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AMD Wants to Tap Samsung Foundry for 3 nm GAAFET Process

According to a report by KED Global, Korean chipmaking giant Samsung is ramping up its efforts to compete with global giants like TSMC and Intel. The latest partnership on the horizon is AMD's collaboration with Samsung. AMD is planning to utilize Samsung's cutting-edge 3 nm technology for its future chips. More specifically, AMD wants to utilize Samsung's gate-all-around FETs (GAAFETs). During ITF World 2024, AMD CEO Lisa Su noted that the company intends to use 3 nm GAA transistors for its future products. The only company offering GAAFETs on a 3 nm process is Samsung. Hence, this report from KED gains more credibility.

While we don't have any official information, AMD's utilization of a second foundry as a manufacturing partner would be a first for the company in years. This strategic move signifies a shift towards dual-sourcing, aiming to diversify its supply chain and reduce dependency on a single manufacturer, previously TSMC. We still don't know what specific AMD products will use GAAFETs. AMD could use them for CPUs, GPUs, DPUs, FPGAs, and even data center accelerators like Instinct MI series.

GPU and CPU Markets See Q1 Gains, but Outlook Remains Mixed

According to Jon Peddie Research latest report, the global GPU and CPU markets ended Q1 2024 on growth. GPU shipments reached 70 million units, while PC CPU shipments increased by 33% year-over-year, the second consecutive yearly increase in over two decades. Over the next five years, discrete GPUs are projected to achieve 22% penetration in the PC market as the overall GPU installed approaches 3 billion units by 2026. Among major GPU vendors, AMD's market share dipped 0.7% from last quarter, while Intel gained 0.3% and Nvidia rose 0.4%. However, overall GPU shipments declined 9.9% quarter-over-quarter. The total GPU attach rate for PCs was 113%, slightly down from the prior quarter. Desktop graphics add-in board shipments also decreased 14.8%.

While Q1 is typically flat or down versus Q4, Jon Peddie Research's president suggests this quarter's performance could signal a return to normal seasonality. With Microsoft, AMD and Intel promoting AI PCs, and forecasts pointing to growth in Q2, there are optimistic signs - although semiconductor suppliers are guiding 7.9% down on average for next quarter.
Report GPU shipment vs. rate

Arm Announces the Cortex-X925 and Cortex-A725 Armv9 CPU Cores

Arm has announced a pair of new Armv9 CPU cores today, alongside a refresh of a third. The new additions are the Cortex-X925—which is a huge model number jump from the previous Cortex-X4—and the Cortex-A725 which should be an upgraded Cortex-A720. Finally the Cortex-A520 has been refreshed to bring a 15 percent power efficiency improvement as well as support for 3 nm production nodes. Arm claims that the Cortex-A925 delivers its highest performance improvement ever over a previous generation with a single core uplift of up to 36 percent and an AI performance improvement of up to 46 percent compared to the Cortex-X4. The Cortex-X925 will support up to 3 MB private L2 cache and is tape-out ready for 3 nm production nodes.

The Cortex-A725 is said to offer a 35 percent performance efficiency improvement over the Cortex-A720 and it's been given performance boosts both when it comes to AI and gaming workloads. It's said to be up to 25 percent more power efficient than the Cortex-A720 and L3 cache traffic has been improved by up to 20 percent. Again, the Cortex-A720 is ready for production on a 3 nm node. Finally, Arm has also updated its DynamIQ Shared Unit to the DS-120 and here Arm has managed to reduce the typical workload power by up to 50 percent and the cache miss power by up to 60 percent. The DSU-120 scales to up to 14 Arm cores, suggesting that we might get to see some interesting new SoC implementations in the coming years from Arm's partners, although Arm's reference platform is a 2-4-2 configuration of the new cores.

ZOTAC to Debut Limit-Pushing Handheld Gaming PC and Showcase AI-Centric Computing Solutions at Computex 2024

ZOTAC Technology, a global manufacturer focused on innovative and high-performance hardware solutions, will return to COMPUTEX 2024 to showcase its biggest push yet into brand-new product categories. At this year's exhibition, ZOTAC will unveil its first attempt at creating a unique Handheld Gaming PC with advanced controls and features, allowing gamers to enjoy their favorite games on the go like never before with maximum competitive advantage.

