Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra Review: Best Laptop CPU in Years

The Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra X9 388H has emerged as a top contender in the laptop CPU market. It showcases exceptional performance in both single-core and multi-core tasks, significantly outperforming its competition. This new chip outshines notable rivals, including AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, older generations of Intel’s mobile processors, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite.

Unmatched Performance Metrics

In performance mode, the Panther Lake’s single-core capabilities are approximately 10% faster than its direct competitors, such as the Core Ultra 200V and the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. However, it falls short against Apple’s M4 and M5 chips, which exhibit superior single-core performance. The Core Ultra X9 388H also excels in multi-core performance. But here, the effectiveness can vary based on the laptop’s cooling system and power management.

Power and Efficiency

During tests conducted in Asus’ Performance Mode, the Panther Lake processor demonstrated exceptional speed, reportedly twice as fast as the Core Ultra 7 258V. It showed an 80-90% performance increase over older 12th- and 13th-generation Core processors, as well as the Meteor Lake-based Core Ultra 7 155H.

• Single-core performance: 10% faster than Core Ultra 200V and Ryzen AI 9 HX 370
• Multi-core performance about 80-90% faster than older Intel processors
• Up to 40% faster than Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 in select tests

In terms of power consumption, the Panther Lake processor operates at over 50W in demanding scenarios, slightly exceeding the consumption of competing chips by 20 to 25W. In lower-power “whisper” mode, power usage drops to approximately 25W during similar tests, making it competitive with other processors. Notably, it still transcodes video more quickly than any of its counterparts, except for the Ryzen AI Max+, which operates with desktop-level power limits.

Performance at Lower TDP Levels

When processed at a thermal design power (TDP) around 30W, Panther Lake maintains impressive performance, achieving roughly 95% of its single-core capability. Its multi-core efficiency remains around 75-85% under similar conditions, using about half the power compared to when it is under heavy load. Although the Ryzen AI HX 370 shows improved performance in this mode, Panther Lake consistently surpasses it in numerous instances.

In summary, the Intel Panther Lake Core Ultra X9 388H represents a significant advancement in laptop CPU technology. With its blend of power, efficiency, and remarkable performance metrics, it stands out as an ideal choice for modern computing demands.