Intel is gearing up for its next-generation processors, codenamed Nova Lake, with a new Linux support system that marks the end of the company’s long-standing “Family 6” designation. The move signals a significant shift in Intel’s segmentation strategy, with Family 18 reserved for client CPUs and Family 19 expected to house next-gen Xeon processors like Diamond Rapids.
The initial patch introduces Nova Lake under a new identifier: Family 18. This clean break from the legacy framework requires refactoring in previous kernel releases to ensure Linux code can adapt to architectures beyond Family 6. The update also adds definitions for two models: Nova Lake (Family 18, Model 1) and Nova Lake L (Family 18, Model 3), which likely denotes low-power mobile variants.
Intel’s segmentation strategy is becoming clearer with this move, aiming to simplify feature tracking and driver enablement across platforms. By splitting desktop and server under distinct families, Intel seeks to improve performance and efficiency.
Nova Lake is expected to deliver aggressive performance targets, including doubling core counts over Arrow Lake, with rumored configurations scaling up to 16 Performance cores, 32 Efficiency cores, and 4 LPE cores. The new iGPU based on the Xe4 “Druid” architecture is also anticipated.
The roadmap hints at a broad range of use cases for Nova Lake, from desktops and laptops to emerging categories like gaming handhelds with Nova Lake-AX. Intel’s early enablement ensures that Linux users will have full support baked in by the time Ubuntu 26.04 LTS arrives.
Nova Lake will mark the first time Intel has tried multiple CPU chiplets for client desktop, a design similar to AMD’s Zen 2/3 architectures. The new architecture features a split L3 cache and up to 8P + 16E cores per compute tile, with the option to disable idle power consumption on desktops.
The move aims to address Intel’s long-standing competition with AMD in terms of CPU architecture and performance. While the benefits of lower idle power consumption on desktops are debated, Nova Lake is expected to deliver improved performance and efficiency.
Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/intel-prepares-for-nova-lake-cpus-with-new-linux-support-retiring-20-year-old-family-6-designation-in-favor-of-family-18