Also in ZOTAC's extensive lineup is a full-fledged selection of AI-focused computational hardware, including a new workstation-grade External GPU Box series for hassle-free GPU compute and AI acceleration, ZBOX mini PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra CPUs equipped with integrated neural processing units (NPU), as well as other enterprise-grade solutions, such as GPU Servers and Arm-based NVIDIA Jetson systems, offering users a broad selection of AI accelerators in applications big and small.

HP Unlocks New Era of AI Experiences Powering Work and Creation

Today HP Inc. unveiled a new class of next-generation AI PCs at Microsoft's AI Vision Event designed for the AI era to empower people to work and create more meaningfully. The way we live and work is no longer confined to a desk; we are creating at home, from the office, and everywhere in between. At the same time, AI is rapidly changing everything, including consumer and professional expectations for productivity and creativity. More than half of early tech adopters believe AI will save them time, and 72% of business leaders believe AI will help employees focus on more productive work. Additionally, developers are releasing a steady stream of AI-enabled software designed for new experiences and capabilities that can only be unlocked with next-gen AI PCs.

To capitalize on both flexible work and AI, HP has created a new category of devices crafted for work and creation. Today, HP unveiled the HP OmniBook X AI PC and HP EliteBook Ultra AI PC, HP's first next-gen AI PCs built from the ground up with the latest ARM architecture to harness the most powerful AI technologies.

Dell Introduces Comprehensive Portfolio of Copilot+ AI PCs

There's no doubt the AI PC revolution is here. We're as excited now about the future of the PC as we were when Michael founded the company 40 years ago. New transformative AI experiences will bring enhanced productivity and efficiency to the hands of consumers and professionals alike. Those with an AI PC will never look back, and everyone will want to be part of the action. We're here to lead the way.

As part of the Dell AI Factory's growing AI devices and infrastructure offerings, Dell expands our broad portfolio of AI PCs and workstations with the introduction of the most Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus processors. This brand-new class of devices transforms your AI PC experience with extraordinary performance and battery life, upleveled productivity and powerful security. Our five new laptops, XPS 13, Inspiron 14 Plus, Inspiron 14, Latitude 7455 and Latitude 5455, offer a range of consumer and commercial options that deliver exceptional speed and AI performance to elevate computing and simplify tasks. So, whether you're a business professional looking to spend more time on strategic work and less time on tedious to-dos, or you're a student looking to prioritize your studies while being untethered to a desk, we have you covered.

LN2 Cooled Apple M4 Chip Surpasses Single-Core Performance of M3 Max and M2 Ultra

According to Geekerwan, Apple's latest M4 silicon has achieved a remarkable milestone by using liquid nitrogen to chill Apple's M4 iPad Pro. This unconventional approach unlocked great single-core performance, surpassing even the M3 Max and M2 Ultra processors in Geekbench v6 benchmark tests. The setup involved cooling the M4 iPad Pro, equipped with a 3+6 core configuration, using a Kingpin Cooling T-Rex Rev 4 CPU LN2 pot filled with liquid nitrogen. This extreme cooling allowed the M4 processor to operate at an astonishing 4.41 GHz during the benchmark run, resulting in a staggering single-core score of 4,001 points. This score represents a 28% increase over the M3 Max found in the 16-inch MacBook Pro and an impressive 44% improvement over the M2 Ultra powering the Mac Studio.

Notably, the M4's single-core performance is capable of reaching scores in the 3,000s. With liquid nitrogen cooling, it suprases the 4,000-point mark, making this achievement all the more remarkable. While the M4's multi-core performance did not match the lofty expectations set by its single-core power, it still managed to achieve a score of 13,595 points, outperforming both the M3 Max and M2 Ultra, which scored 20,957 and 21,330 points, respectively. This was done on the 3+6 core configuration with three P-cores and six E-cores, which is not the top-end M4 configuration. This shows that with adequate cooling, like MacBooks, the upcoming M4 Pro and M4 Max chips could achieve much higher performance than their predecessors.

