Intel debuts new AI PC chips at CES

AI Chips
AI Chips

Intel has unveiled its latest CPU architecture, Arrow Lake, which is set to power the next generation of gaming laptops. The new processors will feature a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to enhance AI performance, although most laptops equipped with an Arrow Lake-HX or H processor will also come with a dedicated GPU, limiting the NPU to lighter AI tasks such as managing battery life. The Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors, part of the Arrow Lake architecture, will be featured in various gaming laptops over the next year.

These processors will offer up to 24 cores, with the high-end Core Ultra 9 285HX boasting 8 performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. The performance cores will handle heavier, focused tasks, while the efficiency cores will manage background processes. One notable change in this generation is that the performance cores are single-threaded, similar to their desktop counterparts.

However, Intel claims that improvements in Instructions Per Clock (IPC) mean there will be minimal performance loss despite this change. Gaming enthusiasts can expect to see laptops featuring Intel Core Ultra 200H or 200HX processors hitting store shelves in the coming months. Intel also introduced its latest high-powered mobile chips for commercial PC users during its CES 2025 showcase.

See also  Inside peek at cloning complexities stirs debate

The company is launching its Intel 200V series processors for enterprise systems as the industry prepares for the end of Windows 10 support, anticipating a boost in sales throughout 2025 and beyond.

Intel’s Arrow Lake CPU architecture

The second-generation Core Ultra processor, the 200V, is designed to handle on-device AI tasks while offering improved battery life and performance compared to previous Intel chips.

Intel’s announcement comes amidst fierce competition from rivals AMD and Qualcomm, who have launched their own AI-focused processors. David Feng, vice president of Intel’s client computing group, highlighted that laptops running the Core Ultra 200V will get 10.5 hours of battery life while using Microsoft Teams and 20.3 hours with Microsoft 365, outperforming competitors based on Intel’s testing. Intel is positioning the Core Ultra 200V line as a crucial upgrade for enterprise users interested in on-device AI applications, promising enhanced safety and privacy by processing data locally rather than over the internet.

The transition to the Core Ultra 200V is also strategically timed with Microsoft’s move to end support for Windows 10 in October, which Intel sees as a potential catalyst for increased chip and device sales in the latter half of the year. Despite the advancements in the Arrow Lake lineup, Intel’s new chips do not qualify for Microsoft’s ‘Copilot+ PC’ badge, which is designated for “the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs” capable of performing 40+ trillion operations per second (TOPS). Intel’s Core Ultra 200HX and 200H series NPUs max out at just 13 TOPS, with the 200U series delivering only 11 TOPS, falling short of the performance offered by competitors like Qualcomm and AMD.

See also  China implements $112 billion stock support

Nevertheless, Intel remains optimistic about its AI PC innovation. The strength of our AI PC product innovation, combined with the breadth and scale of our hardware and software ecosystem across all segments of the market, is empowering users with a better experience in the traditional ways we use PCs,” said Intel interim co-CEO and CEO of Intel Products Michelle Johnston Holthaus. Looking ahead, Intel teased its future plans, highlighting products built on its 18A process, which correlates to a 1.8-nanometer process.

This advanced chip-making technology is set to enter volume production in the second half of 2025, with more details expected to follow by CES 2026.

Adria Woodman

More Stories