Intel today has revealed the architectural details of its next-generation client processor, the Intel Core Ultra series 3, code-named Panther Lake. The chip, expected to begin shipping later this year, is the company’s first product built on Intel 18A or 2nm lithography.
Panther Lake is expected to power a wide range of consumer and commercial devices, from AI-enabled PCs to gaming systems and edge solutions, says the company. With this, Intel is introducing a "scalable multi-chiplet architecture" with the aim to offer flexibility across various form factors and price points.
In terms of core configuration, Panther Lake is going to pack up to 16 new P-cores (performance cores) and E-cores (efficiency cores), claiming to deliver more than 50% faster CPU performance compared to the prior generation (ie, vs. Lunar Lake & Arrow Lake).
Graphics performance is also said to be receiving a similar uplift of 50% with a new Intel Arc GPU featuring up to 12 Xe cores, while AI acceleration reaches up to 180 Platform TOPS (trillions of operations per second). Intel positions Panther Lake as combining Lunar Lake-level efficiency with Arrow Lake-class performance.
Beyond PCs, the processor extends to robotics applications. A new Intel Robotics AI software suite and reference board are designed to help developers build cost-effective robots with advanced perception and control capabilities. High-volume production is set to ramp this year with the first Panther Lake SKUs expected to ship before the end of 2025 and broad availability beginning January 2026.
Alongside Panther Lake, Intel previewed Clearwater Forest, its first Intel 18A-based server processor. Branded Xeon 6+, the chip is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2026. The new Intel server chips feature up to 288 E-cores, a 17% IPC (instructions-per-cycle) bump and significant gains in density and power efficiency. It is being targeted at the enterprise side, ie, hyperscale data centers, cloud providers, and telecom operators.
Intel says that both products will be manufactured at Fab 52 in Chandler, Arizona.
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