Apple's Mac Studio is in desperate need of a spec bump. The system is still powered by the M2-era SoCs, whereas the MacBook Pros are already two generations ahead. According to a fresh tidbit shared by comparatively reliable tipster Mark Gurman, Apple is set to announce a much-needed upgrade for the Mac Studio in the coming days, although the upgrade in question is sort of a confusing one. Basically, the report states that the Mac Studio will soon be available with the M4 Max, and the M3 Ultra SoCs - and that is not a typo. Apple apparently has not done the homework for an M4 Ultra chip, and will be shipping the Mac Studio with the M3 Ultra instead.

This is particularly confusing because the industry had widely believed that an M3 Ultra SoC never existed in the first place, and that Apple will be jumping straight to the M4 Ultra chip for the Mac Studio. What's even more confusing, is that Apple's 'Ultra' chips traditionally consisted of two 'Max' chips connected via the 'UltraFusion' die-to-die interconnect tech. However, the M3 Max simply does not have this feature, which means that whatever the M3 Ultra is set to be, it is likely that it won't be two M3 Max dies fused together. It will certainly be quite interesting to see how Apple manages to position the M3 Ultra, or whatever it is named, considering that the 'lower-tier' M4 Max SoC will undoubtedly have superior single-core performance. That said, the M4 Ultra is still in development, which, according to Mark Gurman, will be featured in the future Mac Pro revision, setting it apart from the Mac Studio.

LG Electronics USA (LG) today announced pricing and pre-order availability of its 2025 AI-enabled LG gram lineup, the company's first on-device AI-laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs. Introduced at CES 2025, the new lineup includes the LG gram Pro Z90TP ($1999 to $2399), LG gram Pro Copilot+PC Z90TS ($1849 to $2399), LG gram Pro 2-in-1 T90TP ($1999 to $2399) and LG gram Copilot+PC Z90TL ($1999 to $2399). Leveraging LG's gram AI technology, and cloud AI capabilities powered by GPT-4o, these laptops deliver impressive hybrid AI performance while preserving the LG gram's iconic slim and lightweight design.

Throughout the duration of the pre-order period (Feb. 24, 2025 to March 23, 2025), customers will receive an LG gram +view IPS portable monitor (349.99 value) at no additional cost and $200 savings on select models. All standard terms of purchase apply.

Thanks to a well-known industry leaker, Jaykihn, Intel's Panther Lake-H processor family, built on the 18A process node, features three distinct configurations, with several power profiles for each case. The flagship model combines four "Cougar Cove" P-cores, eight "Skymont" E-cores, and four LPE cores alongside a 12-core Xe3 "Celestial" GPU. This variant supports LPDDR5X memory exclusively and delivers 180 TOPS of computational power for local AI workloads, operating at 25 W PL1 (base) and 64 W PL2 (turbo) power levels. Secondary configurations include a 4P+8E+4LP+4Xe3 model and a 4P+0E+4LP+4Xe3 variant, both rated at 100 TOPS and supporting both LPDDR5X and DDR5 memory.

The entry-level model operates at 15 W PL1 with 44 W PL2 in baseline mode, scaling to 25 W PL1 and 55 W PL2 in performance mode. All variants feature Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, with high-end models incorporating expanded PCIe 5.0 lane configurations. The integrated Xe3 graphics architecture scales from four to 12 cores across the product stack, with the top SKU eliminating DDR5 compatibility in favor of LPDDR5X optimization. The Panther Lake processor family is slated for launch within the latter half of 2025, and it will be the company's leading 18A product. As a "Lunar Lake" successor, Panther Lake will deliver improved IPC and optimization for new cores in the same device form-factor like laptops, ultrabooks, and handhelds.

Intel is reported to be eyeing a revival of its "Arrow Lake Refresh" desktop processor design—Golden Pig Upgrade disclosed this "strange" revelation via an updated Weibo blog post. Back in 2023, the Chinese hardware reviewer and leaker extraordinaire theorized that Team Blue's much-rumored shelving of "ARL-S/HX Refresh" came down to cost/benefit considerations relating to accommodating an upgraded NPU in the chip's tile-based design. Last September, reports suggested that Intel had put the final kibosh on a 14th Gen Core Ultra 8P+32E "Arrow Lake Refresh" processor series—leaked roadmaps had a launch window marked down for late 2025, going into 2026. Industry watchdogs have picked up on Golden Pig Upgrade's latest forecast—prompting further theorizing.

