Intel Core Series 3 debuts for mainstream laptops with AI boost

Intel's Core Series 3 chips, codenamed Wildcat Lake, target mainstream and value laptops with the same 18A process as Core Ultra Series 3. They deliver up to 47% better single-thread and 41% better multi-thread performance, plus up to 2.8x GPU AI performance vs a five-year-old PC, and up to 64% lower power vs last-gen Core 7 150U. The top six-core Core 7 360 can reach 4.8GHz with 17 TOPS NPU; Intel promises all-day battery life (about 12.5 hours office, 18.5 hours streaming), Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Laptops from Acer, ASUS, Dell, Samsung and Lenovo will adopt Core Series 3 in 2026.