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| PC World - 19 Sep (PC World)TL;DR: Never waste time scrolling through PDFs again — Afirstsoft’s AI-powered PDF editor helps you find exactly what you need and keeps your files secure with 20GB of storage for $49.99 (reg. $179).
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Afirstsoft AI PDF Editor: Lifetime Subscription – $49.99
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StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 19 Sep (PC World)Microsoft appears to be preparing to push the next Windows 11 feature update, otherwise known as Windows 11 24H2, to PCs beginning next month.
Paul Thurrott sniffed out the release date on this Microsoft post, which “aligns” a new feature in Copilot with the “the annual Windows 11 feature update release,” or Windows 11 24H2. It appears that Windows 10 may receive its annual feature release, known as Windows 11 24H2, a month later in October.
“The shift to the Microsoft 365 app as the entry point for Microsoft Copilot will align with the annual Windows 11 feature update release,” the post says. “Changes will be rolled out to managed PCs starting with the optional non-security preview release on September 24, 2024, and following with the monthly security update release on October 8 for all supported versions of Windows 11. These changes will be applied to Windows 10 PCs the month after.”
As the post notes, you’ll have the option of accepting Windows 11 24H2 “early,” on Sept. 24. You can do that by going into the Windows Settings menu, navigating to Windows Update, and toggling on the option to “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available.” Otherwise, the update will be pushed to your PC beginning on October 8.
Ironically, Windows 11 24H2 has been officially out for months — but not for everyone. Microsoft shipped a “final” version of Windows 11 24H2 with the launch of the latest Surface Laptop (7th Edition) and Surface Pro (11th Edition), which included many of Windows 11’s AI-powered features — some of which we’ve seen before on AI-equipped PCs that predated the Copilot+ era. (Windows Studio Effects, for example, included background blur and a new Eye Contact feature. It’s since been beefed up with additional filters, lighting effects, and Voice Clarity to filter out background noise.) Those Surface devices also debuted with Microsoft’s Prism emulator, which helps some apps emulate native X86 instructions and allows them to run.
AI-powered features like Cocreator in Paint should debut with Windows 11 24H2.
AI-powered features like Cocreator in Paint should debut with Windows 11 24H2.Mark Hachman / IDG
AI-powered features like Cocreator in Paint should debut with Windows 11 24H2.Mark Hachman / IDG
Mark Hachman / IDG
Those AI features, however, will require a Copilot+-capable NPU. (You should still receive the update whether you have one or not, but without the bits that enable AI features.) If you do already own a laptop with an AMD Ryzen AI 300 chip (and soon, Intel’s Lunar Lake) you’ll receive an update that enables those features. Microsoft hasn’t clarified whether this will be separate from the existing Windows 11 24H2 update.
What to expect in Windows 11 24H2
Windows 11 24H2 is expected to be a mixed bag of features. We already know that Ryzen laptops should get a significant performance boost, thanks to some recoding performed behind the scenes. AutoSR (Automatic Super Resolution) should do for generic games what frame generation like Nvidia’s DLSS has done for games specifically optimized for the technology: potentially improve performance. (Eurogamer’s tests of this technology were mixed, though positive.) Wi-Fi 7 support debuts, too.
Generally, Windows 11 will ship with a few UI tweaks here and there, with most of the improvements coming from the apps. Again, the Surface devices have allowed me to play with some of the AI experiences within Windows 11 24H2: Paint’s Cocreator and layers, and the AI elements like background removal that have been added to Photos. (My Surface Pro review has more.) Since Microsoft has said that it plans to test its controversial Recall feature more thoroughly, it will almost certainly be excluded, save for Windows Insider preview releases.
I’ve already seen new Windows 11 24H2 PCs preload with the new Outlook web app, which pales in comparison to Mail. It’s unclear whether Mail will get a last-minute reprieve or at least get cast out into the Microsoft Store, to be loaded later. However, Microsoft has signaled in periodic popups throughout 2024 that it will go away. Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 19 Sep (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsHighly affordableVery good everyday performanceGraphite heat spreaderConsSuper slow off cacheOur VerdictGiven the lowball pricing and good if not top-shelf performance the T-Force G50 is a prime competitor for your bargain NVMe SSD dollar.
