Intel kicked off CES 2026 with a clearer picture of where its mobile processors are headed, officially introducing the Core Ultra X7 and Core Ultra X9 laptop chips. These new SKUs sit at the top of Intel's upcoming Panther Lake lineup, also known as the Core Ultra 3 Series, which was first teased back in October last year.

With these announcements, Intel is making a strong statement about performance, graphics capability, and memory scalability in next-generation laptops.

A Quick Recap: Panther Lake and Core Ultra 3

Panther Lake represents Intel's next major leap for mobile CPUs. The focus this time is not just raw speed, but a more balanced mix of performance cores, efficiency cores, low-power cores, and dedicated AI acceleration. The Core Ultra X7 and X9 models are designed for high-end laptops where performance matters, without completely sacrificing efficiency and battery life.

Core Ultra X7: Two Variants, Same DNA

The Core Ultra X7 arrives in two variants: the 358H and 368H. On paper, both chips are built on the same 16-core configuration:

The real difference lies in clock speeds. The 358H boosts up to 4.8GHz, while the 368H pushes a little further to 5.0GHz. This gives laptop manufacturers flexibility to tune systems for either slightly better thermals or maximum peak performance, depending on the target design.

Core Ultra X9: Pushing Panther Lake to the Limit

At the top of the stack sits the Core Ultra X9 388H. It shares the same 16-core layout as the X7 models, but cranks the boost clock even higher, topping out at 5.1GHz under full load.

This chip is clearly aimed at premium laptops where Intel wants to showcase the absolute best Panther Lake has to offer. Alongside CPU performance, it also benefits from Intel's latest integrated graphics and a significantly upgraded AI engine.

Arc B390 Integrated Graphics: A Big Step Forward

One of the most interesting announcements is the new Arc B390 integrated GPU, which is exclusive to the Core Ultra X7 and X9 models. This isn't a minor update. The Arc B390 features:

Intel claims performance on par with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 laptop GPU, but with a sustained power draw of around 45W under full load. For comparison, many RTX 4050 laptop configurations run closer to 60W TGP.

If these claims hold up in real-world testing, this could significantly reduce the need for entry-level discrete GPUs in thin-and-light performance laptops.

Memory Support: Up to 96GB, Finally Expandable

Another major change is memory support. The Core Ultra X7 and X9 CPUs can handle up to 96GB of LPDDR5x RAM, a huge jump from Intel's previous Lunar Lake designs.

With Lunar Lake, memory was capped at 32GB and integrated directly into the CPU package. That approach delivered excellent efficiency and battery life, with some laptops reaching up to 22 hours on a single charge, but it completely removed upgrade options.

Panther Lake brings flexibility back, though it comes with a catch.

The Cost Reality: Memory Is Not Cheap

While 96GB of memory support sounds impressive, it won't come cheap. The entire industry is still dealing with tight consumer memory supply, as manufacturers continue shifting production toward enterprise and AI-focused memory to meet surging demand.

As a result, high-memory Panther Lake laptops are likely to sit firmly in the premium price bracket, especially at launch.

Availability and What Comes Next

Intel says laptops powered by the Core Ultra X7 and X9 processors will start shipping from Q2 2026, with preorders already opening through select partners. The real test will come once independent benchmarks and real-world battery life numbers start rolling in.

On paper, Panther Lake looks like one of Intel's most ambitious mobile platforms in years. Now it's just a matter of seeing how well these promises translate into actual laptops you can buy and use every day.