We recently got to see Intel's new Arrow Lake-H CPU, the Core Ultra 9 285H, on Geekbench for the first time. This CPU is expected to be launched at CES 2025, along with the Arrow Lake-HX and upgraded Raptor Lake CPUs. Additionally, the next generation, Panther Lake (Core Ultra 300), is rumored to debut around the same timeframe next year.
Insights from Lenovo
This information was shared by a Lenovo product manager through ITHome, with a mention of @harukaze5719 on X. On the other hand, the user @SquashBionic, who has a good track record of leaking Intel-related information, suggests that Panther Lake might see an earlier paper launch within the year. This seems possible, and Intel might introduce Panther Lake close to the launch date of Lunar Lake.
CEO's Promises
SquashBionic's comments align with what Intel's CEO Pat Gelsinger has stated about a Panther Lake launch in 2025. Given that a Panther Lake chip has been powered on already, we shouldn’t expect mass production and an official launch to be very far off. Alternatively, Intel might reveal some of the Panther Lake series in 2025 and unveil the remaining models in 2026. Currently, at least five Panther Lake SKUs are known, with the highest-spec version limited to 45 Watts.
Memory Restrictions
According to the ITHome report, Panther Lake will not feature on-package memory like Lunar Lake does. However, there is a specific case that isn’t part of Panther Lake-U, which means at least one CPU from the Panther Lake lineup will come with non-upgradable RAM. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also echoed this in a recent Medium article, noting that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) weren’t too happy about the memory limitations and that Intel had limited influence over DRAM pricing.
