Intel Wildcat Lake Launch: Core 7 360 Specs, 6 Cores, & Xe3 Graphics

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Intel launches Wildcat Lake: Core 7 360 with 6 CPU cores and 2 Xe3 GPU cores

Intel is launching the new Core Series 3 mobile family, and the top Core 7 360 SKU is a Wildcat Lake chip with 6 CPU cores and 2 Xe3 GPU cores. This is the “non-Ultra” Core Series 3 built on Intel 18A, targeting value laptops, commercial systems, and edge devices, with OEM systems rolling out from April 16, 2026.

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What is Wildcat Lake?

Wildcat Lake is Intel’s low‑power, value‑oriented mobile platform that reuses the same core IP foundations as Core Ultra Series 3 (Panther Lake) but in a simpler, more cost‑optimized package. It’s built on Intel’s 18A process and is designed to bring modern performance and AI capabilities to budget laptops and small‑business systems.

Key platform-level traits for Core Series 3 (Wildcat Lake):

  • Process: Intel 18A.
  • Target segments: value laptops, commercial systems, essential edge devices.
  • First “hybrid AI‑ready” Core Series platform (non‑Ultra), with up to 40 platform TOPS.
  • Memory support: LPDDR5X‑7467 and DDR5‑6400.
  • I/O: up to two Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0.

Core 7 360: 6 cores, 2 Xe3 GPU cores, NPU 5

The Core 7 360 is the lead Wildcat Lake SKU. Intel’s launch deck highlights the following configuration and specs:

  • CPU: 6 cores total — 2 Cougar Cove P‑cores + 4 Darkmont LP E‑cores (no “standard” E‑cores here).
  • GPU: Xe3 integrated graphics with 2 Xe‑cores; GPU clocks up to 2.6 GHz.
  • NPU: NPU 5 block rated at 17 TOPS.
  • GPU AI performance: 21 TOPS.
  • Cache: 6 MB L3 cache.
  • Power: 15 W base, 35 W maximum turbo.

Intel compares the Core 7 360 against the older Core 7 150U and claims:

  • Up to 2.1× faster creation and productivity.
  • Up to 2.7× higher AI GPU performance.
  • Up to 64% lower processor power in selected workloads.

Compared to a five‑year‑old Core i7‑1185G7 system, Intel claims:

  • Up to 47% higher single‑thread performance.
  • Up to 41% higher multi‑thread performance.

How Wildcat Lake fits into Intel’s naming and stack

With this launch, Intel is formalizing the “Series 3” branding in two flavors:

  • Core Ultra Series 3: Panther Lake, higher‑end mobile with more cores and higher platform capabilities.
  • Core Series 3 (non‑Ultra): Wildcat Lake, value‑focused with 2P+4LP‑E cores across the lineup.

Reporting indicates that Wildcat Lake uses Cougar Cove for P‑cores and Darkmont for LP‑E cores, putting it architecturally in line with Panther Lake, but with fewer cores, half the L3 cache, and different platform targets. P‑core boost clocks are said to align with similarly named Panther Lake parts (e.g., 4.8 GHz for Core 7 360 and Core Ultra 7 365).

The Core Series 3 (Wildcat Lake) lineup

Intel’s materials and reporting give us the following PC lineup for Wildcat Lake at launch:

  • Core 7 360
  • Core 7 350
  • Core 5 330
  • Core 5 320
  • Core 5 315
  • Core 3 304

Separate reporting and OEM materials suggest the 2P+4LP‑E + 2 Xe3 layout is consistent across multiple SKUs, with differences primarily in clock speeds, power limits, and occasionally iGPU EUs. For example, an Advantech embedded board datasheet lists 15 W TDP for the 350/320/305 SKUs and different iGPU EU counts, but those implementations are for edge/embedded designs rather than typical consumer laptops.

Platform AI: NPU + GPU + CPU

A key theme for Wildcat Lake is AI readiness at the value tier. Intel is positioning this as its first hybrid AI‑ready Core Series platform, combining:

  • CPU: up to high single‑thread performance from Cougar Cove P‑cores.
  • GPU: Xe3 iGPU with up to 21 TOPS of AI performance.
  • NPU 5: 17 TOPS.

Intel quotes up to 40 platform TOPS across the compute engines, aiming to run common AI workloads — background blur, noise suppression, local assistants, and lightweight generative features — without needing a discrete GPU. They also claim up to 2.8× better GPU AI performance versus older systems, and concrete comparisons versus NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano for edge workloads (object detection, image classification, video analytics).

Memory and I/O: modern standards on a budget chip

Wildcat Lake brings newer connectivity standards to budget and commercial devices:

  • Memory: LPDDR5X‑7467 and DDR5‑6400 support.
  • Thunderbolt 4: up to two integrated TB4 ports.
  • Wireless: Wi‑Fi 7 (R2) and Bluetooth 6.

That’s a meaningful step up from the older DDR4 and Wi‑Fi 6/6E configurations common in low‑end laptops, and it helps future‑proof systems for students, small businesses, and edge deployments.

OEM systems and availability

Intel says more than 70 designs are planned across multiple partners, with OEM rollouts starting April 16, 2026. Launch partners include Acer, ASUS, HP, Lenovo, MSI, and Samsung, among others. Edge systems based on Core Series 3 are slated to begin shipping in Q2 2026.

Reporting lists a sample of the first wave of Core 3 Wildcat Lake laptops from OEMs, including various Acer Aspire Go models, ASUS VivoBook and ExpertBook lines, HP Omnibook, Lenovo ThinkBook and ThinkPad E series, Samsung Galaxy Book 6, and others, highlighting the breadth of initial designs.

What Wildcat Lake means for buyers

For everyday users, Wildcat Lake attempts to do three things at once:

  • Raise performance and responsiveness versus older value laptops and five‑year‑old systems.
  • Add credible AI capabilities without moving up to premium “Ultra” pricing tiers.
  • Enable thin, quiet, and long‑running devices with 15–35 W power envelopes and modern I/O.

If the claimed efficiency gains and AI TOPS hold up in independent testing, Core Series 3 (Wildcat Lake) could make x86 more competitive in the budget space against both legacy PCs and ARM‑based options at similar price points. Early systems from major OEMs will be the real test of that promise.

Bottom line

Wildcat Lake marks Intel’s push to bring Panther‑class CPU and Xe3 graphics architecture down to the value segment. The Core 7 360 leads the family with 6 CPU cores (2P + 4LP‑E), 2 Xe3 GPU cores, and an NPU 5 block at 15 W base/35 W turbo, all built on Intel 18A and paired with LPDDR5X‑7467 or DDR5‑6400 and modern connectivity like Wi‑Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 4. With over 70 designs planned and systems available starting April 16, Core Series 3 is Intel’s bet that “good enough” can also mean “modern and AI‑ready.”