Intel's Nova Lake CPUs Leak: Big Cache to Rival AMD X3D

Are you ready for a CPU showdown? Intel is finally prepping its answer to AMD's X3D chips, and the latest leak has us pretty excited.

According to tech leaker Laurent's Choice on X, Intel's upcoming Nova Lake generation will use a 4000-series naming scheme under the Core Ultra brand. Three of these chips will be 'BFC' models featuring bLLC—that's 'big last-level cache'—which is Intel's take on AMD's 3D V-Cache. Games love cache, so this could be a big deal for framerates.

The top dog is rumored to be the Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC, with the lineup stretching down to the Core Ultra 5 4650KF. One standout is the Core Ultra 9 4900 BFC, which lacks a 'K' and runs at a lower 65W TDP (versus 125W for most others) but still packs the big cache. That could be perfect for small form factor gaming rigs or professional workloads.

Unlike AMD's 3D V-Cache, which is stacked on top or underneath the die, Intel's bLLC is said to be built right into the die. It's about time, too—AMD has had X3D chips since 2022, and Intel hasn't had a direct competitor until now.

Earlier rumors suggested some high-core Nova Lake chips could pull up to 700W, but those were for the big multi-tile models, not the mainstream Core Ultra parts. The latest leak shows most of these gaming-focused CPUs sticking to a 125W base TDP, similar to current-gen, with a likely 250W boost.

We're expecting these processors to launch at the start of next year, so the wait might not be too long. If you're building a new gaming PC, this could be worth holding out for.

What do you think? Will Intel's big cache gamble pay off against AMD's X3D dominance? Let us know in the comments!