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Teamgroup’s T-Force G50 is an excellent combination of good (if not top-shelf) performance and penny-pinching affordability. It’s a great value for anyone who’s looking for a solid PCIe 4.0 drive for everyday tasks.
What are the Teamgroup T-Force G50’s features?
The Teamgroup T-Force G50 is a M.2, 2280 (22mm wide, 80mm long) NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 sporting 176-layer 3D TLC NAND Flash governed by a InnoGrit IG5220 controller. It has a host memory buffer (HMB) design, meaning it uses your device’s memory rather than onboard DRAM as primary cache.
The G50 comes with removable thin graphene heat-spreader (seen in the image above) that, besides helping thermals, gives the module a sporty look.
The Teamgroup T-Force G50 sans the included graphene heat spreader shown in the article image.
The Teamgroup T-Force G50 sans the included graphene heat spreader shown in the article image.
The Teamgroup T-Force G50 sans the included graphene heat spreader shown in the article image.
Teamgroup warranties the T-Force G50 for a full five years, mitigated by the 650 TBW (terabytes that may be written to the drive) per 1TB of capacity. If you’re not familiar, TBW is like the miles in an automobile warranty. The average TBW rating in this category is 600TBW, though many like-priced QLC SSDs are only covered for 200 to 250 TBW.
Further reading: See our roundup of the best SSDs to learn about competing products.
How much does the Teamgroup T-Force G50 cost?
I’ve always wanted to create a website with one word or single-phrase product evaluations. In this case, that phrase would be “not very much.” Not very much as in $50 for 512GB, $70 for 1TB, and only $120 for 2TB (and right now, Amazon has them for even less). Yowser, folks! NVMe dropping to only $60 per terabyte? That’s even cheaper than the recently reviewed, and very affordable Kingston NV3.
How fast is the Teamgroup T-Force G50?
The G50 hardly jumped to the head of the PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD class. But with all due respect to the fine art of benchmarking, even the most slothful student in this class is darn fast. Subjectively, except for the 450GB write, which is heavily dependent on the amount of NAND on board, you’d never be able to tell most NVMe SSDs apart in real-world use.
That said, there are faster PCIe 4.0 drives available (including the Crucial P310 and Corsair MP600 Elite in the charts). Sequential throughput in CrystalDiksMark 8 was the G50’s weakest test, if one could all over 4GBps weak.
Sequential throughput in CrystalDiksMark 8 was the G50’s weakest test, if one could all over 4GBps weak.
Sequential throughput in CrystalDiksMark 8 was the G50’s weakest test, if one could all over 4GBps weak.
Sequential throughput in CrystalDiksMark 8 was the G50’s weakest test, if one could all over 4GBps weak.
The G50’s 4K numbers under CrystalDiskMark 8 were closer to those of the competition.
The G50’s 4K numbers under CrystalDiskMark 8 were closer to those of the competition.
The G50’s 4K numbers under CrystalDiskMark 8 were closer to those of the competition.
The G50’s 4K numbers under CrystalDiskMark 8 were closer to those of the competition.
The G50 actually nudged in front of the rival Kingston NV3’s aggregate 48GB transfer time.
The G50 actually nudged in front of the rival Kingston NV3’s 48GB transfer aggregate time.
The G50 actually nudged in front of the rival Kingston NV3’s 48GB transfer aggregate time.
The G50 actually nudged in front of the rival Kingston NV3’s 48GB transfer aggregate time.
Having 2TB of NAND generally allows an HMB NVMe SSD such as the T-Force G50 to write our large 450GB file in a short amount of time: 2 minutes, 17 seconds is bookin’.
Having 2TB of NAND generally allows an HMB NVMe SSD such as the G50 to write our large 450GB file in a short amount of time.
Having 2TB of NAND generally allows an HMB NVMe SSD such as the G50 to write our large 450GB file in a short amount of time.
Having 2TB of NAND generally allows an HMB NVMe SSD such as the G50 to write our large 450GB file in a short amount of time.
Below you can see what happens when the G50 finally runs out of cache. Most users will rarely copy a single 900GB file or experience this issue. This speed is indicative of older TLC. Only QLC will write slower natively (sans caching of any type).
Here you can see what happens when the G50 finally runs out of cache. Most users will rarely copy a single 900GB file or experience this issue.
