Intel Plans to Ship One "Panther Lake" SKU in 2025, Others On Track for 2026

[AleksandarK]

Intel is preparing to launch its first "Panther Lake" mobile processor later this year, but only one configuration will arrive in 2025. This SKU features four high-performance P-cores paired with eight E-cores, leaves out the lower-power efficiency cores, and packs four Xe3 GPU cores. With a 45 W TDP, it is clearly aimed at mainstream gaming laptops rather than ultralight notebooks. Panther Lake fills the gap left by "Lunar Lake" with a higher power envelope and a more performance-oriented design. Lunar Lake ranged from 17 W to 28 W, while Panther Lake's 45 W shows Intel is targeting users who need more sustained compute and graphics throughput. Rumors indicate additional Panther Lake variants will arrive in Q1 of 2026, when Intel plans to have more SKUs shipping to OEMs from volume production.

One such SKU is expected to feature 12 Xe3 GPU cores for premium thin-and-light laptops without discrete graphics. All of Panther Lake processors combine "Cougar Cove" performance cores with "Darkmont" efficiency cores, following Intel's hybrid approach introduced with "Meteor Lake". Intel's decision to stagger the rollout reflects supply chain considerations and product segmentation by power and graphics capability. Gaming laptops that can rely on integrated Xe3 graphics will welcome this 45 W chip, while other form factors may wait for next year's lower-power or ultralight 15 W models. Qualification with OEM partners should begin later this year, with laptop shipments expected by late Q4 2025. Until Intel shares more details on the rest of the Panther Lake lineup, much remains speculative.



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[Tomorrow]

To me this pretty much confirms that 18A is severely limited in volume this year if they plan on releasing only one midrange mobile SKU on it.

 

[phanbuey]

To me this pretty much confirms that 18A is severely limited in volume this year if they plan on releasing only one midrange mobile SKU on it.

yeah same, they keep bragging about 14A and 18A but it's nowhere to be found. It's like when IBM announces in 2018 they've made breakthroughs on 2nm graphene process - 'cool bro, so like in reality, or is it in a folder in a filing cabinet somewhere?'

Meanwhile TSMC is chugging along on schedule.

 

[truthsayer]

Intel really wants to replace Lunar Lake as soon as 18A becomes viable, due to (1) high manufacturing costs, and (2) that cost going to TSMC instead of being recouped by Intel Foundries, the latter hung out to dry losing >2 Billion every quarter.

For years, Intel've said that if 18A is not 100% competitive from the start, the company will sink. I really hope that Intel just played it safe, and covered all of 2025 with Lunar Lake orders, but Intel's first 18A server product (Clearwater forest) was also delayed from Q3 2025 to 1H 2026, it's not looking good.

 

[phints]

No interest in a high TDP gaming laptop as I have my home built PC for that. But I really look forward to a Lunar Lake sequel, the idea of Intel approaching Apple silicon M series efficiency but with all the application and gaming compatibility of x86-64 is great.

 

[kondamin]

To me this pretty much confirms that 18A is severely limited in volume this year if they plan on releasing only one midrange mobile SKU on it.

Thought I read this was going to be TSMC once again.

 

[Tomorrow]

Thought I read this was going to be TSMC once again.

At least some SKU's of Nova Lake are reported to be indeed on TSMC's 2nm next year.

 

[AntiX3DGlazer]

Thought I read this was going to be TSMC once again.

SoC tile is still TSMC