Powered by Intel edge infrastructure, a local California network demonstrates how micro-servers can deliver high-speed connectivity at a low cost.

BELLFLOWER, Calif. — A young woman unwillingly must leave her disabled mother at home to walk to the local library just to use the public internet to pay the household bills. A few blocks away, a family rations its online time, relying entirely on a son’s cellular data plan to check critical medical updates because traditional broadband is too expensive. At the weekly outdoor farmers market, small business owners regularly turn away customers because weak cellular signals prevent them from accepting credit cards.

These are the everyday realities in Bellflower; a suburb of 75,000 people located just 25 minutes outside of Los Angeles. Despite its proximity to America’s second-largest city, the community has long suffered from persistent cellular blind spots and high telecom costs that have left vulnerable residents behind.

Now, a new municipal network called Bellflower Connect is aiming to bridge this digital divide. By using a private wireless network of solar-powered micro-servers with Intel® Xeon® processors inside, and AI-driven cybersecurity at the edge, the public-private partnership offers an affordable, low-power blueprint for community broadband that organizers plan to scale to 50 additional U.S. cities under 150,000 people over the next few years.

Cutting the Red Tape

To get the network off the ground, the city of Bellflower waived standard permit charges, allowed reception towers to be built on public buildings, and bypassed lengthy request-for-proposal processes. This allowed project partner Tradewinds Networks to enter into a long-term revenue-sharing contract with the city. The funding was split through a public-private agreement, using a $1 million municipal transportation grant alongside $2 million put up by Tradewinds.

The program also includes a workforce development element, training local students to become certified wireless broadband technicians. Having won the 2025 Mobile Breakthrough Award for Social Impact, Tradewinds Networks aligned the Bellflower Connect project to meet sustainable goals, taking into consideration city health, economic development, innovation, and sustainability.

“This model allows us to aggregate services and delivery while making the network self-sustaining,” said Keith Alexis, chief technology officer and founder of Tradewinds Networks. “We then share revenues back with the community, which enables us to keep up a sustainable ecosystem that drives loyalty and usership. Additionally, our AI-based GuardTower solution runs on Xeon to keep the system secure.”

In May 2026, Bellflower, California city officials along with Tradewinds Networks chief technology officer and founder Keith Alexis, center, held a ribbon cutting ceremony officially opening the Bellflower Connect smart city network. One of the newly constructed Intel-based micro-server towers is behind them. (Credit: Tradewinds Networks)

Bringing Power to the Edge

The secret to keeping user costs so low lies in how the data is handled. Traditional wireless networks rely on sending data back and forth to distant, massive cloud data centers packed with expensive, power-hungry graphics processors. That data journey requires heavy infrastructure and immense electricity, costs that big telecom companies pass on to consumers.

Bellflower Connect skips the cloud entirely. Instead, the network uses a fleet of 80 slim solar towers and repeaters placed around town. Each tower backhauls to central locations that feature compact Dell PowerEdge XR8000 series servers running a 4th Generation Intel Xeon processor. This allows data to be processed right there in the city, and in some cases, on the street corner, a concept known as edge computing.

Because Xeon processors are highly scalable and versatile, they “snap” into these lightweight towers easily, operating at a fraction of the cost, power, and space required by a standard cloud setup.

“By having off-the-shelf Intel Xeon system-on- chip processors directly in the towers, street corner or city facilities versus sending information through the cloud, the system is scalable, modular, and information is processed faster, at a lower cost, and using less power,”
–Vijay Kesavan, a principal engineer for Intel’s Network and Edge Group.

This local computing footprint also creates a digital foundation for future municipal upgrades. According to Kesavan, cities can easily snap new services right into the existing Xeon infrastructure, such as smart street lighting, air quality or traffic sensors, and water utility leak detection.

High Tech at Low Cost

While connection to the network is entirely optional, the financial impact on residents who have been using it has been immediate. Qualifying low-income households receive free internet access through a home modem that links wirelessly to the nearest neighborhood tower. Other residents can opt-in for $15 per month, while local businesses can access the network for $39 per month. Alexis notes that’s far below traditional commercial carriers.

As of May 2026, about 60 households are using the service during its early rollout phase. By the time construction finishes in mid-2027, organizers expect 10,000 households connected to the network. Free public Wi-Fi will also blanket local parks, libraries, and the city’s outdoor markets.

