Intel launches Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs, made using its long-awaited 18A process

Intel has announced the upcoming release of its first Core Ultra Series 3 laptop processors, set to debut later this month. Revealed during the CES keynote, these processors, codenamed Panther Lake, are designed for high-end ultraportable PCs and will mark a significant milestone as they are the first to utilize Intel's new 18A manufacturing process. This advancement is part of Intel's strategy to enhance its competitiveness against leading chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC). The initial launch will feature 14 distinct chips across five product families, with Intel projecting that these new processors will be integrated into more than 200 different PC designs. The first of the Core Ultra 3 processors is scheduled to hit the market on January 27th, with additional models rolling out throughout the first half of the year. The Panther Lake architecture represents a shift from the earlier Lunar Lake design, previously marketed as Core Ultra 200V. The Lunar Lake processors relied heavily on chiplets produced externally and included on-package RAM instead of traditional DIMM slots or soldered memory on the motherboard. Intel had initially implemented these changes to enhance power efficiency and battery longevity, even removing Hyperthreading support from the P-cores. With the Core Ultra 3 chips, Intel is reversing some of these decisions while still drawing on the Lunar Lake framework for improved power efficiency, aiming to ensure that performance upgrades do not compromise battery life.