Intel Introduces Panther Lake Processors Built on 18A Semiconductor Technology

Intel Corporation unveiled its new Panther Lake processors, the first built on its 18A semiconductor process, announced in a press release. The Intel Core Ultra series 3 chips mark the next generation of the company’s AI PC platform and are set to enter high-volume production at Intel’s Fab 52 facility in Chandler, Arizona, later this year.

Panther Lake uses a scalable, multi-chiplet architecture designed for consumer and commercial AI PCs, gaming systems, and edge devices. The processors feature up to 16 performance and efficiency cores, a new Intel Arc GPU with up to 12 Xe cores, and up to 180 trillion operations per second of AI acceleration. Intel expects the first units to ship before the end of 2025, with general availability beginning January 2026.

Intel also previewed its Xeon 6+ server processor, codenamed Clearwater Forest, the company’s first 18A-based server product. Scheduled for release in the first half of 2026, it will feature up to 288 efficient cores and a 17% instructions-per-cycle increase over the prior generation.

The 18A process introduces Intel’s RibbonFET transistor architecture and PowerVia backside power delivery system, enabling improved performance and energy efficiency. Production at Fab 52 builds on Intel’s $100 billion domestic expansion initiative, reinforcing its U.S.-based manufacturing and research operations.