DeepComputing and Xcalibyte today opened pre-orders for the industry's first native RISC-V development laptop. The hotly anticipated ROMA development platform features an unannounced quad-core RISC-V processor with a companion NPU/GPU for the fastest, seamless RISC-V native software development available.

"Native RISC-V compile is a major milestone," said Mark Himelstein, Chief Technology Officer for RISC-V International. "The ROMA platform will benefit developers who want to test their software running natively on RISC-V. And it should be easy to transfer code developed on this platform to embedded systems."

Gateway, the beloved computer brand with cow-spotted boxes, introduces its newest mascot, Baby Cow who has a "legen-dairy" announcement. Gateway is launching a new lineup of Ultra Slim notebooks outfitted with the 12th Gen Intel Core processors - including new touch screen notebooks. Priced affordably, Gateway Ultra Slim notebooks are available exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com. "The last couple of years have changed the way we work, learn, and play, with on-the-go computing being more essential than ever," said Rodney Rad, executive vice president, - GPU Company, licensee of the Gateway brand. "The Gateway brand has remained committed to supporting the changing needs of consumers by offering the most up-to-date technology in portable devices at an affordable price."

The new Gateway Ultra Slim notebooks are ergonomically designed with a modern, lightweight chassis and feature a hinge keyboard that can be elevated for better comfort. The new notebooks come in a variety of screen sizes and colors. Boasting the latest technology, the new Gateway Ultra Slim notebooks are equipped with 12th Gen Intel Core processors for lightning-fast responsiveness, improved multitasking capabilities, and more powerful connections. The 12th Gen Intel Core processors offer faster speeds and outstanding function to provide exceptional computing power and visuals in a thin, lightweight device.

Acer today launched new Chromebooks designed for businesses, consumers and families that provide the latest performance updates and durable MIL-STD 810H designs. Extra features help Acer Chrome OS customers get the most from their device for functions like remote working, entertainment, as well as staying productive on-the-go.

"Acer continues to lead the industry in premium Chromebooks that are highly-capable, feature-rich and deliver the exact Chromebook experience our customers want," said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "As new generations rely on their Chromebook to do more in their connected world - whether it's for work or personal projects - Acer's innovation will be the foundation of their productive and enjoyable experience."

In January, we introduced the ROG Strix SCAR 2022, an ultra-powerful esports gaming machine designed to blow away any and all competition. But we couldn't leave well enough alone, so we decided to make it even better. We're proud to announce the ROG Strix SCAR 17 Special Edition, the ultimate laptop for competitive gaming.

For most gamers, the regular 2022 Strix SCAR is the perfect companion, since it's lighter and more affordable than the new Special Edition, while offering exceptional gaming performance. But for gamers who need the absolute best of the best, cutting-edge technology paired with a bold cyberpunk design, the Strix SCAR 17 SE has arrived.

Acer today debuted its new high-performance Acer Chromebook Spin 514 convertible and durable Chromebook, powered by new AMD Ryzen 5000 C-series processors based on AMD "Zen 3" architecture and AMD Radeon graphics, also launched today. "Acer's continued partnership with AMD has resulted in award-winning Chromebooks that deliver the latest in powerful performance in thin-and-light designs," said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "Acer Chromebook customers have pushed the boundaries for what they do with their Chromebook, and can do even more with the new Ryzen-powered Acer Chromebook Spin 514."

"We're proud to partner with Acer to introduce the new AMD processor-powered Acer Chromebook Spin 514," said Saeid Moshkelani, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Client Business Unit, AMD. "With the leadership performance of Ryzen 5000 C-Series processors, Acer's latest Chromebook is equipping consumers with technology that is putting collaboration and efficiency at the forefront of every classroom, office and creative space."

Global shipments of traditional PCs, including desktops, notebooks, and workstations, declined 5.1% in the first quarter of 2022 (1Q22) but exceeded earlier forecasts, according to preliminary results from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. The PC market is coming off two years of double-digit growth, so while the first quarter decline is a change in this momentum, it doesn't mean the industry is in a downward spiral. Despite ongoing supply chain and logistical challenges, vendors still shipped 80.5 million PCs during the quarter. The 1Q22 volume marks the seventh consecutive quarter where global shipments surpassed 80 million, a feat not seen since 2012.

