AMD today released the latest version of the AMD Software Adrenalin drivers. Version 25.3.2 Beta comes with optimization for "Assassin's Creed Shadows," and "The Last of Us Part II Remastered." The drivers also come with a number of important fixes. To begin with, a bug that causes incorrect gamma when playing "Counter Strike 2" with MSAA 8x on Radeon RX 9070 series graphics cards, has been fixed. An intermittent application crash seen in "Indiana Jones and the Great Circle" with very high settings and path tracing enabled, has been fixed. The drivers come with fixes for the ADL SDK that ensure that the correct ROP count is displayed for third party tools.

Lower than expected performance noticed with "Assetto Corsa Competizione" on RX 9070 series graphics cards, has been fixed. An intermittent crash noticed when pressing Alt+Tab during gameplay on GPUs such as the RX 6000 series, has been fixed. A system or application crash noticed when running multiple high refresh rate monitors (> 120 Hz) with HDMI connectors, has been fixed. And lastly, a bug that causes Windows 11 to override the latest installed AMD-provided drivers with older ones on RX 9070 series, has been fixed.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 23.5.2 Beta

At its annual Amplify Conference, HP Inc. today announced new products and services designed to shape the future of work, empowering people and businesses to create and manage their own way of working. The company unveiled more than 80 PCs, AI-powered print tools for SMBs, and Workforce Experience Platform enhancements all built to drive company growth and professional fulfillment.

"HP is translating AI into meaningful experiences that drive growth and fulfillment," said Enrique Lores, President and CEO at HP Inc. "We are shaping the future of work with game-changing AI innovations that seamlessly adapt to how people want to work."

Cooler Master, a leading provider of PC components, gaming peripherals, and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the HAF 5 Pro, a fully built gaming system designed to deliver robust performance and seamless gameplay. Powered by an Intel Core i7-12700F processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, the HAF 5 Pro leverages Cooler Master's expertise in high airflow cases, efficient cooling, and premium power delivery—paired with the enhanced gaming features of Windows 11.

"We've taken our hallmark high-airflow concept and built a system that's both powerful and visually striking," said Jimmy Sha, CEO of Cooler Master. "Our customers know and trust the HAF lineup for cooling prowess, so outfitting it with top-tier components, a dedicated VGA fan, and Windows 11's advanced gaming capabilities was a natural progression to offer an all-in-one experience."

In an exclusive report, Windows Central has claimed that Microsoft is collaborating with an unnamed "PC gaming OEM" on an Xbox handheld console. Jez Corden has heard from several insiders; they reckon that a "later in 2025" launch is possible, if development goes smoothly enough. A leak from Winter 2024 indicated that Microsoft's gaming division was "targeting a handheld gaming experience," but Phil Spencer has freely disclosed his ambitions for his team's portable project. Last November, he confirmed that something was in pipeline—with a view to take on very visible competition: Steam Deck, ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. The latest Windows Central investigative piece divulges some unprecedented details about: "codename 'Keenan,' this gaming handheld will look unmistakably 'Xbox' we're told, complete with an official Xbox guide button, and Xbox design sensibilities. Given that this is a partner device, similar to Lenovo's SteamOS partnership with Valve, I expect this handheld to be more PC-oriented. Keenan is almost definitely running full Windows, putting the Microsoft Store and PC Game Pass front and center, alongside the ability to install things like Steam."

Based on inside track knowledge, Corden anticipates operating system innovations: "I expect the handheld will test new Windows 11 'device aware' capabilities, while reducing third-party OEM bloatware that are typical of devices like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally. I expect Microsoft will leverage widgets on the Xbox Game Bar on PC for controlling things like TDP and fan speed, while hopefully having a more streamlined OS experience for controller use. Of course, existing PC gaming OEMs will benefit from these efforts as well—but the research will also help with Microsoft's further-out plans." Almost a month and a half ago, Spencer outlined a sort of wishlist for "innovative" future Xbox hardware—given that Sony is rumored to be devising a "standalone PlayStation handheld," he was likely envisioning next-gen home consoles. Windows Central's sources have provided additional insights into potential Xbox Series X|S successors.