Here you can see what happens when the G50 finally runs out of cache. Most users will rarely copy a single 900GB file or experience this issue.
Here you can see what happens when the G50 finally runs out of cache. Most users will rarely copy a single 900GB file or experience this issue.
Should you buy the Teamgroup T-Force G50?
If you’re not looking for every last ounce of generally unnoticeable performance, the G50 is a worthy and extremely affordable option for your PC or device — assuming, of course, that your device supports HMB. The vast majority do.
That said, HMB SSDs will work without support, just not nearly as well.
How we test
Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11, 64-bit running on an X790 (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard/i5-12400 CPU combo with two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 4 are integrated to the back panel and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro which also runs the OS.
Each test is performed on a newly formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This can be less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with far faster late-generation NAND.
Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know. Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 19 Sep (PC World)In a gaming PC, the graphics card is easily the most exciting component. Responsible for producing all those beautiful frames and pushing those frame rates as high as possible, you’d be lost without it.
But shopping for a graphics card can be madness. You have to navigate between Nvidia, AMD, and Intel, then sift through each one’s product offerings. You’ll struggle to discern between models like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 and the RTX 4070 Ti. And even after you’ve decided on a model, that model might have numerous variations — like a reference version and a factory overclocked version.
Related: Common mistakes when buying a graphics card
Honestly, it can be overwhelming. Should you pay up for those special GPU versions? What do you actually get for what you pay? Is it worth the stress or can you just ignore all of the noise?
Well, if you ask me, I’m going to say: don’t fret over any of it. You shouldn’t be paying extra for factory overclocked GPUs. To understand why, though, we have to first understand why all of these different GPU versions exist in the first place. Let me take you through it.
What’s a reference GPU?
For any given graphics card, you have to start with a baseline foundation. In industry talk, this baseline version is called the reference. (Nvidia’s reference cards are dubbed Founders Edition, but it’s the same thing.)
The three primary GPU manufacturers — Nvidia, AMD, Intel — release their own reference cards, and these reference cards are released with standard designs and hardware specifications. All of this establishes a baseline for any particular graphics card, and the manufacturer sets the MSRP for each card released (often as low as they can go).
These reference cards are distinct from third-party graphics cards, which we’ll get into in the next section below. For now, just know that the reference version of any graphics card tends to be the cheapest of all its variations (e.g., Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super Founders Edition has an MSRP of $599 while third-party variations are usually more expensive).
Side note: This wasn’t always the case. Years ago, Nvidia’s Founders Edition cards used to be priced higher than third-party versions, which made it easier for those third-party partners to sell their GPUs at cheaper prices. In recent years, though, Nvidia has been selling their Founders Editions at base MSRP and putting pressure on partners to provide more value with their versions.
Though reference graphics cards operate at base-level specifications, they often come in fancy packaging with premium build quality. They’re usually sold directly by the manufacturers or through exclusive retail partnerships. (In the US, Nvidia sells FEs through Best Buy and you likely won’t find them on sites like Amazon or Newegg. AMD and Intel reference cards can be found more widely, but still in limited quantities.)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics card
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
Since manufacturers control the production pipelines of their GPUs, they tend to have the best PCBs and hardware components — and they can afford to sell them for cheaper than third-party partners can.
That’s why reference GPUs have become quite desirable in recent years, not just for their designs but for their performance. (Historically, Founders Edition GPUs were noisy and inefficient, but lately they’ve been good enough to kill the need for other versions. Same goes for AMD.)
What’s an AIB partner GPU?
The term AIB has been causing confusion in the graphics card community for several years now because people keep using it to mean difference things. Here’s a quick explanation:
An add-in board (AIB) is any card that can be inserted into your PC’s expansion slots to extend capabilities. According to this definition, all graphics cards are technically AIBs, and there are many other non-graphics card accessories that are also AIBs.
GPU manufacturers (i.e., Nvidia, AMD, Intel) work with third-party manufacturers (e.g., Gigabyte, MSI, PowerColor) who create their own riffs on reference graphics cards. These third-party manufacturers are typically called AIB partners or board partners.
Within the graphics card community, an AIB card is typically synonymous with custom card or non-reference card — in other words, a graphics card version created by an AIB partner.
