Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 debuts on Intel 18A at CES 2026
Intel unveiled Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, positioning the lineup as its first compute platform built on Intel 18A process technology that was designed and manufactured in the United States. The company also framed Series 3 as its broadest AI PC platform to date, targeting more than 200 PC designs from global partners.
At the Series 3 launch, Intel ran 9 demos across areas including gaming, artificial intelligence, content creation, retail, and edge use cases, all powered by PCs using the new processors.
Within the mobile lineup, Intel introduced new Intel Core Ultra X9 and X7 processors with integrated Intel Arc graphics. Top configurations list up to 16 CPU cores, 12 Xe-cores, and 50 NPU TOPS. Intel’s published benchmarks also list up to 60% better multithread performance and up to 77% faster gaming performance versus its Lunar Lake reference platform comparisons, along with up to about 27 hours of battery life in a Netflix streaming test configuration.
Intel also included a separate Intel Core lineup based on the same Series 3 foundation, aimed at mainstream laptops and lower price points.
For the first time, Intel noted that Series 3 edge processors are tested and certified for embedded and industrial use cases, including robotics, smart cities, automation, and healthcare, with support claims that include extended temperature ranges, deterministic performance, and 24×7 reliability. Intel’s materials also list performance estimates for edge AI workloads, including large language model and video analytics comparisons.
Pre-orders for the first consumer laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 begin January 6, 2026, with global availability starting January 27, 2026. Edge systems powered by Series 3 are slated to arrive starting in Q2 2026.
