Wednesday, August 19th 2026

Intel Core Ultra 9 4950K Could Signal New Naming Scheme for "Nova Lake-S"

by
AleksandarK
 Discuss (58 Comments)
Intel's upcoming desktop CPU generation, part of the "Nova Lake-S" processor family, might adopt a new naming convention that returns to a four-digit format, unlike the current three-digit format used in the "Arrow Lake" family. According to a leaked CPU-Z submission, Intel's Core Ultra 9 4950K has been identified as a 28-core "Nova Lake-S" desktop chip. It features 8 "Coyote Cove" P-Cores, 16 "Arctic Wolf" E-Cores, and 4 LPE-Cores. This chip was tested on an unknown Z990 high-end overclocking platform, where it achieved over 1,000 points in single-core CPU-Z rankings and exceeded 20,000 points in multicore performance. This performance surpasses any consumer-focused desktop CPU currently available.

Despite this information, it's still uncertain if the naming convention is final. Intel is testing many SKUs for "Nova Lake-S," and a four-digit naming could be necessary due to the numerous SKUs and configurations. Some leakers, like Golden Pig Upgrade and Gotou_3rd, have suggested that the four-digit naming is a possibility, leaving room for speculation. Interestingly, qualification samples for NVL-S have not yet started shipping, but we can expect these shipments in the coming weeks, before manufacturers and motherboard makers begin integrating the latest CPU generation into their products.
Just days ago, Intel was spotted testing two SKUs—a 24-core model running at 3.4 GHz and a 28-core model running at 3.2 GHz—both featuring AVX-512 and APX instruction support. This aligns with the 28-core model we are seeing today. The 28-core "Nova Lake-S" DS version, a new SKU segment, is expected to launch in Q1 of 2027. For the regular overclocking-focused "K" SKUs, Intel reportedly plans an early Q2 launch between March and April, while the 52-core flagship SKU is expected to appear in late May.
Sources: LC Tech Leaks, via VideoCardz

Related News

Add your own comment

58 Comments on Intel Core Ultra 9 4950K Could Signal New Naming Scheme for "Nova Lake-S"

#27
wNotyarD
lexluthermiester@ Intel
The Core i5-4590K would like to have a word about your naming scheme..
SiliconSeraphRight? Like my first reaction was "wait, hasn't this tag been done before in like, 2014?". :laugh:
Actually, there wasn't a i5-4590K. There was the Haswell i5-4590 and the Devil's Canyon 4690K.

Still, why reestablish the sequence with 3 digits for Core Ultra only to mess it up out of the blue?
Posted on Reply
#28
lexluthermiester
wNotyarDActually, there wasn't a i5-4590K. There was the Haswell i5-4590 and the Devil's Canyon 4690K.

