Intel has released new information about its upcoming Core Ultra Series 3 processors, codenamed Panther Lake, as part of its push to regain ground in chip manufacturing. The processors will be produced using the company’s 2-nanometer 18A process technology at its Arizona fabrication facility, which Intel says is fully operational and will reach high-volume production later this year.
Specifications and Performance
The Core Ultra 3 system-on-chips are designed for high-end laptops, gaming systems, and edge computing devices. Intel said the new chips will combine the power efficiency of Lunar Lake with the performance level of Arrow Lake, offering up to 50% higher processing performance than previous generations.
Select versions will include up to 16 performance cores (P-cores) along with efficiency cores (E-cores). The company expects chip density to increase by 30% and performance per watt to improve by 15%, marking measurable gains in both power and efficiency.
Graphics and AI Improvements
Intel’s integrated Arc GPU will also receive a major update, with 50% better graphics performance and up to 12 cores in higher-end models. The chips will feature an updated XPU design for AI acceleration, delivering up to 180 Platform TOPS (trillions of operations per second), a significant step up for AI and data-heavy workloads.
Intel describes its 18A architecture as the most advanced semiconductor node currently manufactured in the United States. However, reports from earlier this year suggested the company was struggling with yield issues required for large-scale production.
The success of the new node is crucial for Intel, which reported a $2.9 billion loss in its second-quarter earnings and announced plans to reduce its workforce by up to 20%. The US government recently took a 9.9% stake in Intel worth $8.9 billion, while NVIDIA committed $5 billion to purchase Intel CPUs for its PC and data center products.
Intel’s leadership has faced scrutiny in recent months. In August, President Donald Trump criticized Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan, suggesting he should resign before later reversing his comments following a meeting between the two.