A new Intel Nova Lake iGPU claim from hardware leaker Jaykihn says one upcoming desktop SKU may need a separate 65W-level power-delivery segment to run its integrated graphics at full speed. If accurate, that would put an unusual amount of motherboard power budget behind graphics built into a desktop CPU, rather than a discrete GPU.
Jaykihn described the information as preliminary and said the part is the only Nova Lake-S segment requiring two VCCGT phases. In plain terms, VCCGT is the power rail used for the graphics portion of the chip. More phases give the motherboard voltage regulation hardware more capacity to feed that graphics tile without leaning on the CPU core power phases.
The chip in question is said to be a 16-core Nova Lake-S part with 8 performance cores, 4 efficiency cores and 4 low-power efficiency cores. Its integrated GPU is claimed to carry 12 Xe3P cores.
What would a 65W Intel Nova Lake iGPU mean?
A 65W graphics-only power segment would mean the integrated GPU gets a power envelope in the same ballpark as some complete desktop APUs, at least on paper. The comparison is awkward, because AMD’s Ryzen G-series desktop APUs are usually described as 65W chips for the whole processor package, while Jaykihn’s claim concerns power delivery for the graphics portion alone.
The leak does not establish real-world performance, clocks, die size, memory behavior or product branding. It points to electrical requirements, which are one part of the design. Treat any performance conclusion as provisional until Intel confirms the SKU and reviewers can test shipping silicon.
The graphics block is said to use Xe3P cores. The reported architecture sits beyond Intel’s Panther Lake graphics, where top-end SKUs are described as using an Arc B390 iGPU with 12 Xe3 cores. The claim therefore suggests Intel may be preparing a desktop part with comparable core count and more desktop-class power and thermal headroom.
How Nova Lake-S is rumored to scale
Other rumored Nova Lake-S configurations cited alongside the leak include higher-core-count desktop chips: dual-tile 52-core and 44-core models listed at 175W, 28-core and 24-core models listed at 125W, and smaller 65W or 35W parts. Some versions are also associated with large bLLC amounts, including 288MB on the 52-core configuration and 264MB on the 44-core configuration.
The reported 16-core part tied to the stronger iGPU is separate from a lower 16-core configuration listed as 4 performance cores, 8 efficiency cores and 4 low-power efficiency cores. The claimed 12 Xe3P graphics setup is attached to the 8+4+4 configuration, according to Jaykihn’s post.
The power-delivery detail matters for motherboard makers. A traditional desktop rail split would have the board’s voltage regulators feed the graphics tile through VCCGT while CPU cores draw from VCCCore. Jaykihn’s claim that one VCCGT phase would not be enough implies board requirements could vary by SKU, which is exactly the sort of annoying footnote that becomes expensive if vendors miss it.
None of this is confirmed by Intel. Reports cited around the same leak place both AMD and Intel next-generation launches at CES 2027 rather than later this year, leaving plenty of time for SKU lists, power targets and board requirements to change before launch.
This story draws on original reporting from Tom's Hardware.
