Intel is reportedly urging PC manufacturers in the U.S., China and Taiwan to build more systems around processors made on its 18A manufacturing process as supplies of older consumer CPUs tighten.
Multiple industry sources were cited as saying that additional supplies of older Intel 7 consumer processors were constrained, leaving manufacturers facing a choice between adopting more 18A chips and going without additional CPUs. The reported account described newer 18A parts as more readily available. Intel described its Core Series 3 processors as “integral” to its client strategy.
Intel’s own disclosures document broader supply pressures. In its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 28, 2026, the company said demand for client products exceeded available supply because of internal and external constraints. Intel expected those constraints to persist at least through the first half of 2026 and said it was increasing production of client products on 18A to improve availability.
The transition to 18A
The reported push involves Panther Lake and Wildcat Lake, sold as Core Ultra Series 3 and Core Series 3, respectively. Intel describes Core Ultra Series 3 as its first computing platform built on 18A.
Intel’s April 16 announcement identifies Core Series 3 as another 18A product, aimed at value buyers, commercial customers and edge devices. Its positioning means the transition includes products intended for lower-cost systems as well as the Core Ultra lineup.
Pricing and manufacturer planning
Intel executive David Feng separately confirmed that the company had raised CPU prices for PC manufacturers partly because of supply constraints. Feng, vice president and general manager of PC segments in Intel’s Client Computing Group, said, “We have been updating our prices to the OEMs.” He declined to provide details and said manufacturers were working with downstream partners to reflect system price points.
Intel has also said it remains committed to entry-level PCs while prioritizing high-performance processors for growing AI and infrastructure demand.
The reported account of the 18A push also alleged that constrained Intel 7 capacity was being redirected toward server and industrial customers. One consumer PC executive claimed industrial-use processors carried higher margins than consumer equivalents.
One source claimed manufacturers had initially developed only a small number of 18A models partly to support Intel’s launch rather than established consumer demand. An executive estimated that completing and verifying additional designs around the newer processors would take at least three months.
