Discussion Intel Nova Lake in H2-2026: Discussion Threads

[Fjodor2001]

More power limits and the need for a non mainstream motherboard to use it, probably

Ok, as long as you can still use the 52C in non-HEDT motherboards I’m fine with that.

Will probably limit the TDP anyway, since it’s not worth using much higher power to squeeze out the last few percent of perf.

 

[511]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2022999598604902558

97.68mm2

 

[Fjodor2001]

14.8 mm * 6.6 mm = 97.7 mm2

So the previous 110+ mm2 was incorrect then.

 

[511]

14.8 mm * 6.6 mm = 97,7 mm2

So the previous 110+ mm2 was incorrect then.

Yeah and it makes it even more decent

 

[adroc_thurston]

Yeah and it makes it even more decent

lol

 

[Fjodor2001]

Yeah and it makes it even more decent

The weibo post that HXL quoted also says:

8+16 DS：14.8 mm x 10.4 mm

I assume that's the one with bLLC. Means 153.9 mm2, of which 153.9 - 97.7 = 56.2 mm2 is for the bLLC.

 

[511]

lol

What's there to laugh it's decent area this time 111mm2 was bad

 

[Momoka_]

14.8 mm * 6.6 mm = 97.7 mm2

So the previous 110+ mm2 was incorrect then.

This die size looks much more normal now. We still need to see improvements in the other tiles.

 

[511]

This die size looks much more normal now. We still need to see improvements in the other tiles.

Yeah

 

[inquiss]

Ok, as long as you can still use the 52C in non-HEDT motherboards I’m fine with that.

Will probably limit the TDP anyway, since it’s not worth using much higher power to squeeze out the last few percent of perf.

If it requires a new, low volume motherboard to feed it power, which screams costly, is it any different to HEDT really? Just like a worse version because it doesn't have the big boy memory channels. I guess the current HEDT market doesn't really exist, as threadripper is too expensive for normal users, so that this is the new HEDT. Nothing about this so far seems to suggest mainstream to me.

 

[511]

If it requires a new, low volume motherboard to feed it power, which screams costly, is it any different to HEDT really? Just like a worse version because it doesn't have the big boy memory channels. I guess the current HEDT market doesn't really exist, as threadripper is too expensive for normal users, so that this is the new HEDT. Nothing about this so far seems to suggest mainstream to me.

Totally depends on pricing but MB will charge absurd amount either way

 

[gdansk]

Just like a worse version because

It'll still be cheaper than HEDT as a result. So it'll have that niche of low bandwidth, low expansion HEDT. Maybe some home server (but many want multiple HBA/NIC/GPU) and CB/render nodes. Although I still doubt the cost per core is going to beat the 265K(F) fire sales we had in 2025. $210 for 20 cores in June. 🤣

 

[Fjodor2001]

If it requires a new, low volume motherboard to feed it power, which screams costly, is it any different to HEDT really? Just like a worse version because it doesn't have the big boy memory channels. I guess the current HEDT market doesn't really exist, as threadripper is too expensive for normal users, so that this is the new HEDT. Nothing about this so far seems to suggest mainstream to me.

To my understanding you don’t need such a low volume high power motherboard. You can still use the 52C with cheaper lower power motherboards, it’s just that you will not be able to run the CPU at max power.

 

[511]

It'll still be cheaper than HEDT as a result. So it'll have that niche of low bandwidth, low expansion HEDT. Maybe some home server (but many want multiple HBA/NIC/GPU) and CB/render nodes. Although I still doubt the cost per core is going to beat the 265K(F) fire sales we had in 2025. $210 for 20 cores in June. 🤣

that is cheap as hell but anyway i doubt they would be going so low now

 

[LightningZ71]

The expansion doesn't even have to be that bad. They could easily have a board with 5 x x8 slots. With the first two being x16 or x8/x8 off the peg. The two high end chip sets have enough lanes.

 

[inquiss]

To my understanding you don’t need such a low volume high power motherboard. You can still use the 52C with cheaper lower power motherboards, it’s just that you will not be able to run the CPU at max power.

