Intel Nova Lake CPU teaser lists official support for speedy DDR5-8000 RAM — B960 mini-PC’s upgraded power system signals Nova Lake’s higher power demands
Source: Tom’s Hardware
Image credit: Intel
As reported by German news outlet ComputerBase, ECS has unveiled its newly revamped Liva P300 mini‑PC, specifically engineered to harness the power of Intel’s upcoming Core Ultra 400 (codenamed Nova Lake) processors. These next‑generation chips aim to put Intel back in a position to challenge, and potentially surpass, the best CPUs currently available on the market.
The renovated Liva P300’s specification sheet reveals a major advancement in memory support on the Nova Lake platform. Apparently, the next‑generation chips support lightning‑fast DDR5‑8000 memory across all SO‑DIMM memory ports, a significant leap over Intel’s current Core Ultra 200 series (codenamed Arrow Lake), which natively supports DDR5‑6400.
Leaked Intel documents have already confirmed that the upcoming Arrow Lake Refresh, rumored to launch at the end of this month, will further push memory speeds by adopting DDR5‑7200. Given this rapid progression, it was logical to anticipate that Nova Lake would debut with support for even higher data rates. The feature may have limited benefit, however, as high‑speed memory yields diminishing returns and the current AI‑driven memory shortage has driven DDR5 pricing up sharply.
ECS Liva P300 Specifications
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Nova Lake‑S |
| Memory | 2 × SO‑DIMM, DDR5‑8000 |
| Storage | 2 × M.2 2280 PCIe 5.0 ×4 |
| Ethernet | 2 × RJ45 LAN Jack |
| Wireless | 1 × M.2 2230 |
| Video Output | 1 × HDMI port, 1 × DisplayPort, 1 × USB Type‑C Alt. DisplayPort |
| Audio | 1 × Combo Audio Jack |
| TPM | fTPM 2.0 |
| Front I/O ports | 1 × USB4 Type‑C, 1 × USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 Type‑C, 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2×1, 1 × Combo Audio Jack |
| Rear I/O Ports | 2 × HDMI/DP 2.1, 2 × RJ45 LAN, 2 × USB 3.2 Gen 2×1, 1 × Flex IO Module (Optional), 1 × Kensington Lock |
The 3.5‑liter Liva P300 mini‑PC will harness the power of the B960 chipset, one of five rumored Intel 900‑series chipsets. According to recent leaks, Intel is preparing to roll out five new chipsets: Z990, Z970, B960, Q970, and W980. Of these, the Z990, Q970, and W980 are reported to offer native PCIe 5.0 support.
In terms of storage, the mini‑PC provides two M.2 2280 ports that run at PCIe 5.0 ×4. Expansion‑wise, the device has enough space for a low‑profile graphics card if you don’t plan to use Nova Lake’s integrated Xe3P graphics engine, which is based on the Celestial architecture. The Liva P300 accommodates a discrete graphics card in a horizontal orientation using a riser card.
With the new Liva P300, ECS is planning to double the power supply from 120 W to 210 W or 240 W. The upgraded capacity is due to the substantial demand of Intel’s Nova Lake processors. Early projections peg Intel’s flagship Nova Lake chip at a PBP (Processor Base Power) of 175 W, about 40 % higher than Arrow Lake’s 125 W. ComputerBase reportedly confirmed these figures.
According to the publication’s conversations with various manufacturers at Embedded World 2026, Intel plans to launch Nova Lake in late 2026. Realistically, most processors won’t hit retail until 2027.