"The focus shouldn't be on the year-over-year decline in PC volumes because that was to be expected. The focus should be on the PC industry managing to ship more than 80 million PCs at a time when logistics and supply chain are still a mess, accompanied by numerous geopolitical and pandemic-related challenges," said Ryan Reith, group vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. "We have witnessed some slowdown in both the education and consumer markets, but all indicators show demand for commercial PCs remains very strong. We also believe that the consumer market will pick up again in the near future. The result of 1Q22 was PC shipment volumes that were near record levels for a first quarter."

Modern laptops often require help when it comes to dealing with overt heat. More often than not this is because of not so efficient cooling systems. This is where cooling pads come in, for example the newly launched Genesis Oxid 850 RGB model. The Genesis Oxid 850 RGB is a cooling pad for laptops with screens with a maximum diameter of 17.3". Efficient cooling for the heat coming out of the laptop is maintained thanks to five fans. The main, 140 mm one works with a speed of up to 2500 RPM. The remaining four 60 mm fans rotate with 1100 RPM. This configuration allows for air flow with a volume of approximately 120 cubic meters per hour.

The fans in the Genesis Oxid 850 RGB pad are covered with a sheet of perforated aluminium, and the rest of the casing is made from durable ABS material. The aim of the structure is to support the laptop and efficiently distribute heat. Additionally, the user can configure the pad with six inclination settings in order to adapt the screen and work space to their needs.

Acer today updated its popular Swift line of notebooks with new models of the Swift 5 and Swift 3. To push the limits of what's possible with a thin and light device, these new laptops come with 12th Gen Intel Core processors, gorgeous touchscreen displays, and all-day battery life: everything a mobile professional needs.

"Designed for executives and mobile professionals, the latest Acer Swift 5 offers a perfect balance of performance and portability," said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer. "The Intel Evo-verified laptop not only provides a great experience, it is housed in a stylish thin-and-light CNC-machined unibody chassis featuring a gorgeous touchscreen display." "Intel and Acer have a long history of co-engineering to deliver amazing laptops," said Josh Newman, VP and GM of Client Computing Group Mobile Innovation. "Now, more than ever, our engineers are focused on the experiences that matter most with the Intel Evo platform, powered by 12th Gen Intel Core processors."

Due to the pandemic, laptops shipments reached a record high of 240 million units in 2021, according to TrendForce's investigations. However, the market has been abuzz recently and, as the global population of the fully vaccinated has exceeded 50%, relevant demand driven by the pandemic is expected to gradually weaken. Shipment volume will decrease by 3.3% year-on-year, revised down slightly to 238 million units. Chromebooks will account for approximately 12.3% of shipment volume, though it accounted for approximately 15.2% in 2021. The momentum of shipments has slowed down significantly which indicates that demand derived from the economic effect of remote working and teaching has subsided.

Driven by forces such as the pandemic, geopolitics, and the digital transformation of everyday life, there has been a shortage of global foundry production capacity for nearly two years and shortages have been especially severe for mature 1Xnm~180nm nodes, according to TrendForce's investigations. Although all foundries are furiously increasing capital expenditures to expand capacity, unrealized future expansion does not ease existing supply issues. In addition, the uneven distribution of supply chain resources that has exacerbated the shortage of parts and components has yet to be definitively alleviated. Circumstances as a whole will continue affecting shipments of related whole devices. Only the PC category is expected to emerge largely unscathed in 1Q22.

Moving into 1Q22, TrendForce states, due to the limited increase in production capacity, the market's supply situation is expected to be approximately the same as in 4Q21. However, some end products have entered their traditional off-season cycle and the slowdown in demand momentum is expected to alleviate the immediate pressure on OEMs and ODMs regarding supply chain stocking.

Acer today unveiled three new Chromebooks designed for consumers needing a secure, easy-to-use, and affordable device for productivity, entertainment and communication. These new Chromebooks come in three sizes and form factors, and are furnished with everything consumers need, plus exceptional audio and video technology for entertainment and video conferencing.

"This new trio of Acer Chromebooks offers the best of several worlds; they deliver solid performance capabilities, have great extra features, and give users the latest technology while staying within budget," said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "Today's users need a reliable, easy-to-use means to stay productive, connected and entertained when they're at home—these three new Acer Chromebooks fit that bill."

