Intel Core Ultra 400 CPUs deliver exceptional power with configurations up to 52 cores.

A wealth of new information about the Intel Core Ultra 400, the next generation of desktop processors, has just been revealed. The most notable features of this CPU line include support for up to 52 cores, integrated dedicated NPU, support for faster DDR5 memory, and a completely new architecture for the Coyote Cove and Arctic Wolf cores.

The Intel Core Ultra 400 platform will feature up to five different die configurations. Three of these utilize a monolithic design, while the remaining two adopt a dual-core design. Notably, all variants share a highly unified, common platform base for desktop computing. This base platform includes four ultra-low power cores, an Intel NPU6 neural processor, and support for dual-channel DDR5 RAM.

In addition, the new processors are equipped with 24 PCIe 5.0 lanes, two Thunderbolt 5 ports, and a compact dual-core Xe3 iGPU integrated graphics card. These specifications demonstrate a highly modular strategy, where Intel can flexibly adjust CPU size and cache memory while maintaining a common base platform even in the mainstream segment.

According to Videocardz, Intel is expected to release at least 13 Core Ultra 400 series CPUs. Most notably, there will be two ultra-high-end chips with a total power consumption (TDP) of up to 175W, boasting 52 and 44 cores respectively, although their official names are yet to be determined. Both CPUs will feature 16 high-performance cores. Experts predict these chips may adopt a new naming convention to differentiate them from the Core Ultra 9 series, which currently serves as the company's flagship product.

The remaining segments are also clearly defined, including Core Ultra 9 (28 and 22 cores), Core Ultra 7 (24 and 16 cores), Core Ultra 5 (22, 12, and 8 cores), and Core Ultra 3 (6 cores), with TDP ranging from 35W to 125W depending on the version. This shows Intel's ambition to significantly expand its Nova Lake-S architecture product range, targeting the upper-mid-range HEDT market. It's highly likely that users will see the reappearance of the 'X' suffix, similar to the previously popular Intel Core X-Series workstation processors.

The power difference between the Intel Core Ultra 300 and Core Ultra 400 series processors is considered astonishing. While the current flagship model, the Core Ultra 9 285K, boasts 24 cores, supports DDR5-6400 memory, and has an NPU with 13 TOPS, a potentially high-end version from the next generation, such as the Core Ultra 485K or 485X, could increase the total number of cores to 52 and officially support the DDR5-8000 RAM standard with superior transfer speeds.