Local business owners are already preparing for the transition. Joe Ung, owner of Cassidy’s Corner Café, is opening a new location in Bellflower that will use the network for his operations and customer Wi-Fi.

“Having easy, affordable, accessible internet is a win-win for everyone,” Ung told KTLA-TV in an interview about the new network in May. “A lot of times people don’t see the everyday expenses of running a small business. Anywhere you can save, it’s a huge benefit.”

Scaling the Blueprint

The expansion beyond California is already underway. Wrightsville, Arkansas, is scheduled to begin Phase 1 of its network installation this summer, with eight additional U.S. cities currently navigating the design review and approval pipeline.

Though the yearlong rollout has faced logistical hurdles, project leaders say the community response validates the effort.

“We’ve had many difficulties assembling the model for this network, from rising costs to delayed fiber delivery,” Alexis said. “But residents have testified about the value they’ve gotten from it in city hall meetings. When installers meet residents who tell them how this is changing their lives, it makes it worth finding solutions to this complex problem.”

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Intel outlines progress across the AI compute ecosystem—highlighting open platforms, partners and real world momentum from silicon to software to systems.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 5, 2026 – At Computex 2026, Intel will share its vision for the next era of AI-driven computing and spotlight the ecosystem progress powering it.

Intel’s presence – anchored by a keynote from CEO Lip‑Bu Tan on June 2 – underscores momentum across compute, from AI PCs to the edge, data center, and cloud. It also shows how silicon innovation, open platforms, and strong ecosystem collaboration help customers deploy and scale AI with confidence.

As AI workloads scale across the compute continuum, Intel will reinforce the resurgence of the CPU as a critical engine for AI – complementing GPUs and accelerators to enable powerful, efficient, and scalable systems. Intel will also highlight progress in silicon innovation and the enduring role of x86 as a foundational architecture for AI across the world’s largest installed base and broadest ecosystem.

Building on this platform foundation, Intel leaders and ecosystem partners at Computex will demonstrate how Intel technologies align at the system level—helping customers deploy AI more efficiently from the client to the data center.

Computex 2026 attendees are invited to tune into the keynote online, engage with Intel leaders and ecosystem partners through invitation‑only sessions and demonstrations, and explore Intel technologies in action.

Computex 2026 Keynote Delivered by Intel CEO, Lip-Bu Tan

When: June 2 from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Taiwan Local Time

Where: Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center

Event Registration: Invitation-only event

Livestream: Watch the Intel keynote live on the Intel’s Computex Events Page and Intel’s YouTube Channel on Monday, June 2, starting at 1:30 p.m. Taiwan Local Time.

Keynote Replay: A video replay will be published on the Intel Newsroom after the livestream ends.

Robotics & Edge AI Pavillion (Powered by Intel)

When: Tuesday, June 2 – Friday, June 5:  9:30am – 5:30pm

Where: Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC)

Event Registration: Open to Computex-registered attendees.

More from Computex 2026: To see and experience more from Intel Computex 2026, visit the Intel Newsroom and follow along on social media with @IntelNews and @Intel on X, and Intel on LinkedIn.

• Artificial Intelligence
• Client Computing
• Software
• Computex

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Intel® Arc™ G-Series processors combine leadership performance and power efficiency to deliver smooth, immersive gameplay with exceptional battery life

What’s New: Intel today introduced Intel® Arc™ G-Series processors, a new family of products designed for next-generation handheld gaming systems. Launching with Intel Arc G3 and Intel Arc G3 Extreme processors running on Windows 11, the series builds on the architecture of Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (code-name Panther Lake) to bring optimized performance and power efficiency to portable play.

Designed for handheld with optimized core counts, power management, and software, Intel Arc G3 processors deliver leadership performance and efficiency for smooth, immersive gameplay and exceptional battery life without compromise. Handheld designs from leading partners will launch in the coming months, beginning with Acer’s Predator Atlas 8, MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, and OneXPlayer.

“Intel Arc G-Series represents years of focused innovation and a deep commitment to gaming. It delivers uncompromising PC performance in the palm of your hand, combined with the console-like accessibility and immediacy gamers expect. With cutting-edge graphics technologies like XeSS 3 and breakthrough efficiency for longer unplugged play, Intel Arc G-Series proves that while others make tradeoffs, gamers don’t have to.”
– Dan Rogers, Vice President and General Manager, PC Product, Client Computing Group

What it offers: Intel Arc G-Series processors are purpose-built for handheld gaming, developed in close collaboration with hardware partners and software developers to deliver broad compatibility and uncompromised handheld play.

