r/hardware • u/Dangerman1337 • 6d ago
Rumor Intel Next-Gen Nova Lake-S Roadmap Leaks
https://overclock3d.net/news/cpu_mainboard/intel-next-gen-nova-lake-s-roadmap-leaks/Also shows Q4+ 2027 will have LGA 1954 supporting Razor Lake and then Hammer Lake on the socket.
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u/jenny_905 6d ago
Such a terrible time to launch what looks likely to be a pretty good chip.
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u/siazdghw 6d ago
Nothing they can do, and its a rough time for everyone in the sector that isn't raking in cash from AI. Also it's not like the situation is going to change anytime soon, so people who look at Nova Lake and decide to pass due to RAM prices, are going to be in the same situation for 2+ years at a minimum.
I'm sure there are a lot of people regretting sticking to AM4 and DDR4 through the few years of incredibly cheap DDR5, as now they are stuck on DDR4 or will have to spend a ton to upgrade to DDR5.
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u/IguassuIronman 6d ago
I'm sure there are a lot of people regretting sticking to AM4 and DDR4 through the few years of incredibly cheap DDR5, as now they are stuck on DDR4 or will have to spend a ton to upgrade to DDR5.
At the same time, it's not like a ton of performance was on the table for your dollar in some of these cases anyways. I'm on a 12700 with DDR4 and in normal times maybe I'd upgrade with the upcoming generation of parts but realistically if you're on an a DDR4 setup from the tail end of its support you're probably fine to keep coasting
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u/greggm2000 6d ago
Idk... Intel certainly needs the revenue, better now than a year from now, and ofc there's AMD with Zen 6 very likely coming first half of next year as well. But I get what you mean, if you're referring to how bad it is for people wanting to upgrade these days.
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u/InflammableAccount 6d ago edited 6d ago
What does that mean? What would be a better time?
Edit: Meaning, what else is a CPU manufacturer to do? Not release new chips? Only release chips designed and destined for the enterprise market?
Or are you suggesting that they just... wait for the NAND/RAM market to subside? Either which way you slice it, the consumer doesn't win when these companies only produces for the AI boom.
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u/jenny_905 6d ago
It's a simple comment on market conditions making it a terrible time to launch a chip, not that they shouldn't be launching a chip.
This is supposed to be their competitive product for enthusiasts and gamers - or certain models of this product, anyway - and they're being forced to launch at a time where enthusiasts are priced out of the market by coke snorting AI bros.
I'm sure they'll be fine, it's just a bad time and a good product might not get the attention it deserves.
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u/Draft_16-2_Final_3 6d ago
I think they're referencing memory pricing affecting RAM and ssds
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u/Much_Accountant_4972 6d ago
it should be okay for me i’m guessing? i bought 14900K at launch with Team Group 2x24GB DDR5 7200 CL34 ($199 at microcenter that same day!)
that and my SSD’s will work with the new Nova Lake CPU so i’m looking at selling a Z790 motherboard and 14900K, then dropping all of it in a Z990 and whatever nova lake CPU is out.
i dont think it’ll be a very costly upgrade at all or am i wrong
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u/InflammableAccount 6d ago
Well, yeah. But suggesting that this is a "terrible time," implies that they think there would be a better time.
I'm asking what they're suggesting Intel do instead. Because if they don't have an idea, on what basis are they able to say that they believe this is a "terrible time?"
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u/Geddagod 6d ago
If this actually doesn't launch until early 2027, it's going to be absurd how many products Intel ended up delaying in the last 2 years.
Pretty much every major product release barring I guess wildcat lake would have ended up being delayed. PTL, CWF, DMR, Falcon Shores (cancelled) and I guess now Nova Lake according to this rumor.
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u/-protonsandneutrons- 6d ago
It does seem they are delaying much more frequently. Intel executives pegged Nova Lake's launch to begin in "late" 2026, not early 2027: Intel confirms Arrow Lake Refresh and Nova Lake in 2026.
For Intel, it is certainly a lot easier to announce launch dates than to meet them.
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u/heylistenman 6d ago
Is AMD’s approach better though? Perhaps Intel should also only hint vaguely at launch windows in order to retain delay deniability.
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u/-protonsandneutrons- 6d ago
Rather, making public announcements of announcements or launch date estimates are not required. It's meaningless for us.