Intel has its mobile segment's future covered with Panther Lake (later in 2025) and Nova Lake (2026), but a notable gap exists in their desktop world. Nova Lake's desktop S-series is slated for launch at some point in 2026, so this year could be prime territory for a mild refresh of existing Arrow Lake-S processors—on the LGA1851 socket. Golden Pig Upgrade reckons that refreshes of ARL-S (desktop) and ARL-HX (high-end laptop) are back on Team Blue's upcoming product roadmap. Industry moles reckon that an updated NPU design—potentially similar to the one housed in Lunar Lake mobile chips—will be the only major upgrade lined up for the so-called "Core Ultra 300" processor series. Intel's current-gen flagship model—Core Ultra 9 285K—has NPU performance topping off at 13 TOPS. Refreshed Arrow Lake SKUs could be deployed with an improved NPU aspect, perhaps capable of hitting 48 TOPS.

ChangXin Memory Technology (CXMT) is playing catch up with competitors based in neighboring nations—as reported earlier today, this Chinese memory module manufacturer is making advancements in the field of commercial DDR5 products. Reports from the region suggest that a well-known motherboard manufacturer has embraced some of ChangXin new portfolio. According to a recent ITHome article, MSI has implemented a multitude of optimizations for new-ish Intel "Arrow Lake" Core Ultra Series 2 CPU-oriented motherboards—notably the MAG B860 TOMAHAWK WIFI, MAG B860M MORTAR WIFI, and PRO B860M-A WIFI models.

The publication provided evidence of MSI enabling transfer rates of 6800 MT/s across four engaged modules—a welcome step up from the usual twin-stick setup. ITHome also points out that the motherboard specialist has prepared a new BIOS version for B860 chipset mainboards: "specially optimized for the recently popular DDR5 domestic memory particles of ChangXin Storage, which undoubtedly gives the gaming community (in China) more choices." MSI appears to be the first major international vendor to enable support for CXMT's DDR5 modules—thus, representing a significant achievement for the Chinese memory industry.

GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, unveils the new generation of Intel B860 and AMD B850 series motherboards at CES 2025. These new series are designed to unleash the performance of the latest Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen processors by leveraging AI-enhanced technology and user-friendly design for a seamless gaming and PC-building experience. Equipped with all digital power and enhanced thermal design, GIGABYTE B800 series motherboards are the gateway to mainstream PC gamers.

GIGABYTE achieved the remarkable milestone of claiming the highest market share on X870 series motherboards due to fully supporting AMD Ryzen 5 7000 and 9000 series X3D processors. The new B800 series motherboards are also adopted with ultra-durable and high-end components and the revolutionary AI suite, D5 Bionics Corsa, integrates software, hardware, and firmware to boost DD5 memory performance up to 8600 MT/s on AMD B850 models and 9466 MT/s on Intel B860 motherboards. The AI SNATCH is an exclusive AI-based software for enhancing DDR5 performance with just a few clicks. Meanwhile, the AI-Driven PCB Design ensures low signal reflection for peak performance across multiple layers through AI simulation. Plus, HyperTune BIOS integrates AI-driven optimizations to fine-tune the Memory Reference Code on Intel B860 series motherboards for high-demand gaming and multitasking. Specially built for AMD Ryzen 9000 series X3D processors, GIGABYTE applies X3D Turbo mode on AMD B850 series motherboards by adjusting core count to boost gaming performance.