Featuring up to Intel Arc B390 graphics built on Intel’s latest Xe3 architecture, Intel Arc G-Series processors enable advanced technologies like real-time ray tracing for high-fidelity visuals and XeSS 3 for higher performance, smoother gameplay, and improved responsiveness. Ongoing Day-0 driver support ensures new releases and existing libraries perform their best from day one.

Other notable specifications and features include:

• Immersive gaming with XBOX mode, a controller-optimized, console inspired, full-screen experience for Windows 11 PCs, which unifies your library of installed games.
• Faster game launches with Intel Precompiled Shaders, which downloads prebuilt shader files from the Intel cloud for select titles.
• Right-sized compute, with 2 P-Cores, 8 E-Cores, and 4 LP E-Cores manufactured on the Intel 18A process node technology, the most advanced logic node developed and manufactured in the United States.
• Advanced connectivity, including integrated Intel Wi-Fi 7 R2, dual Bluetooth 6, and Intel Thunderbolt™ 4 with support for Thunderbolt Share, giving users up to 40 Gbps bandwidth for high-speed storage, peripherals, and rapid transfer of large game libraries.

About XeSS 3: XeSS 3 enhances gaming with three key graphics technologies—XeSS Super Resolution, XeSS Multi-Frame Generation and Xe Low Latency.

• XeSS Super Resolution provides AI-based upscaling to deliver higher performance.
• XeSS Multi-Frame Generation adds multiple interpolated frames for a smoother gameplay experience.
• Xe Low Latency integrates with game engines to provide faster response to gamers’ inputs, unlocking more responsive gaming.

Availability: Intel and its OEM partners will share more details on Intel Arc G3 processors at Computex 2026. Handheld systems powered by Intel Arc G-Series processors will begin rolling out from OEM partners starting June 2026, with broader availability throughout the year. Refer to your preferred OEM vendor for specific system availability.

More Context: Intel Arc G-Series Processors Overview Deck | The Next Step in Handeld Gaming

The Small Print:

Performance varies by use, configuration and other factors. Learn more at www.intel.com/PerformanceIndex.

While Wi-Fi 7 is backward compatible with previous generations, new Wi-Fi 7 features require PCs configured with Intel Wi-Fi 7 solutions, PC OEM enabling, operating system support, and use with appropriate Wi-Fi 7 routers/APs/gateways. 6 GHz Wi-Fi 7 may not be available in all regions. More details at www.Intel.com/performance-wireless.

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Chip to Rackscale AI Solutions Delivered to Customers with the Help of Strategic Industry Partners

TAIPEI, Taiwan, June 2, 2026 – Today at Computex 2026, Intel unveiled new innovations that address customers’ chip- to-systems-level AI needs with solutions tailored to address their specific industry challenges, including:

• New rackscale AI infrastructure: Intel announced rackscale AI infrastructure for customers interested in scaling their inference and agentic workloads based on Intel® Xeon® processors and SambaNova SN-50 Reconfigurable Dataflow Units (RDUs).
• Agentic Cloud Offering for Disaggregated Inference: Vector Core Compute, a new purpose-built enterprise inference cloud formed by Vista Equity Partners and Cambium Capital, unveiled fully disaggregated inference running on Intel Xeon processors, SambaNova RDUs, and NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs.
• Deep industry solutions: Strategic collaborations with industry leaders, including Foxconn, Siemens, Hitachi, Echo Neurotechnologies, and Greenstone Biosciences focused on delivering integrated vertical customer solutions based on Intel processors and purpose-built silicon.
• Intel Xeon 6+ processors: Next-generation data center CPU built on Intel 18A and designed for high-density, scale-out workloads.
• PC, gaming handheld, and physical AI momentum: Broad partner support and customer uptake for the Series 3 family of processors.

“For more than five decades, Intel, its ecosystem partners, and Taiwan have brought the world the foundational technologies for the PC, Internet, and now AI eras,” said Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of Intel. “Today, with the rise of inference, agentic, and physical AI, Intel is poised to bring the world new innovations from the chip to systems level that promise to transform industry and society for the better. We are proud to join all our partners in building great products that will delight customers and bring the power of AI to more people as we create a brighter future together.”