Still, why reestablish the sequence with 3 digits for Core Ultra only to mess it up out of the blue?
Had to look that up. You're right, the i5 "K" version was the 4690K. Still, there was an i5-4590 and the new model is a janky low effort naming scheme.
Posted on Reply
#29
wNotyarD
lexluthermiesterHad to look that up. You're right, the i5 "K" version was the 4690K. Still, there was an i5-4590 and the new model is a janky low effort naming scheme.
Had to research as well, because I could swear there was a 4590K. For all that it's worth, there's also the 4670K.
Posted on Reply
#30
lexluthermiester
wNotyarDHad to research as well, because I could swear there was a 4590K. For all that it's worth, there's also the 4670K.
Yeah, there is the i5-4590, i5-4590S and i5-4590T.
Posted on Reply
#31
EsaT
MufasaVThen you have the overclocked and power limited SKUs, then the exact same again for BLLC unlocked and the one power limited SKU to go with the 1 tile and 2 tile differentiation for them.
Just add letter or two for that information.
Lot simpler than adding more numbers.
Posted on Reply
#32
Bigshrimp
I am not even excited about new CPU releases. All the wind has left the sails and to me the boat is just drifting endlessly to never reach shore again. If no one can afford the new CPUs because of how expensive everything is, than who really would care at that point? Maybe big businesses, since they can buy pallets of the shit for billions of Monopoly Money that they conjure out of thin air at a moment's notice, lol.
Posted on Reply
#33
kondamin
BigshrimpI am not even excited about new CPU releases. All the wind has left the sails and to me the boat is just drifting endlessly to never reach shore again. If no one can afford the new CPUs because of how expensive everything is, than who really would care at that point? Maybe big businesses, since they can buy pallets of the shit for billions of Monopoly Money that they conjure out of thin air at a moment's notice, lol.
That isn't going to last, I would be surprised much of the doom and gloom is going to last trough next summer.
(to be replaced with a serious economic headache)
Posted on Reply
#34
Bigshrimp
kondaminThat isn't going to last, I would be surprised much of the doom and gloom is going to last trough next summer.
(to be replaced with a serious economic headache)
I hope you are right. A lot of issues in the world are escalating and the Strait of Hormuz is still closed. If that doesn't open eventually, it's going to cause more economic pain than what we are normally used to by a huge degree. China has made it clear that it wants control of Taiwan (taken by force or other means) and we just moved our George Washington carrier out of Asia and moved it to the Middle East. NK seems to be gearing up to possibly take some kind of action against SK, hopefully not of course. If those things happen, electronics will be the least of our concerns.
Posted on Reply
#35
Hecate91
BigshrimpI am not even excited about new CPU releases. All the wind has left the sails and to me the boat is just drifting endlessly to never reach shore again. If no one can afford the new CPUs because of how expensive everything is, than who really would care at that point? Maybe big businesses, since they can buy pallets of the shit for billions of Monopoly Money that they conjure out of thin air at a moment's notice, lol.
I can't get excited at new CPU's with the cost of everything else gone out of control, motherboards are expected to be 40-50% more expensive, monitors are going up too.
The insane artificial shortages might not last after a few more years, but I wonder how many companies will be left after the computerpocalypse.
Though Intel needs to come up with a new naming scheme, recycling their naming from 2014 is kinda dumb.
Posted on Reply
#36
Bigshrimp
Hecate91I can't get excited at new CPU's with the cost of everything else gone out of control, motherboards are expected to be 40-50% more expensive, monitors are going up too.
The insane artificial shortages might not last after a few more years, but I wonder how many companies will be left after the computerpocalypse.
Though Intel needs to come up with a new naming scheme, recycling their naming from 2014 is kinda dumb.
Sharks will eat the fish and the only thing left will be the sharks. That's how I see the future of what companies will be left. Nvidia/Microsoft/Amazon will probably buy up Intel and AMD if they go under or something similar (like a bubble pop?) and just be the biggest shark ever, ready to eat all the little fish. It's all about the money funnel now, and not much else.
Posted on Reply
#37
yfn_ratchet
No, no, stop! I don't wanna go back to Haswell! Please! Anything but that!

At this point, start throwing in Roman numerals. Imagine: Intel Core Ultra IV-9K...
Posted on Reply
#38
mechtech
hmmmmmm

what's in a name?? ;)
Posted on Reply
#39
AusWolf
DubiopolisThe Core Ultra 9 4590K is a re-use of the Core i7 4590 from 2014. Looks like Intel is bringing their old naming scheme back.
It could also just be a special edition, like the 8086K.
Posted on Reply
#40
A Computer Guy
freeagent-1 for lack of creativity.

You would think these big pulsing brains could think of a cool name instead of reaching into a box of recyclables.
Could be worse. They could call it "Dual Edition" for no apparent reason after putting 2 at the end of the model number.
Posted on Reply
#41
ThomasK
A Computer GuyCould be worse. They could call it "Dual Edition" for no apparent reason after putting 2 at the end of the model number.
Intel has the core ultra x9 already!

Sadly you don't get 9 times anything. Amd at least sells you twice the cache.
Posted on Reply
#42
Ihnako
Didn’t Intel already have a two-tiered market segmentation into ‘Professional’ and ‘Cash Cows’?
I mean, from Xenon and Pentium right up to Core...?
Posted on Reply
#43
Wirko
mrnagantFirst two digits = generation, 3rd digit multiple of 2 for P cores, 4th digit multiple of 4 for E cores, and 5th digit multiple of 2 + 2 for LE cores.

Intel - 16420 (18 cores)

16 - gen
4 - 8P cores
2 - 8E cores
0 - 2LE cores

Intel - 17651 (36 cores)

17 - gen
6 - 12P cores
5 - 20E cores
1 - 4LE cores

Intel - 18820 (26 cores)
18 - gen
8 - 16P cores
2 - 8E cores
0 - 2LE cores

I solved the problem. Problem solved. I will be billing my consultation fee to Intel.
But you can't patent or copyright it because AMD already has that. A decoder ring. A new one every three months or so, actually. And the one used for Epyc is really consistent and long lasting.
kondaminbetter naming scheme
4 consumer chips
  • Intel 2026 Great
  • intel 2026 Good
  • intel 2026 ok
  • intel 2026 meh
And four would be enough, provided that you could buy the "K" separately as DLC.
Posted on Reply
#44
Grimling
I think they should generally adopt the Futhark Viking runic alphabet for the naming of CPUs!
So Intel could name this one: "ᚾᚢᛁᛏᛁᛅ ᛋᚢᚴᛋ"
Very easy to read, very easy to understand, and it looks very cool!
What do u guys think about that?
Posted on Reply
#45
JustBenching
john_Everyone is coping Nvidia's naming. Or is it AMD's naming?

