Intel has announced a family of cheaper laptop processors called the Core Series 3 line, built using the same Intel 18A process as the Ultra, but notably toned down in the power department.
The newly revealed Intel Core Series 3 (code-name Wildcat Lake) is built on the foundations of Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (code-name Panther Lake) and manufactured on the Intel 18A process node technology. The new processors are designed to transform computing for schools, small businesses, and value buyers, delivering the features people care about at an unmatched scale, but notably with less juice than the previously revealed Ultra series.
The (non-Ultra) Core Series 3 line is comprised of six different chips and will be included in a myriad of products throughout 2026. All of the chips across the Core Series 3 line feature toned-down specifications where computing power is concerned compared to the Ultra Series 3(a drop in CPU cores, graphics cores, and PCIe lanes, and they’re capable of less TOPS). The Core Series also brings the Thunderbolt 4 port count down to two. The six processors are listed below, courtesy of Intel.
| Processor | Cores/Threads | P-core MAX Turbo Freq | NPU (TOPS) | GPU (Xe-cores / Freq / TOPS) |
| Core 7 360 | 6 | 4.8 GHz | 17 | (2 / 2.6 GHz / 21) |
| Core 7 350 | 6 | 4.8 GHz | 17 | (2 / 2.6 GHz / 21) |
| Core 5 330 | 6 | 4.6 GHz | 16 | (2 / 2.5 GHz / 20) |
| Core 5 320 | 6 | 4.6 GHz | 16 | (2 / 2.5 GHz / 20) |
| Core 5 315 | 6 | 4.4 GHz | 15 | (2 / 2.3 GHz / 18) |
| Core 3 304 | 5 | 4.3 GHz | 15 | (1 / 2.3 GHz / 9) |
The idea behind the six new processors is what Intel calls “an unmatched upgrade opportunity for small businesses and home users on a typical five-year upgrade cycle.” When compared to a five-year-old PC, Intel Core Series 3 runs with 47 percent better single-thread performance, up to 41 percent better multi-thread performance, and up to 2.8x better GPU AI performance. The Intel Core Series 3 is Intel’s first hybrid AI-ready Core Series processor, and they support AI workloads with up to 40 platform TOPS.
While the chips are numbered with product numbers that typically mean ‘higher equals better,’ shoppers now have to keep an eye out for whether the Intel processor includes the word ‘Ultra.’ While the Core Ultra 7 355 sounds like it would be less powerful than the Core 7 360, the word Ultra definitely matters in this case.
The Ultra-less Intel Core Series 3 processors will hopefully mean the products equipped with them will feature friendlier price points than the Ultra Series 3, with the notable dip in computing power. But consumers will find out when the first wave of portable PCs arrives in 2026. Right now, a high-end Ultra Series 3 (like the Asus Zenbook Duo) laptop costs a consumer more than $2,000.
The Intel Core Series 3-powered systems for consumers and commercial use will be available from Intel partners today and throughout the year, including Acer, Asus, HP, Lenovo, MSI, and even Samsung. Consumers looking for more info can head to the official Intel site.