European Supercomputer Chip SiPearl Rhea Delayed, But Upgraded with More Cores

The rollout of SiPearl's much-anticipated Rhea processor for European supercomputers has been pushed back by a year to 2025, but the delay comes with a silver lining - a significant upgrade in core count and potential performance. Originally slated to arrive in 2024 with 72 cores, the homegrown high-performance chip will now pack 80 cores when it eventually launches. This decisive move by SiPearl and its partners is a strategic choice to ensure the utmost quality and capabilities for the flagship European processor. The additional 12 months will allow the engineering teams to further refine the chip's architecture, carry out extensive testing, and optimize software stacks to take full advantage of Rhea's computing power. Now called the Rhea1, the chip is a crucial component of the European Processor Initiative's mission to develop domestic high-performance computing technologies and reduce reliance on foreign processors. Supercomputer-scale simulations spanning climate science, drug discovery, energy research and more all require astonishing amounts of raw compute grunt.

By scaling up to 80 cores based on the latest Arm Neoverse V1, Rhea1 aims to go toe-to-toe with the world's most powerful processors optimized for supercomputing workloads. The SiPearl wants to utilize TSCM's N6 manufacturing process. The CPU will have 256-bit DDR5 memory connections, 104 PCIe 5.0 lanes, and four stacks of HBM2E memory. The roadmap shift also provides more time for the expansive European supercomputing ecosystem to prepare robust software stacks tailored for the upgraded Rhea silicon. Ensuring a smooth deployment with existing models and enabling future breakthroughs are top priorities. While the delay is a setback for SiPearl's launch schedule, the substantial upgrade could pay significant dividends for Europe's ambitions to join the elite ranks of worldwide supercomputer power. All eyes will be on Rhea's delivery in 2025, mainly from Europe's governments, which are funding the project.

TOP500: Frontier Keeps Top Spot, Aurora Officially Becomes the Second Exascale Machine

The 63rd edition of the TOP500 reveals that Frontier has once again claimed the top spot, despite no longer being the only exascale machine on the list. Additionally, a new system has found its way into the Top 10.

The Frontier system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, USA remains the most powerful system on the list with an HPL score of 1.206 EFlop/s. The system has a total of 8,699,904 combined CPU and GPU cores, an HPE Cray EX architecture that combines 3rd Gen AMD EPYC CPUs optimized for HPC and AI with AMD Instinct MI250X accelerators, and it relies on Cray's Slingshot 11 network for data transfer. On top of that, this machine has an impressive power efficiency rating of 52.93 GFlops/Watt - putting Frontier at the No. 13 spot on the GREEN500.

AMD Hits Highest-Ever x86 CPU Market Share in Q1 2024 Across Desktop and Server

AMD has reached a significant milestone, capturing a record-high share of the X86 CPU market in the first quarter of 2024, according to the latest report from Mercury Research. This achievement marks a significant step forward for the chipmaker in its long battle against rival Intel's dominance in the crucial computer processor space. The surge was fueled by strong demand for AMD's Ryzen and EPYC processors across consumer and enterprise markets. The Ryzen lineup's compelling price-to-performance ratio has struck a chord with gamers, content creators, and businesses seeking cost-effective computing power without sacrificing capabilities. It secured AMD's 23.9% share, an increase from the previous Q4 of 2023, which has seen a 19.8% market share.

The company has also made major inroads on the data center front with its EPYC server CPUs. AMD's ability to supply capable yet affordable processors has enabled cloud providers and enterprises to scale operations on AMD's platform. Several leading tech giants have embraced EPYC, contributing to AMD's surging server market footprint. Now, it is at 23.6%, a significant increase over the past few years, whereas AMD was just above 10% four years ago in 2020. AMD lost some share to Intel on the mobile PC front due to the Meteor Lake ramp, but it managed to gain a small percentage of the market share of client PCs. As AMD rides the momentum into the second half of 2024, all eyes will be on whether the chipmaker can sustain this trajectory and potentially claim an even larger slice of the x86 CPU pie from Intel in the coming quarters.
Below, you can see additional graphs of mobile PC and client PC market share.

