Category: Tech

AMD is targeting both low-end and high-end AI PCs at CES 2025. The company unveiled a new family of Ryzen AI Max chips meant for “halo” Copilot+ AI PCs, which will sit above existing Ryzen AI 9 systems. In addition, it’s also introducing Ryzen AI 7 and 5 chips for mid-tier and lower end AI PCs. Clearly, AMD wants AI PC options for everyone. 

AMD

To its credit, AMD’s Ryzen AI Max chips seem like powerhouses. They feature up to 16 Zen 5 performance cores, 40 RDNA 3.5 GPU compute units and 50 TOPS of AI performance with AMD”s XDNA 2 NPU. The company claims it delivers 2.6 times faster 3D rendering than Intel’s Core Ultra 9 288V, as well 1.4 times faster graphics performance in benchmarks like 3DMark’s Wildlife Extreme and Solar Bay. It also delivers comparable performance to Apple’s 14-core M4 Pro chip, and when it comes to the Vray benchmark, it’s significantly faster.

AMD

Ryzen AI Max systems will be available in the first and second quarter of the year, including the HP Zbook Ultra G1a, as well as the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 convertible.

As for the Ryzen AI 7 and 5 chips, they’ll basically deliver slightly slower performance than existing Ryzen AI 9 PCs. The Ryzen AI 7 chip features 8 cores and a 5GHz max boost speed, while the Ryzen AI 5 340 offers up six cores and a 4.8GHz max speed. And for PCs that don’t need a ton of AI power, AMD is also introducing Ryzen 200 chips in the second quarter. They’ll offer up to 16 TOPS of AI performance (compared to 50 TOPS on the faster AI chips), and will max out with the eight-core Ryzen 9 270.

AMD

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/amd-takes-ai-pcs-to-the-max-with-ryzen-ai-max-chips-194600366.html?src=rss

At CES 2025, HP has three new 14-inch Elitebooks powered by the latest Intel processors. The laptop lineup includes the Elitebook Ultra G1i — it has a 3K OLED screen, a 9MP webcam and a haptic touchpad — and two Elitebook X models, one of which is a 360-degree-folding 2-in-1.

Naturally, HP is marketing all three as AI PCs. That’s not only because of the mandatory “every new gadget must have AI stuffed inside” rule but also because Intel’s Core Ultra 5 and 7 chips were built for that purpose, with three compute engines for on-device AI tasks. All three Elitebooks are Copilot+ PCs and can zip through AI tasks at 48 TOPS (trillion operations per second).

All three Elitebooks ship in configurations with 16GB or 32GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage.

HP

The EliteBook Ultra G1i has a higher-end screen, webcam and touchpad than the others. Its display will be available in touch and non-touch configurations, both of which are 14-inch OLED panels with 2,880 x 1,880 resolution. The laptop has a 9MP webcam, and its onboard AI can upscale video calls beyond that. Its audio setup should impress, too, with “studio-quality dual microphones” and quad speakers.

The non-touch version weighs 2.63 pounds (just under 1.2 kg), and the touch model is slightly heavier at 2.68 pounds (around 1.2 kg). Its touchpad is haptic-based (like Apple’s MacBooks have been for years). That should make it evenly “clickable” — it doesn’t click inward but feels that way — across its entire surface.

HP

HP’s EliteBook X G1i and EliteBook X Flip G1i are similar and differentiated mostly by form factor. The Flip earns its name by flipping back with a 360-degree hinge, while the standard one has a traditional clamshell design. Compared to the Ultra, these models have lower-resolution LCD panels: 1,920 x 1,200 in most configurations, with a 2,560 x 1,600 option also available for both. The machines also have a lower-resolution webcam (5MP) than the Ultra.

In line with its 2-in-1 nature, the Flip has a touchscreen in all variants, while the standard has touch and non-touch models. It works with (but doesn’t include) HP’s $99 Rechargeable Active Pen.

