Intel’s Next-Gen CPU Just Beat AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D in Leaked Benchmarks - Yahoo Tech
Intel's next-generation Nova Lake-S processor has reportedly outperformed AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D in single-thread benchmarks, though multi-thread results lag behind current flagships.
A PassMark database entry reportedly linked to an Intel Nova Lake-S engineering sample scored 5,210 points in single-thread testing, surpassing both the Core Ultra 9 285K (5,059) and AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D (4,805). The results surfaced through VideoCardz and appear in PassMark PerformanceTest 11.1's "Manage Baselines" feature, though Intel has not officially confirmed these figures.
The processors appear in the database as "Intel 0000" running on an "NVL-S Embedded" platform, with approximately 16GB of memory, a base clock near 3.3GHz, and turbo readings around 4.8GHz. The Memory Mark result came in at 2,523.4, substantially below the Core Ultra 9 285K system's 3,349.6.
Benchmark Results
The reported single-thread figures represent approximately 3% above the Core Ultra 9 285K, 8.4% above the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, and 12.4% above the older Core i9-14900KF. However, the overall CPU Mark result of 61,509 in multi-thread testing falls below the Core Ultra 9 285K's 67,274 and well below the Ryzen 9 9950X3D's 72,066.
The results are unofficial, a qualification that should accompany every figure cited here.
Nova Lake-S Specifications
A separate leak identifies a flagship Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC with eight performance cores, 16 efficiency cores, and four low-power efficiency cores, totaling 28 cores. Intel reportedly rates it at 125W with 32 integrated graphics execution units. The "BFC" designation may indicate a large-cache variant aimed at competing with AMD's X3D gaming processors.
The rumored platform requires LGA 1954 motherboards and 900-series chipsets, though these details remain unverified. Eight-core Nova Lake entries reportedly ranged from 9,004 to 23,478 points in overall CPU Mark, suggesting varying test conditions across samples.
Performance Uncertainties
Notebookcheck described the results as an early glimpse of Nova Lake's potential rather than a reliable indication of final retail performance. The multi-thread gap leaves AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Intel's own Arrow Lake-era chips with a defensible position at the high end until verified results from retail Nova Lake silicon are available.
Final retail clocks, microcode, memory support, cache configuration, and platform tuning will determine whether the single-thread lead survives on production hardware. The connection between the tested sample and specific retail models remains uncertain, as the benchmark database identifies the chip only as "Intel 0000."
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