Neither AMD Zen 6 nor Intel Nova Lake-S processors will release this year, according to recent rumours. Instead, we should expect both CPU architectures to arrive during 2027 at the earliest.
In a post on Chinese social media site Weibo, notable leaker Golden Pig Upgrade shared that the next generation of Intel Core Ultra processors won’t hit store shelves until next year. However, they narrowed down the launch window to CES 2027, an event which typically sees the announcement and subsequent release of new CPUs from Team Blue.
Prior to this rumour, Intel said the Nova Lake release would arrive in “late [2026] into 2027”. This may seem contradictory to Golden Pig Upgrade’s claim, but it’s important to note that the brand typically launches mobile processors (Nova Lake-HX) before pushing desktop CPUs (Nova Lake-S) to market. As such, it’s entirely possible that we could see the architecture technically release in 2026, but chips for our rigs wouldn’t see the light of day until 2027.
Meanwhile, Chinese hardware outlet Benchlife claims to have received confirmation that AMD has no plans to launch Zen 6 processors in 2026, but fails to provide an exact release window. However, I doubt we’ll be waiting beyond 2027 for new Ryzen CPUs as prior Zen 6 whispers have pointed to that year, with some claiming that changes to TSMC’s N2X node timeline were to blame.
There are also market conditions to consider, which are undoubtedly informing both AMD and Intel’s launch plans. The ongoing memory shortage is likely to give both companies pause with regard to pushing out new processors, particularly as motherboard sales have reportedly fallen off a cliff. This is a particular concern for Nova Lake, as the architecture will likely require an entirely new LGA1954 socket, unlike upcoming Arrow Lake Refresh chips.
AMD has an advantage in this respect, as we expect Zen 6 CPUs to work on AM5 motherboards. However, this only matters if the architecture can provide meaningful value to current owners of Ryzen 7000 and 9000-series CPUs. While this remains an open question until we get official specifications, Zen 6 core count leaks could go a long way to incentivising upgrades.
Summarily, now seems like a low-risk time to grab a new Ryzen processor. I highly doubt that Arrow Lake Refresh will bring much value to those already sporting an LGA1851 motherboard, but those considering a new Intel system would do well to wait for those chips to arrive before throwing CPUs into a shopping basket.
For recommendations on what chips are worth your cash, check out our best CPU guide. I also recommend our recent comparison of AMD’s fastest gaming processors, as we pit Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs 9800X3D in a 3D V-Cache showdown.
