Intel Nova Lake with 28 cores defeats CPU flagships in single-thread tests, but falls behind in multi-thread - Club386

Upcoming Intel Nova Lake-S processors have been spotted on the PassMark benchmark database, revealing performance figures that show promise in single-threaded tasks but weakness in multi-threaded scenarios. The top 28-core model scored 5,210 in single-threaded tests, outperforming both the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (5,059) and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (4,805).

However, the performance advantage disappears in multi-threaded tests, where the Nova Lake-S chip scored 61,509 compared to its rivals' 67,274 and 72,065. This is particularly surprising given its 28-core design, which should theoretically excel in multi-threaded workloads.

Early benchmarks show optimization issues

These results likely don't reflect final retail performance, as the CPU appears under the generic designation 'Genuine Intel(R) 0000' rather than a proper model name, suggesting it lacks final optimizations. An 8-core model was also listed, showing similar patterns with strong single-thread performance (5,085) but weaker multi-thread results (23,478).

Launch expected in early 2027

Despite the current benchmark results, Intel is expected to deliver better performance when the Nova Lake-S processors launch in Q1 2027, starting with the 28-core model shown in these tests. The company likely has time to address the optimization issues before the official release.