Intel’s Panther Lake CPU Unveiled: 16 GB Memory Tested With 25W and 65W Performance for 10-Core Power Users

Excitement is building as Intel gears up to release its Panther Lake “Core Ultra Series 3” CPU later this year. With CES 2026 set as the stage for the official debut, enthusiasts are already getting glimpses of what’s to come through leaks and early performance tests.

First Look at Intel’s Panther Lake ES CPU

Recently, an engineering sample of Intel’s Panther Lake CPU was unveiled by tech insider YuuKi_AnS. This early silicon features a PTL 16C/4Xe3 die configuration with a BGA 2540 socket setup. The test platform used was the Intel RVP, supporting 16 GB of LPDDR5X memory. Notably, four SK hynix DRAM modules power this setup, achieving speeds of 7467MHz—below the anticipated 9600 MT/s of the final product.

Technical Specifications and Performance

The Panther Lake ES CPU includes 10 cores with a configuration of 2 P-Cores, 4 E-Cores, and 4 LP-E cores. It has 11 MB of L2 cache and 12 MB of L3 cache, with clock speeds reaching 3.0 GHz for base and 3.2 GHz for boost. The integrated graphics unit shares a 2.5 GT/s PCIe link. The CPU’s PL1 rating is 25W, with PL2 at 65W and PL4 at 160W, while the test benchmarks showed modest results due to its engineering sample nature.

This engineering sample of Intel’s Panther Lake CPU features a unique core configuration not seen in the leaked lineup, potentially hinting at an internal testing chip or a future Core Ultra SKU.

Speculations and Future Prospects

With no current SKUs matching this 10-core configuration in the leaked Panther Lake lineup, speculations arise whether this sample is a unique variant for internal tests or a preview of a forthcoming product. Anticipation surrounds the potential reveal of a Core Ultra 5 or 3 SKU.