Intel launches Core Ultra Series 3 ‘Panther Lake’ at CES 2026, built on Intel 18A with laptops shipping this month
Intel unveiled its Core Ultra Series 3 processors at CES 2026, calling them the first compute platform built on Intel 18A. The company says the chips will power more than 200 PC designs and deliver major gains in performance, graphics, and battery life, with systems starting January 27.
Intel used CES 2026 to introduce its Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, branded around the “Panther Lake” platform, and positioned them as a major step in its AI PC strategy. Intel described Series 3 as the first compute platform built on its Intel 18A process technology, designed and manufactured in the United States.
The company said the Series 3 family is intended to be broadly adopted across the PC ecosystem, claiming it will power more than 200 designs from partners. Intel framed the pitch around three pillars: higher CPU performance, stronger integrated graphics, and more on-device AI compute, all while improving power efficiency and battery life.
At the high end, Intel highlighted new Core Ultra X9 and X7 classes within the mobile lineup, emphasizing integrated Intel Arc graphics and higher AI acceleration. Intel said top configurations can scale up to 16 CPU cores, include 12 Xe cores for graphics, and deliver up to 50 NPU TOPS for on-device AI workloads, targeting advanced tasks like gaming, content creation, and productivity.
Intel also stressed that Series 3 extends beyond consumer laptops into embedded and industrial contexts, with chips tested and certified for edge use cases such as robotics, automation, healthcare, and smart city deployments. The message is that the same architectural foundation can support both classic PCs and always-on edge systems that run AI locally.
Availability timelines were concrete: Intel said pre-orders for the first consumer laptops powered by Core Ultra Series 3 would begin on January 6, 2026, with systems available globally starting January 27, 2026. Additional designs are expected to roll out through the first half of the year.
Intel’s announcement is part of a broader industry push to move more AI processing onto devices rather than relying solely on cloud inference. By centering the launch on manufacturing, platform breadth, and a measurable shipping schedule, Intel aimed to portray Series 3 as both a technology milestone and a near-term commercial rollout.