Intel goes big on AI
Is it the era of the AI PC?
Changing the branding of your ubiquitous mobile processors may not seem smart, but Intel obviously wants to differentiate its new laptop CPUs that come with an integrated neural processing unit (NPU). Billed as Intel Core Ultra (while also dropping the “i” from the model numbers), these chips also feature Intel Arc integrated graphics with eight cores.
Intel claims that these chips are faster than the competition by up to 11% for multi-thread performance. No chipmaker is going to introduce new chips, and say they are slower, so there’s that. But one thing caught my eye — Intel says AI-enhanced applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro are running 40% faster on its Core Ultra chips compared with the competition. That seems like a huge gain, to be honest.
If you’re wondering when you’ll find laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra, the good news is that these computers are already shipping (in the US). Expect to see notebooks from the usual suspects such as Asus, Acer, MSI, and Lenovo. However, there’s no word yet on when they will reach Singapore, or the region. Expect it to be soon, though. Lastly, the most powerful chip of the lot, the Intel Core Ultra 9, will only arrive next year, so those who want the best-performing (and probably the most expensive) laptop should be patient.
In other news, we tested Razer’s more affordable esports headset, the latest Prism+ Mini-LED TV, and a massive 25,000mAh power bank.
Mini-LED TVs appear to be the flavour of the year. Homegrown brand Prism+ is the latest to launch TVs sporting this display tech. The Prism+ U65 looks to be one of the cheapest (if not the cheapest) Mini-LED you'll find in Singapore for a 65-inch (S$2,299). It has Google TV, and while not the best we’ve tested this year, it doesn’t have to be, given that it costs just S$1,699 with discount.
The Ugreen 145W Power Bank is probably the biggest one we’ve tested with 25,000mAh capacity. And it can charge up to 140W to a single device or 100W and 45W using both its USB-C ports. There’s also a USB-A port, too.
The Razer Blackshark V2 HyperSpeed offers plenty for those who love competitive games. It's light, comfortable, and supports low-latency 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth. It's similar to the Blackshark V2 Pro, but cheaper.