Key Takeaways
1. Intel is launching Panther Lake-H with two new models: Core Ultra X7 358H and Core Ultra X9 388H, replacing the Arrow Lake-H series.
2. The integrated Arc B390 GPU shows significant improvement over the previous Arc 140T/140V series.
3. The Asus ExpertBook Ultra with Core Ultra X7 outperforms older 14-inch laptops, maintaining stable Turbo Boost clock rates during heavy use.
4. Panther Lake CPUs, while performant, can reach high temperatures (around 89 C) under prolonged heavy loads, which is hotter than many competitors.
5. More laptops with Panther Lake are expected in Q2, with the MSI Prestige series being a notable upcoming release.
Intel is launching Panther Lake-H with two strong SKUs: the Core Ultra X7 358H and the Core Ultra X9 388H. These are set to take the place of the previous Arrow Lake-H models, the Core Ultra 7 255H and Core Ultra 9 285H. Although the new integrated Arc B390 GPU is being praised for its significant improvement over the Arc 140T/140V series, the performance gains in the CPU department from one generation to the next are not as marked. Still, the immediate benefits are certainly noteworthy.
Performance Comparison
The graphs below demonstrate that the Asus ExpertBook Ultra equipped with the Core Ultra X7 outpaces and outperforms other 14-inch laptops that have the older Core Ultra 7 255H. This indicates that Turbo Boost clock rates remain stable for longer durations on the Asus, while they tend to decrease more quickly in Arrow Lake-H subnotebooks. For instance, when running CineBench R15 xT repeatedly, the Asus maintains relatively stable scores, in contrast to the Lenovo Yoga Book 9 14, which experiences a performance drop of nearly 25 percent.
Heat Management Issues
However, this improved and consistent performance comes at a cost. Under heavy loads for prolonged periods, the Panther Lake CPU in the Asus tends to stabilize at about 89 C, making it noticeably hotter than many other 14-inch laptops, which typically range from mid 70 C to mid 80 C. Moreover, there is no assurance that upcoming models featuring Panther Lake will maintain the same performance levels as the Asus, especially since the CPU is engineered to operate dynamically across various power envelopes to accommodate different screen sizes.
Future Availability
More laptops utilizing Panther Lake are anticipated to be released in the second quarter of this year, with the completely revamped MSI Prestige series being a significant highlight. Until then, users can explore our review of the ExpertBook Ultra for additional early benchmarks and comparisons.
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