Intel says its collaboration with top PC manufacturers has resulted in a new wave of advanced AI-powered laptops, driven by the Lunar Lake platform.
Intel Core Ultra 200V processors (code-named Lunar Lake) promise more performance and power efficiency. One of the key innovations is the integration of memory modules directly into the chip package, reducing power consumption by 40 percent and enabling slimmer, more efficient laptop designs.
Intel is expecting more than 80 Lunar Lake-based laptop designs from over 20 manufacturers, each facing unique challenges with the all-new architecture.
The shipment of AI-capable PCs will reach around 44 million units in 2024 and 103 million units in 2025, Ishan Dutt, Principal Analyst at Canalys, said in a recent research report.
The number of AI-capable PCs shipped in Q2 2024 has reached 8.8 million, accounting for 14 percent of all PCs shipped according to the latest Canalys data. AI PCs have a chipset or block for dedicated AI workloads, such as an NPU.
Intel
The journey to deliver this architecture wasn’t without its challenges. As PC manufacturers, including ASUS, tested early prototypes, they encountered unexpected issues like system noise.
ASUS, which has 8.3 percent share in the global PC market in Q2 2024 according to Canalys, experienced an annoying hum during testing, which could have impacted the user experience. To solve this, Intel mobilized a global team of engineers. Through hardware and software optimizations, Intel reduced the noise by 50 percent, ensuring ASUS met its best-in-class standards.
Intel and ASUS engineers co-developed innovative features, including the most compact printed circuit board (PCB) Intel has ever designed for a modern laptop. This enabled ASUS to manage power more effectively without generating excessive heat, extending battery life in their Zenbook S14 and other models.
ASUS has now integrated Lunar Lake into four AI-powered laptops, which include features like adaptive display brightness and advanced gaming graphics. Reviewers have praised the Zenbook S14 for its sleek design, exceptional battery life, and stunning OLED display, powered by Intel’s latest AI processors.
Intel’s co-engineering expertise has been central to overcoming technical challenges and achieving market-ready AI PCs, solidifying its deep collaboration with leading PC makers like ASUS.
Early on, ASUS, one of Intel’s top customers, discovered a noise issue during testing. The noise, peaking at about 28 decibels, was subtle but threatened to affect the user experience.
Intel quickly formed a global engineering task force, working alongside ASUS to address the problem. A combination of hardware adjustments and software optimizations led to a 50 percent reduction in the noise levels, allowing ASUS to meet its performance and design goals without compromising on schedule.
This deep engineering collaboration is an example of the hands-on support Intel provides to its partners.
According to Jeffery Tang, Executive Director at Intel’s CCG Taiwan site, “Rigorous early enabling and validation work allowed our key OEM partners to optimize their platforms ahead of launch.” Intel’s early intervention resulted in a remarkable 96 percent drop in critical issues for OEMs across subsequent laptop designs.
In addition to solving noise issues, Intel and ASUS worked together to develop a compact printed circuit board (PCB) design, the smallest ever for a modern thin-and-light PC platform. Other innovations included power management features and OLED display optimizations that extended battery life, making the new ASUS Zenbook S14 the first Lunar Lake design to receive Intel Evo certification.
The collaboration between Intel and ASUS has been celebrated by both companies. Rangoon Chang, ASUS Corporate Vice President, emphasized that the new Lunar Lake-powered Zenbook, Vivobook, ExpertBook, and NUC PCs are designed to “empower users to harness the full potential of AI.”
At IFA Berlin, the ASUS Zenbook S14 received high praise from reviewers. XDA-Developers described it as a “super sleek, thin, and premium” laptop, while Engadget hailed its “excellent battery life, slick design, and gorgeous OLED display.”
Baburajan Kizhakedath