AIB partners purchase GPU chips from Nvidia, AMD, or Intel, then design their own graphics cards with those chips while making sure they adhere to the original manufacturers’ specifications.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti graphics card
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Ti graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
The graphics card business has historically had low margins, which helps to explain why there are so many spruced-up versions — the goal is to upsell to consumers and earn more profit per card sold.
When you shop for a graphics card, you’re most likely looking at AIB partner versions. AIB partners want to sell their graphics cards far and wide so they’re available at many retailers, and they’re also the ones providing the warranties and RMA support for their products.
Most AIB partners offer simpler versions of the GPU on hand and sell for base MSRP. These hit the minimum specifications required by the GPU manufacturer and tend to have comparable performance, but they aren’t as aesthetically pleasing as their more-expensive counterparts.
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
AIB partners also create more expensive versions of the same GPU. For example, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has an MSRP of $1,599 set by Nvidia, but ASUS sells its ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 variant for $1,999 and has cheaper TUF variants that can go as low as the $1,599 MSRP.
What are factory overclocked GPUs?
The premium build quality and strong performance of reference graphics cards have put AIB partners in a tight squeeze. With thin profit margins at baseline MSRP, they need to upsell their variants — and to do that, they need to figure out ways to entice buyers to shell out more cash.
One way is through factory overclocked GPUs.
A factory overclocked GPU is a graphics card that’s sold at a higher clock speed compared to its reference card. It’s pre-overclocked, if you will, and it’s been tested by the AIB partner for stability and performance. It frees you from the need to overclock the GPU yourself, and the card may also come with some modifications to support the higher clock speed.
Why factory overclocked GPUs generally aren’t worth paying extra
In my mind, there are two big reasons why factory overclocking isn’t worth whatever premium the AIB partner wants to charge.
First, factory overclocked GPUs have negligible performance gains.
If you were to go out and buy a factory overclocked GeForce RTX 4090 for $1,999, the reality is that you’d likely only see a single-digit performance difference compared to the $1,599 reference card or the AIB partner’s non-factory overclocked variants.
Intel Arc A770 Limited Edition graphics card
Intel Arc A770 Limited Edition graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Intel Arc A770 Limited Edition graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
In other words, the markup for factory overclocking doesn’t actually get you that much more performance, and non-factory overclocked AIB partner GPUs perform just as well in many cases — definitely capable of meeting baseline specifications, at the very least.
Related: Reference vs. custom graphics cards, compared
Take the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX ($999) reference model, for example. It has a dual 8-pin PCI Express power connector and a TDP of 355 watts, with a game frequency of 2,300MHz and boost frequency up to 2,500MHz. Compare that to PowerColor’s Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX ($1,899), which ups the power connector to a triple 8-pin PCI Express design and bumps the game frequency to 2,395MHz and boost frequency to 2,565MHz.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics card
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
It’s basically the same GPU but with minor changes to eke out a tiny bit of extra performance, and it might give you several more frames per second in most games — barely noticeable to the naked eye.
Side note: Nvidia and other manufacturers often release mid-cycle GPU upgrades, too. These are entirely new product lines that typically replace the previous SKUs. For example, the GeForce RTX 4080 Super is a slightly improved version of the RTX 4080. The kicker here is its lower cost: $999 versus the $1,199 of its predecessor. AIB partners usually do the same thing to these by offering factory overclocked variants with slight performance tweaks at higher costs.
Second, factory overclocked GPUs often have oversized coolers.
While the performance gains on factory overclocked GPUs may be small, they still come at a cost: increased heat and noise. In increasing the power limits of a GPU, AIB partners may choose to compensate with better cooling — perhaps via beefier coolers.
The problem is, many of the larger and more complex coolers you see on factory overclocked GPUs are downright overkill and unnecessary for heat management. (In fact, with proper airflow in your PC case, base MSRP GPUs shouldn’t thermally throttle even when overclocked.)
Related: How to check your GPU’s temperature
You end up with an enormous graphics card that likely doesn’t fit in your average PC case. Many owners of large GPUs like the GeForce RTX 4090 have had to upgrade their PC cases because they just couldn’t close their glass side panels. Sort of a headache, isn’t it?