Rackscale AI Infrastructure for Inference and Agentic Workloads

As the training of AI models has matured, and more AI applications have moved into production, the industry has witnessed an exponential rise in the demand for cost-effective and power-efficient AI inference. With the emergence of agentic AI, the growing demand for AI inference is changing the balance of power in the data center, returning the CPU to a position of prominence.

According to Creative Strategies CEO and principal analyst Ben Bajarin, while “the training-era world looked closer to a one-CPU-per-four-GPU relation in AI deployments, agentic inference changes that relationship to roughly a one-CPU-to-one-GPU (or less) ratio.”

Seeking to capitalize on this trend at a systems level, Intel, SambaNova, and Foxconn today announced their intent to build rackscale AI infrastructure for data center, hyperscale, and intelligence center deployments—built on Intel Xeon processors.

The companies are demonstrating production-ready racks that combine Intel Xeon processors with SambaNova SN-50 RDUs, which together are designed to deliver high performance AI inference with improved cost and power efficiency. As part of the collaboration, Foxconn will provide system integration capabilities for the new rackscale AI infrastructure. Foxconn also plans to manufacture a CPU-dense variant of the rackscale infrastructure for workloads that do not require additional acceleration, including cost-optimized inference, data processing, and hybrid AI.

Agentic Cloud Offering for Fully Disaggregated Inference

Vector Core Compute, a new purpose-built enterprise inference cloud formed by Vista Equity Partners and Cambium Capital, unveiled fully disaggregated inference. Running onstage at Computex, Intel, SambaNova, Vista Equity Partners and Cambium Capital showcased the first real-world demonstration of a disaggregated inference system, using Intel Xeon 6 processors for orchestration and execution, SambaNova SN40 RDUs for decode, and NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs for prefill—operating from a Vector Core Compute data center in Los Angeles, California.

Together.ai is the first commercial customer running workloads on Vector Core Compute’s agentic cloud, which delivered the fastest enterprise inference on the MiniMax 2.5 model of any architecture to date. Vista Equity Partners has secured early access to the company’s high-quality, low-cost inference solutions for its 90+ portfolio companies which serve more than 2.5 million enterprise customers and 750 million users worldwide.

Industry Specific Solutions Based on Intel Processors and Purpose-built Silicon

It is often stated that AI is transforming every industry. It is also true that the computing needs of specific industries vary widely due to differences in their business environments, processes, workflows, and customers.

Today, Intel announced several strategic partnerships designed to co-develop industry-specific vertical solutions based on Intel processors and purpose-built silicon, including:

• Foxconn: The world’s largest electronics manufacturer is working with Intel to provide systems integration capabilities for rackscale AI infrastructure and explore collaboration in design services and custom silicon development.
• Siemens: The leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure, transport, and healthcare and Intel have expanded their existing collaboration. In 2023, Siemens and Intel first joined forces; now the two companies are strengthening their collaboration across the entire value chain from design to manufacturing to chips embedded in Siemens products. Siemens brings its capabilities for the design, manufacturing, and lifecycle management of chips, as well as fab digitalization, automation, and electrification. This collaboration will enable the exploration of use cases for purpose-built Intel silicon for Siemens’ varied compute requirements, which may include edge devices, high-performance computing (HPC), and robotics.
• Hitachi: A global leader in digital innovation and sustainable solutions and Intel intend to work together on a range of solutions including foundry tools and quantum computing.
• Echo Neurotechnologies: The developer of neuroscience and brain-computer interface solutions and Intel are exploring new neuromorphic technologies to advance neuro-AI, speech neuroscience, brain-computer interfaces, and Intel’s future neuromorphic and conventional hardware architectures.
• Greenstone Biosciences: The Silicon Valley biotech company plans to use Intel processors, purpose-built silicon, and the Intel Health and Life Sciences AI Suite to accelerate human-centric drug development using stem cells, organoids, genomics, and AI.

Intel Xeon 6+ Processors for Next Generation Data Centers

Extending this week’s announcements from data centers and racks down to chip-level innovations, Intel announced the availability of Intel Xeon 6+ processors, which provide greater performance density, power efficiency, and operational scale for cloud-native, agentic AI, and network-intensive workloads.

Built on Intel 18A—its first use in a data center CPU—Xeon 6+ is engineered for sustained performance under real-world power constraints—addressing the orchestration, concurrency, and data movement demands of emerging agentic AI.