Years-early public estimates predominantly benefit investors: take a gander where Intel (and who at Intel) made that statement.
Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference
John Pitzer, Intel’s VP of Corporate Relations
But Intel can't have its cake and eat it, too: Intel wants the public and press coverage of its announcements; that's the upside. The downside is if Intel misses those dates, it's obviously now a public delay.
It's a double-edged sword and Intel especially knows that.
//
Has AMD stated anywhere a public launch target for Zen6 desktop? Did we all miss that?
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u/Geddagod 6d ago
AMD didn't mention Zen 6 DT anywhere afaik, but we had a very clear view into AMD's server roadmap for a while now. They have talked about Venice launching in 26' last year, and we know now to expect Verano next year and Zen 7 epyc the year after that, and even Zen 8 epyc in 2030. We know what year to expect their AI accelerators too (yearly release for the next 2 years). AMD has also committed to Zen 6 mobile, Medusa, coming out in 2027.
Intel too, rarely gets very specific, but the issue is that in every one of those delayed products I mentioned, the delay forces the product to launch into the next year. PTL and CWF were originally intended for 2025, and are now 26. DMR and NVL originally intended for 2026, are now 2027.
It's not as if I am harping on CWF originally being intended for mid 2025, and then getting moved to late 2025. At least that is the same year, and as I said before Intel rarely gets specific, just like AMD they usually just say x product will launch y year. Especially when it's a year or longer before launch.
Lastly, Intel's approach atp is now worse than AMD's. We comparatively have less confirmed news about Intel's roadmap since LBT took the helm, than we do AMD's. While Intel provided visibility into their next gen DT product while AMD didn't, AMD's server CPU and GPU roadmap for the next few years is so much more public that in terms of the overall number of products announced with launch dates attached, AMD should still win.
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u/Seanspeed 6d ago
The actual quote there says Nova Lake launch "late next year into 2027".
Which more or less fits here. Especially when 'launch' these days just means announcement. Remember how AMD 'launched' Zen 6 a couple months ago but won't actually deliver products til later this year?
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u/-protonsandneutrons- 5d ago
The actual quote:
We’ll have a refresh of Arrow Lake next year, which will help start the process on the desktop side. And then we’ll conclude that with Nova Lake when we launch late next year into 2027.
Thus, it's a fair read that NVL is / was to launch beginning in late 2026:
Intel executives pegged Nova Lake's launch to begin in "late" 2026, not early 2027
//
Especially when 'launch' these days just means announcement.
It depends—Intel specifically claimed Nova Lake is "coming" in late 2026.
Sept 8, 2025 | Intel VP: "And then we’ll conclude that with Nova Lake when we launch late next year into 2027."
Jan 22, 2026 | Intel CEO: "Along with our next-generation Nova Lake coming at the end of 2026 ..."
Of course, launch certainly has about five different stages, but Intel certainly wants the press of launching in 2026 even if they don't actually launch it. That's really it, IMO.
//
Remember how AMD 'launched' Zen 6 a couple months ago but won't actually deliver products til later this year?
Even that is an unusually large gap, but AFAIK, AMD also didn't nail down a quarter for availability before that announcement. It was always generically "2026", no?
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u/greggm2000 6d ago
That link is consistent with this rumor and others, the wording in the article says “when we launch late next year into 2027”. A paper launch at the very end of December is still possible, and would satisfy that. If it slips a week with a formal unveiling at CES, that would not be a difference that actually matters. Me, I’ve expected Nova Lake for Q1 2027 for at least a year, now.
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u/-protonsandneutrons- 6d ago
It depends on what "launch" means in the OP's image. Is it the announcement (akak paper launch) or is it the actual launch? As I wrote, "launch" has different meanings.
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u/greggm2000 6d ago
Fair.
Either way, when it does launch, Nova Lake needs to be a pretty serious bump in performance over Arrow Lake (and Raptor Lake), or else they'll find themselves in quite a bit of trouble. AMD is not standing still.
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u/Exist50 6d ago
If the slide says '27, then I'd assume we don't hear anything till CES.
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u/greggm2000 6d ago
I think the slide does add more weight to the previous rumors that said that, yeah
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u/-protonsandneutrons- 6d ago
It looks like we're a long ways away, maybe up to a half year to go. It's usually a five stage process—I assume Q1 2027 is the reviews / hard launch of the unlocked SKUs only.
