There are conflicting rumors circulating in the hardware industry regarding the launch of Intel’s next-generation Panther Lake-H processors. While a statement suggesting that the processors, which will use Intel’s 18A production process, will be announced at CES 2026 came from Lenovo’s product manager, @SquashBionic, a well-known leak source, took a different perspective on these claims. So when is it coming?

Intel Panther Lake-H, coming in 2026 or 2025?

According to @SquashBionic, a reliable source, some models of Intel’s Panther Lake processors could be released in 2025. In fact, a recent statement by Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger supports this leak; Gelsinger stated that they are planning to launch a Panther Lake in 2025.

Intel’s Panther Lake-H series will come on the heels of the Arrow Lake-H series, which is expected to be introduced in 2025, and will deliver even more powerful performance. While Arrow Lake is expected to be unveiled at CES 2025, the Panther Lake series is likely to debut with a “paper launch” (announcement-driven launch) in 2025.

Based on this strategy, we can say that Intel keeps its finger on the pulse of the market by introducing future processor generations at certain periods. While Panther Lake’s upper segment models are expected to be limited to 45 Watt TDP, it is thought to offer an ambitious solution for performance-oriented users.

Another important detail is that Panther Lake will not come with integrated memory unlike the Lunar Lake series. However, according to leaks, at least one model of the Panther Lake series may feature non-interchangeable RAM. This has led to mixed reactions, especially among OEM manufacturers. Renowned supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo notes that some OEMs are unhappy with the memory restrictions and that Intel does not have enough control over DRAM prices.

Intel’s move may be aimed at making memory prices more controllable for OEMs, but it is not yet clear what strategy it will follow in the long run. What do you think about this? Please leave your comments in the comments section below.