In a move aimed squarely at mobile gamers and power-sipping laptops, Intel used its CES 2026 keynote to launch the Core Ultra Series 3, a Panther Lake processor family that the company says will deliver 27 hours of streaming video and higher 1080p gaming frame rates-all while drawing less power.
> At a Glance
> – Intel’s new Panther Lake chips debut in laptops starting this week
> – Xe3 graphics cores promise better performance per watt than Lunar Lake’s Xe2
> – A Panther Lake-powered handheld console is in the pipeline, details coming later this year
> – Why it matters: Longer battery life and smoother gaming could reset expectations for thin laptops
Intel’s Panther Lake architecture, first announced last October, moves to the 2nm 18A process node and brings the first Xe3 graphics cores to market. While the company spent most of its stage time hyping the flagship Arc Pro B390 GPU (now branded with an “X” in chip names), it left performance data for lesser SKUs for another day.
What’s New Inside
Panther Lake pairs a modular GPU tile design with the new Xe3 architecture. Intel claims this combo yields:
- Higher frame rates at 1080p when using the upcoming XeSS 3 upscaler
- Multi-frame generation at launch, using AI to predict multiple frames from one rendered image
- Lower overall power draw, thanks to both architectural tweaks and the 18A node
The lineup is split into three consumer tiers:
| Tier | GPU Branding | Xe3 Core Count | X in Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Ultra 9 | Arc Pro B390 | Max (12Xe) | ✓ |
| Core Ultra 7 | Arc Pro B390 | Max (12Xe) | ✓ |
| Core Ultra 5 | Arc B370 | Fewer cores | ✗ |
Battery life claims and gaming benchmarks shown on stage were generated on Arc Pro-equipped systems; Intel hasn’t released numbers for the Arc B370 variant.
Market Timing and Availability
Systems carrying the first Ultra 9, Ultra 7 and Ultra 5 Panther Lake parts go on preorder Tuesday, with shipments beginning immediately. Intel briefly teased that Panther Lake will also anchor a yet-unnamed handheld console platform, but offered no specs, partners or launch window beyond “later this year.”
Key Takeaways
- Panther Lake laptops are purchasable starting this week
- Expect the biggest graphics leap in Intel’s own silicon since Lunar Lake
- Handheld gaming devices using the architecture are officially in development
With Panther Lake laptops hitting shelves and a handheld console on the horizon, Intel is betting its new Xe3 graphics can carve out space in both ultraportable PCs and portable gaming-two segments where battery life and performance are increasingly inseparable.