Xeon 6+ can be configured for AI rackscale infrastructure purpose-built for hosting agents at maximum density. For example, a single liquid-cooled rack can deliver 36,864 cores using 32U of compute space, which provides the highest agent density available (at approximately 100-kilowatt rack power compute).

Optimized for environments where watts per rack, throughput per core, and latency predictability are critical, Xeon 6+ emphasizes scale-out performance—making room for new AI workloads without requiring disruptive data center redesign.

Series 3 Scale and Momentum

Core Ultra Series 3, built on Intel 18A, continues to experience strong customer uptake for a platform that now powers more than 325 consumer and commercial PC designs. Leveraging the same advanced IP as Ultra, the recently launched Core processors are enabling a new class of thin, sleek, powerful, and efficient PCs at affordable price points. Series 3 also pushes into the growing market of handheld gaming with the new Intel Arc G-series processors, which will be available starting this month. The expansion of the Series 3 processor family is being accelerated by increased 18A yields and strong customer and partner engagement.

Beyond the PC, Intel has powered edge devices in manufacturing, robotics, retail, and smart cities for decades. For the first time, the latest Series 3 IP scaling in the PC ecosystem will deploy in parallel to thousands of edge customers globally. Over 130 customers have already chosen Series 3 to power edge AI and robotics designs.

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Looking for a new Series 3 laptop? You’ve come to the right place.

Earlier this week at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Intel launched the Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3 processors.  

The launch event featured about 24 different AI PC laptops from 15 leading PC OEMs located in Intel’s Tech Showcase center. Each run on Series 3 CPUs built on Intel 18A –it’s the most advanced semiconductor process Intel has ever developed. 

The top Series 3 SKUs (stock-keeping units) will deliver up to 60% better multithread performance, over 77% faster gaming performance and up to 27 hours of battery life. 

Pre-orders for the first consumer laptops powered by Series 3 CPUs begin this week, with over 200 designs from leading PC OEMs coming later this year.  

One Series 3 customer – Brazil-based Positivo Tecnologia – can’t wait to bring these devices to market. 

“We are so excited to partner with Intel on the launch of Series 3 and can’t wait for our customers to get their hands on our laptops featuring all-new Series 3 processors,” said Hélio Bruck Rotenberg, President of Positivo Tecnologia. 

“This is Positivo and Intel truly writing the new chapter in technology together.” 

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Created by Oversonic Robotics – the first Italian-based robotics company that makes AI-optimized humanoid robots – RoBee was among the star attractions at Intel’s Tech Showcase area in CES Las Vegas.

Meet RoBee. Standing about 6 feet tall, this humanoid robot from Oversonic Robotics is powered by AI and created for situations that require split-second decision-making, like performing complex manufacturing tasks or assisting patients with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

RoBee needs to think fast – quite literally on its feet – which is where local on-device processing comes into play. Powered by Intel® Core™ Ultra series 3 edge processors, all of RoBee’s speech understanding, speech generation, reasoning and select vision tasks are processed on the robot.

Nothing is sent to the cloud, which reduces reliance on large, power-hungry GPUs and reduces the risk of latency. Series 3 for edge systems will be available starting Q1 of 2026.

Press Kit: Intel at CES 2026 – Newsroom

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At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Intel surprised guests with a new artwork installation built with not 100, not 1,000 but 42,000 LEGO bricks.

The mockup of an actual Intel® Core^™ Ultra Series 3 (code-named Panther Lake) chip even lights up, thanks to 600+ LEDs and complicated circuitry hidden within its LEGO tiles – mimicking the way a real-life Series 3 processor functions.

Since its big reveal on Jan. 5 at Intel’s Tech Showcase, it’s been drawing huge crowds that gape at its size and color.

Press Kit: Intel at CES 2026

“This CPU brick building model has LED lights that light up its CPU, NPU and GPU tiles based on Windows Task Manager,” explained Khoi Nguyen, mastermind of the unique installation.

Nguyen recruited Zach Hill, a former Intel intern and member of Intel’s Graphics Technical Marketing team who is a longtime LEGO enthusiast.

This is not Hill’s first Intel-centric build.

In 2023, Hill designed a 600-piece Intel® Arc™ A750 GPU. PCGamer called it “a seriously impressive piece of engineering; it even includes moving parts,” with “spinning fans made from steering wheels, with fifteen LEGO meat cleaver pieces clipped onto each of them.”

