Intel Potentially Gearing Up for a Major Apology for Gamers
In an effort to regain its competitive edge in the gaming market, Intel is set to introduce a new technology called big Last-Level Cache (bLLC) in its upcoming Nova Lake CPUs. This move is aimed at offering a larger last-level cache than AMD's 3D V-Cache gaming CPUs, thereby improving cache capacity and latency.
The bLLC cache is expected to be an additional large cache block separate from the standard integrated L3 cache, potentially implemented either stacked above/below the cores or as a separate tile connected via Intel’s interconnect technology.
Key details about Intel’s bLLC and how it compares to AMD’s 3D V-Cache:
- Capacity: Intel’s bLLC on Nova Lake is rumored to feature up to 144MB of last-level cache total, which surpasses AMD’s current multi-CCD Ryzen CPUs with 3D V-Cache. For example, Intel’s bLLC (144MB) is about 16MB larger than AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D (128MB total L3 cache). It is a full 48MB larger than the popular AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (96MB L3 cache) which uses 3D V-Cache.
- Technology and implementation: The bLLC functions similarly to AMD’s 3D V-Cache by providing an extra cache block enhancing gaming performance through faster memory access times. The extra cache reduces dependency on slower DRAM access, thereby speeding up gaming tasks.
- Current status and timeline: These CPUs are expected around 2026, part of Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 (possibly Core 400 series if the Core 300 series is a refresh). This could mark Intel’s first direct challenge to AMD’s cache-focused gaming CPU advantage.
- Comparison nuances: While bLLC and 3D V-Cache are conceptually similar (providing large additional L3 cache via stacking or tile integration), AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 architecture is also expected to increase core counts and L3 cache sizes, with rumors of cache stacks as large as 240MB for some designs. Thus, the competition will continue to evolve in 2026 and beyond.
In the gaming world, a CPU calculates game logic or runs physics simulations, while the GPU handles complex tasks of rendering a scene. Intel, facing multiple crises including a CEO ouster and sweeping layoffs, is hoping that the introduction of bLLC technology will help win back its standing among PC owners, who desire the best for pushing the most frames from their games.
[1] Source: Tom's Hardware [2] Source: Wccftech [3] Source: TechPowerUp [4] Source: AnandTech
Note: The article does not include information about Nvidia's AI training chips, AMD's Threadripper processors, or Intel's 13th- and 14th-gen chips experiencing major instability issues, as these facts are not directly related to the main topic of Intel's bLLC technology.
- The upcoming battle in the tech world's gaming sector might be shaped significantly by Intel's bLLC technology in their 2026 Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs, as it offers an impressive 144MB of last-level cache, larger than AMD's current 3D V-Cache offerings.
- Gizmodo might cover the anticipation surrounding Intel's bLLC technology, given its potential to improve gaming performance by reducing dependency on slower DRAM access and offering faster memory access times, similar to AMD's 3D V-Cache.
- As the technological race in sports and gaming continues to evolve, this direct competition between Intel's bLLC and AMD's 3D V-Cache may prove crucial in determining which CPU technology delivers the best gaming experience for the future.
