At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Intel unveiled its Core Ultra Series 3 processors, previously known as Panther Lake, aiming to mark a comeback with advanced performance and manufacturing milestones. The chips promise exceptional graphics, battery life, and certification for industrial uses like robotics and smart cities. New CEO Lip Bu-Tan highlighted progress on the 18A process, positioning Intel ahead in the global chip race.
Intel's announcement at CES 2026, held from January 4 to 9 in Las Vegas, introduced the Core Ultra Series 3 mobile processors. These chips, formerly codenamed Panther Lake, are designed for "exceptional performance," featuring great graphics and battery life. For the first time, the silicon is certified for embedded and industrial applications, including robotics and smart cities.
The lineup includes Core Ultra 7 and 9 models, as well as Core X7 and X9 variants. Most offer 16 total cores and threads, with 12 Xe graphics cores—double the usual four. Nearly all achieve 50 PTOPS in NPU performance, except two models.
A major highlight is that these are the most advanced chips ever manufactured in the US, produced using Intel's 18A process. This 18 Angstrom technology, equivalent to about 1.8 nanometers, matches the sophistication of TSMC's N2 process. The 18A node was central to former CEO Pat Gelsinger's strategy to reclaim leadership in chipmaking, though he was ousted at the end of 2024 amid challenges like low yields reported in August 2025.
Under new CEO Lip Bu-Tan, Intel claims to be ahead of schedule in ramping up 18A production, potentially shifting dynamics in the global semiconductor market. The chips will appear in laptops from partners including HP, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, and Samsung throughout the year.
This launch carries subtext for Intel's recovery efforts, following years of setbacks.
