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Intel has two new processor lineups to challenge AMD and reclaim its position as one of the market’s best CPUs. According to Golden Pig Upgrade Pack, a reliable Chinese hardware leaker, the Core Ultra 200K Plus and 200HX Plus (codenamed Arrow Lake Refresh) are set for a March or April launch, with the Core Ultra 300 (codenamed Panther Lake) embargo date set for January 26, according to the leaker.

Although Intel has confirmed plans to refresh the Core Ultra 200S (codenamed Arrow Lake) series, the chipmaker has remained deliberately vague about timing, committing only to a launch sometime in 2026. The lack of specificity left many industry watchers expecting a major announcement at CES 2026, but Intel chose a different path, instead focusing all its spotlight on Panther Lake.

Intel has already announced that Panther Lake-powered laptops will hit retail shelves on January 27, just over a week away. However, the review embargo strategy is a little different. According to the Golden Pig Upgrade Pack, Intel is allegedly employing a staggered review approach by SKU tier. The flagship Core Ultra X9 388H will spearhead the Panther Lake launch, with reviews going live on January 26—giving the top-tier chip a full day in the spotlight before the broader lineup. Reviews for the remaining Panther Lake chips will follow on January 27, coinciding with retail availability.

Intel and AMD CPU 2026 Launch Dates*

*Dates are unconfirmed by Intel or AMD.

Intel's strategic decision to delay the launch of Arrow Lake Refresh makes sense when you consider its playbook. Arrow Lake Refresh, following the pattern of previous Intel refreshes, will likely deliver incremental improvements—primarily modest clock speed bumps and improved memory support. These small uplifts are less exciting for a major trade show reveal than Panther Lake, which is the chipmaker's first chips to leverage the Intel 18A manufacturing process.

Panther Lake won’t have the stage to itself, however. AMD is preparing a counter-offensive with its Ryzen AI 400 series (codenamed Gorgon Point), which appears poised to beat Intel to market by five days. Early product listings spotted in China suggest AMD is targeting a January 22 launch in that region, giving the company a crucial head start in the laptop market. Availability will initially be limited to China, then gradually expand to other global markets throughout the year.

Adding even more intrigue to January’s launch calendar, AMD may cap off the month with the Ryzen 7 9850X3D. If AMD can deliver meaningful performance gains over the already impressive Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D could cement AMD’s dominance in the gaming CPU segment for another generation.

Overall, 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and exciting years in recent processor history, with compelling options arriving for consumers across every market segment. February could mark another significant milestone with the anticipated release of Intel’s next-generation Xeon 600 series (codenamed Granite Rapids-WS) targeting the professional workstation market. However, the year’s most crucial consumer battle will unfold in late 2026 with the arrival of Intel’s Core Ultra 400 series (codenamed Nova Lake) and AMD’s competing Zen 6 (codenamed Medusa) chips.

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