Intel Places Big Bets on Panther Lake CPU and 18A Manufacturing Process
Intel is pinning its future on the upcoming Panther Lake CPU architecture, built on its cutting-edge 18A manufacturing process. While concrete performance details for Panther Lake remain under wraps, Intel recently revealed promising data on the new 18A process itself during a VLSI symposium in Japan, as reported by German site Hardwareluxx.
Instead of showcasing one of its own architectures, Intel tested a segment of an Arm core to demonstrate the performance gains enabled by 18A. According to Intel’s presentation, the 18A process can deliver 25% higher performance at the same power, or alternatively, reduce power consumption by 38% while maintaining the same performance.
However, the comparison is somewhat nuanced: Intel’s figures compare 18A to their Intel 3 technology, a process not yet used for consumer CPUs. For example, the current Core Ultra 200 (Meteor Lake) chips are manufactured on Intel 4, and Lunar Lake will use TSMC’s N3B and N6 nodes. This means the real-world gains remain to be fully validated.
Panther Lake is the centerpiece of Intel’s “five nodes in four years” strategy aimed at revitalizing its manufacturing capabilities, with innovations like gate-all-around transistors and backside power routing playing key roles.
As Panther Lake’s expected launch in early 2026 approaches, expect Intel to provide more details on these technologies and how they will translate into improved CPU performance and efficiency.