GIGABYTE revealed its GeForce RTX 50 Series graphics cards and new laptops at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. The product line features NVIDIA's Blackwell architecture and includes several GPU models for different market segments. The company's main release, the AORUS GeForce RTX 5090 Master 32G, uses the WINDFORCE cooling system with a new Hawk fan design. The card incorporates server-grade thermal materials and includes an LCD display on its edge. Other models in the lineup include the RTX 5080 Master 16G and RTX 5070 Master 12G, both featuring dual BIOS options for switching between performance and quiet operation. For smaller PC builds, GIGABYTE introduced the RTX 5070 EAGLE OC ICE SFF 12G. The company also showed a water-cooled variant, the AORUS RTX 5090 XTREME WATERFORCE WB 32G, which includes leak detection features.More pictures follow

During Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference, Intel was a guest and two of the interim company co-CEOs Michelle Johnston Holthaus and David Zinsner gave a little update on the state of affairs at Intel. One of the most interesting aspects of the talk was Intel's upcoming "Panther Lake" processor—a direct successor to Intel Core Ultra 200S "Arrow Lake-H" mobile processors. The company confirmed that Panther Lake would utilize an Intel 18A node and that a few select customers have powered on Panther Lake on the E0 engineering sample chip. "Now we are using Intel Foundry for Panther Lake, which is our 2025 product, which will land on 18A. And this is the first time that we're customer zero in a long time on an Intel process," said interim co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus, adding, "But just to give some assurances, on Panther Lake, we have our ES0 samples out with customers. We have eight customers that have powered on, which gives you just kind of an idea that the health of the silicon is good and the health of the Foundry is good."

While we don't know what ES0 means for Intel internally, we can assume that it is one of the first engineering samples on the 18A. The "ES" moniker usually refers to engineering samples, and zero after it could be the first design iteration. For reference, Intel's "Panther Lake-H" will reportedly have up to 18 cores: 6 P-cores, 8 E-cores, and 4 LP cores. The design brings back low-power island E-cores in the SoC tile. The P-cores use "Cougar Cove," which should have a higher IPC than "Lion Cove," while keeping the existing "Skymont" E-cores. The SoC tile may move from Arrow Lake's 6 nm to a newer process to fit the LP cores and an updated NPU. The iGPU is said to use the Xe3 "Celestial" architecture. With Arrow Lake-H launching in early 2025, Panther Lake-H likely won't arrive until 2026.

In addition to the TITAN and GUARDIAN SKUs announced earlier this month, Sparkle is working on several other SKUs. The roadmap includes the low-profile version of the Arc B570, as well as the Arc B580 ROC OC Ultra, which is expected to come with a 2,800 MHz GPU factory overclock and 210 W TBP, both coming next year.

According to the roadmap, Sparkle plans to release the B580 ROC OC Ultra version in February 2025, and this one will be a part of Sparkle's ROC Luna series, featuring an all-white design. As said, it gets a 2,800 MHz GPU factory-overclock, which is 60 MHz higher than the Sparkle Arc B580 TITAN OC. It also has a slightly higher 210 W TBP. Sparkle included a small picture showing a 2.5-slot thick design with a dual-fan cooler. Additional roadmap also confirms the launch of the Arc B570 Low-Profile version, which will feature a lower 170 W TBP and a three-fan cooler, similar to what we have seen from GUNNIR lately.

Ultra Accelerator Link (UALink ) Consortium, led by Board Members from AMD, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Astera Labs, Cisco, Google, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Intel, Meta and Microsoft, have announced the incorporation of the Consortium and are extending an invitation for membership to the community. The UALink Promoter Group was founded in May 2024 to define a high-speed, low-latency interconnect for scale-up communications between accelerators and switches in AI pods & clusters. "The UALink standard defines high-speed and low latency communication for scale-up AI systems in data centers"

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products, announced the upcoming release of Kingston FURY Renegade DDR5 CUDIMMs, compatible with Intel's new 800-series chipset (formerly codenamed Arrow Lake). Intel's 800-series chipset is the first platform to utilize Clock Drivers on CUDIMMs (Clocked Unbuffered Dual Inline Memory Modules). At 6400 MT/s DDR5, JEDEC mandates the inclusion of a Client Clock Driver (CKD) on UDIMMs and SODIMMs. This component buffers and redrives the clock signal from the processor, enhancing signal integrity to the module. To distinguish these advanced modules from standard DDR5 UDIMMs and SODIMMs, JEDEC has designated them as CUDIMMs and CSODIMMs, respectively.

