Intel's Big 12 Xe Core iGPU for "Nova Lake-S" Postponed to "Razor Lake

Intel's long-rumored "big iGPU" version of the upcoming "Nova Lake-S" desktop processor family might not materialize, according to well-known Intel leaker Jaykihn. Intel had been working on a desktop "Nova Lake-S" version with 12 Xe3P cores and a 16-core (4+8+4) CPU cluster, designed to provide enough graphics power for light gaming and 3D work using the integrated graphics solution. However, the future of this Intel APU is now uncertain, as it has reportedly been postponed to launch with the "Razor Lake" generation, which is set to debut a year after "Nova Lake." Considering that "Nova Lake" is still months away and this SKU has been moved to the next generation, it seems we are quite far from seeing a desktop APU from Intel capable of delivering excellent integrated graphics performance.

Previously, we reported that this specific "big APU" SKU could support DDR5-8000 memory through CSODIMM modules, with a Power Limit 2 (PL2) setting of about 40 W. This builds on earlier rumors that this integrated graphics solution would come with two VCCGT phases for up to 65 W of power. This SKU includes four P-Cores, eight E-Cores, and four LPE-Cores, along with 12 Xe3P GPU cores. This 4+8+4 CPU core and 12 GPU core configuration is one of the few processors where integrated graphics would require two VCCGT phases. In regular SKUs, VCCGT is a single-phase power rail for the integrated graphics inside the processor. However, it is now known that the PL2 setting will only use 40 W, with the 65 W threshold reserved for extreme scenarios like PL3, and the graphics processor's PL4 capped at that 65 W figure. The Xe3P features more microarchitectural changes compared to the Xe3 found in "Panther Lake." Read full story