Only the "X" variants in the Panther Lake series will retain the flagship iGPU configuration, but the non-X SKUs won't be that behind either.
Core Ultra X9 and X7 Expected to Feature 12 Xe3 Cores, While Non-X Variants to Have 10 Xe3 Cores Instead
If you have read our recent article on the Panther Lake CPUs, you might already be aware that Intel is reportedly changing the naming convention once again for this mobile series. The change involves retaining the "Core Ultra" naming scheme, but will accompany the "X" designation to indicate the changes. As of now, we have reports that suggest Intel's transition to "Core Ultra X7/X9 3X8H" naming convention, which is a hybrid of Arrow Lake-H and Lunar Lake naming.
However, the "X" designation as seen in "Core Ultra X7" and "Core Ultra X9" serves the purpose of letting consumers know the iGPU configuration. As you might know, Panther Lake is the first Intel CPU family to feature Xe3-based integrated graphics, aka Celestial iGPU. As reported by prominent leaker "Golden Pig Upgrade", the Core Ultra X7 and X9 denote that these SKUs will feature 12 Xe3 GPU Cores, which is going to be the flagship GPU configuration.
As far as the Core Ultra 5 chips go, they don't carry the "X" designation, which indicates these will have a slower iGPU with 10 Xe3 GPU cores. The change isn't that big, but the naming convention clarifies the difference. According to the recent leak, there will be four Core Ultra "X" Panther Lake SKUs, and you can expect the following iGPU configurations for each of these:
- Core Ultra X9 388H (16 Cores): 12 Xe3 Cores
- Core Ultra X7 358H (16 Cores ): 12 Xe3 Cores
- Core Ultra X7 368H (16 Cores): 12 Xe3 Cores
- Core Ultra 5 338H (12 Cores): 10 Xe3 Cores
Coming from Lunar Lake, the Panther Lake chips will have a higher CPU core count, bringing more E-Cores and additional LP-E cores to the table. Unlike Lunar Lake, you will have up to 16 CPU cores or 12 Cores on the Panther Lake-H series, while the Panther Lake-U series will feature a 6 to 8-core configuration.
Remember that Panther Lake's hybrid naming convention comes as a result of not being a direct successor to the Lunar Lake. The Lunar Lake was a niche product, bringing fixed onboard LPDDR5X RAM, but Panther Lake won't be limited to just 16 GB or 32 GB capacities. However, through Panther Lake, Intel wants to retain high battery life like Lunar Lake (or even better) while delivering a refined hybrid P-Core/E-Core setup to bring significant improvements.
News Source: Videocardz
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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