At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Intel unveiled its revolutionary Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, codenamed Panther Lake. These processors pioneer the first AI PC platform on the advanced Intel 18A process technology, manufactured in the United States. Compared to the previous Lunar Lake Series 2, these chips deliver up to 60% superior performance.
They outperform predecessors with superior graphics, extended battery life, and advanced AI features for laptops, gaming handhelds, and edge devices. The processors pack up to 16 CPU cores, innovative Xe3 Arc GPUs with up to 12 cores, and up to 180 TOPS for AI acceleration. They empower over 200 designs from global partners.
Flagship models like Core Ultra X9 and X7 accelerate CPUs and graphics by more than 50% over the prior generation. Innovations include a dedicated GPU chiplet for gaming and XeSS 3 AI upscaling technology. Optimized P-core and E-core setups extend battery life for AI workloads, content creation, and gaming.
Edge variants earn certifications for healthcare, robotics, smart cities, and automation. They boost LLM performance by up to 1.9x and vision model throughput by up to 4.5x.
Consumers pre-order laptops with these chips starting January 6, 2026, with worldwide availability from January 27 and more systems in Q1 2026. Intel challenges AMD’s AI PC chips through U.S.-made technology, AI PC leadership, and partnerships with MSI and Acer for handheld gaming. This launch emphasizes power efficiency, x86 compatibility, and adoption across consumer and enterprise markets.