HP hasn’t announced pricing or release date info for any of the new Ultrabooks, but they’ll be on display at CES 2025 in Las Vegas this week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/hps-new-elitebooks-are-copilot-pcs-powered-by-intels-new-ai-chips-194559525.html?src=rss

At CES 2025, HP has three new 14-inch Elitebooks powered by the latest Intel processors. The laptop lineup includes the Elitebook Ultra G1i — it has a 3K OLED screen, a 9MP webcam and a haptic touchpad — and two Elitebook X models, one of which is a 360-degree-folding 2-in-1.

Naturally, HP is marketing all three as AI PCs. That’s not only because of the mandatory “every new gadget must have AI stuffed inside” rule but also because Intel’s Core Ultra 5 and 7 chips were built for that purpose, with three compute engines for on-device AI tasks. All three Elitebooks are Copilot+ PCs and can zip through AI tasks at 48 TOPS (trillion operations per second).

All three Elitebooks ship in configurations with 16GB or 32GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage.

HP

The EliteBook Ultra G1i has a higher-end screen, webcam and touchpad than the others. Its display will be available in touch and non-touch configurations, both of which are 14-inch OLED panels with 2,880 x 1,880 resolution. The laptop has a 9MP webcam, and its onboard AI can upscale video calls beyond that. Its audio setup should impress, too, with “studio-quality dual microphones” and quad speakers.

The non-touch version weighs 2.63 pounds (just under 1.2 kg), and the touch model is slightly heavier at 2.68 pounds (around 1.2 kg). Its touchpad is haptic-based (like Apple’s MacBooks have been for years). That should make it evenly “clickable” — it doesn’t click inward but feels that way — across its entire surface.

HP

HP’s EliteBook X G1i and EliteBook X Flip G1i are similar and differentiated mostly by form factor. The Flip earns its name by flipping back with a 360-degree hinge, while the standard one has a traditional clamshell design. Compared to the Ultra, these models have lower-resolution LCD panels: 1,920 x 1,200 in most configurations, with a 2,560 x 1,600 option also available for both. The machines also have a lower-resolution webcam (5MP) than the Ultra.

In line with its 2-in-1 nature, the Flip has a touchscreen in all variants, while the standard has touch and non-touch models. It works with (but doesn’t include) HP’s $99 Rechargeable Active Pen.

HP hasn’t announced pricing or release date info for any of the new Ultrabooks, but they’ll be on display at CES 2025 in Las Vegas this week.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/hps-new-elitebooks-are-copilot-pcs-powered-by-intels-new-ai-chips-194559525.html?src=rss

Dell is introducing three new monitors at CES 2025, but the most interesting one includes a feature you might have already experienced with a pair of AirPods: spatial audio. The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor is the first monitor with “AI-enhanced 3D Spatial Audio,” according to Dell.

The monitor’s 5x5W speakers are able to pull off their audio tricks thanks to “AI-driven head-tracking” that follows your head and adjust audio playback so you’re always immersed. It’s a system that seems similar to Razer’s Leviathan V2 Pro PC soundbar from 2023, which also used head-tracking to simulate a spatial audio experience. Dell’s just managed to cram the necessary sensors and speakers into a monitor, with likely tinnier sound as a tradeoff.

Dell

If you’re more worried about the screen, you’re in luck. The Dell 32 Plus 4K has a 31.5-inch QD OLED panel with up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 4K resolution, which sounds great for creative work or games. Bells and whistles like Dolby Vision, HDR TB400, and AMD FreeSync Premium mean you’ll get the brightest and tear-free image when you actually sit down in front of the screen, too.

Alongside it’s new spatial audio monitor, Dell is updating two sizes in its UltraSharp line, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor. Dell claims both UltraSharps are the first “enhanced IPS Black monitors” which is supposed to mean they’ll offer “three times the contrast of conventional IPS displays and 47% deeper blacks.”

