake CPU “Test Chip” Discovered

Recent shipping records from NBD.ltd have revealed the presence of Intel’s anticipated next-gen Nova Lake CPUs, indicating a promising trajectory for this new consumer platform.

Intel’s Nova Lake CPU: A New Era in Mainstream Computing

During CES 2025, Intel introduced its innovative Panther Lake CPU, marking the company’s first foray into the 18A process node for consumer products. Intel’s success with the 18A node is pivotal, not only for its own product line but also for adoption by third-party manufacturers. While Panther Lake is slated for mass production in the latter half of 2025, Nova Lake is positioned to succeed it shortly thereafter.

The Panther Lake CPUs will primarily target mobile applications, with desktop iterations likely limited to Mini PCs integrating mobile chip technology. This is reminiscent of the approach taken with Meteor Lake, which did receive a desktop variant through the “PS”series aimed at Edge platforms. Although a similar desktop release for Panther Lake is possible, the details remain uncertain.

Anticipation Builds for Nova Lake in 2026

Details surrounding Nova Lake are sparse, but its anticipated launch is set for 2026. It is expected that Nova Lake will serve as a replacement for both Panther Lake in the mobility segment and Arrow Lake in desktop applications, should there be no desktop version released after the Core Ultra 200 series.

There are speculations suggesting that Nova Lake could leverage either the Intel 14A or TSMC 2nm process node. Furthermore, Intel may consider outsourcing specific components or chips to TSMC, as observed with previous iterations like Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake. Notably, Nova Lake, similar to Panther Lake, is projected not to include on-package memory, leaving Lunar Lake as the only model supporting this design for the foreseeable future.

While the listing of an Intel Nova Lake test chip is not new, its confirmation underscores that Intel is diligently working on its upcoming consumer CPU platform, which promises to succeed the Panther Lake lineup introduced in 2025. Enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting Nova Lake’s performance insights; however, the Panther Lake’s evaluation will precede this excitement. Additionally, rumors suggest that the successor to Nova Lake-S could be branded as Razor Lake-S.

Comparing Intel’s CPU Generations

Intel CPU Family	Processor Process	Processor Architecture	Graphics Architecture	Processor Cores/Threads (Max)	Platform	Memory Support	PCIe Support	Launch Year
Alder Lake (12th Gen)	Intel 7	Golden Cove (P-Core) / Gracemont (E-Core)	HD 700 Series	16/24	LGA 1700/1800	DDR5 / DDR4	PCIe Gen 5.0	2021
Raptor Lake (13th Gen)	Intel 7	Raptor Cove (P-Core) / Gracemont (E-Core)	HD 700 Series	24/32	LGA 1700/1800	DDR5 / DDR4	PCIe Gen 5.0	2022
Raptor Lake Refresh (14th Gen)	Intel 7	Raptor Cove (P-Core) / Gracemont (E-Core)	HD 700 Series	24/32	LGA 1700/1800	DDR5 / DDR4	PCIe Gen 5.0	2023
Arrow Lake (Core Ultra 200)	TSMC N3B?	Lion Cove (P-Core) / Skymont (E-Core)	Xe1 (Alchemist)	24/24	LGA 1851	DDR5	PCIe Gen 5.0	2024
Arrow Lake Refresh (Canceled)	TSMC N3B?	Lion Cove (P-Core) / Skymont (E-Core)	Xe1 (Alchemist)	TBD	LGA 1851	DDR5	PCIe Gen 5.0	2025
Nova Lake (Core Ultra 400?)	TBA	Coyote Cove (P-Core) / Arctic Wolf (E-Core)	TBA	TBA	TBA	DDR5?	PCIe Gen 6.0?	2026
Razer Lake (Core Ultra 500?)	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	TBA	2027?