Rumors have surfaced about Intel’s upcoming CPUs, the Core Ultra X7 358H and Ultra 5 338H, allegedly showing their performance in Cinebench R23 MT tests. These leaks suggest the new Panther Lake chips may rival Intel’s existing Arrow Lake-H series in terms of multi-threaded performance.
Intel’s Panther Lake CPUs: Awaiting the New Wave
Recent benchmarks have emerged, showcasing the expected capabilities of Intel’s Panther Lake processors. The Core Ultra X7 358H boasts 4 P-Cores and 12 E-Cores with a boost speed of up to 4.8 GHz, while the Ultra 5 338H features 4 P-Cores and 8 E-Cores with clocks peaking at 4.7 GHz. These specifications, although preliminary, hint at a competitive edge over their predecessors.
These processors were compared to the Arrow Lake-H CPUs, with the Ultra X7 358H up against the Ultra 7 255H, featuring higher clock speeds. Despite this, the Panther Lake CPUs showed promising results, with the Ultra X7 358H scoring around 20,000 points in Cinebench R23, just shy of the Ultra 7 255H’s 21,826 points. Similarly, the Ultra 5 338H scored 16,000 points compared to the 225H’s 17,988 points. Sources indicate that Panther Lake CPUs might offer similar performance to Arrow Lake counterparts in multi-threaded applications.
Performance Insights and Future Prospects
The Panther Lake’s performance extends beyond the CPU, with the 12Xe iGPU scores in 3DMark Time Spy showcasing an improvement, scoring up to 6830 points, marking an 8.5% boost over prior results. This enhancement positions the Panther Lake iGPU as up to 55% faster than the previous generation’s 8Xe2 iGPU.
As Intel gears up to release its first Panther Lake SKU soon, with more releases expected at CES 2026, anticipation builds around these potential game-changing CPUs. Although these leaks should be viewed skeptically, they provide a tantalizing glimpse into what could be Intel’s next big leap in CPU technology.
Intel’s Panther Lake Preview
| CPU Model | P-Cores (Cougar Cove) | E-Cores (Darkmont) | LP-E Cores (Skymont) | CPU Clocks | Xe3 iGPU Cores | iGPU Clock | TDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Ultra X9 388H | 4 | 8 | 4 | TBD | 12 | TBD | 45W |
| Core Ultra X7 368H | 4 | 8 | 4 | TBD | 12 | TBD | 45W |
| Core Ultra X7 358H | 4 | 8 | 4 | 1.9 / 4.8 GHz? | 12 | 2500 MHz | 45W |
| Core Ultra X5 338H | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.9 / 4.7 GHz? | 10 | TBD | 45W |
| Core Ultra 9 375H | 4 | 8 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 45W |
| Core Ultra 7 355H | 4 | 8 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 45W |
| Core Ultra 7 345H | 4 | 8 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 45W |
| Core Ultra 5 325H | 4 | 4 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 45W |
| Core Ultra 7 360U | 4 | 0 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 15-28W |
| Core Ultra 5 350U | 4 | 0 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 15-28W |
| Core Ultra 5 340U | 4 | 0 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 15-28W |
| Core Ultra 3 320U | 2 | 0 | 4 | TBD | 4 | TBD | 15-28W |