Microsoft is currently testing a completely reimagined version of its Copilot app for Windows 11—a significant departure from the previous web-based model towards a fully native interface. This preview, exclusively available to Windows Insiders, introduces a modern interface that mirrors the design principles of Windows 11, featuring refined elements such as mica blur effects, built-in context menus, and an optimized sidebar for managing chat sessions. Built on Microsoft's native UI framework, the updated app offers faster launch times and smoother interactions while delivering a cohesive visual experience. Although the core functionalities remain unchanged—allowing users to engage in text chats, utilize Copilot Voice, and access saved conversations—the redesign emphasizes enhanced visual appeal and usability.

A dedicated "new chat" button and a well-organized sidebar work together to simplify navigation and encourage more frequent use of AI-driven features. The update also preserves key settings like launching Copilot at startup and activating it via the Alt+Spacebar shortcut. This rollout follows last week's unexpected launch of a native Copilot app for macOS, which was odd given Microsoft's longstanding focus on Windows. With this update, Microsoft appears starts an era of offering a consistent experience across platforms, besides its core Office suite. The preview, identified as version 1.25023.106.0 and available through the Microsoft Store, invites Windows Insiders to test the new design—while a public release is anticipated pending further feedback.

ASUS today announced the all-new ExpertBook B5 laptop series (B5405/B5605) - a lightweight, AI-enhanced marvel powered by the latest up to Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2) with Intel vPro and built-in Intel Arc graphics, ushering in a new era of productivity. Packed with cutting-edge AI capabilities, including a dedicated NPU, ExpertBook B5 is built to streamline complex business tasks and accelerate productivity - especially during video calls, with exclusive ASUS AI ExpertMeet delivering optimized audio, video and real-time transcription for seamless collaboration.

Engineered for professionals who demand both performance and security, ExpertBook B5 is protected by ASUS ExpertGuardian, an enterprise-grade security suite that safeguards data, user identities and system integrity with multi-layered protection. With an up to 15 hours battery life for all-day performance on the go, this durable, MIL-STD-810H-tested business laptop empowers uninterrupted productivity. ExpertBook B5 also underscores the ASUS commitment to sustainability with the integration of a Digital Product Passport (DPP), providing transparent lifecycle tracking and reinforcing responsible environmental practices.

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.

Leading provider of industrial PC solutions AAEON (stock code: 6579), has introduced the BOXER-6647-MTH, a fanless embedded computer powered by the Intel Core Ultra platform. Available with either the Intel Core Ultra 7 processor 155H or Intel Core Ultra 5 processor 125H, the BOXER-6647-MTH sports a broad variety of interfaces tailored for industrial robotics use.

The system hosts LAN ports providing up to 2.5GbE speed, six USB (four USB 3.2 Gen 2, two USB 2.0), and three serial ports that include dual RS-232/422/485 signals and an 8-bit DIO, the BOXER-6647-MTH's I/O provides a strong foundation with which systems integrators can install cameras, sensors (LIDAR, IMUs), and actuators for advanced robotics applications like AGVs and AMRs. Moreover, the system boasts a wealth of expansion options to accommodate Wi-Fi, 5G, and NVMe storage modules.

Acer today announced the expansion of its Predator Helios Neo portfolio with the all-new Predator Helios Neo 16 AI and Predator Helios Neo 18 AI gaming laptops. These cutting-edge devices are powered by up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU, built to deliver game-changing AI capabilities for players entering the next era of gaming with these accessible, power-driven devices.

Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. Equipped with a massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Multiply performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4, generate images at unprecedented speed, and unleash creativity with NVIDIA Studio. Plus, access NVIDIA NIM microservices - state-of-the-art AI models that let enthusiasts and developers build AI assistants, agents, and workflows with peak performance on NIM-ready systems.

Parallels has announced the introduction of x86 emulation support in Parallels Desktop 20.2.0 for Apple Silicon Macs. This new feature enables users to run x86-based virtual machines on their M-series Mac computers, addressing a longstanding limitation since Apple's transition to its custom Arm-based processors. The early technology preview allows users to run Windows 10, Windows 11 (with some restrictions), Windows Server 2019/2022, and various Linux distributions through a proprietary emulation engine. This development particularly benefits developers and users who need to run 32-bit Windows applications or prefer x86-64 Linux virtual machines as an alternative to Apple Rosetta-based solutions.

