At CES 2026, Intel officially introduced its next generation of AI-focused processors with the launch of the Intel Core Ultra Series 3, marking a major milestone in the company’s product roadmap. These new chips are the first to be manufactured using Intel 18A, the most advanced semiconductor process ever produced in the United States, and are designed to accelerate the adoption of AI PCs across multiple market segments.
According to Intel, the new SoCs will power more than 200 designs from global partners, positioning it as the company’s most widely deployed AI PC architecture to date. The new lineup emphasizes a balance between energy efficiency and high performance, addressing the growing demand for on-device AI processing while maintaining long battery life in mobile systems.
Image: Intel
For the mobile portfolio, Intel introduced the Core Ultra X9 and X7 categories; these processors are equipped with high-performance Intel Arc integrated graphics and are aimed at demanding workloads such as gaming, content creation, and advanced multitasking. Flagship models in the series feature up to 16 CPU cores, 12 Xe-cores for graphics, and a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 50 TOPS, enabling faster execution of AI tasks directly on the device.
Intel reports significant generational improvements with the Core Ultra Series 3; compared to previous platforms, the company claims up to 60% higher multithreaded CPU performance and as much as 77% improvement in gaming performance. One of the most notable advancements is power efficiency, with certain laptop configurations delivering up to 27 hours of battery life, a key factor for mobile professionals and enterprise users.
It’s also worth mentioning that, for the first time, the Core Ultra Series 3 processors have received certification for industrial and edge computing applications. These versions are designed for continuous 24/7 operation and target use cases such as robotics, smart cities, and localized AI inference. Intel states that in these environments, the new chips can achieve up to 1.9 times higher performance in large language model workloads, making them suitable for AI processing closer to the data source.
Pre-orders for the first laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors begin on January 6, 2026, with global availability scheduled for January 27, 2026. Solutions tailored for industrial and edge markets are expected to launch in the second quarter of 2026.
Filed in . Read more about AI (Artificial Intelligence), CES and CES 2026.