Intel is gearing up to launch its enthusiast-class “AX” chips, set to debut with the Nova Lake-AX, designed to compete head-to-head with AMD’s Halo APUs.
The Nova Lake-AX system-on-a-chip (SoC) promises to deliver large CPU clusters paired with powerful integrated graphics units (iGPUs) and extensive cache architecture. Rumors circulated last year about Intel’s plans to introduce high-performance CPUs to rival AMD and Apple’s standout systems like the Strix Halo. Initially, these plans involved Arrow Lake-class products featuring a 6+8 core die coupled with a high-end “Xe2” iGPU and boosted by Adamantine cache. Although this plan was shelved, Intel’s ambition for a Halo-class product persisted.
According to insider sources, rather than Arrow Lake or Panther Lake, the Nova Lake series will introduce Intel’s Halo product. Slated for release next year, Nova Lake will offer a comprehensive range across both mobile and desktop platforms. While Panther Lake will focus on laptops and mobiles, Nova Lake is poised to serve broader segments.
Dubbed Nova Lake-AX, this product will occupy the “Enthusiast” segment. Although initially seen as a laptop-oriented product, there is potential for it to be adapted for desktops.
The Nova Lake-AX SoCs will harness Intel’s cutting-edge engineering capabilities, with a significant focus on the packaging technology, Foveros. This same technology will be pivotal for Intel’s upcoming “X3D-Like” CPU experiments within the Nova Lake series.
Standard Nova Lake CPUs are expected to feature up to 52 cores, with a combination of 16 performance cores based on the Coyote Cove architecture and 32 efficiency cores from the Arctic Wolf architecture, plus an additional four low-power efficiency cores. These configurations might remain in Nova Lake-AX, but we could see added cache dedicated to enhancing the iGPU.
The integrated graphics will utilize the Xe3 “Celestial” architecture and may incorporate over 12 Xe3 cores. Given AMD’s substantial RDNA 3.5 GPUs in the Strix Halo lineup, it’s conceivable that Intel could package 20 to 24 of these cores on a single tile. The anticipated high thermal design power (TDP) would suit high-performance platforms like AI workstations, mobile workstations, and gaming PCs.
While the Intel Nova Lake-AX lineup holds exciting prospects, official confirmation is still pending. These chips are not expected before 2026, with a more likely emergence by 2027. Meanwhile, Intel will continue to develop its standard “S,” “HX,” “H,” and “U” series Nova Lake CPUs. By then, AMD is expected to advance its Halo APUs with enhancements possibly rooted in the Zen 6 core architecture and RDNA 4 or UDNA graphics.
What do you think about Intel’s upcoming Nova Lake-AX chips?
