Intel leaker reveals Moon Lake chip as a likely replacement for N-series SoCs - four lower-power-efficiency cores, no performance cores, and a 6W TDP

Intel's rumored Moon Lake chip would slot in as a successor to the company's N-series processors, according to specifications posted by the hardware leaker Jaykihn and reported on October 28, 2026. The details point to a low-power design aimed at the ultra-budget laptops and mini-PCs where N-series silicon currently appears. That would put Moon Lake in machines selling for roughly $300 to $500, though those figures vary with how much RAM and storage a system carries.

The leaked table lists Moon Lake with four low-power efficiency cores and no performance cores, along with a 6 W thermal design power. Jaykihn's expected TDP range runs from 6 W to 15 W, matching the territory of phone and tablet chips at the low end. Given the all-efficiency layout, the cores are likely Darkmont LP-E silicon. The leaker also notes that the chip layout will probably mirror Wildcat Lake, with the efficiency cores placed on their own island.

The specifications keep the same four-LPE core count and 6 W TDP as matching N-series designs. As a reference point, the N150 carried a 3.6 GHz turbo clock, but no clock speeds have surfaced for Moon Lake. This year's 18A Panther and Wildcat chips generally have clock speeds matching whichever silicon they replaced, and they appear both faster and more power-efficient. Some newer models add extra cores, though Moon Lake does not follow that path.

Any performance gains would rest on the new architecture's higher IPC, and machines built around Moon Lake are expected to offer markedly better battery life than their predecessors. That matters for U.S. buyers of budget laptops and mini-PCs, a segment where N-series chips have been common. The chip would also sit on the BGA1516 package, according to the leaker's table comparing Wildcat Lake, Wildcat Lake-R and Moon Lake.

Timing remains distant. The new silicon is only slated to arrive in 2028, and supplies of NAND and DDR may shift further before then, which could affect how much memory and storage budget systems carry at that point. Intel has not confirmed the Moon Lake specifications, and the details come from a third-party leaker rather than the company.

Jaykihn's post followed a report on Tom's Hardware, which noted that the specs imply Moon Lake is the successor to the Intel N-series chips found in many ultra-budget offerings. The 6 W TDP and four efficiency cores would make the part a direct replacement in that tier rather than a step up in core count.

More hardware news from TechManNews.