The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor will be available in China on March 27, before launching worldwide on May 22 for $799.99. Both the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor will be available on February 25 for $699.99 and $949.99, respectively.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/dells-new-4k-qd-oled-monitor-comes-with-spatial-audio-194551957.html?src=rss

Dell is introducing three new monitors at CES 2025, but the most interesting one includes a feature you might have already experienced with a pair of AirPods: spatial audio. The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor is the first monitor with “AI-enhanced 3D Spatial Audio,” according to Dell.

The monitor’s 5x5W speakers are able to pull off their audio tricks thanks to “AI-driven head-tracking” that follows your head and adjust audio playback so you’re always immersed. It’s a system that seems similar to Razer’s Leviathan V2 Pro PC soundbar from 2023, which also used head-tracking to simulate a spatial audio experience. Dell’s just managed to cram the necessary sensors and speakers into a monitor, with likely tinnier sound as a tradeoff.

Dell

If you’re more worried about the screen, you’re in luck. The Dell 32 Plus 4K has a 31.5-inch QD OLED panel with up to a 120Hz refresh rate and 4K resolution, which sounds great for creative work or games. Bells and whistles like Dolby Vision, HDR TB400, and AMD FreeSync Premium mean you’ll get the brightest and tear-free image when you actually sit down in front of the screen, too.

Alongside it’s new spatial audio monitor, Dell is updating two sizes in its UltraSharp line, the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor. Dell claims both UltraSharps are the first “enhanced IPS Black monitors” which is supposed to mean they’ll offer “three times the contrast of conventional IPS displays and 47% deeper blacks.”

The Dell 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED Monitor will be available in China on March 27, before launching worldwide on May 22 for $799.99. Both the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor and UltraSharp 30 4K Thunderbolt Hub Monitor will be available on February 25 for $699.99 and $949.99, respectively.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/dells-new-4k-qd-oled-monitor-comes-with-spatial-audio-194551957.html?src=rss

After pioneering the use of 3D V-cache in CPUs — specifically, by stacking L3 cache modules on top of each other — AMD is adding another super-powered desktop CPU to the mix at CES 2025: the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. While it’s not as groundbreaking as last year’s 7950X3D, which managed to reach the same clock speeds as its siblings with 2D cache, the 9950X3D still stands out when compared to the competition from Intel. It features 16 Zen 5 CPU cores, a max boost speed of 5.7GHz, and most importantly, a whopping 144MB of total cache.

AMD

AMD’s 3D V-cache technology allows its CPUs to juggle more data quickly without reaching out to RAM, since its cache is attached directly to the CPU package. AMD claims the 9950X3D is on average 20 percent faster than Intel’s Core i9 285K across 40 different games. It’s also 8 percent faster than the 7950X3D, so it’s not exactly a compelling upgrade for anyone lucky enough to own that processor. When it comes to content creation, AMD claims the 9950X3D is 10 percent faster than Intel’s 285K across a suite of 20 apps, including Photoshop’s Pugetbench as well as Geekbench.

AMD

AMD also announced slightly slower 9900X3D chip with 12 cores, a 5.5GHz max boost speed and 140MB of cache. Consider it the slightly more sensible alternative to the 9950X3D’s extravagant cache. Both chips will be available in the first quarter.

The company hasn’t forgotten about laptops, either. At CES, AMD unveiled its “Fire Range” HX3D chips which will arrive in the first half of 2025. They’ll be spearheaded by the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D with 16 cores and 144MB of total cache.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-amd-ryzen-9-9950x3d-is-another-16-core-beast-with-144mb-of-3d-v-cache-194535290.html?src=rss

After pioneering the use of 3D V-cache in CPUs — specifically, by stacking L3 cache modules on top of each other — AMD is adding another super-powered desktop CPU to the mix at CES 2025: the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. While it’s not as groundbreaking as last year’s 7950X3D, which managed to reach the same clock speeds as its siblings with 2D cache, the 9950X3D still stands out when compared to the competition from Intel. It features 16 Zen 5 CPU cores, a max boost speed of 5.7GHz, and most importantly, a whopping 144MB of total cache.

