Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake processors are set to launch sometime this year, and be in volume next year, boasting higher performance and efficiency than their predecessors. At the same time, the brand aims to redefine integrated graphics performance through its new Xe3 Celestial architecture, said to mark a significant leap from the previous Xe2 Battlemage graphics.
During the recent podcast titled The Road to Panther Lake: Intel Arc Graphics, Intel’s Alejandro and Tom Petersen discussed the company’s progress in graphics development over the years and the long-term direction. While no performance figures have been shared, the hosts mentioned key targets for Intel, especially its intent to integrate AI into its upcoming GPU and CPU designs.
“Larger investments are coming in both graphics and AI. The world is becoming more visual, and AI adoption is accelerating faster than any previous technology. Intel is responding by integrating these capabilities deeper into its upcoming products,” said Intel Fellow Tom Petersen.
Jim Johnson, GM and VP of Intel Client Computing Group added that: “The graphics in Panther Lake will set a new standard — not only for Intel but for the industry as a whole.”
To do this in a performance and efficient way, the company will leverage its RibbonFET transistors and PowerVia backside-power delivery technologies, alongside a cutting-edge 18A process node. But that’s not all, Panther Lake chips will also get a bit of help through packing more GPU cores on the high-end models. Intel carries up to 12 Xe3 cores on the Core Ultra X series, marking a 50% increase over last-gen processors. These are said to be low-power variants of the Xe3 cores awaited on desktops to suit the power constraints of a mobile device, sharing 16MB of L2 cache. Considering Intel’s continuing architecture refinement, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar efficiency jump to Lunar Lake.
Early reports from the Linux community have indicated that Panther Lake’s graphics have improved by some 18% in gaming thanks to a recent patch. With the release still ahead, Intel engineers have time to further improve performance. For instance, the company is trying to shift away from resource-heavy anti-aliasing solutions in favour of its XeSS AI-based upscaling.
Intel’s first Xe graphics were not perfect, requiring months of driver updates and fixes to reach an acceptable level. Its second-gen Xe2 began on a stronger footing, providing good value to budget users. Xe3 is set to benefit from all the lessons learned until now and thus has all the cards to gain traction. With it, Intel may make a big splash in the laptop market, delivering strong enough iGPU performance to nullify the need for low-end discrete GPUs. We can’t wait to see what Panther Lake and its Celestial graphics have to offer.
