The AI Race is Coming to the Desktop
The competition to build the most powerful Core Ultra 400 AI processor isn’t just happening in data centers; it’s headed straight for your desktop PC. According to a new leak from a known hardware insider, Intel’s future “Nova Lake-S” desktop processors are poised to deliver a gigantic generational leap in AI performance, thanks to a new, more powerful Neural Processing Unit (NPU).
The leak, shared by Jaykihn on X (formerly Twitter), claims that Nova Lake-S will jump directly to a sixth-generation NPU, skipping the fifth generation entirely. This NPU6 is reportedly targeted to deliver a staggering 74 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second) of AI compute power.
A 5x Speed Boost for Local AI Tasks
To understand the significance of this number, it’s helpful to compare it to today’s technology. Intel’s current Arrow Lake desktop CPUs feature an NPU3 that delivers approximately 13 TOPS. The leap to 74 TOPS in Nova Lake-S would represent a 5.6x increase in raw AI performance.
NVL-S ships with NPU6 at 74 TOPS, a three-generation uplift from the 13 TOPS of ARL-S.
— Jaykihn (@jaykihn0) November 24, 2025
The iGPU is comprised of 2 Xe3-LPG cores, a regression in core count from the 4 in ARL-S.
This massive boost means future desktop PCs will be capable of handling complex AI tasks locally that today might require an internet connection to a cloud server. This could include everything from real-time video editing with AI effects and advanced noise cancellation to powerful, offline AI assistants and accelerated creative software features.
Integrated Graphics and the Bigger Picture
The leak also provides an update on the integrated graphics front. It suggests Nova Lake-S will use the Xe3-LPG architecture with a 2-core configuration. While this may sound like a downgrade from the 4-core design in some current chips, the newer architecture is expected to be significantly more efficient and powerful per core.
Also, Read
- Intel’s next-gen Arc B390 “Panther Lake” has been spotted in benchmarks
- Intel Slashes Prices on Latest Core Ultra Desktop CPUs for Black Friday
- A $10,000 NVIDIA GPU Becomes a “Paperweight” After Simple Physical Break
This information, combined with the NPU details, paints a picture of Intel’s strategy. The company is rapidly advancing its AI hardware, with each new generation bringing substantial performance gains. After introducing NPU3 in Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake, and NPU4/5 in Lunar and Panther Lake for mobile, Nova Lake-S will bring a top-tier NPU to the desktop, ensuring that AI becomes a central, powerful feature across all computing form factors.
Source: