Intel's Next-Gen Nova Lake-S Gets Two New 22-Core Chips with 144MB Cache

Intel is adding two more SKUs to its upcoming Nova Lake-S desktop processor family — and they’re aimed squarely at the mainstream market. The company is planning a pair of 22-core chips, both equipped with a large last-level cache designed to boost gaming performance.

The details come from leaker @Jaykihn on X, who says both processors will use a single-compute tile layout. The core configuration breaks down to 6 performance cores built on the Coyote Cove architecture, 12 efficiency cores using Arctic Wolf, and 4 low-power efficiency cores — 22 threads in total.

The key difference between the two is power and overclocking. One SKU is a 125W unlocked K-series chip for enthusiast builds. The other is a 65W locked variant for standard desktops and pre-built systems. Both will fall under the Core Ultra 5 tier.

Intel’s bLLC (Big Last Level Cache) technology is the headline feature here. By embedding a large shared cache directly on the CPU die, the processor can reduce trips to system memory — a meaningful advantage for gaming and other latency-sensitive workloads. Both new SKUs are expected to carry 144MB of bLLC cache.

The 22-core parts sit below Intel’s flagship Nova Lake-S configurations. On the high end, the company is preparing dual-compute tile models with up to 52 cores (16P+32E+4LPE) and a massive 288MB of bLLC cache. The entire family will use a new LGA 1954 socket paired with the 900-series chipset and support DDR5-8000 memory.

Intel is expected to start shipping Nova Lake-S processors in early 2027. The mainstream 22-core chips should arrive alongside the flagship models.