GoKawiilIntel confirms Nova Lake desktop chips will use 18A-P node, details coming at CES
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirmed on the Q3 2026 earnings call that Nova Lake desktop CPUs will be the first client chips built on the enhanced 18A-P process, with design wins expected to double those of Panther Lake at launch. Tan said more details will be shared at CES in January, while the company's CFO noted Intel is shifting some Panther Lake manufacturing capacity to produce more Granite Rapids data center chips instead.
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Prioritizing Granite Rapids capacity over Panther Lake suggests Intel sees stronger near-term demand or margins in server CPUs, which could affect availability of Panther Lake laptops in the near term. Tan's comments about Nova Lake's design win pace may be intended to reassure investors that Intel's foundry roadmap is on track after years of delays, though the exact node split between Intel's 18A-P and TSMC's N2P for different chip tiles remains unconfirmed.
- Nova Lake will be Intel's first client product on the 18A-P node, with CES 2026 reveal planned.
- Intel is diverting some Panther Lake production capacity to build more Granite Rapids server chips.
- 18A products, including popular Wildcat Lake chips, now account for a third of Intel's client CPU revenue.
Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Processor — While Nova Lake is still on the horizon, Intel's current flagship Core Ultra 9 285K already showcases the company's latest desktop architecture and efficiency gains. It's a great way to experience Intel's modern platform features today while you wait for the next generation of 18A-powered chips to arrive.4
See Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Processor on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: tomshardware.com — Jake Roach, 2026-10-29
Published there as: “Intel confirms Nova Lake will use advanced 18A-P node, more details at CES — company says it's taking Panther Lake capacity offline to build more Granite Rapids data center CPUs”
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