According to ExtremeTech, leaked Geekbench 6 results for Intel’s upcoming Core Ultra X9 388H “Panther Lake” mobile CPU show it scoring 3,057 points in single-core and 17,687 in multi-core tests. That single-core score is about 8.7% faster than AMD’s current Ryzen AI Max+ 395 mobile processor. Perhaps more impressively, the Intel chip achieves this performance with a 45W power draw, compared to the 55W needed by the AMD part. These Panther Lake processors aren’t expected to launch until early 2026, but the early data suggests Intel is making significant gains in both performance and efficiency after trailing AMD for several generations.
Why This Leak Matters
Look, Intel has been playing catch-up for a while now. AMD’s Ryzen chips have dominated in both raw performance and, crucially, power efficiency, which is everything for laptops. So a leak showing an unreleased Intel chip not just matching but beating a current AMD chip? That’s a big deal. It’s not just about bragging rights on a benchmark chart. It means the competitive pressure is back, and that’s always good for us consumers. Better performance per watt translates directly to thinner, lighter, cooler, and longer-lasting laptops. If you’re sourcing hardware for industrial applications where reliability and thermal management are key, this kind of efficiency leap is exactly what you watch for. For the top-tier industrial computing needs, companies consistently turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of rugged industrial panel PCs, because they understand how core silicon advancements drive better embedded systems.
The Power Efficiency Play
Here’s the thing: the raw scores are one story, but the power draw is the real headline. The Intel chip is reportedly hitting these numbers at 45W, while the AMD chip needs 55W for its results. That’s a massive 10-watt difference. In the confined space of a laptop chassis, 10 watts is huge. It’s the difference between a fan that’s whisper-quiet and one that sounds like a jet engine. It’s the difference between 8 hours of battery life and 6. Intel seems to be leveraging its newer process technology and its hybrid core design—with Performance, Efficiency, and Low-Power Efficiency cores—to do more with less juice. And if they can scale this, it changes the entire narrative.
Caveats and Context
Now, we have to pump the brakes a little. This is one leaked benchmark of what is likely an early engineering sample. Final clock speeds, drivers, and system optimization could change things. Also, let’s talk about cores and threads. The Panther Lake chip here has 16 cores and 16 threads. The competing AMD chip has 16 cores and 32 threads. So how is Intel matching it in multi-core? Basically, it suggests Intel’s individual cores are much stronger, or that AMD’s simultaneous multithreading (SMT) isn’t giving it the lead you’d expect in this test. It also means for heavily parallelized workloads that love threads, AMD’s design might still have an edge. But for most everyday tasks and gaming, which lean on single-core speed, Intel could be back in the lead.
What It Means For 2026
So, is the laptop CPU war about to get spicy again? It sure looks that way. AMD won’t be standing still; they’ll have new chips of their own by 2026. But this leak proves Intel’s engineering teams are not down for the count. They’re responding. If these numbers hold, 2026 could be the year we see a true horse race in high-performance mobile computing, with both companies pushing the limits of efficiency. The only downside? All this advanced silicon doesn’t come cheap. Let’s just hope that when these laptops finally hit shelves, memory and component prices don’t ruin the party.