Nguyen and Hill brainstormed the model, and Hill used LEGO Group’s Bricklink Studio software to create the 3D model. Now, while dreaming up the concept is one feat, putting the literal pieces together – all 42,000 of them – was quite another.

It took Hill weeks to build the set. At first it sprawled across the floor in his house, then had to be moved to his garage because it was hitting the ceiling. (The entire model measures about 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide.)

“For the last 10 days, I have been up until 3 a.m. every night, integrating the model with the electronics for the LEDs. We had to modify and make changes to the building bricks to make space for everything. It’s exhausting but also very rewarding to see it coming together,” shares Nguyen, who also designed the power harness and data line level shifter circuitry so all 600+ LEDs would work correctly.

And teammate Michael Larsen wrote the software that triggers the LEDs to light up in the correct sequence.

“Larsen figured out a way to easily get the NPU utilization represented by using Intel OpenVINO to run the AI model to analyze Windows Task Manager, and pull out the corresponding percentage of utilization, then send the signals to the LEDs on the model,” Nguyen explained.

Hill explains how his life-long love of LEGO began with an early fascination with the building blocks of the universe, and how LEGO bricks – like transistors in modern computers – reflect the expandable, modular nature of atomic and molecular structures.

“Just as LEGO pieces or silicon are meaningless on their own, they come alive when thoughtfully arranged by humans who turn simple components into something powerful, expressive, and unique,” said Hill.

“I’m particularly excited to support the launch of Intel® Core™ Ultra CPUs with this giant LEGO build as it represents the versatility shared by Intel CPUs and LEGO pieces –technological advancements which enable work, play, and interpersonal connection.”

Learn more about Series 3: CES 2026: Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Debut as First Built on Intel 18A – Intel Newsroom

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At Intel’s Series 3 launch, Intel showed off 9 engaging demos highlighting, gaming, AI, content creation, retail, edge and more – all running on PCs powered by Intel® Core™ Ultra Series 3. Intel ushers in the next generation of AI PCs with exceptional performance, graphics and battery life; available this month.

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS:

• First platform built on Intel 18A: At CES 2026, Intel launched the Intel® Core^™ Ultra Series 3 processors, the first compute platform built on Intel 18A – the most advanced semiconductor process ever developed and manufactured in the United States.
• Powering over 200 PC designs: Series 3 delivers a robust family of processors powering hundreds of designs up and down the stack, all delivering exceptional performance, graphics and battery life.
• From PC to Edge: For the first time, Series 3 processors are tested and certified for embedded and industrial use cases at the edge like robotics, smart cities, automation, healthcare, and more.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 5, 2026 – Today at CES, Intel unveiled Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, the first AI PC platform built on Intel 18A process technology that was designed and manufactured in the United States. Powering over 200 designs from leading, global partners, Series 3 will be the most broadly adopted and globally available AI PC platform Intel has ever delivered.

“With Series 3, we are laser focused on improving power efficiency, adding more CPU performance, a bigger GPU in a class of its own, more AI compute and app compatibility you can count on with x86.”

– Jim Johnson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Client Computing Group, Intel

Series 3 Adds a New Class of Intel Core Ultra X9 and X7 Processors

Within the Intel Core Ultra Series 3 mobile lineup, a new class of Intel Core Ultra X9 and X7 processors come packed with the highest performing, integrated Intel® Arc^™ graphics. They are purpose-built for multitaskers that handle advanced workloads like gaming, creation and productivity on the go. The top SKUs feature up to 16 CPU cores, 12 X^e -cores and 50 NPU TOPS, delivering up to 60% better multithread performance¹ over 77% faster gaming performance² and up to 27 hours of battery life³.

The Series 3 family also includes Intel Core processors, intentionally designed to power mainstream mobile systems. Leveraging the same foundational architecture of Intel Core Ultra Series 3, the Intel Core lineup enables more performant and efficient laptop designs at lower price points.

Event Press Kit: Intel at CES 2026

Series 3 Accelerates AI Adoption in Robotics, Smart Cities, Automation and Healthcare

For the first time, alongside their PC counterparts, Series 3 edge processors are certified for embedded and industrial use cases, including extended temperature ranges, deterministic performance, and 24×7 reliability.

