Rumor mill: Intel is betting on large caches to boost performance in its next desktop lineup, and new details show that approach extending into the midrange. Those details come from a post by well-known Intel leaker Jaykihn, who says Intel is working on two Core Ultra 5 400S chips based on the upcoming Nova Lake-S platform. Both CPUs are described as 22-core designs built on a single compute tile, aimed at mainstream desktops, including gaming-focused rigs.
According to the post, each processor combines 6 "Coyote Cove" P-cores, 12 "Arctic Wolf" E-cores, and 4 LP-E cores. That mix suggests a design that balances compute throughput with background and low-power tasks, rather than just piling on more performance cores.
The standout detail in the updated specs is the cache. Intel is said to be attaching a large block of big Last Level Cache, or bLLC, to these chips.
The bLLC adds 108 MB on top of the standard cache, and the configuration can expose up to 144 MB of bLLC, according to the leak. The approach echoes AMD's X3D models, but the scale suggests Intel is pushing cache size even more aggressively in these particular midrange parts.
The aim is to keep more data on the chip and closer to the cores. In gaming and other latency-sensitive tasks, performance often depends less on raw core count and more on how quickly the CPU can access the data it needs from memory.
By building out bLLC, Intel is trying to reduce stalls and smooth out frame delivery, especially in titles that benefit from large working sets held in cache.
– Jaykihn (@jaykihn0) July 3, 2026
The two Core Ultra 5 models look almost identical, aside from power and overclocking. One is expected to ship as an unlocked 125 W part for users who want to push clocks higher. The other is a 65 W version with locked settings, aimed at standard desktops. Based on Jaykihn's report, there are no other meaningful differences between the two.
Higher up the stack, Nova Lake-S appears to be a much broader family. Other leaks point to configurations with up to 52 cores on the same platform, bringing workstation-like parallelism into what is nominally a consumer lineup.
That core scaling carries heavy power demands, with reports of peak power draw approaching the mid-400 W range for top-end, overclockable chips.
The platform around these processors is also changing to support the more demanding hardware. Intel's LGA-1954 socket, linked to Nova Lake-S, uses a dual-lever loading mechanism similar to what the company has used on its high-end desktop and workstation platforms.
With pin counts nearing 2,000, this kind of clamping system is meant to ensure stable contact and handle larger packages.
Some variants of Nova Lake-S are expected to go beyond a single compute tile and pair that layout with even more cache, potentially doubling bLLC for flagship models. Those high-end parts are likely to sit well above the Core Ultra 5 series, which instead brings the cache-first strategy into more accessible territory.
Intel has not confirmed any of this publicly, and timelines remain uncertain. Early indications suggest the first Nova Lake-S chips could arrive within the next few months, with the broader Core Ultra 400 family rolling out over a longer window.
Industry chatter still points to a CES cycle for some of the bigger announcements, though supply and component issues could shift those plans.
Intel Nova Lake-S midrange CPUs could be bringing AMD's X3D cache trick to more affordable chips
