ⓘ Sebastian Bade, Notebook Check
A new leak has revealed how much cache each Intel Nova Lake chipset could offer at launch. The top model will reportedly have more cache than the newly announced AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2.
A leaker claims that Intel has at least 12 Nova Lake desktop chipsets in the pipeline, at least three of which are said to offer the highly anticipated bLLC cache. This means that the new processors would compete directly with AMD’s Ryzen X3D series. Jaykihn is a reliable source for Intel leaks and has now revealed how much cache is in these CPUs, even in the models without bLLC. Some of them even outperform the recently introduced AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition. It will be interesting to see how much of an impact this additional cache actually has on gaming performance.
| Possible CPU model | Cores (P+E+LPE) | bLLC | Cache |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Ultra DX9 400 | 52 (16+32+4) | Yes | 288MB |
| Core Ultra DX7 400 | 44 (8+24+4) | Yes | 264MB |
| Core Ultra D9 400 | 28 (8+16+4) | Yes | 144MB |
| Core Ultra 9 400 | 28 (8+16+4) | No | 36MB |
| Core Ultra 9 400 | 22 (6+12+4) | Yes | 108MB |
| Core Ultra D7 400 | 24 (8+12+4) | Yes | 132MB |
| Core Ultra 7 400 | 24 (8+12+4) | No | 33MB |
| Core Ultra 7 400 | 16 (4+8+4) | No | 18MB |
| Core Ultra 5 400 | 22 (6+12+4) | No | 27MB |
| Core Ultra 5 400 | 12 (4+4+4) | No | 15MB |
| Core Ultra 5 400 | 8 (4+0+4) | No | 12MB |
| Core Ultra 3 400 | 6 (2+0+4) | No | 6MB |
Jaykihn has also revealed that the 52-core flagship will be released as the Core Ultra DX9 4xx and the 44-core variant as the Core Ultra DX7 4xx. The models with 28 and 24 cores will be called Core Ultra D9 4xx and Core Ultra D7 4xx respectively. The 22-core model, on the other hand, should appear without any special prefixes. This means there will be three Core Ultra 9 SKUs with bLLC and two Core Ultra 7 SKUs, all with very different core counts. This isn’t exactly ideal for first-time buyers, because the “D” now joins “K”, “F” and “KF” in the list of letters to look out for in Intel’s CPU names.
Despite the confusing letters, there is also conflicting information about the power consumption of the Core Ultra DX9 and Core Ultra DX7 chips. According to Videocardz’s leak, it’s at 175 watts, while Jaykihn’s chart suggests it starts at 125 watts. The top model of the Core Ultra 5 series is said to have a TDP limit of 125 watts, while the Core Ultra X9 model without D/DX with bLLC is said to be limited to 65 watts. However, these are still early leaks. There should be more clarity as the launch of Nova Lake gets closer.
I have been an avid PC gamer since I was 8 years old. My passion for gaming ultimately pushed me towards technology. I got my first writing job at the age of 19. I graduated in mechanical engineering and worked in industry, but also for other magazines like Wccftech, before joining Notebookcheck in November 2019. I cover a variety of topics including smartphones, gaming and computer hardware.
The technology bug infected me at a young age when I took my first steps in the PC sector back in the Pentium II era. Since then, modding, overclocking and meticulously maintaining my hardware have been a part of my life. During my time as a student, I also developed a special interest in mobile technologies, which can make stressful everyday study life much easier. After I found my love for creating web content while working in marketing, I am now an editor at Notebookcheck in search of the most exciting topics from the fascinating world of technology. Outside of the office, I have a particular passion for motorsports and mountain biking.