Intel Core Ultra Series 3 delivers competitive advantages in critical edge AI workloads with up to 1.9x higher large language model (LLM) performance⁴, up to 2.3x better performance per watt per dollar on end-to-end video analytics⁵, and up to 4.5x higher throughput on vision language action (VLA) models⁶. The integrated AI acceleration enables superior total cost of ownership (TCO) through a single system on chip (SoC) solution versus traditional multi-chip CPU and GPU architectures.

Availability

Pre-orders for the first consumer laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors will begin Jan. 6, 2026. Systems will be available globally starting Jan. 27, 2026, with additional designs coming throughout the first half of the year.

Edge systems powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 will be available starting Q1 2026.

More: Supporting Quotes from Partners | Product Brief: Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Processors | Press Deck: Supplemental Data Deep Dive

¹Up to 60% better multithread performance vs. Lunar Lake at similar power with an Intel® Core™ Ultra X9 388H vs. Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 288V. As measured by Cinebench 2024 Multi Core (at 25W). See www.intel.com/PerformanceIndex for workloads and configurations. Results may vary​.

²Up to 77% better gaming performance vs. Lunar Lake with an Intel® Core™ Ultra X9 388H vs. Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 288V. As measured by Geomean of average game performance across 45 game titles at 1080p High with 2x upscaling when supported on Panther Lake Reference Platform vs. Lunar Lake Reference Platform. See www.intel.com/PerformanceIndex for workloads and configurations. Results may vary​.

³Get as much as 27.1 hours while Netflix streaming with an Intel® Core™ Ultra X9 388H tested in Lenovo IdeaPad reference design. As measured by Netflix streaming at 1080p in Edge browser. Individual system results will vary significantly with different use, battery capacity and other factors. Learn more at intel.com/performanceindex for details

⁴As estimated by DeepSeek Ilama-8B first token latency on Intel Core Ultra X9 processor 388H vs. NVIDIA Jetson Orin™ AGX 64GB for BS1 and INT4. Individual system results may vary as power and performance are affected by use, configuration and other factors. Details at intel.com/performanceindex.

⁵As estimated by medium end-to-end video analytics with BS8 on Intel Core Ultra X9 processor 388H vs. NVIDIA Jetson Orin™ AGX 64GB. Individual system results may vary as power and performance are affected by use, configuration and other factors. Details at intel.com/performanceindex.

⁶As estimated by Action Chunking Transformer (ACT) Bimanual insertion model (using four cameras – 640×480 with FP32) on Intel Core Ultra X9 processor 388H iGPU vs. NVIDIA Jetson Orin™ AGX 64GB. Individual system results may vary as power and performance are affected by use, configuration and other factors. Details at intel.com/performanceindex.

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Tomorrow marks International Women’s Day, a day dedicated to honouring the achievements and contributions of women in our lives. In addition to these, TECNO and itel want to celebrate the critical role that smartphones play in empowering women across the world.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” which emphasises the need to uplift women in all spheres of life. Regarding this, TECNO and itel acknowledge how smartphones are not just communication devices but powerful tools for change, providing women with unprecedented access to information, resources, and opportunities.

Smartphones have transformed the landscape of connectivity and information sharing, enabling women to break through barriers that have historically limited their participation in various sectors of society. From education to entrepreneurship, smartphones have become vital instruments for empowerment.

Women have become leaders in previously male-dominated industries, while others use technology to balance workplace equality while still providing a nurturing home environment.

How Smartphones Aid in Empowering Women

• Access to Information: Smartphones have democratised access to knowledge. Women can now easily access educational resources, health information, and legal rights, empowering them to make informed decisions about their lives and futures.
• Networking Opportunities: Social media platforms and professional networking apps allow women to connect with mentors, peers, and industry leaders. This connectivity fosters collaboration, support, and the sharing of experiences, which are crucial for personal and professional growth.
• Entrepreneurship and Economic Independence: Smartphones enable women to start and manage businesses with ease. From mobile banking to e-commerce, women can reach customers and manage finances in ways that were not possible before, promoting economic independence and innovation.
• Safety and Wellbeing: Women can utilise smartphone applications for personal safety, health tracking, and mental wellness. Features like location sharing, emergency contacts, and wellness apps provide a sense of security and promote overall wellbeing.
• Advocacy and Activism: Smartphones are powerful tools for advocacy. Women can raise their voices on social issues, participate in campaigns, and mobilise support for causes that matter to them, thus driving social change.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s important to recognise that technology, particularly smartphones, can be a game-changer in the fight for gender equality. By harnessing the power of technology, women can be empowered to overcome challenges and seize new opportunities in every aspect of their lives.