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Founders Edition graphics card
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Founders Edition graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Founders Edition graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
On the other hand, Founders Edition or reference GPUs are often the smallest in their class. They provide nearly the same performance while fitting snugly in small PC cases, with quiet cooling that’s capable enough to handle modern games. (Of course, some reference cards are still hefty. The GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition is smaller on average than an AIB partner variant, but it’s still quite large.)
GPU size is becoming a key factor for many PC builders, and it’s important enough that Nvidia has decided to act upon it — by introducing the GeForce SFF guideline for GPUs that fit in smaller PC cases.
When is a factory overclocked GPU worth buying, then?
Performance is only one angle when it comes to factory overclocked GPUs. You can’t forget about aesthetics.
Some gamers are attracted to the small cosmetic details that differentiate one GPU variant from another. Others are all about brand loyalty, willing to stick with one brand despite price. And yet others care more about matching system components than anything else.
I mean, if you have an ASUS ROG-branded gaming setup, you’re probably willing to pay a premium for an ASUS ROG factory overclocked GPU. That’s perfectly fine and can be as valid a reason as greater performance. Pay for what you value.
Founders Edition GPUs are aesthetically monochromatic and industrial by design.
Founders Edition GPUs are aesthetically monochromatic and industrial by design.Thiago Trevisan / IDG
Founders Edition GPUs are aesthetically monochromatic and industrial by design.Thiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
You might find the straightforward designs of reference and Founders Edition GPUs to be off-putting. Maybe they don’t feel “gamery” enough for you, in which case it might make sense to pay up for another variant that has the wow factor you’re looking for — and many factory overclocked GPUs rely on said wow factor to attract buyers.
These more-expensive GPUs tend to have fancier fan designs and the all-important RGB lighting setups that ooze that gamer vibe. Said GPUs can also punch themselves up with other non-essential features for enthusiasts, like dual BIOS and higher power limits.
Hardcore overclockers tend to prefer these pricier models because they offer more room to tweak performance and achieve higher benchmarks. For example, GPUs like the older EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 Kingpin provide enthusiasts with more than just factory overclocking — but for most gamers and users, these features aren’t needed and can often lead to issues for less-experienced tinkerers.
Related: How to benchmark your graphics card
Sometimes you may not have a choice
Given the intricacies of the GPU market, factory overclocked GPUs may actually be your only option at times.
Even though the GPU shortages are behind us, you’ll probably see fewer baseline MSRP GPUs from AIB partners on store shelves going forward. (Remember, AIB partners want to upsell you on factory overlocked GPUs to score higher margins.) What happens when reference and Founders Edition GPUs sell out fast and remain unavailable for months? You may have no choice but to buy those more expensive AIB partner cards.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Founders Edition graphics card
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Founders Edition graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Founders Edition graphics cardThiago Trevisan / IDG
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
On the other hand, you sometimes run into factory overclocked GPUs that are basically the same price as reference editions, in which case the choice is a no-brainer. For example, we reviewed the AMD Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7900 XT and found it to have superior acoustics and better ports than the reference edition, and it cost nearly the same.
Sure, the more expensive version has a dual BIOS and RGB lighting, but that won’t matter for most users who would rather save on cost with similar performance.
And then you have limited edition GPUs or special themed products that only come in factory overclocked variants. If you want that limited edition product, you have no alternative. (But if you end up buying such a thing, you’re probably enough of an enthusiast to want the extra goodies.)
Don’t pay extra for factory overclocked GPUs unless you have a good reason
There’s only a tiny performance difference between reference GPUs and factory overclocked GPUs, so smart money will typically go with the reference edition. Often, you aren’t sacrificing anything — many modern reference graphics cards have incredible bang for your buck.
But availability can be an issue. If all the reference cards are out of stock, you may not have a choice but to shell out for a factory overclocked GPU. Or you may want the factory overclocked GPU for reasons other than performance, which are all totally valid.
Only you can decide whether a given GPU is worth the price — and in the case of factory overclocked GPUs, it may make sense to pay up if you know what you’re getting and know what the premium is for.
But if you only care about performance? It’s generally best to avoid paying extra for factory overclocked GPUs.
Further reading: The best graphics cards for every budget Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 18 Sep (PC World)CPUs and GPUs are old news. These days, the cutting edge is all about NPUs, and hardware manufacturers are talking up NPU performance.
The NPU is a computer component designed to accelerate AI tasks in a power-efficient manner, paving the way for new Windows desktop applications with powerful AI features. That’s the plan, anyway.
