Intel’s new Core Series 3 processors bring AI Smarts to budget laptops
Intel's Core Series 3 chips make AI-capable laptops genuinely affordable for the first time.
Built on the advanced Intel 18A process, they pack a dedicated NPU, Wi-Fi 7, and dual Thunderbolt 4 into budget-friendly machines—features that used to cost a lot more.
Performance is up to 47% faster than a five-year-old PC, and over 70 laptop designs from brands like Acer, HP, and Lenovo arrive throughout 2026.
Intel launches Core Series 3 chips
- Intel refreshes non-Ultra Core CPUs with new silicon for the first time Ars Technica —
- Intel launches new Core Series 3 chips for mainstream laptops Engadget —
- Intel’s cheaper Panther Lake chips are for budget-friendly laptops The Verge —
- Intel releases Core Series 3 processors to power AI-ready devices at lower cost Seeking Alpha —