Jon Peddie Research reports the growth of the global PC-based Graphics Processor Units (GPU) market reached 101 million units in Q3'21 and PC CPUs shipments increased by 9% year over year. Overall, GPUs will have a compound annual growth rate of -1.1% during 2020-2025 and reach an installed base of 3,249 million units at the end of the forecast period. Over the next five years, the penetration of discrete GPUs (dGPU) in the PC will grow to reach a level of 31%.

AMD's overall market share percentage from last quarter increased 1.4%, Intel's market share decreased by -6.2%, and Nvidia's market share increased 4.86%, as indicated in the following chart.

The India traditional PC market (inclusive of desktops, notebooks, and workstations) continued its growth momentum despite ongoing supply and logistical challenges. The traditional PC shipments witnessed a 30% year-over-year (YoY) growth in 3Q21 (Jul-Sep), marking the fifth consecutive quarter of growth in India, according to new data from the International Data Corporation 's (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker. A total of 4.5 million PCs were shipped during the quarter, making it India's biggest-ever single quarter. To put this in perspective, it is bigger than the total yearly consumer shipments in 2019, a year before the pandemic hit us. As a result, many brands also reported their biggest quarter of PC shipments.

Notebook PCs continue to dominate the overall category with more than 80% share. Enterprise and consumer demand helped the Notebook category to reach over 3 million units for the first time, and the desktop category also continued its upward momentum as it grew by 30.5% YoY in 3Q21.

The Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) traditional PC market, (desktops, notebooks, and workstations) grew 12.7% YoY in 2021Q3, for a total of 24.4 million units, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). A strong commercial performance throughout the region is the main driver of this growth, offsetting a slowdown in consumer, which could not keep up with the unfavorable growth rates seen in 2020Q3.

The Western European PC market enjoyed solid growth (15.8% YoY). Desktops continued their upward trend and increased 21.8% YoY—outgrowing notebooks (+13.1%) for the first time in six quarters. Desktop growth can be attributed to strength on the commercial side, as employers look to equip and refresh their increasingly populated offices. Notebooks also saw solid commercial shipments but were stifled by component shortages, primarily in IC boards and panels.

Apple today unveiled the completely reimagined MacBook Pro powered by the all-new M1 Pro and M1 Max—the first pro chips designed for the Mac. Available in 14- and 16-inch models, MacBook Pro delivers groundbreaking processing, graphics, and machine learning (ML) performance whether running on battery or plugged in, as well as amazing battery life—enabling workflows previously unimaginable on a notebook. The new MacBook Pro also features a stunning Liquid Retina XDR display, a wide range of ports for advanced connectivity, a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, and the best audio system in a notebook. Combined with macOS Monterey, which is engineered down to its core to take full advantage of M1 Pro and M1 Max, the user experience is simply unrivaled. Shattering the limits of what a notebook can do, MacBook Pro is designed for developers, photographers, filmmakers, 3D artists, scientists, music producers, and anyone who wants the world's best notebook. The new MacBook Pro joins the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 to form the strongest lineup of pro notebooks ever. Customers can order the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models today, and they will be available beginning Tuesday, October 26.

"We set out to create the world's best pro notebook, and today we're excited to introduce the all-new MacBook Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max—a game-changing combination of phenomenal performance, unrivaled battery life, and groundbreaking features," said Greg Joswiak, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. "The all-new MacBook Pro adds a breathtaking XDR display, more ports like MagSafe 3, an advanced 1080p camera, and a sensational six-speaker sound system, all in a stunning new design. The new MacBook Pro simply has no equal and is by far the best pro notebook we've ever built."

Acer today debuted four new Chromebooks that meet a range of customer needs, ranging from home and business users to hybrid workers and students. Equipped with the latest processors and sought-after features such as reliable Wi-Fi 6, video conferencing technology and durable designs, the new Acer Chromebooks keep customers connected, productive and entertained.

"Acer's expansive line of Chromebooks means that we're well-equipped to meet any sort of customer need—from display size, processors, durability, connectivity and more," said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. "Whether a customer needs a device for work, school or entertainment, we've got a Chromebook with exactly the features they're looking for."

Today, Acer America announced the Aspire Vero notebook, its first sustainability-focused product, is available tomorrow in North America and is one of Acer's first products powered by Windows 11. Made from recycled materials, the Aspire Vero delivers on Acer's Earthion mission to offer products that support a sustainable future. The new notebook pairs perfectly with Windows 11, which is designed to bring people closer to what they love by empowering their productivity and inspiring their creativity.

