Intel Core Ultra Series 3: Panther Lake family’s breakthrough work, built with 18A process to set a new benchmark for the next-generation processors

Game Graphics Smoothness Doubled — The Amazing Performance of Arc B390 Integrated Graphics

The most impressive demonstration at CES 2026 by Intel was the gaming performance of the Core Ultra Series 3 processors on “Battlefield 6.” Under “Overkill” high-quality settings, processors equipped with the new Arc B390 integrated graphics card combined with XeSS 3 frame generation technology managed to boost the average frame rate from 29FPS directly to around 150FPS, with some scenes even approaching 200FPS. This achievement comes from Intel’s innovative Multi-Frame Generation (MFG) technology — generating 3 frames of compensation for each rendered frame, enabling truly immersive gaming experiences for thin and light laptops.

In comparison, the Arc B390 offers a performance increase of up to 77% over the previous Arc 140V (used in Core Ultra 9 288V), with AI computing performance jumping by 53%. Compared to AMD’s comparable products, under the same power consumption and memory configurations, the Arc B390 leads in average frame rate by as much as 70%, and in some games, performance can even double.

Revolutionary Breakthrough in 18A Process — A Dual Leap in Performance and Efficiency

The core competitiveness of the Core Ultra Series 3 stems from Intel’s new 18A process technology. This process, utilizing RibbonFET and PowerVia technologies, not only significantly increases transistor density but also markedly improves energy efficiency. Compared to the previous Intel 3 process, 18A allows each processor core to achieve higher performance at lower operating voltages.

The flagship model, Core Ultra X9 388H, features 16 CPU cores, 12 GPU cores, a NPU computing power of 50 TOPS, and supports up to 96GB of LPDDR5 memory. Compared to the Core Ultra Series 2 based on Lunar Lake architecture, the new generation processor’s single-core performance has improved by 60%. Even more impressive is power consumption control — in 4K video playback scenarios, the Core Ultra Series 3 consumes only one-third of the energy of its predecessor, meaning that the battery life of thin and light laptops is expected to jump from “a few hours” to “an entire day.”

Arc B390’s AI Acceleration Capabilities — A New Era of Localized AI Computing

In addition to 12 Xe GPU cores, the Arc B390 is equipped with 12 enhanced ray tracing units and 96 XMX AI accelerators, with integrated GPU AI computing power reaching 12 TOPS. Paired with the XeSS 3 technology framework, this graphics card becomes the world’s first integrated GPU supporting AI multi-frame generation, bringing modern rendering effects previously only available on high-end graphics cards — including improved global illumination, ray tracing, ultra-high-definition detail restoration, and multi-frame generation.

Broad Application Prospects of Core Ultra Series 3

More than 200 partner products demonstrated at CES have confirmed support for the new generation of processors, covering various market segments from thin and light laptops to gaming laptops. Flagship models such as the ROG Fantom 16 dual-screen laptop and the rebooted Dell XPS series have already taken the lead. More importantly, x86 gaming handhelds based on the Panther Lake platform are also on the roadmap, which will bring truly long-lasting and high-performance solutions for Windows ecosystem portable gaming devices.

In the AI PC field, Intel emphasizes the strategic importance of “edge computing.” The comprehensive upgrades of Core Ultra X9, X7, and Ultra 5 in NPU acceleration and local AI model operation, combined with the ultra-low power consumption brought by the 18A process, make Panther Lake an ideal platform for edge computing and offline AI applications. Especially for extreme working environments, high reliability requirements, and long lifecycle support, Intel has developed a dedicated acceleration promotion plan.

Market Timing — Change Is Coming

The Core Ultra Series 3 processors have entered mass production. The first consumer products equipped with the new generation of processors will be officially launched on January 6, 2026, with new products continuously released throughout 2026. This timing coincides with a critical turning point in the PC market — as the market fluctuations caused by memory chip price turbulence at the end of 2025 gradually subside, the arrival of Panther Lake processors will inject new growth momentum into the entire ecosystem.

Based on the 18A process, flexible modular chip design, and unparalleled integrated graphics performance, Intel predicts that the Core Ultra Series 3 will become the largest and most comprehensive AI PC platform in the company’s history.