Apple Unveils the Redesigned 11‑inch and All‑new 13‑inch iPad Air, Supercharged by the M2 Chip

Apple today announced the redesigned 11-inch and all-new 13-inch iPad Air, supercharged by the M2 chip. Now available in two sizes for the first time, the 11-inch iPad Air is super-portable, and the 13-inch model provides an even larger display for more room to work, learn, and play. Both deliver phenomenal performance and advanced capabilities, making iPad Air more powerful and versatile than ever before. Featuring a faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine in M2, the new iPad Air offers even more performance and is an incredibly powerful device for artificial intelligence. The front-facing Ultra Wide 12MP camera with Center Stage is now located along the landscape edge of iPad Air, which is perfect for video calls. It also includes faster Wi-Fi, and cellular models include super-fast 5G, so users can stay connected on the go. With a portable design, all-day battery life, a brilliant Liquid Retina display, and support for Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C), and Magic Keyboard, iPad Air empowers users to be even more productive and creative. The new iPad Air is available in new blue and purple finishes, along with starlight and space gray. The 11-inch iPad Air still starts at just $599, and the 13-inch iPad Air is a fantastic value at just $799. Customers can order the new iPad Air today, with availability beginning Wednesday, May 15.

"So many users—from students, to content creators, to small businesses, and more—love iPad Air for its performance, portability, and versatility, all at an affordable price. Today, iPad Air gets even better," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Product Marketing. "We're so excited to introduce the redesigned 11-inch and all-new 13-inch iPad Air, offering two sizes for the first time. With its combination of a brilliant Liquid Retina display, the phenomenal performance of the M2 chip, incredible AI capabilities, and its colorful, portable design with support for new accessories, iPad Air is more powerful and versatile than ever."

Apple Unveils Stunning New iPad Pro With the World's Most Advanced Display, M4 Chip and Apple Pencil Pro

Apple today unveiled the groundbreaking new iPad Pro in a stunningly thin and light design, taking portability and performance to the next level. Available in silver and space black finishes, the new iPad Pro comes in two sizes: an expansive 13-inch model and a super-portable 11-inch model. Both sizes feature the world's most advanced display—a new breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display with state-of-the-art tandem OLED technology—providing a remarkable visual experience. The new iPad Pro is made possible with the new M4 chip, the next generation of Apple silicon, which delivers a huge leap in performance and capabilities. M4 features an entirely new display engine to enable the precision, color, and brightness of the Ultra Retina XDR display. With a new CPU, a next-generation GPU that builds upon the GPU architecture debuted on M3, and the most powerful Neural Engine yet, the new iPad Pro is an outrageously powerful device for artificial intelligence. The versatility and advanced capabilities of iPad Pro are also enhanced with all-new accessories. Apple Pencil Pro brings powerful new interactions that take the pencil experience even further, and a new thinner, lighter Magic Keyboard is packed with incredible features. The new iPad Pro, Apple Pencil Pro, and Magic Keyboard are available to order starting today, with availability in stores beginning Wednesday, May 15.

"iPad Pro empowers a broad set of pros and is perfect for anyone who wants the ultimate iPad experience—with its combination of the world's best displays, extraordinary performance of our latest M-series chips, and advanced accessories—all in a portable design. Today, we're taking it even further with the new, stunningly thin and light iPad Pro, our biggest update ever to iPad Pro," said John Ternus, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. "With the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display, the next-level performance of M4, incredible AI capabilities, and support for the all-new Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, there's no device like the new iPad Pro."

Apple Introduces the M4 Chip

Apple today announced M4, the latest chip delivering phenomenal performance to the all-new iPad Pro. Built using second-generation 3-nanometer technology, M4 is a system on a chip (SoC) that advances the industry-leading power efficiency of Apple silicon and enables the incredibly thin design of iPad Pro. It also features an entirely new display engine to drive the stunning precision, color, and brightness of the breakthrough Ultra Retina XDR display on iPad Pro. A new CPU has up to 10 cores, while the new 10-core GPU builds on the next-generation GPU architecture introduced in M3, and brings Dynamic Caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and hardware-accelerated mesh shading to iPad for the first time. M4 has Apple's fastest Neural Engine ever, capable of up to 38 trillion operations per second, which is faster than the neural processing unit of any AI PC today. Combined with faster memory bandwidth, along with next-generation machine learning (ML) accelerators in the CPU, and a high-performance GPU, M4 makes the new iPad Pro an outrageously powerful device for artificial intelligence.

"The new iPad Pro with M4 is a great example of how building best-in-class custom silicon enables breakthrough products," said Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. "The power-efficient performance of M4, along with its new display engine, makes the thin design and game-changing display of iPad Pro possible, while fundamental improvements to the CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and memory system make M4 extremely well suited for the latest applications leveraging AI. Altogether, this new chip makes iPad Pro the most powerful device of its kind."

