Intel confirms Arrow Lake refresh and Nova Lake for 2026

Intel has confirmed its desktop CPU plans for the near future at a recent Goldman Sachs Technology conference. As it appears, we're initially getting a minor refresh, followed by a major new architecture. A company executive stated that an update to its Arrow Lake CPU line will arrive next year, with the next-generation Nova Lake architecture launching before the end of 2026.

Speaking at the event (via Wccftech), John Pitzer, Intel's Corporate Vice President of Investor Relations, admitted that the desktop front needed to be addressed. He positioned the 2026 Arrow Lake update as the first step to address this but acknowledged that the final answer is Nova Lake. This refresh has been rumoured for months, although the general consensus is that it will bring small clock speed boosts to a select few SKUs.

The timing of this refresh, however, is still surprising, as it will come almost two years after the original Arrow Lake launch. These refresh CPUs won't have much time to soak up the spotlight though, as Intel also plans to launch the first Nova Lake processors before the end of 2026. The Nova Lake processors will also arrive with a new motherboard socket.

While Intel is clearly confident in its long-term roadmap with Nova Lake, Arrow Lake Refresh finds itself in a challenging market position.

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KitGuru says: Does it make sense to you for Intel to refresh Arrow Lake this late? Can Nova Lake help Intel make a comeback?

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