However, Parallels is transparent about the current limitations of this preview release. Performance is notably slow, with Windows boot times ranging from 2 to 7 minutes, and overall system responsiveness remains low. The emulation only supports 64-bit operating systems, though it can run 32-bit applications. Additionally, USB device support is not available, and users must rely on Apple's hypervisor as the Parallels hypervisor isn't compatible. Despite these constraints, the release is a crucial step forward in bridging the compatibility gap for Apple Silicon Mac users so legacy software can still be used. The feature has been implemented with the option to start virtual machines hidden in the user interface to manage expectations, as it is still imperfect.

ASUS today announced the ExpertBook B3 series, an all-new lineup of AI-powered laptops that offers extensive customization to empower daily business needs. Equipped with up to the latest Intel Core Ultra 7 processor (Series 2) with Intel vPro, Intel AI Boost NPU and Intel Arc graphics, ExpertBook B3 delivers solid performance to tackle a wide range of tasks seamlessly. These new laptops also feature powerful AI tools such as ASUS AI ExpertMeet], Microsoft Copilot and AI noise-canceling technology, delivering unmatched productivity experiences.

With a build that's as lightweight as 1.4 kg, a 180° lay-flat hinge, military-grade durability, comprehensive connectivity, and advanced security features, the latest ExpertBook B3-series AI PCs ensure flexibility and efficiency on the go. In addition, with long battery life, exceptional visuals and audio, and an eco-friendly design, ExpertBook B3 series supports streamlined workflows - keeping employees productive, wherever they work.

ASUS today announced a significant expansion of its innovative Copilot+ PC lineup, the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs, bringing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities to users in every segment—empowering more people than ever to embrace the exciting and burgeoning era of AI.

As AI reshapes both how people interact with technology and their expectations of what a computer should be, our all-new Copilot+ PC lineup is designed to meet the growing demand for more affordable, more efficient, more secure and faster laptops that elevate both personal and professional workflows. Powered by the latest AI-enabled processors from Qualcomm, AMD and Intel, and available in a diverse range of styles and form factors, ASUS is leading the charge in making AI technology universally accessible.

Expanding its AI PC leadership, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced the Snapdragon X Platform, the 4th platform to join the Snapdragon X Series compute portfolio, designed to deliver performance, multi-day battery life, and Copilot+ PC experiences for even more users globally.

Redefining the PC Category for Mainstream Devices at $600
Utilizing the power of an 8-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU, Snapdragon X is delivering essential performance to the next-generation of PCs. This platform delivers up to 163% faster performance at ISO-power than our competitors who also require 168% more power at ISO-performance, the Snapdragon X processor balances performance and built-in intelligence with a 45 TOPS NPU that runs Copilot+ PC experiences more efficiently. With an integrated power efficient GPU, Snapdragon X supports dynamic graphics ideal for creating presentations, web browsing, or streaming content. Snapdragon X is an ideal solution for students, freelance workers, and budget-conscious consumers who need a reliable and powerful laptop that can keep up with their busy lives. Devices powered by Snapdragon X are expected to be available from leading OEMs including Acer, ASUS, Dell Technologies, HP and Lenovo in early 2025 enabling Copilot+ PCs in the $600 range.

Acer today announced significant performance and feature updates to its line of powerful Predator gaming laptops, including its flagship Predator Helios 16 AI and Predator Helios 18 AI. Acer has also expanded its Helios Neo portfolio of midrange gaming laptops with the launch of the all-new Predator Helios Neo 16S AI, bringing a slimmer chassis to the mix without sacrificing performance.

All the devices are powered by up to Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 275HX and next-gen NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs, built to deliver next-level gaming and AI performance. Powered by NVIDIA Blackwell, GeForce RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators. Equipped with a massive level of AI horsepower, the RTX 50 Series enables new experiences and next-level graphics fidelity. Multiple performance with NVIDIA DLSS 4, generate images at unprecedented speed, and unleash creativity with NVIDIA Studio. Plus access NVIDIA NIM Microservices - state-of-the-art AI models that let enthusiasts and developers build AI assistants, agents, and workflows with peak performance on NIM-ready systems.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the global launch of the Galaxy Book5 Pro and Galaxy Book5 360, expanding the Galaxy Book5 lineup to meet a wider range of AI needs for all users. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2) featuring NPUs up to 47 TOPs, these latest PCs come directly integrated with Galaxy AI capabilities like the innovative AI Select as well as cutting-edge features that deliver personalized experiences across the Galaxy ecosystem. With the addition of AI Select, PC users can easily search anything, anytime with a simple click, just like on their phone except on a much larger, immersive display.