Intel with the Ultra tried to copy Apple's naming. Now with the 4950 tries to copy Nvidia's or AMD's naming. With AMD in the past coping Intel's 3,5,7,9 numbers.
Huh? This is intels 15 year old cpus naming scheme.
BigshrimpI am not even excited about new CPU releases. All the wind has left the sails and to me the boat is just drifting endlessly to never reach shore again. If no one can afford the new CPUs because of how expensive everything is, than who really would care at that point? Maybe big businesses, since they can buy pallets of the shit for billions of Monopoly Money that they conjure out of thin air at a moment's notice, lol.
Well some people already have ram (like me) so I just need a cpu mobo. Very interested in the 52 core part.
Posted on Reply
#46
kondamin
WirkoBut you can't patent or copyright it because AMD already has that. A decoder ring. A new one every three months or so, actually. And the one used for Epyc is really consistent and long lasting.


And four would be enough, provided that you could buy the "K" separately as DLC.
Nah the K would be an m.2 module that has a couple of random electronics on it that send a signal it’s ok to clock a bit higher.
This would be to incentivise people to buy the more expensive motherboard with more pcie lanes
Posted on Reply
#47
Prima.Vera
Dr. DroCome on Intel don't pass up on calling it a 486DX :D
You mean 486 DX2000 or is it 486 DX4000 ?? It cannot be 486 DX4590
mrnagantFirst two digits = generation, 3rd digit multiple of 2 for P cores, 4th digit multiple of 4 for E cores, and 5th digit multiple of 2 + 2 for LE cores.

Intel - 16420 (18 cores)

16 - gen
4 - 8P cores
2 - 8E cores
0 - 2LE cores

Intel - 17651 (36 cores)

17 - gen
6 - 12P cores
5 - 20E cores
1 - 4LE cores

Intel - 18820 (26 cores)
18 - gen
8 - 16P cores
2 - 8E cores
0 - 2LE cores

I solved the problem. Problem solved. I will be billing my consultation fee to Intel.
Now do the Xeon naming schemes.
Posted on Reply
#48
TheinsanegamerN
I don't know why I expected otherwise, but why is it when a new CPU is coming out, on a new updated arch, everyone has a collective crash out over a name?
Hecate91I can't get excited at new CPU's with the cost of everything else gone out of control, motherboards are expected to be 40-50% more expensive, monitors are going up too.
The insane artificial shortages might not last after a few more years, but I wonder how many companies will be left after the computerpocalypse.
Though Intel needs to come up with a new naming scheme, recycling their naming from 2014 is kinda dumb.
The market will be fine, just like it was fine in 2023, and 2015, and 2012, and so on.
Posted on Reply
#49
AsuDesk
_roman_well intel made a mess out of the names

is this now 17 or 18th generation of intel core?

performance wise they are stuck most likely in the 14th generation

I will see at the product relesae and after 2 yeras if intel has full aVX 512 wiht big register support, or only the half baked one.
Pre Release statements of intel are worthless as intel is changing the specs on the fly silently.

Years after Years since the 12th intel core generation, there is sitll no proper support in any operating system for htose mixed cores. And if, that software was written for two different cpu types, now we have 3 different cpu cores wiht different instruciton sets. for windows it does not matter as those usual binaries are stuck in year 2006 in regards of cpu instrucitons.
most ohter software is stuck, which is not windows, around 4 - 8 years ago.

A hard fact, see the pre release or release notes for e.g. linux kernel version 7.2 and the upcoming in development 7.3
I always see code in regards of scheduler and those mixed intel cores.
they're on their 17th gen technically once nova lake releases. This will be full baked AVX512 support on all the cores because of APX being included in the E cores and P cores. With the 3 different types its just still 2 types of cores its just the LPe cores are locked down lower clocked e cores.
Posted on Reply
#50
Hecate91
TheinsanegamerNThe market will be fine, just like it was fine in 2023, and 2015, and 2012, and so on.
The market will be in this instance, not regular users, the market being companies only selling to the AI circular investment.
But as usual you're comparing something going on which is much worse than what happened with past shortages.
Posted on Reply
Add your own comment
Nov 12th, 2026 06:33 PST change timezone

Latest GPU Drivers

New Forum Posts

Popular Reviews

TPU on YouTube

Controversial News Posts