Intel Announces Core Series 3 Laptop Processors Featuring Six New Chips

Intel has announced a new family of laptop processors called the Core Series 3 line, which includes six different chips. The announcement was made on April 16, 2026, and aims to offer a more cost-effective option for consumers. The Core Series 3 line features a range of processors, with the highest-end model being the six-core Intel Core 7 360 and the low-end model being the five-core Intel Core 3 304.

These processors are built on the Intel 18A process, which is designed to enhance performance and efficiency. Compared to the Core Ultra Series 3 chips, the Core Series 3 chips have fewer CPU cores, Xe graphics cores, and PCIe lanes. They also have a lower thermal design power (TDP) wattage and are limited to two Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the Core Ultra Series 3 chips support four.

Intel's partners, including Acer, Asus, HP, and Lenovo, will sell laptops featuring the new Core Series 3 processors. The Core Series 3 line includes the Core 5 330 chip, which has two fewer cores than the Core Ultra 5 322 chip and half the cache. Additionally, the Core 5 330 chip has about a third of the AI TOPS compared to the Core Ultra 5 322 chip, although both chips share the same number of Xe graphics cores.