"We are thrilled to make Galaxy AI and cutting-edge innovation accessible to more people than ever before, addressing their unique productivity needs on PC and other Galaxy devices," said Changtae Kim, EVP & Head of New Computing R&D Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. "Alongside our trusted industry partners, we are delivering an AI experience on Galaxy Book that empowers users to work, create and connect in more intelligent ways through our growing ecosystem."

The Core Ultra 200H series of mobile processors is designed to cover the majority of mobile device use-cases from the next-generation. These chips are very much based on the latest "Arrow Lake" microarchitecture, but with a few clever design changes. This is a tile-based processor, just like the 200HX series; but the various tiles are different. The Compute tile, which packs the main CPU complex, is noticeably smaller, with 6 "Lion Cove" P-cores, and two "Skymont" E-core clusters with 8 E-cores sharing a 24 MB L3 cache, and a ringbus interconnect. Things get interesting with the SoC tile, which now contains two Low-power Island E-cores. At this point, it is unclear if these are "Skymont," or are older generation "Crestmont" cores, which would mean that Intel has carried over the SoC tile from "Meteor Lake-H."

The SoC tile also contains at 13 TOPS-class NPU, which means these chips miss out on Microsoft Copilot+ AI PC logo. The idea behind this could be that Intel is trying to promote the Core Ultra 200V series "Lunar Lake," which comes with a powerful 45 TOPS NPU. The company is announcing several new models of "Lunar Lake" today, including vPro ones. Switching focus back to "Arrow Lake-H," and our attention is drawn back to the SoC and I/O tiles, which miss out on the number of PCIe lanes, particularly Gen 5 ones, which the Core Ultra 200HX chips come with. The game changer for this chip, however, is the large Graphics tile. The iGPU of "Arrow Lake-H" is based on the same Xe-LPG graphics architecture as the one on "Meteor Lake," and not Xe2 "Battlemage" like on "Lunar Lake." However, this iGPU is vastly different from the one the "Arrow Lake-HX" comes with.

TechPowerUp today released latest version of ThrottleStop by Kevin Glynn. A nifty tool that gives you greater control over the power-management features of your processor, which should prove particularly useful for notebooks, letting you override several OEM power limitations to bring out the best in your hardware. Version 9.7 introduces several changes. To begin with, ThrottleStop adds per-profile adjustment of the turbo power limits, Speed Shift Min Max, and PROCHOT offset values. Core and cache V/F tuning have been added to the FIVR window for unlocked Core HX-segment processors (10th Gen or later). BD PROCHOT is now automatically locked when it is disabled. The DDR memory speed monitoring method has been improved. Windows 11 tray icons have been improved. Power plan selection fields have increased from 8 to 12. Safe Start feature can now be toggled on/off.

DOWNLOAD: TechPowerUp ThrottleStop 9.7 by Kevin Glynn

Motherboard vendor ASUS began rolling out UEFI firmware (BIOS) updates to its Intel Z890 motherboards that contain Intel's 0x114 Microcode update for Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors. The new microcode was touted as bringing in performance gains to gaming workloads across the board, with Intel saying that depending on the configuration, one could expect a "roughly 3-8% performance gain." The company said that motherboard vendors should begin releasing BIOS updates with 0x114 "starting January 2025," however, it seems like ASUS is ready with public "stable" (non-beta) BIOS updates with it. We use a ROG Maximus Z890 Hero in our "Arrow Lake-S" reviews, and so promptly grabbed the version 1203 BIOS from the ASUS website, and put it to the test. This also updates Intel ME (management engine) to v19.0.0.1827.

We added our performance testing numbers to our article from yesterday (December 19, 2024), where we had tested the Core Ultra 9 285K with the latest OS-level patches for Windows 11 24H2. Long story short, we do not notice any notable performance gains with the 0x114 microcode update. 0x114 was touted as providing users with additional performance gains after all the OS- and BIOS configuration related issues had been fixed. In its pre-brief from earlier this week, Intel said that the 0x114 microcode update represented additional performance gain opportunities that the company had discovered in the process of identifying and fixing the reasons why the processors fell significantly behind Intel's performance guidance in their launch reviews in October.