AMD

AMD’s 3D V-cache technology allows its CPUs to juggle more data quickly without reaching out to RAM, since its cache is attached directly to the CPU package. AMD claims the 9950X3D is on average 20 percent faster than Intel’s Core i9 285K across 40 different games. It’s also 8 percent faster than the 7950X3D, so it’s not exactly a compelling upgrade for anyone lucky enough to own that processor. When it comes to content creation, AMD claims the 9950X3D is 10 percent faster than Intel’s 285K across a suite of 20 apps, including Photoshop’s Pugetbench as well as Geekbench.

AMD

AMD also announced slightly slower 9900X3D chip with 12 cores, a 5.5GHz max boost speed and 140MB of cache. Consider it the slightly more sensible alternative to the 9950X3D’s extravagant cache. Both chips will be available in the first quarter.

The company hasn’t forgotten about laptops, either. At CES, AMD unveiled its “Fire Range” HX3D chips which will arrive in the first half of 2025. They’ll be spearheaded by the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D with 16 cores and 144MB of total cache.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-amd-ryzen-9-9950x3d-is-another-16-core-beast-with-144mb-of-3d-v-cache-194535290.html?src=rss

AMD is following up its impressive Ryzen Z1 chip, which powered the original ASUS ROG Ally, with the Ryzen Z2 at CES 2025. You can pretty much guess what it delivers: More power, and potentially more battery life. AMD also confirmed a rumor that’s been floating around for months: Valve also plans to put the Ryzen Z2 in an upcoming Steam Deck revision. Valve hasn’t responded to our request for comment yet, but given that the original Steam Deck was powered by a custom AMD chip, it makes sense that it would eventually be upgraded with AMD’s latest hardware. 

Leading the charge for the Ryzen Z2 family is the Z2 Extreme, featuring eight cores, a 5GHz max clock speed and 16 RDNA 3 graphics cores. The least powerful model is the Z2 Go with four CPU cores and 12 graphics cores. That could be a useful chip for cheaper handhelds, especially those that tout game streaming capabilities over local play.

AMD

AMD didn’t have any performance metrics to share, but it likely won’t be long until we see the Ryzen Z2 in action. It’ll arrive in the first quarter of 2025 in revamped versions of the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. While Valve has said it’s trying to avoid a horsepower rat race, constant leaks around a potential Steam Deck 2 indicate some sort of upgrade is on the way soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-amd-ryzen-z2-will-power-next-gen-gaming-handhelds-including-a-new-steam-deck-194531373.html?src=rss

AMD is following up its impressive Ryzen Z1 chip, which powered the original ASUS ROG Ally, with the Ryzen Z2 at CES 2025. You can pretty much guess what it delivers: More power, and potentially more battery life. AMD also confirmed a rumor that’s been floating around for months: Valve also plans to put the Ryzen Z2 in an upcoming Steam Deck revision. Valve hasn’t responded to our request for comment yet, but given that the original Steam Deck was powered by a custom AMD chip, it makes sense that it would eventually be upgraded with AMD’s latest hardware. 

Leading the charge for the Ryzen Z2 family is the Z2 Extreme, featuring eight cores, a 5GHz max clock speed and 16 RDNA 3 graphics cores. The least powerful model is the Z2 Go with four CPU cores and 12 graphics cores. That could be a useful chip for cheaper handhelds, especially those that tout game streaming capabilities over local play.

AMD

AMD didn’t have any performance metrics to share, but it likely won’t be long until we see the Ryzen Z2 in action. It’ll arrive in the first quarter of 2025 in revamped versions of the ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. While Valve has said it’s trying to avoid a horsepower rat race, constant leaks around a potential Steam Deck 2 indicate some sort of upgrade is on the way soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-amd-ryzen-z2-will-power-next-gen-gaming-handhelds-including-a-new-steam-deck-194531373.html?src=rss

So long XPS, au revoir Inspiron, later, Latitude. Dell is officially giving its existing PC brands the boot at CES 2025 and moving to terms that normal people will actually understand: Dell, Dell Pro and Dell Pro Max. Seems self-explanatory, no? Dell systems are purely consumer plays, while the Dell Pro line focuses on business users. Dell Pro Max, naturally, are super-powered workstations meant for the most demanding users.

