Intel Nova Lake-H mobile processor leak reveals a compact six-tile Core Ultra 4000H design
Intel’s next generation of mobile processors is starting to take shape, and a newly surfaced image appears to offer an early look at a Nova Lake-H chip believed to belong to the upcoming Core Ultra 4000H lineup. The image gives hardware enthusiasts a closer view of Intel’s evolving tile-based design, showing a compact package that may be more complex than current Panther Lake mobile processors.
The leaked processor appears to use a modular six-tile layout, continuing Intel’s strategy of dividing major chip functions across separate blocks rather than relying on a single monolithic die. This design reportedly includes dedicated tiles for compute, graphics, hub/SoC functions, and peripheral control, along with two passive tiles that help complete the package and provide structural support.
One of the most interesting details is the reported size of the compute tile. Early analysis suggests that Nova Lake-H uses a relatively small compute tile measuring around 55 mm². Despite its compact size, this tile is expected to carry four Performance cores and eight Efficiency cores. In addition, the processor may include four Low-Power Efficiency cores positioned on the Hub/SoC tile, allowing the chip to better manage lighter background tasks while improving power efficiency.
The Hub/SoC tile is said to measure roughly 72 mm² and may be manufactured using Intel’s 18A-P process. This tile sits beside the Peripheral Controller Tile, which is also reportedly built on Intel 18A-P and measures approximately 58 mm². Together, these components are expected to handle key platform functions and connectivity features.
The compute tile, meanwhile, is rumored to be produced by TSMC using its advanced N2P process. If accurate, this would highlight Intel’s continued use of multiple manufacturing technologies across a single processor package, allowing the company to choose the most suitable node for each part of the chip.
The graphics portion of the Nova Lake-H design is also drawing attention. The leaked information suggests that the Graphics Tile may include four Xe3 GPU cores and measure around 26 mm². It is reportedly manufactured using Intel 3-E. While this appears to be a modest integrated graphics configuration, the tile-based approach could allow Intel to swap in a larger graphics tile for higher-performance models. That flexibility may help Intel offer several Nova Lake mobile variants across different laptop categories, from thin-and-light systems to more powerful performance notebooks.
Nova Lake-HX, the higher-end version aimed at enthusiast laptops and mobile workstations, is expected to use a stronger 8 Performance core and 16 Efficiency core configuration. Its compute tile may be significantly larger at around 104 mm², while still retaining the same six-tile layout. The package size is also expected to increase, with Nova Lake-HX reportedly measuring 12 x 30 mm compared to 12 x 23 mm for Nova Lake-H.
If these early details prove accurate, Intel Nova Lake-H could represent a major step in the company’s mobile CPU roadmap. The combination of a compact package, multiple specialized tiles, new manufacturing processes, and scalable graphics options suggests Intel is preparing a flexible platform designed for a wide range of laptops.
For users, the potential benefits could include improved efficiency, stronger multi-core performance, better integrated graphics options, and more varied laptop designs. While Intel has not officially confirmed the final specifications, this early look at the Core Ultra 4000H family gives a promising glimpse of what the next wave of Intel mobile processors may bring.
