Intel Weighs TSMC and Its Own 14A Process Nodes for Next-Gen Nova Lake CPUs

For its future Nova Lake CPUs, supposedly due in 2026, Intel is said to be tapping both external and internal foundry process technologies. Intel’s next-generation Nova Lake processors are reportedly in the works, according to a new report from ChinaTimes. In this case, the company intends to rely on TSMC process technologies for these CPUs but is also evaluating its own 14A process node as an internal alternative.

More About Intel, TSMC, and 14A Process Nodes

According to the same report, Intel has also turned back around and will be using TSMC process nodes starting with Meteor Lake processors that feature modular tiles that can then be combined in a variety of forms. Core Ultra 100 CPUs will have tiles inside manufactured by Intel, with the rest done via external production including Lunar Lake which we said before will be all TSMC.

Lunar Lake’s “Core Ultra 200V” is scheduled to be announced on the 3rd of September, together with Arrow Lake which will come in higher-end desktop- and IODP variants using TSMC N5. There are no confirmations of Intel’s Nova Lake CPUs using TSMC 2nm despite previous rumors.

Intel has its eyes set on designing future chips to be essentially process node agnostic, ensuring they work across multiple nodes as demonstrated by the Lion Cove P-Core architecture. Despite preparations, Intel still hasn’t officially announced its Nova Lake CPUs since it is busy developing other products including Lunar Lake “Core Ultra 200V,” Arrow Lake “Core Ultra 200” and Panther Lake “Core Ultra 300.”

The Nova Lake CPUs were recently mentioned in a Dell leak as part of their 2026-2027 product lineup. Intel expects the 14A process node to deliver around 15% of extra performance per watt over a more conventional Node in 18A with an additional 5% boost in the optimized 14A-E variant. While specific details about the Nova Lake CPU and GPU cores are scarce, they are anticipated to follow Panther Lake chips, featuring advanced P-Cores, E-Cores, and Xe cores.

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