Intel charges into the AI PC era with Core Ultra, a lineup built to blend impressive processing power with the burgeoning potential of dedicated neural processing units (NPUs). Launched hot on the heels of AMD’s Ryzen 8040 announcement, Core Ultra boasts efficiency and multi-tasking prowess, claiming up to 79% lower idle power and 11% faster multi-threading compared to AMD’s previous generation. The new Intel 4 process and FOVEROS 3D packaging create “the most efficient x86 processor for ultrathin systems,” paving the way for sleek, powerful laptops.
Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: GeForce Now launches in South Africa
Core Ultra caters to diverse needs:
- Ultra 7 165H: The high-end champion, with 16 cores, 22 threads, and a sizzling 5GHz Max Turbo frequency, tackles demanding tasks with ease.
- Ultra 9 185H: Arriving in 2024, this powerhouse boasts a 5.1GHz Max Turbo for even more muscle, ideal for content creators and heavy workloads.
- U-series chips: For those who prioritize portability, lightweight U-series models offer a potent balance of performance and battery life.
While not aimed at the top tier of gaming rigs, Core Ultra’s integrated Intel Arc graphics make it a contender for casual and less demanding titles. Compared to AMD’s 7000 series, Intel offers a 5% average performance boost in popular games like Apex Legends and Overwatch 2, with XeSS AI upscaling pushing frames even higher.
But the real game-changer is the NPU. This dedicated AI engine unlocks features like Windows 11’s Studio Effects for blur-free backgrounds and video lighting without draining your battery. For creative professionals, Core Ultra shines, showcasing a 70% performance boost over AMD in Adobe Premiere Pro and an astounding 5.4 times faster experience in GIMP Stable Diffusion.
Core Ultra, and its AMD counterpart Ryzen 8040, represent a leap towards AI-powered computing. Forget just faster laptops; imagine smoother video editing, seamless video call backgrounds, and a surge of AI-enhanced applications as developers embrace the NPU revolution. “AI PC” might seem like a buzzword now, but it’s poised to become the new standard in 2024. With Core Ultra, Intel enters the fray with a compelling offering, finally matching AMD’s graphics game and throwing open the door to an exciting AI-fuelled future.