All PCs will eventually have NPUs, but at the moment only some PCs have them. Here’s everything you need to know about NPUs and why they’re such a hot topic in the computer industry right now.
What is an NPU?
NPU stands for neural processing unit. It’s a special kind of processor that’s optimized for AI and machine learning tasks.
The name comes from the fact that AI models use neural networks. A neural network is, in layman’s terms, a vast mesh of interconnected nodes that pass information between them. (The whole idea was modeled after the way our own human brains work.)
Related: How neural networks are finally maturing
An NPU isn’t a separate device that you buy and plug in (as you would with a GPU, for example). Instead, an NPU is “packaged” as part of a modern processor platform — like Intel’s Core Ultra, AMD’s Ryzen AI, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus. These platforms have a CPU along with an integrated GPU and NPU.
NPU vs. CPU vs. GPU: What’s the difference? Explained
For many years now, computers have been running tasks on either the central processing unit (CPU) or graphics processing unit (GPU.) That’s still how it works on AI PCs (i.e., computers with NPUs).
The CPU runs most of the tasks on the computer. But the GPU, despite its name, isn’t just for graphics and gaming tasks. The GPU is actually just optimized for a different type of computing task, which is why GPUs have been critical for non-gaming endeavors like mining cryptocurrency and running local AI models with high performance. In fact, GPUs are very good at such AI tasks — but GPUs are awfully power-hungry.
That’s where NPUs come into play. An NPU is faster than a CPU at computing AI tasks, but not as fast when compared to a GPU. The trade-off is that an NPU uses far less power than a GPU when computing those same AI tasks. Plus, while the NPU handles AI-related tasks, the CPU and GPU are both freed up to handle their own respective tasks, boosting overall system performance.
Why use an NPU instead of a CPU or GPU?
If you’re running AI image generation software like Stable Diffusion (or some other AI model) on your PC’s hardware and you need maximum performance, a GPU is going to be your best bet. That’s why Nvidia advertises its GPUs as “premium AI” hardware over NPUs.
But there are times when you want to run AI features that might be too taxing for a regular CPU but don’t necessarily need the top-tier power of a GPU. Or maybe you’re on a laptop and you want to take advantage of AI features but don’t want the GPU to drain your battery down.
With an NPU, a laptop can perform local (on-device) AI tasks without producing a lot of heat and without expending inordinate battery life — and it can perform those AI tasks without taking up CPU and GPU resources from whatever else your PC might be doing.
And even if you aren’t interested in AI per se, you can still take advantage of NPUs for other uses. At CES 2024, HP showed off game-streaming software that uses the NPU for video-streaming tasks, freeing up the GPU to run the game itself. By using the NPU’s extra computing power, the streaming software doesn’t take up any GPU resources… and it’s much faster than using the CPU for the same type of task.
But what can Windows PC software do with an NPU, really?
With an AI PC, the NPU can be used by both the operating system and the apps that reside on the system.
For example, if you have laptop with Intel Meteor Lake hardware, the built-in NPU will let you run Windows Studio Effects, which are AI-powered webcam effects that provide features like background blur and forced eye contact in any application that uses your webcam.
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs — the first wave of which are powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips — have their own AI-powered features that use the NPUs built into that platform. For example, the Windows Recall feature that Microsoft delayed will require an NPU.
Related: What is a Copilot+ PC? Explained
In November 2024, AMD and Intel PCs will get access to those same Copilot+ PC features that were previously exclusive to Qualcomm PCs, but only AMD and Intel PCs that have the new AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) processors.
And those are just the features built into Windows; app developers will also be able to use the NPU in a variety of ways. Don’t be surprised to see plug-ins for Audacity and GIMP that offer AI-powered audio and photo editing that’s powered by a computer’s NPU.
The possibilities are endless, but it’s still early days for the hardware so it’ll be a while before its full potential is realized.
Why do I need an NPU if my PC can already run AI software?
Most current applications that have AI features — including Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot — don’t utilize an NPU yet. Instead, they run their AI models on faraway cloud servers. That’s why you can run things like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Adobe Firefly, and other AI solutions on any device, whether an old Windows PC, a Chromebook, a Mac, an Android phone, or something else.