In honor of International Women’s Day, TECNO and itel encourage everyone to reflect on the role of technology in promoting gender equality and to support initiatives that provide women with the skills and resources they need to thrive in the digital age. Let’s work towards realising a future where technology serves as a bridge to equality for all.

Availability

TECNO and itel devices are available from select retail partners, including Ackermans, Dunns, Edgars, Game, HiFi Corp, Jet, Makro, Mr Price, PEP, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, TFG, Vodacom and Woolworths (availability varies per retailer, per product, per store, and while stocks last. E&OE.).

Follow TECNO’s Facebook page and itel’s Facebook page for more information about special deals, all the latest goings-on, news, and competitions.

The post Empowering Women Through Technology: Celebrating International Women’s Day with the Benefits of Smartphones appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.

Love is in the air, as February marks the month of love with Valentine’s Day being celebrated (or not celebrated, depending on your relationship status). Though, a relationship situation to celebrate is the one you have with your smartphone, which is a constant companion in your life, bringing so much connectivity, functionality, convenience, and entertainment with it. There’s much to love about a TECNO smartphone, with the following being just some of the standouts.

A Trendy Look and Comfortable Feel

The look of a phone is the first thing that people notice, and TECNO phones bring very pleasing and trendy aesthetics with their designs. They allow you to stand out, making a statement to others that you are serious about looking your best with a premium handset (even though its price is far from emptying your bank account). They are also comfortable to hold, and fit into your hand, pocket, or bag with ease.

Top Tech at Affordable Prices

Speaking of emptying your bank account, the prices of some phones these days are eyewatering! One of TECNO’s core missions is to bring the best tech packed into a smartphone at an affordable price, democratising the accessibility of a reliable, useful device. What’s not to love about that? Instead of sacrificing quality to bring the pricing down, with lower tech included or inferior parts, TECNO’s devices are testament to the fact that devices with quality tech don’t need to cost you an arm and a leg.

More Than Just a Smartphone

When you purchase a TECNO smartphone, you are not just getting a phone. Even more value comes out of the box with a charging brick, USB charging cable, wired earphones, screen protector and phone cover also included with the device. This is not a guarantee with every phone you buy these days, where in some instances you must pay extra for these essential accessories.

Every TECNO device is also dual Sim and network open, meaning no matter what cellular network you are on, you can use the device.

Useful Features and Google Mobile Services

TECNO phones come with HiOS, an operating system that brings some helpful and useful features. These include App Twin, which allows you to login to two social media accounts at the same time; Social Turbo, which provides much more functionality to WhatsApp; Bubbles, which floats notifications at the top of other apps ensuring you never miss important info; and Smart Panel, which allows you to quickly access your favourite and frequently used apps.

There are many more useful features to explore and love, thanks to HiOS. Every TECNO device also comes preloaded with all your favourite Google Mobile Service apps, so you don’t have to worry about struggling to access them.

Lag-free Multitasking Thanks to Memory Fusion

If you haven’t yet heard of this very useful technology incorporated into TECNO phones, then you are in for a treat! One of the most frustrating things is your phone lagging when you are multitasking while trying to meet a deadline, or another similar example. With Memory Fusion, these situations are non-existent.

Memory Fusion draws unused read-only memory (ROM) and channels it to random access memory (RAM) operations. This enhances the device’s multi-tasking capacity, translating into seamless switching between applications that are running concurrently in the background, quickly retrieving frequently accessed files and apps, and stabilising the phone’s systems for more sustainable performance and longer battery life.

TECNO Devices at Great Deals

TECNO will be having special deals on select devices at some of its retail partners to celebrate the month of love. Keep an eye out for more information on these, and follow the TECNO South Africa Facebook page to be the first to find out more. You can also stay up to date with all the latest goings-on, news, and competitions here.

Availability

TECNO devices are available from select retail partners, including Ackermans, Dunns, Edgars, Game, HiFi Corp, Jet, Makro, Mr Price, PEP, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, TFG, Vodacom and Woolworths (availability varies per retailer, per product, per store, and while stocks last. E&OE.).

The post Reasons to Fall in Love with a TECNO Smartphone appeared first on Tech Scene ZA.