A fresh Intel Nova Lake leak is turning heads, mainly because of one thing: cache. According to new details shared by well-known leaker Jaykihn, Intel’s upcoming Nova Lake desktop CPU lineup could deliver dramatically higher total cache than Intel’s current mainstream desktop offerings, and in some configurations, even exceed the cache figures associated with AMD’s newest Ryzen X3D-style chips.
The most attention-grabbing part of the leak is Intel’s rumored bLLC, short for “big last-level cache.” If this feature lands the way it’s being described, it positions select Nova Lake chips as direct rivals to AMD’s Ryzen X3D gaming favorites—processors that have become popular largely because extra cache can significantly improve performance in certain games.
Here’s what the leak suggests for tentative Nova Lake “Core Ultra 400” desktop SKUs, including core counts and total cache. (Core counts are listed as P-cores + E-cores + LP E-cores.)
If these numbers are accurate, Intel isn’t just tweaking cache—it’s potentially making it a major differentiator across multiple tiers. The flagship 52-core model reportedly tops out at a huge 288 MB of cache, with the 44-core chip not far behind at 264 MB. Those totals are especially noteworthy because they suggest Intel is willing to push cache far beyond what we typically see on standard desktop CPUs.
The leak also attempts to clarify naming. Reportedly, the 52-core flagship will be branded Core Ultra DX9 4xx, while the 44-core version becomes Core Ultra DX7 4xx. The 28-core and 24-core bLLC-enabled models may show up as Core Ultra D9 4xx and Core Ultra D7 4xx. Meanwhile, the 22-core model is said to skip the “D/DX” prefix entirely, despite including bLLC.
That naming strategy could create real confusion for shoppers. Intel buyers already watch for familiar suffix letters, and if “D” is now another key marker—especially one tied to a major performance feature like enlarged cache—choosing the right chip could become more complicated than it needs to be.
Power draw is also still unclear. There’s conflicting chatter about the TDP class for the DX chips, with one set of information pointing to higher power (around 175 W) while the table shared by Jaykihn implies a more modest starting point around 125 W. The same leak suggests the highest-tier Core Ultra 5 SKU may have up to 125 W of headroom, while a non-D/DX Core Ultra 9 model that still includes bLLC could be capped at 65 W.
For now, the big takeaway is simple: Intel Nova Lake may be shaping up as a cache-heavy desktop CPU generation, with multiple bLLC-equipped models aimed squarely at high-performance gaming and enthusiast workloads. But until Intel confirms specs, names, and power targets, treat these as early leak details that could change as the Nova Lake launch window gets closer.
