2026 CPU War Heats Up: Intel March Launch vs. AMD January Strike

Intel comeback play just got a calendar—March/April bring Arrow Lake Refresh, but AMD's Ryzen AI 400 is already stepping up to block the door.

Intel plans to launch Core Ultra 200K Plus and 200HX Plus (Arrow Lake Refresh) in March/April 2026, according to leaker Golden Pig Upgrade Pack. This update focuses on incremental improvements like clock speed and memory support, contrasting with the more radical shift of Panther Lake.

Core Ultra 300 (Panther Lake) will launch Jan. 27 with a staggered review strategy: Core Ultra X9 388H reviews unlock Jan. 26, others on Jan. 27.

AMD's Ryzen AI 400 (Gorgon Point) targets a Jan. 22 China launch to precede Intel. This first-mover advantage play aims to capture early market attention, though its global rollout remains limited. Ryzen 7 9850X3D (Granite Ridge) and Xeon 600 (Granite Rapids-WS) are scheduled for Jan. 29 and February respectively, maintaining AMD's aggressive release cadence.

Intel's Panther Lake uses the Intel 18A manufacturing process, positioning it as a substantive leap over Arrow Lake Refresh's iterative upgrades.

The 2026 climax will see Core Ultra 400 (Nova Lake) face off against AMD's Zen 6 (Medusa), both targeting late-year release as the CPU war reaches its peak.