Kingston FURY Renegade RGB and non-RGB CUDIMM modules start at an overclocked speed of 8400 MT/s and are available as 24 GB single modules and 48 GB dual channel kits. Since CUDIMMs and UDIMMs share the same 288-pin connector, Kingston FURY UDIMMs with XMP and EXPO profiles are also compatible with Intel 800-series motherboards. However, it's recommended to verify compatibility through the motherboard manufacturer's QVL (Qualified Vendor List) or by checking the Kingston Configurator for supported speeds and capacities.

MSI liquid coolers are fully compatible with Intel's Core Ultra Processors. As Intel's latest CPU approach promises unprecedented power and innovation, we understand that many users are looking into system upgrades. MSI liquid coolers are equipped to support this latest development, ensuring users are prepared for Intel's latest processors without the need for a complete liquid cooler replacement.

If you upgrade to Intel Core Ultra CPUs, consider MSI liquid coolers for a seamless transition. All MSI liquid coolers will support Intel's LGA1851 socket, which will be already prepared in the box.

According to the latest PassMark benchmarks, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is the highest-performing single-thread CPU. The benchmark king title comes as PassMark's official account on X shared single-threaded performance number, with the upcoming Arrow Lake-S flagship SKU, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, scoring 5,268 points in single-core results. This is fantastic news for gamers, as games mostly care about single-core performance. This CPU, having 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores, boasts 5.7 GHz P-core boost and 4.6 GHz E-core boost frequencies. The single-core tests put the new SKU at 11% lead compared to the previous-generation Intel Core i9-14900K processor.

However, the multithreaded cases are running more slowly. The PassMark multithreaded results put Intel Core Ultra 9 285K at 46,872 points, which is about 22% slower than the last-generation top SKU. While this may be a disappointment for some, it is partially expected, given that Arrow Lake stops the multithreaded designs in Intel CPU families. From now on, every CPU will be a combination of P and E-Cores, tuned for efficiency or performance depending on the use case. It is also possible that the CPU used inn PassMark's testing was an engineering sample, so until official launch, we have no concrete information about its definitive performance comparison.

Intel's Arrow Lake Core Ultra 200 series CPUs have appeared in a number of leaks now, and some benchmarks of the new chips have even started appearing on sites like Geekbench, however, there are still some questions surrounding the launch date of the new CPUs. Previous leaks indicated that the original mid-October launch was pushed back to October 24, and new information from VideoCardz sheds more light on the exact specifics of the launch, with October 24 pegged as the day Arrow Lake reviews and sales will be available to the public.

According to the leak, Intel will host a private media briefing for a select few press outlets and influencers on October 7. This will be followed by the official public announcement on October 10 and the review embargo and official retail launch on October 24. The October 7 event will reportedly feature a keynote from both Robert Hallock, Intel's VP and general manager of Client AI and technical marketing, and Roger Chandler, vice president of enthusiast PC and workstation product marketing.

Samsung Electronics today unveiled the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S10+, Samsung's first tablets purposefully built for AI. The premium hardware includes 14.6-inch and 12.4-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays—the ideal canvas for the intuitive S Pen bundled with both models. Performance upgrades for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra include an 18% increase in CPU, 28% increase in GPU and 14% increase in NPU compared to the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra.

This improved processing power enables faster and more responsive AI features, which are now easily accessible with written prompts using the new Galaxy AI Key on the Book Cover Keyboards to customize AI assistant. Cutting-edge software includes features such as Note Assist and Drawing Assist, optimized for the tablet form factor. The Galaxy Tab S10 series also acts as a home AI device, with a 3D Map View that gives a visual overview of the home and all connected devices to streamline device management across the SmartThings ecosystem. Robust Samsung Knox security ensures data privacy and control, while innovative materials underscore Samsung's commitment to a more sustainable future.