Adobe
Adobe
Adobe
But it’s expensive for those services to run their AI models on the cloud. Microsoft spends a lot of money churning through Copilot AI tasks in data centers, for example. Companies would love to offload those AI tasks to your local PC and reduce their own cloud computing expenses.
Of course, it’s not just about cost savings. You also benefit from the ability to run computationally heavy AI tasks on your local device. For example, those AI features will still work even when you’re offline, and you can keep your data private instead of uploading it all to cloud servers all the time. (That’s a big deal for companies, too, who want to maintain control over their own business data for privacy and security reasons.)
Which NPUs are available and how powerful are they?
Intel
Intel
Intel
NPU performance is measured in TOPS, which stands for trillion operations per second. To give you a sense of what that means, a low-end NPU might only be able to handle 10 TOPS whereas PCs that qualify for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC branding must handle at least 40 TOPS.
As of fall 2024, the following NPUs are available:
Intel Core Ultra Series 1 (Meteor Lake): Intel’s first-generation Core Ultra NPU can deliver up to 11 TOPS. It’s too slow for Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC features, but it does work with Windows Studio Effects and some third-party applications.
Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake): Intel’s Lunar Lake chips will include an NPU with up to 48 TOPS of performance, exceeding Copilot+ PC requirements.
AMD Ryzen Pro 7000 and 8000 Series: AMD first delivered NPUs on PCs before Intel did, but the NPUs in Ryzen 7000 series processors are too slow for Copilot+ PC features, with up to 12 and 16 TOPS of performance.
AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series: The NPUs in the latest AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processors can deliver up to 50 TOPS of performance, more than enough for Copilot+ PCs.
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus: Qualcomm’s Arm-based hardware includes a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU that’s capable of up to 45 TOPS.
It’s worth noting that NPUs aren’t just on PCs. Apple’s Neural Engine hardware was one of the first big splashy NPUs to get marketing attention. Google’s Tensor platform for Pixel devices also includes an NPU, while Samsung Galaxy phones have NPUs, too.
Bottom line: Should you get a PC with an NPU right now or wait?
Honestly, it’s risky being on the bleeding edge.
If you went out of your way to get a Meteor Lake laptop in hopes of future-proofing your PC for AI features, you actually got burned when Microsoft later announced that Meteor Lake NPUs were too slow for Copilot+ PC features. (Intel disagreed, pointing out that you still get all the features those laptops originally shipped with.)
The silver lining to that? Copilot+ PC features aren’t that interesting yet. And especially with the delay of Windows Recall, there just isn’t much remarkable about Copilot+ PCs. Most of the biggest AI tools — ChatGPT, Adobe Firefly, etc. — don’t even use NPUs at all.
Still, if I were buying a new laptop, I’d want to get an NPU if possible. You don’t actually have to go out of your way to get one; it’s just something that comes included with modern hardware platforms. And those modern processor platforms have other big features, like big battery life gains.
Related: The laptops with the longest battery life, tested
On the other hand, those fast NPUs are only on the latest laptops right now, and you can often find great deals on older laptops that are nearly as fast as the latest models. If you spot a previous-generation laptop that’s heavily discounted, it may not make sense to shell out tons more cash just for an NPU, especially if you don’t have any AI tools you plan to run.
As of this writing, most big AI tools still run in the cloud — or at least offer that as an option — so you’ll be able to run them on any Windows laptop, Chromebook, or even Android tablets and iPads.
For desktops, the NPU situation is different. Intel’s desktop CPUs don’t have NPUs yet. You could hunt down an AMD desktop chip with a Ryzen AI NPU, but AMD’s Ryzen 7000 and 8000 series chips don’t support Copilot+ PC features anyway. So, if you’re putting together a desktop PC, set aside the NPU for now. It just isn’t that important yet.
Looking for a PC with a high-performance NPU? Consider Arm-based Windows laptops like the Surface Laptop 7 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 series laptops like the Asus ProArt PX13. Plus, stay tuned for our reviews of Lunar Lake-powered Intel laptops when they arrive. Until then, catch up with all the AI PC jargon you need to know.
