Details have emerged about the integrated graphics on Intel's upcoming Nova Lake-S desktop processors, sourced from leaker Jaykihn and reported by TechPowerUp and Wccftech. The specific SKU in question pairs a 4 P-Core, 8 E-Core, 4 LP-E-Core CPU configuration (16 cores, 16 threads) with a 12-core Xe3P integrated GPU.
According to the leak, the Xe3P iGPU itself carries a Power Limit 2 (PL2) of about 40 W. TechPowerUp notes this iGPU also requires two dedicated VCCGT power phases, with a maximum GPU-side threshold of 65 W reserved for extreme scenarios such as PL3, and a PL4 cap set at that same 65 W figure. Wccftech's report adds that at the full chip level, this SKU has a base TDP/PL1 of 65 W and a full-chip PL2 of 154 W, which it says is close to the peak power of Intel's unlocked Core Ultra 5 (Series 2) chips; Wccftech suggests this points to a non-K branding for the part, since Intel's non-K Core Ultra 5 (Series 2) chips top out around 120 W.
Both outlets report that the iGPU's two-phase VCCGT power delivery is unusual, since most Intel SKUs use a single-phase rail for integrated graphics. Wccftech cites Jaykihn describing this power delivery segment as 'notable,' since iGPU performance is tied directly to it, and motherboards must have the correct VCCGT phase design to unlock the graphics chip's full potential — users are locked into one power-delivery segment without the option to go higher or lower.
On the cache side, both sources report that the 12-core Xe3P iGPU in Nova Lake will include 20 MB of L2 cache, a 25% increase over the 16 MB found in the 12-core Xe3 iGPU used in Panther Lake. TechPowerUp notes that while more L2 cache should help certain workloads, actual performance impact from the Xe3P architecture's changes is not yet known. Wccftech adds that additional Xe3P configurations are planned across desktop, mobile, and edge segments, including a dual 4-core Xe3P setup for some Nova Lake-H mobile SKUs.
TechPowerUp also outlines broader Nova Lake-S SKU plans: a single compute die can house up to 28 CPU cores, while a dual compute die version can scale to 52 cores, with the single-die variants expected to launch first. A 28-core 'Nova Lake-S DS' SKU is expected in Q1 2027, while overclocking-focused 'K' SKUs are reportedly targeted for an early Q2 2027 launch between March and April; the 16-core, 12-GPU-core chip described in the leak is expected to be part of the first wave of releases.
Wccftech frames the 12 Xe3P configuration as a direct challenge to AMD's Ryzen desktop APUs, which currently offer up to 8 RDNA 3.5 graphics cores, and points to Intel's recent Xe2 and Xe3 iGPU generations as evidence the company is closing the gap in integrated graphics performance. Both outlets note that Nova Lake is currently slated for an early 2027 launch.