Intel unveiled its Core Ultra Series 3 processors at CES 2026 on January 5, 2026, marking the first AI PC platform built on the Intel 18A process technology. This process represents the most advanced semiconductor technology designed and manufactured in the United States. The announcement took place in Las Vegas, where Intel demonstrated nine applications across gaming, AI, content creation, retail, edge computing, and other areas, all powered by PCs running Core Ultra Series 3.
The Series 3 family powers more than 200 PC designs from leading global partners. These systems deliver strong performance, graphics capabilities, and battery life. Intel positions Series 3 as its most widely adopted and globally available AI PC platform to date.
Series 3 introduces the first compute platform based on Intel 18A. It supports a broad range of devices, from consumer PCs to edge applications. For the first time, Series 3 edge variants are tested and certified for embedded and industrial uses, including robotics, smart cities, automation, and healthcare. These variants offer extended temperature ranges, deterministic performance, and 24×7 reliability.
“With Series 3, we are laser focused on improving power efficiency, adding more CPU performance, a bigger GPU in a class of its own, more AI compute and app compatibility you can count on with x86.” – Jim Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Client Computing Group, Intel.
The mobile lineup features a new class of Intel Core Ultra X9 and X7 processors with the highest-performing integrated Intel Arc graphics. These target multitaskers handling gaming, content creation, and productivity workloads. Top models include up to 16 CPU cores, 12 Xe-cores, and 50 NPU TOPS. They provide up to 60 percent better multithread performance, 77 percent faster gaming performance, and up to 27 hours of battery life.
The Series 3 family also includes Intel Core processors for mainstream mobile systems. These share the same architecture as the Ultra models but enable more efficient laptop designs at lower price points.
In edge AI workloads, Core Ultra Series 3 offers up to 1.9 times higher large-language-model performance. It achieves 2.3 times better performance per watt per dollar on end-to-end video analytics. Additionally, it delivers 4.5 times higher throughput on vision-language-action models. The integrated AI acceleration supports a single-chip solution, reducing total cost of ownership compared to traditional multi-chip CPU-GPU setups.
Pre-orders for the first consumer laptops with Core Ultra Series 3 processors start on January 6, 2026. Global availability begins January 27, 2026, with more designs launching throughout the first half of the year. Edge systems powered by Series 3 will become available starting in the second quarter of 2026.
