Intel powered on its next-generation Panther Lake processors this summer, but it never demonstrated the CPU live, until this week. At the Lenovo Tech World event Pat Gelsinger, chief executive of Intel, showcased a sample of its Panther Lake product that is set to be made on the company's 18A process technology (1.8nm-class).
For now, Intel's Core Ultra 'Panther Lake' demonstration was limited to a static sample. However, we are talking about a demonstration at a third-party event (Lenovo Tech World), so Intel could not really bring its own laptop to the stage, which explains why the company only demonstrated the chip, but not a machine running on its base. Then again, it is safe to say that Lenovo is already working on systems that will be based on Panther Lake CPUs.
Intel's Panther Lake processors are set to be manufactured in-house using the company's most advanced 18A process technology. Leaked specifications suggest from eight up to 16 cores in various configurations, depending on positioning.
The leaks indicate four base models, including higher-end Panther Lake-HX version with 16 cores (four high-performance, eight energy-efficient, and four ultra-low-power cores) and a 45W power limit; a slightly lower-clocked Panther Lake with 16 cores and a 25W processor base power; and a 16-core Panther Lake with enhanced Xe iGPU based on the Celestial architecture. Finally, there will be Panther Lake-U, designed for thin and light laptops, that is said to feature four high-performance cores and four ultra-low-power cores, totaling eight cores, with a power limit of 15W. This variant does not include any efficiency cores though.
While details about desktop versions remain uncertain, the Panther Lake-U/H models for mobile PCs will reportedly use a multi-die architecture consisting of three active dies for compute, graphics, and platform connectivity, along with two passive dies that enhance structural stability. Assembly of Panther Lake is anticipated to take place in the U.S.
Unlike Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake, Panther Lake CPUs will be made in-house by Intel, which will lower its costs and increase profitability, good news for company that generates substantial losses. In addition, thanks to all-new process technology with gate-all-around transistors and backside power delivery Panther Lake could offer substantial performance advantages over its predecessors.
