Intel and Nvidia might be cooking up a true APU heavyweight. According to a fresh leak, the upcoming Serpent Lake chips could pair Intel’s Titan Lake CPUs with Nvidia’s RTX Rubin graphics to challenge AMD’s Strix Halo lineup in gaming laptops.
Serpent Lake APUs get RTX Rubin graphics
The biggest twist? Intel may be handing over GPU duties to Nvidia. Rather than using its own Arc designs, Serpent Lake reportedly opts for an RTX iGPU based on Nvidia’s Rubin architecture. If true, this could be the first major x86 APU to combine Intel CPU silicon with Nvidia graphics in a single package.
RedGamingTech suggests that the GPU will be fabricated on TSMC’s N3P node. That makes sense for a next-gen mobile APU needing efficiency, performance, and modern features. The goal is clear: deliver a serious iGPU that rivals AMD’s Radeon 8060S found in the Strix Halo APUs.
AMD Zen 6 and Intel Nova Lake CPUs may each offer up to 288 MB cache, setting the stage for a massive gaming performance clash.
Titan Lake architecture under the hood
On the CPU side, Intel seems ready to roll out its upcoming Titan Lake architecture. The Serpent Lake APUs are said to feature Griffin Cove performance cores and Golden Eagle efficiency cores, both of which are expected to be major upgrades over current Nova Lake designs. The SoC tile might also integrate Titan-based low-power cores, rounding out a flexible hybrid configuration.
Here’s what Serpent Lake is rumored to include:
- Griffin Cove P-cores and Golden Eagle E-cores
- RTX Rubin iGPU on TSMC N3P process
- Support for 16-channel LPDDR6 memory
- Tighter CPU-GPU integration
- Aimed at high-performance laptops and handhelds
16X LPDDR6 aims to fix bandwidth bottlenecks
High-end iGPUs often choke without enough memory bandwidth. AMD’s Strix Halo, for instance, fights that problem with LPDDR5X but even that sometimes falls short. Intel’s move to support 16X LPDDR6 could be a deliberate effort to avoid that trap. With a power-hungry RTX iGPU on board, it’s not just a good idea, it’s necessary.
Could Serpent Lake replace Nova Lake-AX?
There’s growing speculation that Serpent Lake is simply the rebranded or revised version of the long-rumored Nova Lake-AX. The reported 8 P-core / 16 E-core layout and big integrated GPU match older Nova Lake leaks except now, it swaps out Intel Arc graphics for Nvidia’s RTX.
It’s unclear whether this collaboration signals the end for Arc iGPUs. Recent Arc chips like the 140V have proven surprisingly competitive. But in this case, Nvidia may simply offer more raw horsepower and brand recognition.
Nvidia’s iGPU play changes the game
The Intel-Nvidia Serpent Lake APU isn’t just another spec sheet leak. It’s a sign that Intel is willing to think differently about integrated graphics. And if Nvidia’s RTX Rubin proves as capable as expected, AMD’s APU dominance could finally be under threat.