We recommend you to once again read our performance testing article from yesterday, we have updated the performance graphs with 0x114 microcode update numbers, and are in the process of providing additional commentary in the article. Here's a teaser:

PNY announced the addition of the CS2150 M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 SSD to its lineup of solid-state drives. The CS2150 leads the way in advanced storage technology, utilizing the NVMe PCIe Gen 5 x4 interface to achieve exceptional data transfer speeds. With sequential read speeds reaching up to 10,300 MB/s and write speeds up to 8,600 MB/s, this groundbreaking solution elevates computing performance to new heights. Perfect for professionals, tech enthusiasts, content creators, and anyone demanding top-tier storage performance, the CS2150 sets a new standard for speed and efficiency.

Enhanced Gameplay with Microsoft DirectStorage
PNY's CS2150 SSD harnesses the power of Microsoft DirectStorage, a revolutionary Windows 11 feature that accelerates game load times and enhances image quality. Combined with the legendary PNY XLR8 Gaming DDR5 DRAM and a high-performance graphics card like the PNY GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16 GB XLR8 Gaming VERTO EPIC-X RGB Overclocked Triple Fan, you'll enjoy faster load times and smoother gameplay, giving you more time to spend immersed in the world of gaming.

Microsoft has finally opened the iron gate guarding the Windows 11 upgrade for systems running incompatible hardware, including systems lacking TPM 2.0. This is excellent news for users who are rocking older systems or have been without the TPM 2.0 module in their system but want to upgrade to the newer OS release. Microsoft opened an official support page, noting that "Installing Windows 11 on a device that doesn't meet Windows 11 minimum system requirements isn't recommended. If Windows 11 is installed on ineligible hardware, you should be comfortable assuming the risk of running into compatibility issues. A device might malfunction due to these compatibility or other issues. Devices that don't meet these system requirements aren't guaranteed to receive updates, including but not limited to security updates."

However, an interesting disclaimer appears once a user tries to install Windows 11 on a PC that doesn't meet minimum requirements:

MicrosoftThis PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11 - these requirements help ensure a more reliable and higher quality experience. Installing Windows 11 on this PC is not recommended and may result in compatibility issues. If you proceed with installing Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won't be entitled to receive updates. Damages to your PC due to lack of compatibility aren't covered under the manufacturer warranty. By selecting Accept, you are acknowledging that you read and understand this statement.

Today we're excited to launch the 3DMark DirectStorage feature test. This feature test is a free update for the 3DMark Storage Benchmark DLC. The 3DMark DirectStorage feature test helps gamers understand the potential performance benefits that Microsoft's DirectStorage technology could have for their PC's gaming performance.

DirectStorage is a Microsoft technology for Windows PCs with PCIe SSDs that reduces the overhead when loading game data. DirectStorage can be used to reduce game loading times when paired with other technologies such as GDeflate, where the GPU can be used to decompress certain game assets instead of the CPU. On systems running Windows 11, DirectStorage can bring further benefits with BypassIO, lowering a game's CPU overhead by reducing the CPU workload when transferring data.

Gear up for unparalleled mobile gaming with the new MSI Claw 8 AI+& Claw 7 AI+ refresh. Powered by the next-gen Intel Core Ultra 7 processor (Series 2), these two compact powerhouses combine exceptional performance with outstanding efficiency. Enjoy stunning visuals on vibrant displays, available in two sizes: 7-inch and the new 8-inch, enhanced by AI-driven precision.

Upgraded with larger batteries for longer gaming sessions and optimized power consumption for smoother performance. Designed for optimal comfort during intense gameplay, the Claw 8 AI+ and Claw 7 AI+ feature sleek ergonomic designs, advanced cooling technology, and comprehensive I/O ports for seamless connectivity. As the Copilot+ PC-capable handhelds available, they set a new standard for portable gaming.