Intel's Panther Lake CPU Generation on Track for Mid-2025 Release, AI Capabilities to See Significant Boost

Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, has confirmed that the upcoming 18A process of the Panther Lake CPU generation is on schedule for a mid-2025 release, which aligns with the initial projection. This development marks a significant milestone in the company's ongoing efforts to integrate AI capabilities into its processors. The mid-2025 release date is expected to follow the debut of Intel's Arrow Lake process in late 2024 or early 2025, a release that holds the promise of significant advancements in AI computing. During Intel's Q1 2024 Quarterly Results, Gelsinger expressed confidence in the company's AI capabilities, stating that the Core Ultra platform currently delivers leadership AI performance and that the next-generation platforms, Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake, will launch later this year, tripling AI performance. He also mentioned that the Panther Lake generation, set to release in 2025, will grow AI performance up to an additional 2x.

The Panther Lake generation represents the culmination of three generations of work in a short time and is expected to continue Intel's iterative approach. This transition is marked by a shift from a hybrid architecture, a combination of different types of processors, to a disaggregated die, where different components of the processor are separated, as AI computing becomes increasingly prominent. This strategic move is aimed at optimizing AI performance and flexibility. This marks the third generation of the Intel Core Ultra series, following Ultra 100 (Meteor Lake), Ultra 200 (Arrow Lake), and Lunar Lake (200V). Intel's release strategy mirrors the pattern set by the Hybrid Architecture, with Alder Lake debuting in 2021, followed by Raptor Lake in 2022, and a refreshed Raptor Lake released last year to bridge the gap until LGA 1851 was ready. However, Intel's roadmap has seen adjustments in the past, such as the initial promise of an Arrow Lake release before the end of 2024, which was later retracted. The mid-2025 release of Panther Lake aligns with rumors of Arrow Lake's late 2024 or early 2025 debut, suggesting that the 18A process CPU generation could debut several months after Arrow Lake.

AMD Patches Zenbleed Vulnerability with AGESA 1.2.0.Ca Update

AMD classified the Zenbleed vulnerability, CVE-2023-20593, as a medium-level threat about a year ago. AMD has acknowledged that it could potentially allow an attacker to access sensitive information under certain microarchitectural circumstances. Today, MSI has released new BIOS updates featuring AMD's AM4 AGESA 1.2.0.Ca firmware update. This update addresses the Zenbleed vulnerability affecting AMD's Ryzen 4000 series Zen 2 APUs. MSI is proactively rolling out the new BIOS updates across its range of compatible motherboards. The updates are currently available for almost all X570 motherboards, with support for other chipsets and 400 series motherboards expected to follow soon.

The AGESA 1.2.0.Ca firmware update specifically targets the Zenbleed vulnerability in the Zen 2 microarchitecture. Although the vulnerability primarily affects Ryzen 4000 "Renoir" APUs, it also exists in other Zen 2 processors, including the Ryzen 3000 series and certain EPYC and Threadripper CPUs. AMD has already addressed the Zenbleed vulnerability in previous AGESA microcode updates for Ryzen 3000 processors and other platforms, such as EPYC server CPUs and Ryzen mobile CPUs. However, the Ryzen Embedded V2000 CPUs are still awaiting the EmbeddedPi-FP6 1.0.0.9 AGESA firmware update, which is expected to be released by April. While AMD has not explicitly stated whether the security update will impact performance, previous testing of Zenbleed fixes has shown potential performance drops of up to 15% in certain workloads, although gaming performance remained relatively unaffected. Users with AM4 chips based on architectures other than Zen 2, such as Zen+ or Zen 3, do not need to update their BIOS as they are not affected by this specific vulnerability.

NVIDIA Advertises "Premium AI PC" Mocking the Compute Capability of Regular AI PCs

According to the report from BenchLife, NVIDIA has started the marketing campaign push for "Premium AI PC," squarely aimed at the industry's latest trend pushed by Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm for an "AI PC" system, which features a dedicated NPU for processing smaller models locally. NVIDIA's approach comes from a different point of view: every PC with an RTX GPU is a "Premium AI PC," which holds a lot of truth. Generally, GPUs (regardless of the manufacturer) hold more computing potential than the CPU and NPU combined. With NVIDIA's push to include Tensor cores in its GPUs, the company is preparing for next-generation software from vendors and OS providers that will harness the power of these powerful silicon pieces and embed more functionality in the PC.