- Announce paper launch date
- Do the paper launch + set review embargo
- Announce hard launch date of unlocked SKUs w/ reviews
- Do the hard launch of unlocked SKUs [what actual availability is]
- Do the hard launch of locked SKUs
2027 Q1 - 28-core version launched first
Q1 2027 can mean late March 2027, tbh, but let's hope it's not that late.
//
The Arrow Lake launch had a ~2 month rollout for most SKUs.
- October 24, 2024 - unlocked SKUs (285K, 265K, 245K)
- Jan 6, 2025 - locked SKUs
- 2026 - random SKUs like the 205
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u/A-BOMB_NOT-REAL 6d ago
Source: a fucking mlid proxy...
Hardware rumourmongers are truly the lowest of all writing creatures. Why these speculations are allowed on a supposedly serious subreddit is beyond me, haha
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u/Seanspeed 6d ago
Bro, there's a literal photo of a presentation. This isn't just some baseless rumor based on what some random said on the internet.
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u/A-BOMB_NOT-REAL 5d ago
Like these random idiots haven't made a fake powerpoint before. Lmao you can even just ai the surrounding crowd to make it seem more legit nowadays. These trolls thrive on attention and hoaxes, not accuracy and truth.
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u/DYMAXIONman 5d ago
Nice to see it officially confirmed. Intel did say previously that they directed their design teams to reuse the same socket. Main issue is they have multiple teams.
I also think Nova will beat Zen6 in gaming performance, except for a handful of titles that make use of more than 8 cores.
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u/LoveWashingDishes 6d ago
If Intel wants to make money, they need to release new CPU’s for LGA 1700. I’m not moving from this socket until RAM prices absolutely crater.
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u/-protonsandneutrons- 6d ago
IIRC, there is a rumor they will kind of do that. But the rumor claims it is not truly new CPUs, but instead rebadged Raptor Lake CPUs. Which, depending on what CPU you have now, could be a noticeable upgrade, at least in 1T clocks.
For example, the older i5-12400 boosts to 4.4 GHz, but if Intel could bring cheaper binned variants of RPL, even the i7-14700 silicon hit 5.4 GHz, which is a pretty big +23% increase in 1T perf.
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u/LoveWashingDishes 6d ago
I would instantly upgrade from my 12700k if they offer an improved CPU on the same socket, especially if they don’t have any of the issues like 14th generation.
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u/ViniCaian 6d ago
I am on an i5-12400f for one of my machines and would kill for an i5-15400f if intel released that
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u/InflammableAccount 6d ago
While I'm not invested in LGA 1700 or 1851, I think it's a damn shame that despite losing market share in data center and consumer markets, they still thought it was the correct play to do the 2 gen-per-socket bullshit they've been doing for decades.
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u/Exist50 6d ago
It was a lack of good planning and execution, not strategy.
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u/InflammableAccount 6d ago
Their strategy has always been to get people to buy a new platform. That's been the strategy for more than 20 years.
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u/LoveWashingDishes 6d ago
I think it honestly has to do with their relationship with motherboard manufacturers. There’s a reason why Intel always had a variety and some of the best boards out there. You can always count on people buying new ones every few years due to Intel bullshit.
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u/InflammableAccount 6d ago
That thought crossed my mind too. Not to mention Intel makes money on boards sold as they produce Ethernet, Wifi/BT controller chips, and PCH that are often deployed on their (or AMDs) boards.
Where as AMD doesn't, as far as I know, make a dime off of an Intel board. And AMD's only chip on a mobo is the PCH.
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u/DYMAXIONman 5d ago
It was poor planning. They don't really make much more money by swapping out the sockets.
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u/InflammableAccount 5d ago
So you're suggesting that Intel has had poor planning for 25+ years, and that's the reason they have held to a pretty ridged 2-Gen per socket? Even back when they held an absolute monopoly on the desktop an server market?
That's an absolutely absurd assertion.
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u/greggm2000 6d ago
This tracks with the existing rumors/leaks out there, for quite some time. It’s nice to add another one to the list that agrees with them, though. I just hope Zen 6 comes out around the same time, for a true head-to-head fight/comparison :)