The rebranding makes a certain amount of sense. Why should consumers have to learn about the difference between Latitude and Inspiron laptops? But it’s also disappointing news for fans of the company’s XPS lineup, as that’s now officially dead. Going with “Pro” and “Pro Max” terms also evokes Apple’s hardware more than anything from the land of Dell, so it’s not exactly coming from a position of strength.

At a briefing around the rebranding in December, I asked CEO Michael Dell a simple question: “What does Dell gain by copying Apple?” Needless to say, he didn’t look pleased. He and other executives were quick to point out that the term “Pro” has been used throughout the industry for years. I shouted back “I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max in my pocket!” Every tech company copies to a certain extent, but we all have eyes and ears. It’s not hard to see who Dell is following with this rebrand.

While simplicity seems to have been the ultimate goal, like many PC makers, Dell couldn’t help but muddy things up a bit. Within each new PC line are sub-tiers: Base, Plus and Premium. The XPS lineup will now live under the “Dell Premium” moniker, while other customers will have to figure out the difference between a “Dell Pro Plus” and “Dell Pro Premium” system.

Things get even more bonkers for Dell Pro Max systems, where you can also choose between Plus and Premium options. Doesn’t Pro Max already mean the best? The naming logic breaks down entirely for desktops. Just try to read the names Dell Pro Max Micro and Dell Pro Max Mini without having your brain self destruct.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Oddly, Dell doesn’t have any truly groundbreaking new hardware to celebrate its new naming scheme. The Dell Pro Premium 13 and 14 laptops look pretty sleek for business machines, but they still remind me more of Apple hardware than anything distinctly Dell. (It’s hard not to associate the curved opening notch with anything but a MacBook Pro.)

At 2.36 pounds, the Dell Pro Premium 13 is definitely one of the lightest commercial systems I’ve ever seen, so that’s a slight win. The company claims it gets 21.2 hours of battery life and offers 82 percent faster graphics rendering than Dell’s last premium enterprise-focused system. The larger Pro Premium 14 will also be the first commercial notebook with a tandem OLED screen, which is more power efficient and brighter than a typical OLED.

On the consumer side, the Dell 14 and 16 Plus (along with their 2-in-1 versions) look like typical mainstream Dell laptops. The Dell Premium systems, formerly XPS, look completely unchanged from last year. (I’ve heard that we likely won’t see any big changes for that lineup until next year.)

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

As I wandered around Dell’s rebranding event, I got the sense that many Dell employees weren’t exactly thrilled with the new strategy. They typically described being a bit shocked about the news at first, especially those who devoted their lives to their specific Dell PC brand for years. Many eventually came around to the argument that simplicity will ultimately make life easier for consumers. Nobody, except for marketing leads, seemed genuinely excited about Dell’s bold new journey. (I’m keeping the Dell workers anonymous to avoid any potential repercussions, especially since I noticed PR workers hovering nearby as I grilled their colleagues.)

Dell doesn’t have the sort of brand loyalty that Apple does, so I doubt many regular consumers will miss the company’s old PC brands. But this is surely a sad day for XPS fans, a brand that started out with Dell’s premium desktops in the ’90s.

The Dell Pro 13 and 14 Premium will be available today (we still don’t have pricing details, unfortunately), while the Dell 14 and 16 Plus arrive on February 18 starting at $999. The Dell Pro Max 14 and 16 are set to arrive in March, and we’re still waiting on pricing information.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/dell-dumps-its-pc-brands-to-be-more-like-apple-194524781.html?src=rss