Intel's Bartlett Lake-S Leaked: 12 P-Core CPU for LGA 1700 Aims for 6 GHz

Rumor Assessment: Plausible (60%) - Based on a leaked lineup, this rumor has reasonable evidence but lacks official confirmation.

Intel's upcoming "Bartlett Lake-S" desktop CPUs are reportedly still in the pipeline, and they are shaping up to be an interesting addition to the desktop market. Designed for the existing LGA 1700 socket, these chips are said to feature up to 12 P-Cores and boost clocks reaching up to 6.0 GHz, targeting users who prioritize high-performance computing.

A P-Core Only Powerhouse

Unlike Intel's recent hybrid desktop CPUs which combine Performance-cores (P-Cores) with Efficient-cores (E-Cores), Bartlett Lake-S is said to focus solely on P-Cores. According to the latest information, the flagship model in the lineup will feature 12 P-Cores with SMT, enabling it to handle 24 threads simultaneously. This is a significant increase over the 8 P-Cores found in current top-tier Raptor Lake and Arrow Lake desktop CPUs.

The 12-core flagship is expected to fall into the 125W TDP segment. Clock speeds are rumored to include a base clock of 3.4 GHz, a single-core boost of up to 6.0 GHz, and an all-core boost of 5.5 GHz. This would put it on par with the boost clock of the Core i9-14900K, though slightly behind the 14900KS's 6.2 GHz. Notably, the CPU is not expected to feature an unlocked design, meaning there will be no overclocking support.

Gaming and Performance Implications

Since Bartlett Lake-S is based on the proven Raptor Cove P-Cores, it is expected to deliver strong gaming performance. In fact, the 12 P-Core configuration could potentially offer faster gaming performance than Intel's own Core Ultra 9 285K "Arrow Lake-S" CPU, which uses a hybrid design with newer Lion Cove cores that have shown mixed results in gaming compared to the previous generation. However, the hybrid design of Arrow Lake-S will likely still hold an advantage in heavily multi-threaded productivity tasks.

Bartlett Lake-S CPU Lineup (Leaked)

The leaked information also provides a look at the potential Bartlett Lake-S SKU structure, which includes both P-Core-only and hybrid configurations based on existing Alder Lake (ADL) and Raptor Lake (RPL) silicon.

SKU Segment	125W P-Core Only (BTL)	65W P-Core Only (BTL)	45W P-Core Only (BTL)	65W Hybrid (ADL/RPL)	45W Hybrid (ADL/RPL)
Core 9	12 P-Cores	12 P-Cores	12 P-Cores	N/A	N/A
Core 7	10 P-Cores	10 P-Cores	10 P-Cores	8P+16E (B0)	8P+16E (B0)
Core 5	8 P-Cores	8 P-Cores	8 P-Cores	6P+8E (B0/C0)	6P+8E (B0/C0)
Core 3	N/A	N/A	N/A	4P+0E (H0)	4P+0E (H0)
Core	N/A	N/A	N/A	2P+0E (H0)	2P+0E (H0)

Launch and Market Position

Initially expected in Q3 2025, the launch of Bartlett Lake-S CPUs has reportedly been pushed to late Q4 2025. By utilizing the LGA 1700 socket, these chips will offer a drop-in upgrade path for users on existing 600 and 700 series motherboards, providing a boost in core count and performance without requiring a platform change.

The lack of an "unlocked" SKU suggests that Intel may be positioning this series towards specific markets like edge computing and networking solutions, where stability and out-of-the-box performance are more critical than manual tuning. However, the high core counts and clock speeds will undoubtedly make them an attractive option for enthusiasts and professionals looking for a powerful plug-and-play CPU.

Conclusion

Intel's Bartlett Lake-S series is shaping up to be a unique and compelling offering. By packing up to 12 P-Cores into the LGA 1700 socket, Intel could deliver a CPU with exceptional single-threaded and gaming performance. While the lack of overclocking support may disappoint some enthusiasts, the combination of high clock speeds and a mature architecture on a widely adopted platform makes Bartlett Lake-S a processor to watch for the end of 2025.