While the upcoming desktop versions of Intel's "Arrow Lake" processors are stealing all the hype, we are getting a leak about the high-performance "Arrow Lake-HX" chips for laptop space. Thanks to Jaykihn on X, we learn that Intel has prepared six SKUs for laptop enthusiasts to power workstations and gaming. The upcoming Core Ultra 200 series SKUs are 285HX, 275HX, 265HX, 255HX, 245HX, and 235HX. Starting with the lower-end Core Ultra Core Ultra 5 245HX / 235HX, we get six P-cores running at 3.1 and 2.9 GHz base speeds, respectively. For both SKUs, E-cores are clocked at 2.6 GHz at the base. Boosing the P-cores yields a maximum of 5.1 GHz, while E-cores top out at 4.5 GHz. For graphics, the 48 EUs inside the iGPU are clocked at 1.8 GHz on the 235 HX, while 245 HX runs at 1.9 GHz. THese models don't support Thermal Velocity Boost and Turbo Boost Max 3.0, while of the remaining SKUs support both features.

Moving to the middle of the stack, there are two SKUs: Core Ultra 7 265HX / 255HX. Both feature eight P-cores and twelve E-cores. The differentiator here is the clock speed. P-cores on the 255HX run at 2.4 GHz base and 5.2 GHz boost, while the P-cores on 265HX run at 2.6 GHz base and 5.3 GHz boost. E-cores have a wider gap with the 255HX running at 1.8 GHz base and 4.5 GHz boost, while 265HX has E-cores pinned at 2.3 GHz base and 4.6 GHz boost. Both of these SKUs have iGPU with 64 EUs set at 1.9 GHz.

Intel's Core Ultra 200 series "Arrow Lake" CPU generation is bringing a complete P/E core redesign and, allegedly, a new package. According to VideoCardz, Intel's flagship SKU—Core Ultra 9 285K—features a completely redesigned box with new accent colors. Colors of choice include blue, black, and gray tones with a futuristic look. At the center of the new box is grey plastic packaging that protects and holds the actual processor. As the recent leaks suggested, this SKU will boast 8 "Lion Cove" P-Cores and 16 "Skymont" E-Cores without Hyper-Threading and with a maximum boost of 5.7 GHz. All of this will be packed inside a 125-watt power envelope. While we await the official launch, supposedly scheduled for October 10 and released on October 24, we can preview the new packaging box that Intel prepared for its new CPU family.

There is only a month left before the official launch of Intel new "Arrow Lake" CPUs. Now, we have a new leak revealing what appear to be the final specs for Intel's Core Ultra 200 'Arrow Lake' desktop CPUs series. According to Benchlife, Intel is preparing to release five SKUs. Although there is no KF version of the Core Ultra 9 285K yet, the new CPUs include: Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, Core Ultra 7 265K, Core Ultra 7 265KF, Core Ultra 5 245K, and Core Ultra 5 245KF. These processors will also be accompanied by new Z890 chipset motherboards.

The "K" model will have Xe-LPG-based integrated graphics, while the "KF" model will require a discrete GPU. Intel plans to expand its Arrow Lake lineup in early 2025 with non-K models. These new CPUs are expected to offer increased performance compared to their 13th and 14th generation predecessors. The new architecture aims to eliminate stability issues and reduce real-world power consumption.

Apple today introduced iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, featuring Apple Intelligence, larger display sizes, new creative capabilities with innovative pro camera features, stunning graphics for immersive gaming, and more—all powered by the A18 Pro chip. With Apple Intelligence, powerful Apple-built generative models come to iPhone in the easy-to-use personal intelligence system that understands personal context to deliver intelligence that is helpful and relevant while protecting user privacy. Camera Control unlocks a fast, intuitive way to tap into visual intelligence and easily interact with the advanced camera system. Featuring a new 48MP Fusion camera with a faster quad-pixel sensor that enables 4K120 FPS video recording in Dolby Vision, these new Pro models achieve the highest resolution and frame-rate combination ever available on iPhone. Additional advancements include a new 48MP Ultra Wide camera for higher-resolution photography, including macro; a 5x Telephoto camera on both Pro models; and studio-quality mics to record more true-to-life audio. The durable titanium design is strong yet lightweight, with larger display sizes, the thinnest borders on any Apple product, and a huge leap in battery life—with iPhone 16 Pro Max offering the best battery life on iPhone ever.

iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be available in four stunning finishes: black titanium, natural titanium, white titanium, and desert titanium. Pre-orders begin Friday, September 13, with availability beginning Friday, September 20.