At the Computex event in Taiwan, there should be more details about Premium AI PCs and general AI PCs. In its marketing materials, NVIDIA compares AI PCs to its Premium AI PCs, which have enhanced capabilities across various applications like image/video editing and upscaling, productivity, gaming, and developer applications. Another relevant selling point is the user base for these Premium AI PCs, which NVIDIA touts to be 100 million users. Those PCs support over 500 AI applications out of the box, highlighting the importance of proper software support. NVIDIA's systems are usually more powerful, with GeForce RTX GPUs reaching anywhere from 100-1300+ TOPS, compared to 40 TOPS of AI PCs. How other AI PC makers plan to fight in the AI PC era remains to be seen, but there is a high chance that this will be the spotlight of the upcoming Computex show.

Intel Prepares Core Ultra 9 285K, Core Ultra 7 265K, and Core Ultra 5 245K Arrow Lake-S Desktop CPUs

Hardware leaker Raichu, known for accurately predicting Intel's moves, has unveiled intriguing details about the company's forthcoming desktop CPU lineup. According to the leaks, Intel is supposed to introduce a big shift in its desktop CPU naming convention with the arrival of the Core Ultra 200 series, codenamed Arrow Lake-S. This next-generation lineup promises to deliver one of the most significant performance leaps for desktop processors in recent years, marking a substantial departure from Intel's current naming strategy—a change that hasn't been witnessed in over a decade. The Core Ultra 200 series is expected to encompass a diverse range of tiers and variants, catering to various user needs. This includes the overclockable K models for enthusiasts, F variants without integrated graphics, and potentially low-power T models for energy-efficient SKUs. According to Raichu's leaks, the unlocked K-Series models are rumored to include the high-end Core Ultra 9 285K, the mid-range Core Ultra 7 265K, and the budget-friendly Core Ultra 5 245K. While the absence of a 290K part has raised eyebrows, these names resemble Intel's mobile CPU naming conventions.

To enjoy the Core Ultra 200 series, users will need to upgrade to new motherboards featuring the 800-series chipsets and the LGA-1851 socket. Unlike the Core Ultra 200V Lunar Lake models for mobile devices, details about the desktop version have remained scarce, shrouding the impending launch in an air of mystery. While Raichu's leaks carry significant weight, it's essential to approach such information cautiously. There's a possibility that SKUs like the 290K may still be introduced, as a new KS version, aligning with Intel's traditional naming conventions. The Core Ultra 200 series promises to cater to a wide range of desktop users, from the performance-hungry enthusiasts eyeing the Core Ultra 9 285K to budget-conscious consumers seeking the value proposition of the Core Ultra 5 245K. The Core Ultra 7 265K is expected to strike a balance between performance and affordability, targeting the mid-range segment. As more leaks and official information surface, we will continue to provide updates on this release from Intel.

More than 500 AI Models Run Optimized on Intel Core Ultra Processors

Today, Intel announced it surpassed 500 AI models running optimized on new Intel Core Ultra processors - the industry's premier AI PC processor available in the market today, featuring new AI experiences, immersive graphics and optimal battery life. This significant milestone is a result of Intel's investment in client AI, the AI PC transformation, framework optimizations and AI tools including OpenVINO toolkit. The 500 models, which can be deployed across the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU) and neural processing unit (NPU), are available across popular industry sources, including OpenVINO Model Zoo, Hugging Face, ONNX Model Zoo and PyTorch. The models draw from categories of local AI inferencing, including large language, diffusion, super resolution, object detection, image classification/segmentation, computer vision and others.

"Intel has a rich history of working with the ecosystem to bring AI applications to client devices, and today we celebrate another strong chapter in the heritage of client AI by surpassing 500 pre-trained AI models running optimized on Intel Core Ultra processors. This unmatched selection reflects our commitment to building not only the PC industry's most robust toolchain for AI developers, but a rock-solid foundation AI software users can implicitly trust."
-Robert Hallock, Intel vice president and general manager of AI and technical marketing in the Client Computing Group

Intel Statement on Stability Issues: "Motherboard Makers to Blame"

A couple of weeks ago, we reported on NVIDIA directing users of Intel's 13th Generation Raptor Lake and 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs to consult Intel for any issues with system stability. Motherboard makers, by default, often run the CPU outside of Intel's recommended specifications, overvolting the CPU through modifying voltage curves, automatic overclocks, and removing power limits.

