Intel's 'Serpent Lake' rumoured to be its first chip developed in collaboration with Nvidia

Brace yourself for a fresh wave of Intel-related leaks, rumours, and codenames—along with the usual warnings that none of this is officially confirmed. The latest chatter points to Intel’s first joint-venture chip with Nvidia, several next-generation CPUs promising meaningful per-core performance gains, and even a possible return to a unified CPU core architecture.

At the centre of the rumours is a chip reportedly known as Serpent Lake, said to be Intel’s first collaborative processor developed with Nvidia. While Intel and Nvidia have publicly confirmed plans to work together on future PC APUs, details have been scarce. According to RedGamingTech, Serpent Lake could be an “APU monster,” broadly comparable to AMD’s Strix Halo.

The rumoured design pairs Nvidia’s next-generation Rubin GPU architecture—built on TSMC’s N3P process—with Intel CPU technology derived from its upcoming Titan Lake family. The chip is also said to rely on LPDDR6 memory, suggesting a strong focus on high-performance, integrated computing rather than traditional discrete graphics.

How accurate these claims are remains unclear, especially given earlier reports that a different architecture, Hammer Lake, would debut Intel’s Nvidia partnership. That confusion may reflect how Intel’s long-term roadmap has shifted following its deal with Nvidia.

Beyond Serpent Lake, the leaks outline several future CPU generations. Intel’s next desktop architecture, Nova Lake, is expected toward the end of 2026. After that, Razer Lake—rumoured for 2027 or 2028—could retain Intel’s Performance and Efficient core split while delivering a double-digit IPC boost thanks to new “Griffin Cove” P-cores.

Further ahead lies Hammer Lake, reportedly due around 2029, which may mark Intel’s return to a unified core architecture—abandoning the P-core and E-core distinction entirely. Meanwhile, Titan Lake is said to be a mobile-focused offshoot featuring Intel’s next-generation Xe3P integrated graphics.

If these reports hold true, Intel has a busy and ambitious few years ahead. After a period of uncertainty and underwhelming CPU generations, the prospect of a powerful Nvidia-backed APU and a renewed focus on performance could signal a more competitive future for the company.