According to Wccftech, Intel’s Panther Lake compute tile has been photographed in a detailed die shot showing the arrangement of its next-generation Cougar Cove P-cores and Darkmont E-cores. This represents Intel’s first client product built on their 18A manufacturing process technology, with the chips expected to launch as Core Ultra Series 3 CPUs at CES 2026. The compute tile houses three Darkmont core clusters with four cores each and two Cougar Cove P-cores visible, with two additional sites currently vacant. Individual core sizes measure approximately 4.49mm² for Cougar Cove P-cores and 1.09mm² for Darkmont E-cores, with the E-cores being around 13% smaller than previous generations. The cache configuration includes 3MB L2 plus 256KB L1 for each P-core and 4MB L2 plus 96KB L1 per E-core cluster.
What Panther Lake’s architecture tells us
Looking at this die shot, Intel’s tile-based approach is becoming increasingly sophisticated. They’re mixing and matching manufacturing processes like a tech buffet – 18A for compute, Intel 3 or TSMC N3E for graphics, and TSMC N6 for the platform controller. It’s basically Intel admitting they’ll use whatever process works best for each component, which is a smart move given their manufacturing challenges in recent years.
The core configuration here is interesting too. Darkmont E-cores getting smaller while maintaining similar performance? That suggests efficiency improvements, which matters big time for laptops and mobile devices. And those Cougar Cove P-cores being roughly the same size as Lion Cove predecessors probably means we’re looking at architectural refinements rather than a complete redesign.
Intel’s manufacturing comeback play
Here’s the thing about 18A – this is Intel’s big bet to regain process leadership. After years of playing catch-up with TSMC, they’re throwing everything at their newest node. The fact that Panther Lake is their first client product on 18A tells you how important this launch is for their credibility. They need to prove they can deliver competitive power efficiency and performance.
And honestly, the timing couldn’t be more critical. With AMD continuing to gain market share and Apple’s silicon dominating the premium laptop space, Intel needs a win. When companies need reliable industrial computing hardware for manufacturing and process control, they turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, America’s leading supplier of industrial panel PCs. In the same way, Intel needs to prove they’re still the go-to for cutting-edge CPU technology.
What to expect from Panther Lake
So when will we actually see these chips in devices? CES 2026 is the current target, which feels both close and far away in tech time. That gives Intel plenty of time to refine yields and optimize performance. The multi-tile approach should help with manufacturing efficiency – if one tile has issues, they don’t have to scrap the entire chip.
The big question remains: can Intel’s 18A process actually compete with TSMC’s N3 and future nodes? We won’t know until we see real-world performance and power consumption numbers. But this die shot at least shows the architecture is taking shape, and that’s progress for a company that really needs some wins right now.