Today, we learned that Igor's Lab has obtained a statement from Intel that the company prepared for motherboard OEMs regarding the issues multiple users report. Intel CPUs come pre-programmed with a stock voltage curve. When motherboard makers remove power limits and automatically adjust voltage curves and frequency targets, the CPU can be pushed outside its safe operating range, possibly causing system instability. Intel has set up a dedicated website for users to report their issues and offer support. Manufacturers like GIGABYTE have already issued new BIOS updates for users to achieve maximum stability, which incidentally has recent user reports of still being outside Intel spec, setting PL2 to 188 W, loadlines to 1.7/1.7 and current limit to 249 A. While MSI provided a blog post tutorial for stability. ASUS has published updated BIOS for its motherboards to reflect on this Intel baseline spec as well. Surprisingly, not all the revised BIOS values match up with the Intel Baseline Profile spec for these various new BIOS updates from different vendors. You can read the statement from Intel in the quote below.

Superior Stability by GIGABYTE BETA BIOS with Intel Baseline on Z790/B760 Motherboards

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, released the latest beta BIOS with Intel Baseline feature on Z790, B760 series motherboards for enhanced stability, regarding the feedback from Intel that high power consumption settings may cause system instability with 13/14th generation CPUs.⁠

GIGABYTE always prioritizes user experience, focusing on both performance and stability. Additionally, as a close ally of Intel, we promptly introduced the Intel Baseline feature with the latest beta BIOS. When using 13th and 14th generation K-SKU CPUs, the Intel Baseline setting will appear in the "Turbo Power Limits" option under "Advanced CPU Settings". After enabling Intel Baseline, the performance will be expected to be limited due to the power setting adjustments.

US Weighs National Security Risks of China's RISC-V Chip Development Involvement

The US government is investigating the potential national security risks associated with China's involvement in the development of open-source RISC-V chip technology. According to a letter obtained by Reuters, the Department of Commerce has informed US lawmakers that it is actively reviewing the implications of China's work in this area. RISC-V, an open instruction set architecture (ISA) created in 2014 at the University of California, Berkeley, offers an alternative to proprietary and licensed ISAs like those developed by Arm. This open-source ISA can be utilized in a wide range of applications, from AI chips and general-purpose CPUs to high-performance computing applications. Major Chinese tech giants, including Alibaba and Huawei, have already embraced RISC-V, positioning it as a new battleground in the ongoing technological rivalry between the United States and China over cutting-edge semiconductor capabilities.

In November, a group of 18 US lawmakers from both chambers of Congress urged the Biden administration to outline its strategy for preventing China from gaining a dominant position in RISC-V technology, expressing concerns about the potential impact on US national and economic security. While acknowledging the need to address potential risks, the Commerce Department noted in its letter that it must proceed cautiously to avoid unintentionally harming American companies actively participating in international RISC-V development groups. Previous attempts to restrict the transfer of 5G technology to China have created obstacles for US firms involved in global standards bodies where China is also a participant, potentially jeopardizing American leadership in the field. As the review process continues, the Commerce Department faces the delicate task of balancing national security interests with the need to maintain the competitiveness of US companies in the rapidly evolving landscape of open-source chip technologies.

Qualcomm Continues to Disrupt the PC Industry with the Addition of Snapdragon X Plus Platform

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today expands the leading Snapdragon X Series platform portfolio with Snapdragon X Plus. Snapdragon X Plus features the state-of-the-art Qualcomm Oryon CPU, a custom-integrated processor that delivers up to 37% faster CPU performance compared to competitors, while consuming up to 54% less power. This remarkable advancement in CPU performance sets a new standard in mobile computing, enabling users to accomplish more with greater efficiency. Snapdragon X Plus is also designed to meet the demands of on-device AI-driven applications, powered by the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU capable of 45 TOPS, making it the world's fastest NPU for laptops. This platform is a significant leap in computing innovation and is set to transform the PC industry.