Really depends on the performance difference and cost, but seems like of that's the case you'd just not bother and buy the single tile option.

 

[Fjodor2001]

Really depends on the performance difference and cost, but seems like of that's the case you'd just not bother and buy the single tile option.

Looking at ARL 285K you don’t lose that much perf even when dropping power quite substantially.

In my case I don’t think it’s worth the additional power to squeeze out the very last bit of perf. I’ll probably limit TDP lower than even what the non-HEDT motherboards can provide at max.

Going to single tile is not an option since the MT perf will be much worse than dual tile, when both are given the same TDP to play with.

 

[inquiss]

Looking at ARL you don’t lose that much perf even when dropping power quite substantially.

In my case I don’t think it’s worth the additional power to squeeze out the very last bit of perf. I’ll probably limit TDP lower than even what the non-HEDT motherboards can provide at max.

Going to single tile is not an option since the MT perf will be much worse than dual tile, when both are given the same TDP to play with.

Got it. So what multi thread apps are you looking forward to running on your new beast when you get it?

 

[LightningZ71]

1t performance should be no different between the low and high power motherboards unless the vendors deliberately sabotage 1T performance on the low end boards. What should suffer is HIGH nT performance on the low boards. While, yes, on most power limited scenarios where total power available is in excess of platform idle voltage + active I/O voltage + the total threshold power of every core on the processor together, having more cores will be better than fewer cores, so long as there are more than enough worker threads to go around simultaneously, performance for a fully saturated system will be VERY power limited, and the LOW boards will be at a significant disadvantage there.

 

[Hulk]

Ok, as long as you can still use the 52C in non-HEDT motherboards I’m fine with that.

Will probably limit the TDP anyway, since it’s not worth using much higher power to squeeze out the last few percent of perf.

Power shouldn't be a problem except for the case of AMD and Intel battling for top Cinebench scores.

Extremely high CB scores will be possible with all of those cores loafing along at 4GHz compared to the scores we are seeing today.
As long at 8-12 cores can clock up really high that should do it with the rest being supporting characters.

 

[hemedans]

Got it. So what multi thread apps are you looking forward to running on your new beast when you get it?

If earlier reports are true and you can disable LPE/E/P cores then its attractive for those who own multiple pc for different tasks, some people have home server which use sub 10W, Gaming pc, Workstation etc. so think of it as 3 different CPU in one machine than a 52C CPU to use all core at same time.

 

[DrMrLordX]

If earlier reports are true and you can disable LPE/E/P cores then its attractive for those who own multiple pc for different tasks, some people have home server which use sub 10W, Gaming pc, Workstation etc. so think of it as 3 different CPU in one machine than a 52C CPU to use all core at same time.

Except that you've got one socket for power delivery and only two channels for memory. It's really not the same thing. If you can somehow consolidate multiple functions (e.g. desktop, router, NAS, etc) into one box and somehow make it work then more power to you, but I wouldn't want to manage that mess.

 

[ToTTenTranz]

According to VideoCardz NVL-S dual-tile will be an HEDT type product and not part of the regular desktop lineup (despite sharing the same socket):

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-core-x-hedt-nova-lake-s-rumor-52-core-full-power-mode-could-push-motherboard-requirements-higher

So this would make the NVL-S dual-tile exclusive to the W-series chipsets?

It would be similar to how the 12 P-core Bartlett Lake S is exclusive to the W680 platform, despite the chipset sharing the same LGA-1700 socket as the Z790, B760, Z690, etc (W680 is probably just the same chipset as the Z690 with a different BIOS, though).

 

[coercitiv]

I think at this point it can go either way, with the big kahuna SKU getting a place with Z-series, W-series or both.

Let's not forget Intel made Kaby Lake X. It's purely a business decision.

 

[inquiss]

If earlier reports are true and you can disable LPE/E/P cores then its attractive for those who own multiple pc for different tasks, some people have home server which use sub 10W, Gaming pc, Workstation etc. so think of it as 3 different CPU in one machine than a 52C CPU to use all core at same time.

That's not a real market though. I can't imagine how many layers of niche that is! Not saying people don't, just like you'd obviously never design a strategy for a product around that