ASUS today announced that it showcased its latest technological innovations at the Always Incredible Media Day for IFA 2024 in Berlin, Germany. The company highlighted its commitment to its Ubiquitous AI. Incredible Possibilities vision by unveiling a new portfolio of next-generation ASUS Copilot+ PCs. Equipped with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2), they deliver style, robust features and functionality, robust connectivity and heighten levels of performance alongside AI capabilities. ASUS has harnessed the full potential of Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2) in the latest ASUS NUC mini PC. This new model outperforms the competition with superior performance, while maintaining an impressively compact design and robust array of connections and expansion support. With an integrated NPU delivering up to 48 TOPS, it enabled on-device AI capabilities. The NUC 14 Pro Ai will receive a free update to Copilot+ PC experiences when available.

The company's collaboration with Intel has been key in bringing these cutting-edge devices to life. "The powerful Intel Core Ultra processors at the heart of our latest Zenbook, Vivobook, ExpertBook laptops, and NUC Mini PC deliver unmatched performance and enable a wide range of AI experiences," said Rangoon Chang, ASUS Corporate Vice President, Consumer Business Unit. "With these new devices, together we are empowering users to harness the full potential of AI to enjoy smarter, more intuitive computing."

Intel's 13th and 14th generation processors, codenamed "Raptor Lake" and "Raptor Lake Refresh," have been notoriously riddled with stability issues over the past few months, up until Intel shipped the 0x129 microcode update on August 10 to fix these issues. However, the upcoming Intel Core Ultra 200 "Arrow Lake" and 200V series "Lunar Lake" processors will not have these issues as the company confirmed that an all-new design is used, even for the segment of power regulation. The official company note states: "Intel confirms that its next generation of processors, codenamed Arrow Lake and Lunar Lake, are not affected by the Vmin Shift Instability issue due to the new architectures powering both product families. Intel will ensure future product families are protected against the Vmin Shift Instability issue as well."

Originally, Intel's analysis for 13th—and 14th-generation processors indicated that stability issues stemmed from excessive voltage during processor operation. These voltage increases led to degradation, raising the minimum voltage necessary for stable performance, which Intel refers to as "Vmin shift." Given that the design phase of new architectures lasts for years, Intel has surely anticipated that the old power delivery could yield problems, and the upcoming CPU generations are now exempt from these issues, bringing stability once again to Intel's platforms. When these new products launch, all eyes will be on the platform's performance, but with a massive interest in stability testing from enthusiasts.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is excited to announce an ultra-low latency specification of DDR5-6000 CL28-36-36-96 in 32 GB (2x16GB) and 64 GB (2x32GB) kit capacities, and DDR5-6000 CL28-38-38-96 in 48 GB (2x24GB) and 96 GB (2x48GB) kit capacities under the new Trident Z5 Royal Neo series, designed for compatible AMD AM5 platforms. Including AMD EXPO technology for an easy memory overclock experience in BIOS, this overclock performance memory kit with low timing is the ideal DDR5 memory solution for enthusiasts and overclockers.

Optimization with Memory Timing
For enthusiasts and overclockers, memory timing or latency is a key factor in squeezing performance out of a memory kit. Since memory timing is the delay between specific actions, a lower latency is desired; and performance may be improved by finding the best mix of memory speed and latency. Compared to a standard DDR5 memory speed and latency of DDR5-4800 CL40, this new DDR5-6000 CL28 memory specification aims to deliver a more optimized combination on compatible AMD AM5 platforms.

Intel is preparing to launch its next generation of mobile CPUs with Core Ultra 200 series "Lunar Lake" leading the charge. However, as these processors are about to hit the market, leakers reveal Intel's plans for the next-generation Core Ultra 300 series "Panther Lake". According to rumors, Panther Lake will double the core count of Lunar Lake, which capped out at eight cores. There are several configurations of Panther Lake in the making based on the different combinations of performance (P) "Cougar Cove," efficiency (E) "Skymont," and low power (LP) cores. First is the PTL-U with 4P+0E+4LP cores with four Xe3 "Celestial" GPU cores. This configuration is delivered within a 15 W envelope. Next, we have the PTL-H variant with 4P+8E+4LP cores for a total of 16 cores, with four Xe3 GPU cores, inside a 25 W package. Last but not least, Intel will also make PTL-P SKUs with 4P+8E+4LP cores, with 12 Xe3 cores, to create a potentially decent gaming chip with 25 W of power.

