Written by Deanne
Edited on
21 July 2026
·
14:13
What are Intel Core Ultra processors?
In December 2023, Intel introduced the Intel Core Ultra processors. These processors are suitable for performing daily and demanding tasks as well as processing local AI tasks. This is because these processors have a special AI chip called the NPU. In this article, you can read everything on the Intel Core Ultra processors.
What's Intel® Core™ Ultra?
The Intel Core Ultra processors have a special NPU chip, so you can smoothly process AI tasks. At the end of 2023, Intel released the first series. Intel then replaced the earlier Core I names by Ultra. Now, there are already 3 generations of Intel Core Ultra processors. Each new series is much faster and more powerful than the previous one.
What's an NPU?
An NPU is a special AI chop that's in the processor. NPU stands for Neural Processing Unit. This chip is specially made for performing local AI tasks. Thanks to this, you can laptop works faster and more energy-efficiently with AI. The processor processes the work smartly: the NPU handles the AI tasks, the CPU does the computing work, and the GPU performs graphic tasks. You can calculate in TOPS how fast an NPU is. The higher the number of TOPS, the faster the chip processes AI tasks.
Which functions do these processors have?
With the Intel Core Ultra processor, you can effortlessly perform various tasks: from daily tasks to graphic edits. The AI functions of Copilot+ PCs also work smoothly. For example, live subtitling, automatic noise reduction, or special effects for photos and videos. Because the AI of the processor divides all tasks smartly, the laptop is much more energy-efficient. Thanks to this, the battery of your laptop lasts a lot longer.
What makes the chip and the video card special?
The built-in video card of the Intel Core Ultra chip is much more powerful than that of older Intel processors. Thanks to the more powerful video card, images render faster. This way, you can work more smoothly on creative tasks, such as photo and video editing. The Series 3 Intel Core Ultra X processors have an even more powerful graphics chip.
View the differences between the Intel Core Ultra Series 1, 2, and 3
| Series | Introduction | Biggest difference | AI performance (TOPS) | Video card (GPU) | Usage situation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series 1 (Meteor Lake) | End of 2023 | NPU introduction | Up to 11 TOPS | Intel Arc Graphics Xe-LPG | Daily tasks and light AI functions |
| Series 2 (Lunar Lake) | September 2024 | Longer battery life and RAM on the chip | Up to 48 TOPS | Intel Arc Graphics Xe2 | On the go and light AI functions |
| Series 2 (Arrow lake) | September 2024 | More processing power | Up to 13 TOPS | Intel Arc Xe-LPG+ | More demanding programs and AI functions |
| Series 3 (Panther Lake) | Start of 2026 | More powerful GPU and RAM on the chip | 49 TOPS or more | Intel Arc Xe3 Graphics | Demanding and creative AI tasks |
