Intel Core Series 3 Processors Launch With Xe3 GPU and 40 TOPS AI Support

Intel Launches Core Series 3 For Schools, Small Businesses And Value Buyers

Intel Core Series 3 CPUs were launched in global markets on Thursday, bringing the company’s first AI-ready Core Series chip to the market with support for up to 40 TOPS of AI compute. The new platform is built on Intel 18A and is aimed at schools, small businesses and value buyers, with availability starting April 16 for consumer and commercial devices.

The lineup also includes Xe3 GPU architecture, Intel NPU 5, hybrid CPU cores and support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thunderbolt 4. Intel said devices from multiple OEM partners are already lined up, with broader availability expected through the year.

Core Series 3 Brings Hybrid Design, NPU 5 And Xe3 Graphics

Intel said the Core Series 3 mobile processors build on the Core Ultra Series 3, also known as Panther Lake, which was announced at CES 2026 in January. The new chips use a hybrid architecture with Performance cores and Low Power Efficient cores. Intel says the platform can carry up to 2 Cougar Cove P-cores and 4 Darkmont LP E-cores, a setup meant to balance burst performance with sustained efficiency for everyday workloads.

The processors are built with a multi-chip package design that combines compute, GPU and I/O tiles. Intel said this approach is aimed at improving cost efficiency and flexibility. The platform controller tile supports up to 6 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, along with USB 3.2 and USB 2.0 connectivity.

On the graphics side, the Intel Core Series 3 processors use Xe3 GPU architecture with up to 2 Xe cores and a dedicated Xe media and display engine. Intel said this should improve video playback and speed up encoding and decoding. The GPU also supports up to three 4K displays at 60Hz. The company claims up to 2.7 times higher AI performance from the GPU, while productivity and content creation workloads can see gains of up to 2.1 times compared with previous-generation processors.

Intel said the new processors are its first AI-ready Core Series chip and can support AI workloads up to 40 trillion operations per second, or 40 TOPS. The platform uses Intel NPU 5 architecture for on-device AI acceleration and is said to support more than 250 applications and 400 AI-optimised features.

Specifications, Battery Claims And Partner Devices

Intel Core Series 3 processors also support the following features and specifications:

• LPDDR5X memory up to 7467MT/s
• DDR5 memory up to 6400MT/s
• Maximum memory capacity of up to 64GB, depending on configuration
• Up to two integrated Thunderbolt 4 ports
• Intel Wi-Fi 7 (R2)
• Intel Bluetooth 6
• UFS 3.0 support
• PCIe Gen 4 SSD support
• Intel Partner Security Engine for hardware-level protection

Intel said the processors can deliver up to 47 percent better single-thread performance and 41 percent better multi-thread performance compared to older PCs. The company also claims up to 64 percent lower processor power in certain workloads compared with previous-generation chips. In terms of battery life, devices powered by the processors are said to offer up to 18.5 hours of video streaming, 12.5 hours of office productivity and 9.6 hours of video calls with AI effects.

Intel Core Series 3-powered devices for consumer and commercial segments are available starting April 16. Intel said broader availability is expected through the year through OEM partners. Edge systems based on the processors are scheduled to arrive beginning in Q2 2026.

Several laptop makers have already confirmed devices based on the new platform. Acer will offer the Aspire Go 14, Aspire Go 15 and Aspire Go 16. Asus plans the Vivobook 14/15/17 in Q2, along with ExpertBook series devices later this year. Other confirmed partners include HP with the Omnibook 5 14, Lenovo with upcoming ThinkBook, ThinkPad E series and IdeaPad models, and MSI with the Modern 14S and Modern 16S.

Intel also listed Samsung, Dell Technologies and Positivo among expected device makers. Honor, Infinix, Tecno and Wiko are also named as partners launching Series 3-powered systems.