"Snapdragon X Series platforms deliver leading experiences and are positioned to revolutionize the PC industry. Snapdragon X Plus will power AI-Supercharged PCs that enable even more users to excel as radical new AI experiences emerge in this period of rapid development and deployment," said Kedar Kondap, senior vice president and general manager of compute and gaming, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "By delivering leading CPU performance, AI capabilities, and power efficiency, we are once again pushing the boundaries of what is possible in mobile computing."

Dynabook Releases Hyperlight 14-inch Portégé X40L-M Laptop with Intel Core Ultra Processors and Powerful AI Integration

Dynabook Americas, Inc., the gold standard for long-lasting, professional-grade laptops, today unveiled the latest generation of its hyperlight 14-inch premium business laptop - the Portégé X40L-M. Now engineered with cutting-edge Intel Core Ultra (Series 1) processors and packing advanced AI capabilities, this powerful laptop redefines productivity, performance, and security for today's on-the-go professionals, while meeting Intel EVO platform and Windows 11 Secured-core PC standards.

"The Portégé X40L-M is a testament to Dynabook's commitment to delivering premium, cutting-edge solutions that empowers professionals to achieve more in their work," said James Robbins, General Manager, Dynabook Americas, Inc. "With the integration of Intel's latest Core Ultra processors, advanced AI capabilities, and seamless Windows 11 with Copilot integration, the Portégé X40L-M sets a new standard for productivity, performance, and innovation in the business laptop market."

Intel Prepares 500-Watt Xeon 6 SKUs of Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest

Intel is preparing to unveil its cutting-edge Xeon 6 series server CPUs, known as Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest. These forthcoming processors are set to deliver a significant boost in performance, foreshadowing a new era of computing power, albeit with a trade-off in increased power consumption. Two days ago, Yuuki_Ans posted information about the Beechnut City validation platform. Today, he updated the X thread with more information that Intel is significantly boosting core counts across its new Xeon 6 lineup. The flagship Xeon 6 6980P is a behemoth, packing 128 cores with a blistering 500 Watt Thermal Design Power (TDP) rating. In fact, Intel is equipping five of its Xeon 6 CPUs with a sky-high 500 W TDP, including the top four Granite Rapids parts and even the flagship Sierra Forest SKU, which is composed entirely of efficiency cores. This marks a substantial increase from Intel's previous Xeon Scalable processors, which maxed out at 350-385 Watts.

The trade-off for this performance boost is a dramatic rise in power consumption. By nearly doubling the TDP ceiling, Intel can double the core count from 64 to 128 cores on its Granite Rapids CPUs, vastly improving its multi-core capabilities. However, this focus on raw performance over power efficiency means server manufacturers must redesign their cooling solutions to accommodate Intel's flagship 500 W parts adequately. Failure to do so could lead to potential thermal throttling issues. Intel's next-gen Xeon CPU architectures are shaping up to be one of the most considerable generational leaps in recent memory. Still, they come with a trade-off in power consumption that vendors and data centers will need to address. Densely packing thousands of these 500-Watt SKUs will lead to new power and thermal challenges, and we wait to see future data center projects utilizing them.

ZOTAC to Show Scalable GPU Platforms and Industrial Solutions at Hannover Messe 2024

ZOTAC Technology is announcing a new lineup of enterprise and healthcare-oriented mini PCs designed for specific applications and scalable deployment, as well as a whole new class of external GPU acceleration platforms for Thunderbolt 3-compatible PCs. Aside from the all-new additions, ZOTAC is also refreshing its best-selling performance mini PCs with the newest generations of Intel Core Processors and NVIDIA RTX-enabled GPUs. ZOTAC will debut these rugged, innovative solutions and showcase other AI-ready compute solutions during Hannover Messe 2024, reaffirming ZOTAC's commitment to embrace the AI-driven future.

ZOTAC ZBOX Healthcare Series: Medical AI Solution
With the all-new ZOTAC Healthcare Series, ZOTAC is offering the reputed superior quality and performance of ZOTAC ZBOX Mini PCs to the realm of Healthcare. The ZBOX H39R5000W and ZBOX H37R3500W are equipped with 13th Generation Intel Core i9 or i7 laptop processors, as well as professional-grade NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation laptop GPUs. These mini PCs are ready to power medical imaging, algorithms, and more, with some of the latest and greatest hardware currently available.
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