A shocking new leak has surfaced regarding the power requirements of Intel’s next-generation desktop processors. According to reliable hardware leakers, the flagship unlocked “K-series” variant of the upcoming Core Ultra 400 “Nova Lake-S” CPU could draw over 700 watts of power at maximum load. This staggering figure, more than double the peak power of some current high-end chips, would represent a new frontier in desktop computing performance and thermal design, posing significant challenges for cooling systems and power supplies.
The leak provides an early glimpse into the extreme engineering behind Intel’s forthcoming architecture, which is rumored to pack a massive 52-core configuration onto a consumer desktop platform.
Understanding the “Over 700W” Claim: The PL4 Power State
The specific power figure relates to PL4 (Power Level 4), Intel’s highest defined power rating for burst performance under extreme workloads. It is not a constant consumption level like the base TDP (Thermal Design Power), but a peak the CPU can hit for short periods.
For context, the peak PL4 power for Intel’s current Core Ultra 9 285K is reportedly around 490W. The rumored 700W+ figure for the top Nova Lake-S model would be a monumental increase, driven by its radically different core configuration.
Intel CPUs
The Engine Behind the Power: A 52-Core Beast
The astronomical power draw is a direct consequence of the chip’s rumored specifications. The leak points to a dual-tile configuration combining:
- 16 Performance Cores (P-cores)
- 32 Efficiency Cores (E-cores)
- 4 Low-Power Efficiency Cores (LP E-cores)
This 52-core total is designed to deliver unparalleled multi-threaded performance for content creation, rendering, and heavily parallelized workloads. However, unleashing all these cores simultaneously requires an immense amount of electrical power, which is converted into heat that must be dissipated.
Implications for Enthusiasts and PC Builders
If accurate, this leak has serious ramifications for the high-end PC market:
- Cooling Revolution Required: Dissipating 700W of heat would necessitate a new class of cooling solutions. Even the most powerful 360mm all-in-one liquid coolers and high-end air coolers are designed for roughly half that thermal load. Phase-change or custom loop cooling might become a necessity for the flagship chip.
- Power Supply Demands: A system with a 700W CPU would require a colossal power supply, especially when paired with a high-end GPU that itself can draw 450-500W. A reliable 1200W or even 1600W PSU would become a baseline for such builds.
- Platform Changes: The new LGA-1954 socket for Nova Lake-S will need a robust power delivery design (VRM) on motherboards to handle these currents without overheating.
The leak also contained notes on stricter thermal management, with indications that thermal throttling cannot be disabled and temperature reporting will be more granular, suggesting Intel is implementing hard safeguards for this incredibly hot chip.
Also, Read
- Intel Won’t Chase AMD’s “Strix Halo” Super APU, Criticizes Its Efficiency
- Intel Arc Pro B70 Specs Leak – 32 Xe2 Cores, 32GB VRAM, But Gaming Variant Reportedly On Hold
- Intel’s Core Ultra 9 290K Plus Leaks Again, Now Showing 10% Higher Performance
While Intel has confirmed Nova Lake for a late 2026 launch, it has not specified desktop timing or commented on these power claims. For enthusiasts, this signals that the pursuit of ultimate performance is entering a new, ultra-high-power era that will test the limits of desktop infrastructure.
Source: Jaykihn, kopite7kimi