Designed to align with the core values of eco-minded consumers and EPEAT Silver-certified, the Aspire Vero meets a significant list of environmental and socially responsible criteria, including substance management, materials selection, product longevity, energy consumption, packaging, carbon footprint and corporate environmental performance and social responsibility. It's made from 30 percent PCR plastic in the chassis, which saves approximately 21 percent in C02 emissions and 50 percent PCR on the keyboard caps to reduce pollution from the production of virgin plastic and landfill trash. In addition, no paint is used on the surface of the chassis. Acer's new VeroSense software gives users the option of selecting a usage mode that has been optimized for energy efficiency and battery life.

As growing vaccination rates worldwide starting in July lead to a gradual easing of lockdowns, the overall demand for notebook computers has also experienced a corresponding slowdown, with Chromebook demand dropping by as much as 50%, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. However, factors such as a wave of replacement demand for commercial notebooks in Europe and North America due to the return to physical workplaces, as well as brands' aggressive efforts to rush out their 4Q21 shipments ahead of time due to global port congestions, became the primary drivers of notebook demand in 3Q21. Hence, annual notebook shipment for 2021 will likely reach 240 million units, a 16.4% YoY increase.

TrendForce further indicates that 4Q21 will welcome both the gradual release of new models equipped with Intel's next-gen CPUs and a wave of replacement demand for notebooks featuring Windows 11. Even so, overall notebook shipment in 4Q21 will depend on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and the demand for commercial notebooks. As vaccinations become even more widespread in 2022, pandemic-related spending is expected to decline as a result. TrendForce therefore expects global notebook shipment to decline by 7-8% YoY next year and reach approximately 220 million units, although this still represents a growth of 60 million units over the shipment volume for 2019, prior to the emergence of the pandemic.

The Ultrabook name seems to have faded away, but the concept has clearly not gone anywhere and Gigabyte has announced its new U4-series of what they simply call ultralight notebooks. This is also the first 14-inch notebook series from Gigabyte in a while, since the company has focused on 15.6 and 17.3-inch models over the past couple of years' with the last 14-inch model from the company being the AERO 14.

The U4-series is quite a different beast, as the AERO 14 was still weighing in at 1.89 kg, whereas the U4 is almost half that at 990 grams. If you're a sucker for sturdy products, then this might be what you've been waiting for, as Gigabyte claims it meets the MIL-STD 810G specification, which means that the product has gone through "simulation-testing has been conducted in eight harsh working environments, including extreme altitude, temperature and humidity, mechanical vibration, sand and dust, salt fog, etc."

NAND Flash suppliers' Clients in the data center segment were gradually stepping up enterprise SSD procurement after finishing inventory adjustments, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. Moreover, the adoption rate of 4/8 TB products in the enterprise SSD market increased substantially on account of the releases and adoption of the new server processor platforms from Intel and AMD. Although the recent wave of COVID-19 outbreaks that struck Southeast Asia weakened smartphone sales in 2Q21, the quarterly total NAND Flash bit shipments rose by nearly 9% QoQ, as PC OEMs still had plenty of component orders in 2Q21 due to the fairly robust notebook demand during the period. On the other hand, the shortage of controller ICs became more severe during the period, and the winter storm that battered Texas this February affected the operation of Samsung's foundry fab Line S2 in Austin. As demand for NAND Flash products rose, the overall ASP also rose by nearly 7% QoQ, and the quarterly total NAND Flash revenue rose by 10.8% QoQ to US$16.4 billion in 2Q21.

According to a new forecast from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker, worldwide shipments of PCs are expected to grow 14.2% to 347 million units in 2021. This is down from IDC's May forecast of 18% growth with continued supply chain and logistical challenges cited as the main reasons. The Tablet market is also expected to grow in 2021 but at a much slower pace of 3.4%.

"We continue to believe the PC and tablet markets are supply constrained and that demand is still there," said Ryan Reith, program vice president with IDC's Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. "The lengthening of the supply shortages combined with on-going logistical issues are presenting the industry with some big challenges. However, we believe the vast majority of PC demand is non-perishable, especially from the business and education sectors."

The massive rise in market demand for notebook computers in response to distance learning needs and WFH applications from 2020 to 2021 has generated not only a double-digit growth in notebook panel shipment, but also a price hike of more than 40% for notebook panels, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. As various suppliers subsequently scramble to manufacture OLED, LTPS, and oxide panels, TrendForce forecasts these high-end notebook panels to reach a 17.8% market share in 2021 and 21.4% in 2022.

Panels based on OLED technology are primarily supplied by SDC, whose OLED notebook panel shipment for 2020 reached 800,000 pcs. SDC is expected to ship more than four million pcs of OLED notebook panels in 2021, with room for further growth in 2022. In addition to SDC, EDO is also expected to begin mass producing OLED notebook panels in 2H21-1H22. As such, TrendForce expects OLED panels to reach a 1.3% penetration rate in the overall notebook panel market this year. Although BOE and CSOT are currently fully engaged in Hybrid OLED development, Hybrid OLED panels will not enter mass production until 2023 due to technological and cost-related bottlenecks that are yet to be resolved.

While the stay-at-home economy generated high demand for notebook computers from distance learning and WFH applications last year, global notebook shipment for 2020 underwent a nearly 26% YoY increase, which represented a significant departure from the cyclical 3% YoY increase/decrease that had historically taken place each year, according to TrendForce's latest investigations. The uptrend in notebook demand is expected to persist in 2021, during which notebook shipment will likely reach 236 million units, a 15% YoY increase. In particular, thanks to the surging demand for education notebooks, Chromebooks will become the primary growth driver in the notebook market. Regarding the shipment performance of various brands, Samsung and Apple will register the highest growths, with the former having Chromebooks account for nearly 50% of its total notebook shipment this year and the latter continuing to release MacBooks equipped with the M1 chip.

Acer today announced several additions to its gaming portfolio with Predator notebooks, a mouse and a new 5G CPE router. The all-new Predator Triton 500 SE and the Predator Helios 500 notebooks have been updated to include up to the new 11th Gen Intel Core i9 processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series Laptop GPUs, plus a hoard of premium features like Acer's 5th Generation AeroBlade 3D Fan Technology for better cooling, DTS:X Ultra audio, Intel Killer E3100 Ethernet Controller, Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650, and the PredatorSense device management software.

Predator Triton 500 SE Gaming Notebook
The Predator Triton 500 SE (PT516-51s) is a "special edition" notebook designed for gamers who want a machine capable of getting through both the latest AAA games and the work day. Powered by up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i9 Processor, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU and up to 64 GB of 3200 MHz DDR4 memory, the notebook offers more than enough gaming power—but at just 19.9 mm (0.78 in) thin with up to 12 hours of battery life[1] and NVIDIA Advanced Optimus technology, gamers can easily slip it into a backpack or squeeze in a bit of work between matches. The notebook's sleek, clean appearance means that it could even double as a work laptop for professionals that enjoy gaming, and with up to 4 TB of high speed PCIe Gen4 storage, it has plenty of space for games, footage and the odd spreadsheet or two.

MAINGEAR—an award-winning PC system integrator of custom gaming desktops, notebooks, and workstations—today launched the MAINGEAR ELEMENT Lite, a 15" ultra-premium notebook designed in collaboration with Intel. Featuring Intel Iris Xe Graphics and up to an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, the MAINGEAR ELEMENT Lite pairs next-generation hardware with a sleek and minimal machined aluminium alloy chassis for maximum power, speed, and portability. The new MAINGEAR ELEMENT Lite is the perfect Windows laptop for work and play on the go.

Custom designed and engineered in collaboration with Intel, this uncompromising notebook PC comes equipped with up to an Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor running at 2.8 GHz with a Max Turbo Frequency of 4.7 GHz on 4 cores / 8 threads. Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics make multimedia viewing, content creation, and even light gaming a breeze. ELEMENT Lite systems can be equipped with 16 GB of DDR4 memory and up to 2 TB of user-replaceable PCI-E Gen4 M.2 NVMe SSD storage. MAINGEAR optimized the ELEMENT Lite to pack exceptional performance and cooling into its frame without sacrificing on battery life or upgradeability. It weighs in at just 3.64 lbs (1.65 kg) and is 14.9 mm thin—making it the thinnest notebook that MAINGEAR has ever offered.