The Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC is a rumored Nova Lake-S desktop CPU, not an Intel-announced product. The leading leak describes a 28-core chip with a 144MB Big Last-Level Cache (bLLC) pool, but a second published table gives a conflicting core count. The 144MB figure is not the same as native L3 cache.
What the leaked table says about the Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC
Reports in 2026 describe Nova Lake-S as Intel’s next desktop CPU family, also referred to in those reports as Core Ultra 4000. Tom’s Hardware says a leaked initial desktop table contains seven models, three tagged “BFC.” ComputerBase and Tom’s Hardware both characterize the names and specifications as rumors, not Intel-confirmed details.
The reported BFC models are:
| Rumored model | Reported core configuration | Reported cache | Reported TDP | Reported graphics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC | Leading report: 28 cores (8 P-cores, 16 E-cores, 4 LPE-cores). A Tom’s Hardware table instead says 24 cores while printing the same 8+16+4 breakdown, which adds up to 28. | 144MB bLLC pool; 36MB native L3 in Tom’s Hardware’s earlier leak | 125W | 32 EUs, per ComputerBase |
| Core Ultra 9 4900 BFC | 22 cores (6 P-cores, 12 E-cores, 4 LPE-cores), per Tom’s Hardware’s reported configuration | 108MB bLLC pool; 27MB native L3 in Tom’s Hardware’s earlier leak | 65W | Not stated in the cited reports |
| Core Ultra 7 4870K BFC | 24 cores (8 P-cores, 12 E-cores, 4 LPE-cores), per Tom’s Hardware’s reported configuration | 132MB bLLC pool; 36MB native L3 in Tom’s Hardware’s earlier leak | 125W | Not stated in the cited reports |
These are preliminary figures from leaked tables, not specifications confirmed by Intel. The 4970K’s core count is especially unsettled: ComputerBase reports 28, while Tom’s Hardware reproduces a row marked 24 that also lists components totaling 28 (8+16+4). The component breakdown supports 28 as the leading rumor, but it does not resolve the discrepancy as an official specification.
Does the 4970K BFC have 144MB of L3?
Not according to the cache breakdown in Tom’s Hardware’s earlier leak. It describes 144MB as the rumored bLLC pool for the 28-core, single-tile configuration, with 36MB of native L3 separately. Calling the entire 144MB “L3” collapses two cache figures that the report distinguishes.
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The same reported distinction appears in the other configurations: 132MB bLLC alongside 36MB native L3 for the rumored 24-core model, and 108MB bLLC alongside 27MB native L3 for the 22-core model. Intel has not confirmed these capacities or how the cache would be implemented in retail CPUs.
What does BFC mean?
The reporting connects “BFC” with processors equipped with Intel’s rumored Big Last-Level Cache, or bLLC. ComputerBase notes that “BFC” may be an unofficial reading of “Big Fucking Cache,” but says the official expansion is unknown. For now, the safest interpretation is that BFC is a leak label for bLLC-equipped parts—not a confirmed Intel branding explanation.
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- Core and Threads 24 cores (8 P-cores plus 16 E-cores) and 24 threads. Integrated Intel Graphics included
- Performance Hybrid Architecture Integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Performance Unlocked Up to 5.7 GHz unlocked. 40MB Cache
- Compatibility Compatible with Intel 800 series chipset-based motherboards
The apparent point of the larger cache pool is to improve gaming workloads, but the leaks do not establish how much it would help, which games would benefit, or how the chips would compare with existing CPUs. A larger cache figure alone is not a performance result.
How many BFC chips are in the rumored lineup?
Tom’s Hardware reports three BFC-tagged models in a seven-model initial desktop table: the Core Ultra 9 4970K BFC, Core Ultra 9 4900 BFC, and Core Ultra 7 4870K BFC. The reported stack includes non-BFC counterparts, and no Core Ultra 5 BFC appears in that table. This is a description of the leak, not confirmation of the final product range.
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- 20 cores (8 P-cores + 12 E-cores) and 20 threads. Integrated Intel Graphics included
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 5.3 GHz. 36 MB Cache
- Compatible with Intel 800 series chipset-based motherboards
- Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0, and PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. No thermal solution included
Is this Intel’s answer to AMD’s X3D CPUs?
The rumored emphasis on a larger cache pool suggests Intel may be targeting workloads such as gaming, making comparisons with AMD’s cache-equipped X3D processors a natural question. But the available reports provide no independent benchmark results, confirmed product specifications, or pricing. It is too early to call the 4970K BFC an X3D competitor on performance; that comparison will require retail hardware and like-for-like testing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When can you buy Nova Lake?
The reports summarized here do not establish a launch date, price, or retail listing for Nova Lake-S. They also do not confirm platform compatibility or final suffix details. Until Intel announces the family, the 4970K BFC should be treated as a leaked name and specification set rather than an available product.
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- 10 cores (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) and 14 threads. Integrated Intel Graphics included
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- PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. No thermal solution included.
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- 10 cores (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) and 14 threads.
- Performance hybrid architecture integrates two core microarchitectures, prioritizing and distributing workloads to optimize performance
- Up to 4.9 GHz. 22 MB Cache
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- PCIe 5.0 & 4.0 support. Intel Optane Memory support. No thermal solution included. Discrete graphics required
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