Intel’s upcoming processor family, known as Panther Lake, has been confirmed through a recent update to CPU ID’s HWMonitor tool. The update officially lists the new SKUs under the Panther Lake lineup, confirming the naming convention and model structure that were previously leaked. The confirmation provides an early look at Intel’s next-generation CPUs, which are set to debut at CES 2026.
As spotted by hardware enthusiast @momomo_us, the latest version of HWMonitor now includes entries for several Panther Lake SKUs. These entries align with earlier reports and confirm that Intel will continue using the Core Ultra branding for this generation. The identified models include Core Ultra 7 360U, Core Ultra 5 350U, Core Ultra 5 340U, and Core Ultra 3 320U. The U-series naming indicates that these processors are designed primarily for thin-and-light laptops, focusing on efficiency and compact performance.
The latest confirmation also highlights a shift in Intel’s core design strategy for this lineup. Unlike the previous hybrid configurations that included both Performance (P) and Efficiency (E) cores, the Panther Lake U-series CPUs are expected to skip the traditional E-cores entirely. Instead, they will feature a combination of Performance cores and Low-Power Efficiency (LP-E) cores, offering a balance between power savings and sustained performance in mobile platforms.
Intel has already disclosed that the Panther Lake series will utilize its 18A process technology, marking an important milestone in its manufacturing roadmap. This will be the first consumer CPU family to leverage the company’s fully in-house 18A node, which is aimed at improving transistor density and efficiency. The integrated graphics, on the other hand, will reportedly use either TSMC’s N3E process or Intel’s 3 process, depending on the configuration. This mixed-foundry approach continues Intel’s trend of optimizing chip components across different process technologies to improve efficiency and performance-per-watt.
The HWMonitor update serves as a reliable indicator that development for Panther Lake is well underway, and that engineering samples may already be in testing. This kind of software-level confirmation typically appears once early hardware begins circulating among developers, OEMs, and validation teams. The addition of these SKUs also provides software and hardware monitoring support ahead of public release, ensuring compatibility for upcoming laptops and devices featuring the new CPUs.
Intel’s Panther Lake lineup follows the company’s broader roadmap that includes Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake before its official debut. Each generation brings process advancements and architectural refinements, and Panther Lake represents Intel’s move toward achieving performance leadership through advanced fabrication and redesigned core structures.
With the CES 2026 launch window approaching, more details about the specifications, performance, and integrated GPU architecture of Panther Lake are expected to surface in the coming months. For now, HWMonitor’s inclusion of these SKUs confirms that Intel’s next generation of Core Ultra processors is on track, aligning with previous leaks and signaling the next major step in Intel’s product lineup for mobile computing.