Steam's monthly hardware and software surveys provide a decent picture of what hardware and software gamers rely on to play their favorite games—at least those on Valve's game platform. Since the launch of Windows 11, it has been a somewhat reliable way to track the adoption of the new Windows version, and, as the official cut-off for Windows 10 support draws near, one would expect Windows 11 to pick up steam, especially among gamers, where Windows is the dominant OS. The results of the November Steam Survey are in, and while not much has changed on the hardware front, it seems like Microsoft is indeed wearing gamers down when it comes to Windows 11 adoption. Despite seeing a decent uptick in Windows 11 installations, the overall Windows market share dropped, even if almost imperceptibly, while Linux and macOS both saw a slight uptick in adoption among Steam gamers. As expected, Windows remained the dominant platform for gamers, but Windows 11, specifically, saw growth of 4.18%, while Windows 10 lost 4.15%, which is almost an exact 1:1 match, indicating that gamers are largely staying on Windows when they finally decide to move on from Windows 10. Overall, Windows lost 0.05% market share, compared to Linux, which gained 0.03% and macOS, which grew by 0.02%.

Valve's SteamOS Holo was the most popular Linux version in the survey, but it, too, slid by 0.28%. Of course, the hardware split for Linux is representative of the software side of things, which is to say: It's mostly just Steam Decks. As expected, most of the video cards and CPUs in the Linux results were AMD GPUs, with well over 36% of the sampled Linux gamers using AMD GPUs, even disregarding the obvious bias introduced by the AMD-powered Steam Deck hardware. The most popular NVIDIA GPU on Linux systems running Steam is currently the GeForce RTX 3060, at a mere 1.46% of the market share. Meanwhile, on Windows side, 5.03% of gamers are using the GTX 3060, with the next most popular GPU being the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU, at 4.92%.

The latest market data from Canalys reveals a complex landscape for AI-capable PCs, with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X platform showing modest growth in the age of AI PC. Despite sequential growth of 180% in Q3 2024, Snapdragon X-powered devices represent less than 1.5% of the Windows market, according to research. Qualcomm managed to sell around 720,000 Snapdragon X devices, which accounts for only 0.8% of all PCs sold in Q3 2024. Microsoft leads the adoption of the Snapdragon X, having integrated the platform across much of its Surface lineup. The broader AI-capable PC market, however, tells a different story. Shipments reached 13.3 million units in Q3 2024, claiming 20% of total PC shipments. Windows devices dominated this category for the first time, securing a 53% market share, driven by the Windows 11 refresh cycle and advances in processor technology.

Canalys also noted some significant challenges ahead. A recent survey indicates hesitancy among channel partners, with 31% planning to avoid Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs in 2025 and 34% expecting these devices to constitute less than 10% of their sales. These premium offerings, which require a minimum of 40 NPU TOPS, are constantly being evaluated over their value proposition. Major manufacturers are pursuing diverse strategies to differentiate themselves. HP focuses on ISV partnerships to enhance AI capabilities, while Lenovo develops proprietary tools like Creator Zone and Lenovo AI Now. Dell and Lenovo are integrating on-device AI within their broader service ecosystems. With Windows 10's end-of-support approaching, manufacturers face pressure to drive upgrades among users with aging devices. The industry's sequential growth of 49% in AI-capable PCs suggests increasing market appetite, though customer adoption of premium AI features remains selective.

Microsoft is introducing Windows 365 Link, a compact cloud PC for business users. The device costs $349 and measures just 120 x 120 x 30 mm, making it smaller than Apple's Mac mini. The compact size comes from the fanless cooling design and the fact that the device doesn't have local storage capabilities. This small computer has quite a variety of connectivity options, including one USB-C, three USB-A ports, HDMI, DisplayPort, and Ethernet connections, supports two 4K monitors, and has Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi 6E wireless capabilities. The specific hardware details are not yet revealed by Microsoft.

It requires Windows 365 with Microsoft Intune and Entra ID, and it works with 365 Frontline, Enterprise, and Business editions. As with other cloud-based solutions, Microsoft will lock some of the security options, "features like Secure Boot, the dedicated Trusted Platform Module, Hypervisor Code Integrity, BitLocker encryption, and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint detection and response sensor can't be turned off, further helping to secure the device". Microsoft plans to launch the device in April 2025, with early previews in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Businesses interested in testing the device can contact their Microsoft account team before December 15, 2024, to join the preview program.