Pre-production samples of Intel's Nova Lake-S desktop processors recently appeared in the PassMark PerformanceTest 11.1 database. The test records include a 28-core sample reportedly capable of reaching a maximum boost frequency of 4.8 GHz, along with several 8-core versions. The 28-core sample achieved a single-thread score of 5,210, surpassing many existing flagship processors.
For comparison, the single-thread scores for the Core Ultra 9 285K, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and Core i9-14900KF are 5,059, 4,805, and 4,635 points, respectively. An 8-core Nova Lake-S sample labeled at 4.8 GHz also slightly exceeded the Core Ultra 9 285K.
Several test platforms equipped with Nova Lake-S processors have appeared in the PassMark PerformanceTest 11.1 database. Some models feature 28 cores with a maximum boost frequency of 4.8GHz, while others are 8-core versions.
In single-core tests, a 28-core Nova Lake processor scored 5,210 points. For comparison, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K scored 5,059 points, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D scored 4,805 points, and the Intel Core i9-14900KF scored 4,635 points. Another 8-core Nova Lake processor with the same 4.8GHz boost frequency also achieved a slightly higher single-core score than the Core Ultra 9 285K.
If we further consider CPU operating frequency, Nova Lake's performance looks even more impressive. Calculated at a boost frequency of 4.8GHz, this 28-core processor achieves approximately 1,085 points per GHz, about 15% higher than the Core Ultra 9 285K and about 29% higher than the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
However, this comparison is not entirely rigorous. AMD processors use officially published maximum boost frequencies, while the actual operating frequencies during testing were not provided. Therefore, we cannot conclude solely based on this data that Nova Lake's architectural efficiency is necessarily so much higher.
In comparison, Nova Lake's multi-core performance is less impressive. The 28-core version scored around 61,000 points in multi-core tests, only slightly higher than the Core i9-14900KF, but significantly behind the Core Ultra 9 285K and Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
The 8-core version also performed poorly. Despite having the same number of cores, its multi-core score still lagged significantly behind the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D. This could be due to lower actual operating frequencies under multi-core loads, or because relevant software and drivers have not yet been fully optimized.
Overall, these benchmark results only give us an early glimpse into Nova Lake's potential and do not represent the actual performance of final retail versions. After all, these processors are still in the testing phase, and factors such as frequency, hardware configuration, and software optimization may vary between different samples.
According to current reports, Intel is expected to launch Nova Lake-S desktop processors in the first quarter of 2027, with initial models reportedly offering up to 28 cores. Additionally, some models may feature significantly increased L3 cache to challenge AMD's X3D series processors, which focus on gaming performance.