(Credit: Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Intel today announced six new Core Series 3 chips built for cheaper laptops than those running its top-end Ultra "Panther Lake" line, promising “advanced performance, exceptional battery life, and AI-ready capabilities."
Intel is using the same 18A process as its Core Ultra Series 3, first revealed in January, but the new versions are less powerful, as the Wildcat Lake-codenamed series is aimed at more budget-friendly alternatives. If you’re looking for pure grunt, look for Intel's “Ultra" title.
The top-end option for the new Core Series 3 is a six-core Intel Core 7 360 with a CPU reaching P-core Max Turbo frequency of 4.8GHz and NPU TOPS performance of 17. Other six-core options include a Core 7 350 as well as a Core 5 330, 320, and 315. There’s also a five-core Core 3 304 option with much lower GPU performance than its counterparts.
Every new product also has fewer Xe graphics cores and PCIe lanes compared with the Ultra series. Each one also supports up to two Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 7 (R2), and Bluetooth 6.
(Credit: Intel)Battery life appears strong; Intel says its Core 7 350 can last up to 9.6 hours during a 1:1 Zoom video call with AI effects enabled. It also estimates battery life at 12.5 hours using office tools or 18.5 hours streaming Netflix.
Expect these new chips to appear from today throughout the rest of the year across 70+ planned products. We don’t yet know how low prices will go with these onboard, but Intel says they’re aimed directly at “value buyers” as well as businesses and schools.
Confirmed devices include the Acer Aspire Go 14, 15, and 16, as well as the Asus Vivobook 14, 15, and 17, Vivobook S14, and S16, and the ExpertBook B5 Flip, B3 G2, and P3 G2.
Other options include the Colorful Colorfire E14 and L1, Haier’s Aibook, Honor’s Magicbook X14 and X15, HP’s Omnibook 5 14, and MSI’s Modern 14S and 16S.
Intel also confirms that Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung plan to announce devices with Core Series 3 onboard, alongside other manufacturers that are unlikely to offer products in the US.
Josh Newman, general manager of Consumer PC at Intel's Client Computing Group, says, “By delivering the latest IP with modern, purpose-designed silicon and right-sized performance, we’re expanding access to better technology that meets the real-world needs of students, families, small businesses, and edge deployments at a scale that no other company can match.”