Intel is actively preparing Nova Lake, its next-generation desktop processors. According to the latest rumors, these processors are expected to be unveiled at CES 2027 next January. But in the last few hours, a potential Core Ultra 9 4950K has been making headlines. The information comes from a leaker who’s been particularly active regarding Intel’s next-generation components…
A Core Ultra 9 4950K (Partially) Shows Off Its Muscle
A mysterious Intel Core Ultra 9 4950K is reportedly currently in the testing phase. This chip appears to be a high-end model intended for future motherboards equipped with the Z990 chipset. It is said to use the new LGA 1954 platform, while its “K” suffix logically indicates an unlocked multiplier, suggesting it’s geared toward high-performance setups and overclocking.
Let’s start by discussing the surprises and questions (since, of course, this leak should be taken with a grain of salt). Could “Core Ultra 9 4950K” really be the final name this processor will carry when it hits the market? The first thing we notice, in fact, is the naming convention. After the Core Ultra 9 285K and its three-digit model number, Intel would thus move to four digits with Nova Lake.
Several specialized sources seem to consider this naming scheme credible, even if the 4950K model is not yet considered final. But let’s get back to the model in question. This 4950K is said to be equipped with 28 cores, divided into 8 P-cores and 20 E-cores. More specifically, the available information mentions 8 P-cores, 16 E-cores, and 4 LP-E cores. If you’re reading this, you know we’re eagerly awaiting Nova Lake, as this generation promises to be a major evolution of Intel’s desktop lineup. Nevertheless, the technical specifications of the Core Ultra 9 4950K are still largely based on cross-referenced leaks. They should therefore be taken with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, the initial details do allow us to paint a fairly accurate picture of this version of Nova Lake-S.
The first CPU-Z result is particularly interesting. Assuming the screenshot is accurate, we’re looking at approximately 1,000 points in single-thread and 20,000 points in multi-thread. By way of comparison, the Core Ultra 9 285K scores approximately 890 points and 18,428 points, compared to 869 and 17,005 points for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. If these results are genuine, the performance gain would already be significant, even though the chip being tested is still an engineering sample. But as we’ve been saying since the beginning of this article, it’s important to take these results with a grain of salt.
Also keep in mind that Intel is reportedly preparing a much broader lineup, featuring models with two compute dies capable of up to 44 or 52 cores, as well as variants equipped with 144 to 288 MB of bLLC. So we shouldn’t automatically attribute these specifications to the 4950K presented here. In the meantime, Nova Lake is likely to be the main attraction on the market in early 2027… And frankly, we can’t wait.intel
