Intel is reportedly limiting access to its 'Nova Lake' processors with the internal 'DS' designation during early development. According to leaker Jaykihn, these chips, which include the BFC-suffixed Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC (a 28-core part with eight P-cores, 16 E-cores, and four LPE cores), are being distributed to a much smaller tester group than the rest of the lineup. The scarcity of BFC hardware in public leaks is attributed to Intel's restricted sampling policy, not availability, preventing early benchmarks from surfacing.
Wider DS sampling, including qualification samples, is reportedly scheduled to begin in December 2026, which would delay broader rollout despite BFC models being among the first planned launches. 'Nova Lake-S' is expected in Q1 2027, with the Core Ultra 4000 naming extending to mobile 'Nova Lake-HX' parts. Intel has not confirmed the DS designation, BFC branding, or specifications, so details remain based on leaks.
Source: TechPowerUp News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing