Intel announced that its next-gen CPU products are on 'track' with Panther Lake entering volume production in the second half of 2025 and Nova Lake launching in 2026.
Intel Keeps its Client CPU Roadmap Intact and Will Release the Core Ultra 300 "Panther Lake" Series in the Second Half of 2025, 2026 For Nova Lake
Thankfully, Intel hasn't deviated from its original roadmap for the client CPU even though it abandoned the Falcon Shores for the data center segment after hyping it so much. The Q4 2024 earnings call has confirmed from Intel that things are going according to the plan for the client CPU segment.
As per the Co-CEO of Intel, Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel's next-gen client CPU series, Panther Lake, will be released in the second half of 2025. The CPUs will enter into mass production in the same time frame and will hit the shelves before the end of this year. However, Intel hasn't confirmed whether Panther Lake will be coming to the desktop or not.
Looking ahead to the rest of the year, we will strengthen our client roadmap with the launch of Panther Lake, our lead product on Intel 18A, in the second half of 2025. As the first volume customer of Intel 18A, I see the progress that Intel Foundry is making on performance and yields. And I look forward to being in production in the second half as we demonstrate the benefits of our world-class design and process technology capabilities.
Here, Intel confirms that the Panther Lake will be its first product based on the advanced 18A node, which will be a 'world-class' process technology. Next year, i.e., 2026, Intel will launch its "Nova Lake" CPU lineup, which is confirmed for both mobile and desktop platforms. According to Intel's statement, it looks like Nova Lake is Intel's one of the most profitable client CPU lineups.
2026 is even more exciting from a client perspective as Panther Lake achieves meaningful volumes, and we introduce our next-generation client family code-named Nova Lake. Both will provide strong performance across the entire PC stack with significantly better cost and margin for us, enhancing our competitive position and reinforcing our value proposition to our partners and customers.
As far as Panther Lake is concerned, we have heard recently that the Panther Lake-H CPUs for mobile platforms may be unveiled at CES 2026, but now it looks like the CPUs will hit the market a bit early, according to the original plan. It's unlikely that the desktop Panther Lake (if it exists) will be unveiled before the mobile chips, as Holthous teased the lineup by saying that "everything that you love about Lunar Lake, (Panther Lake) will take it to the next level" (via PC World).
Intel Panther Lake has already started appearing on various benchmark websites and the latest one is the listing on SiSoftware (via @GawroskiT) where you can see the theoretical performance of an early sample. It's usual to have lower-than-expected scores in such benchmarks, and we will have to wait for more to conclude.
Intel Desktop CPU Generations Comparison:
| Intel CPU Family | Processor Process | Processor Architecture | Graphics Architecture | Processors Cores/Threads (Max) | Platform | Memory Support | PCIe Support | Launch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alder Lake (12th Gen) | Intel 7 | Golden Cove (P-Core) Gracemont (E-Core) | HD 700 Series | 16/24 | LGA 1700/1800 | DDR5 / DDR4 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2021 |
| Raptor Lake (13th Gen) | Intel 7 | Raptor Cove (P-Core) Gracemont (E-Core) | HD 700 Series | 24/32 | LGA 1700/1800 | DDR5 / DDR4 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2022 |
| Raptor Lake Refresh (14th Gen) | Intel 7 | Raptor Cove (P-Core) Gracemont (E-Core) | HD 700 Series | 24/32 | LGA 1700/1800 | DDR5 / DDR4 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2023 |
| Arrow Lake (Core Ultra 200) | TSMC N3B | Lion Cove (P-Core) Skymont (E-Core) | Xe1 (Alchemist) | 24/24 | LGA 1851 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2024 |
| Arrow Lake Refresh (Core Ultra 200 Plus) | TSMC N3B | Lion Cove (P-Core) Skymont (E-Core) | Xe1 (Alchemist) | 24/24 | LGA 1851 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2026 |
| Nova Lake (Core Ultra 400?) | TBA | Coyote Cove (P-Core) Arctic Wolf (E-Core) | Xe3 (Battlemage) | 52/52 | LGA 1954 | DDR5 | PCIe Gen 5.0 | 2026-2027? |
| Razer Lake (Core Ultra 500?) | TBA | Griffin Cove (P-Core)? Golden Eagle (E-Core)? | TBA | TBA | LGA 1954? | TBA | TBA | 2027-2028? |
| Hammer Lake (Core Ultra 700?) | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | LGA 1954? | TBA | TBA | 2029-2030? |
News Source: Intel (PDF)
About the author: Sarfraz Khan is a hardware reporter with a focus on PC components and the builder community. With years of experience writing about PC hardware and laptops, his work has been featured on several reputable technology publications. Sarfraz's hands-on experience is demonstrated through his first-person accounts of using and comparing different hardware configurations, providing practical and relatable insights for everyday users. His technical analysis is respected by peers in the enthusiast community and has been cited by specialized hardware sites such as Germany's Igor's Lab.
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