Further reading: Key things to know before buying a Copilot+ laptop Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
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| | | ITBrief - 18 Sep (ITBrief)Varonis unveiled four new features in its Salesforce Security Posture Management, enhancing automated data security risk mitigation. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | GeekZone - 18 Sep (GeekZone)New PRO Series gear features two new mice, the PRO X SUPERLIGHT 2 DEX and PRO 2 LIGHTSPEED and a new keyboard, the PRO X TKL RAPID. Read...Newslink ©2024 to GeekZone | |
| | | PC World - 18 Sep (PC World)Whether it’s YouTube, Netflix, or Hulu, why stream video content on your phone when you can watch on your much bigger TV? With a Fire TV Stick, you can turn any TV into one that can stream movies and TV shows.
And right now, the Fire TV Stick is on sale for $25 at Amazon, which is a real bargain compared to its normal $40 price.
Amazon’s Fire TV Stick is nothing more than a tiny little device that looks like a flash drive. You plug it into your TV’s HDMI port, then power it by connecting to a power outlet using the included USB cable. Then, connect it to your Wi-Fi network. Done!
Once plugged in, you can use the included remote control to navigate the Fire TV Stick’s features. Namely, that means access to dozens of popular platforms, like Netflix, Disney+, Max, and YouTube.
The Fire TV Stick can also access live TV, news, and sports through live streaming services — perfect for anyone who’s been thinking of cutting the cord. You can also stream 300,000+ free movies and TV shows via Tubi, Pluto, and more. That’s a lot of content!
And the remote is pretty cool. It has Alexa built in, so all you have to do is press the Alexa button before issuing a voice command. With Alexa Voice Remote, you can do things like audibly search for content across apps.
The experts at our sister site TechHive reviewed the Amazon Fire TV Stick and liked that it delivers solid HD performance, especially for a device at this price point. (Note that the Fire TV Stick Lite is also on sale for less, but the remote for that one is missing a dedicated volume control button. It’s worth paying a little extra for it. Seriously. Don’t be tempted.)
If you want to stream on your TV, grab this $25 Amazon Fire TV Stick while you still can. Or, if you want 4K content and the ability to play Xbox games without an Xbox console, get the Fire TV Stick 4K Max on sale!
The Fire TV Stick is a great pick at this priceBuy now on Amazon Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 18 Sep (PC World)Yesterday, Microsoft announced the release of the final version of Microsoft Office LTSC 2024, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, OneNote, and Microsoft Access.
LTSC stands for Long-Term Servicing Channel and it denotes a version that doesn’t receive feature updates for a long while. As described by Microsoft, it’s a “locked-in-time” version that gets some of the features that were released since the last LTSC release, and it gets five years of support from the time it’s released.
Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap
Windows 11 Pro
As such, Microsoft Office LTSC versions are one-time purchase, have no subscription obligations, can only be installed on a single device per license, and don’t require internet connectivity.
However, it’s important to note that Microsoft Office LTSC is expressly meant for companies, not private users — LTSC licenses can only be acquired through volume licensing agreements.
After lengthy praise for Microsoft 365, the Redmond-based company is now ready to admit that there are still good reasons for a non-subscription version of Office. Microsoft writes:
“Still, we know that some customer scenarios require a different approach. Some devices must never be connected to the internet; others need to remain unchanged for years at a time. We remain committed to supporting our customers and these scenarios.? Earlier this year, we offered a public preview of Microsoft Office Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) 2024. Today, we’re announcing the general availability of this next perpetual version of Office for commercial and government customers.”
Microsoft will support Office LTSC 2024 for five years as part of the Fixed Lifecycle Policy. Office LTSC 2024 will not receive any feature updates, only security updates, and it offers the following benefits:
“Office LTSC 2024 offers a locked-in-time version of familiar productivity tools, updated with a subset of the features that have been added to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise over the last three years. New features for this release include Dynamic Charts and more than a dozen new text and array functions in Excel, enhanced search and meeting creation options in Outlook, and improvements to performance, security, and accessibility.”
At the bottom of this page, there’s a comparison of Microsoft 365 and Office LTSC 2024. Key benefits of Microsoft 365 include the ability to install apps on up to 5 devices, access to web app versions, eligibility for the Microsoft 365 Copilot add-on, and 1TB of cloud storage.
Corporate customers can find the GVLKs for Office LTSC 2024 here. Microsoft Office 2024 is not yet available for home users.
Further reading: Everything you need to know about Microsoft 365 Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
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