Intel's Panther Lake CPU architecture uses an innovative design approach, utilizing a multi-tile configuration. The processor incorporates five distinct tiles, with three playing active roles in its functionality. The central compute operations are handled by one "Die 4" tile with CPU and NPU, while "Die 1" is dedicated to platform control (PCD). Graphics processing is managed by "Die 5", leveraging Intel's Xe3 technology. Interestingly, two of the five tiles serve a primarily structural purpose. These passive elements are strategically placed to achieve a balanced, rectangular form factor for the chip. This design philosophy echoes a similar strategy employed in Intel's Lunar Lake processors. Panther Lake is poised to offer greater versatility compared to its Lunar Lake counterpart. It's expected to cater to a wider range of market segments and use cases. One notable advancement is the potential for increased memory capacity compared to Lunar Lake, which capped out at 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 8533 MT/s. We can expect to hear more potentially at Intel's upcoming Innovation event in September, while general availability of Panther Lake is expected in late 2025 or early 2026.

ASUS has revealed its upcoming ExpertBook P5 laptop, set to debut alongside Intel's highly anticipated "Lunar Lake" processors. This ultrabook aims to boost AI-capable laptop market, featuring an unspecified Intel Lunar Lake "Core Ultra 200V" CPU at its core. The ExpertBook P5 boasts impressive AI processing capabilities, with over 45 TOPS from its Neural Processing Unit and a combined 100+ TOPS when factoring in the CPU and GPU. The NPU provides efficient processing, with additional power coming from Lunar Lake's GPU with XMX cores, featuring the Xe2 Battlemage architecture. This is more than enough for the Copilot+ certification from Microsoft, making the laptop debut as an "AI PC." The ExpertBook P5 offers up to 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 8333 MT/s, up to 3 TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage with two drives, and Wi-Fi 7 support.

The 14-inch anti-glare display features a 2.5K resolution and a smooth 144 Hz refresh rate, ensuring a premium visual experience. Despite its powerful internals, the ExpertBook P5 maintains a solid profile weighing just 1.3 kg. The laptop is housed in an all-metal military-grade aluminium body with a 180-degree lay-flat hinge, making it both portable and versatile. ASUS has also prioritized cooling efficiency with innovative technology that optimizes thermal management, whether the laptop is open or closed. Security hasn't been overlooked either, with the ExpertBook P5 featuring a robust security ecosystem, including Windows 11 secured-core PC framework, NIST-155-ready Commercial-Grade BIOS protection, and biometric login options. While an exact release date hasn't been confirmed, ASUS is preparing ExpertBook P5 and other Lunar Lake-powered laptops to hit the market in the second half of 2024.

ASML, the world's sole provider of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems essential for manufacturing the most advanced chips, has revealed its roadmap for pushing semiconductor scaling even further. In a recent presentation, former ASML president Martin van den Brink announced the company's plans for a new "Hyper-NA" EUV technology that would succeed the High-NA EUV systems, which are just beginning to deploy. The Hyper-NA tools, still in early research stages, would increase the numerical aperture to 0.75 from High-NA's 0.55, enabling chips with transistor densities beyond the projected limits of High-NA in the early 2030s. This higher numerical aperture should reduce reliance on multi-patterning techniques that add complexity and cost.

Hyper-NA is bringing challenges of its own to commercialization. Key obstacles include light polarization effects that degrade imaging contrast, requiring polarization filters that reduce light throughput. Resist materials may also need to become thinner to maintain resolution. While leading EUV chipmakers like TSMC can likely extend scaling for several more nodes using multi-patterning with existing 0.33 NA EUV tools, Intel has adopted 0.55 High-NA to avoid these complexities. But Hyper-NA will likely become essential across the industry later this decade as High-NA's physical limits are reached. Beyond Hyper-NA, few alternative patterning solutions exist besides expensive multi-beam electron lithography, which lacks the throughput of EUV photolithography. To continue classical scaling, the industry may need to eventually transition to new channel materials with superior electron mobility properties compared to silicon, requiring novel deposition and etch capabilities.