Intel said Tuesday that the company’s Arizona fab has run the first lots of the company’s Intel 18A wafers, the manufacturing technology powering its Panther Lake chips, while announcing a high-performance derivative process. Intel also offered a sneak peek at its 14A process, the next-generation manufacturing technology, which will include “turbo cells” for faster clock speeds. Intel made the announcements at its Foundry Direct Connect symposium on Tuesday, as the company tries to convince Wall Street and its customers that its manufacturing processes are back on track. Despite Intel executives’ on-stage promotion of their foundry roadmap, the products consumers will purchase directly influence Intel’s process roadmap. Intel’s upcoming Panther Lake processors will be manufactured on Intel’s 18A process node, completing the “five nodes in four years” goal that former chief executive Pat Gelsinger laid out. Intel’s next-gen 14A should be the technology Intel uses to fabricate “Nova Lake,” due in 2026. Intel has used foundry partner TSMC to fabricate many of the tiles found within its disaggregated processors like Lunar Lake, and bringing that production in-house will save Intel money as well as demonstrate to customers that it can compete with TSMC. Intel chief executive Lip-Bu Tan has said previously that Intel 18A is now in “risk production” and will reach volume production this year. Intel 18A includes technologies like RibbonFET, a next-gen “gate all around” transistor, as well as PowerVia, a backside power delivery architecture that can nudge up power performance by 4 percent. Intel 18A is “ready for full product design start” — just another way that Intel is saying that it’s ready to go. This is Intel’s process technology roadmap as of April 2025.Intel On top of the generic 18A process, Intel has now added two new variants: what it calls 18A-P, designed for “enhanced performance” to a small subset of customers; and 18A-PT, which “builds on 18A-PT performance and power efficiency variants.” Early wafers based on Intel 18A-P are in the fab now, the company said. Intel 18A-PT can be connected to the top die using Foveros Direct 3D with a hybrid bonding interconnect pitch of less than 5 micrometers, Intel said in a statement. Intel 14A, by contrast, improves upon PowerVia with a new technology called PowerDirect, its second-gen power delivery network. RibbonFET 2 will also improve upon RibbonFET, Intel said. Intel was supposed to move next to an intermediary 20A process but cancelled it. The most intriguing part of the new 14A process may be something called “turbo cells,” which Intel refers to as a “boosted cell technology.” It will further enhance speed (including CPU maximum frequency and GPU critical paths) when paired with RibbonFET 2, Intel said. That might be key, as Intel and other chipmakers continually struggle with how to improve chip performance. “Turbo Cells allows designers to optimize a mix of more performant cells and more power-efficient cells within a design block, enabling a tailored balance between power, performance, and area for target applications,” Intel said. It will be combined with High Numerical Aperture (High NA) EUV technology for smaller process features. Intel 14A and Intel 18A-PT dies can be packaged together, Intel added, using Foveros Connect 3D stacking and embedded multi-die interconnected bridging, or EMIB. Intel is also announcing EMIB-T for future high-bandwidth memory needs as well as two additional Foveros derivatives, Foveros-R and Foveros-B. Read...

For some years now, smartphones have had a built-in feature that protects against unauthorized access via USB. In iOS and Android, you get pop-ups that ask for confirmation when a data USB connection is established before you can actually start transferring data. However, this guard against “juice jacking”—a hacking method in which charging stations are manipulated to inject malicious code, steal information, or allow access to the device when plugged in—is apparently not as secure as expected. Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a serious loophole in this system that can be easily exploited. A new way to hack smartphones via USB As Ars Technica reports, attackers can use a new method called “choice jacking” to ensure that access to smartphones is easily authorized without the user being aware of it. To do this, attackers first install a feature on a charging station so that it actually appears as a USB keyboard when connected. Then, via USB Power Delivery, it executes a “USB PD Data Role Swap” to establish a Bluetooth connection, trigger the file transfer consent pop-up, and approve consent while acting as a Bluetooth keyboard. The charging station can therefore be used to bypass the protection mechanism on the device, which is actually intended to protect against hack attacks with USB peripherals. In the worst case scenario, hackers could gain access to all files and personal data stored on your smartphone in order to take over accounts. The researchers at Graz University of Technology tested this method on devices from various manufacturers, including Samsung, who sells the most smartphones alongside Apple. All tested devices allowed data transfer as long as the screen was unlocked. No real solution available for most devices Although smartphone manufacturers are aware of the problem, there still isn’t sufficient protection against choice jacking. Only Apple and Google have implemented a solution, which involves users first entering their PIN or password before they can add a device as a trusted source and start the data transfer. However, other manufacturers have not implemented sufficient protection against such attacks yet. If your device has USB debugging enabled, it’s especially at risk because USB debugging can allow attackers to gain access to the system via the Android Debug Bridge and install their own applications, execute files, and generally use a higher access mode. How to protect yourself The easiest way to protect yourself from choice jacking attacks via USB charging stations is, of course, to never use a public charging station or any charging station that isn’t your own. USB charging stations in high-traffic areas—like airports—are especially dangerous. It’s better to use your own power bank when traveling and make sure that your smartphone is always up-to-date with the latest security updates. Further reading: Your USB cable could be hiding hacker hardware Read...

It’s common sense that if you have a Windows PC, you need a third-party security suite to protect it. Right? Well, maybe not. That might’ve been the common sense mantra for decades, but things are starting to change and it may not be true anymore. With added protections incorporated into Microsoft’s latest version of Windows, you may not actually need a separate security solution. Are Windows 11’s built-in antivirus and security features enough for everyday users? The answer is, “Yes… but.” Here’s why. Further reading: The best Windows antivirus software Windows Security in a nutshell Windows has always had some security measures in place to protect you against hackers, cybercriminals, and malware. Those security measures have dramatically improved over the past decade, and they’ve never been better than they are in Windows 11. Although the additional requirements to even install the latest version of Windows might be annoying if you’re running older (ineligible) hardware, mandating secure boot and other protective features help make Windows 11 the most secure version of Windows yet. Indeed, Windows 11 has several protective measures that come installed by default, and they’re packaged together as Windows Security. Together, these features make Windows 11 secure enough for the average user to not need third-party antivirus software. Mostly. Here’s a look at each major aspect of Windows Security, what it tries to do, and how it protects you from threats. Further reading: Windows Security vs. Microsoft Defender: Vital differences you should know Microsoft Defender Antivirus You can manage Microsoft Defender from the Windows Security dashboard in Windows 11.Jon Martindale / IDG Microsoft Defender Antivirus is the latest iteration of the classic Windows Defender software that first launched as an anti-spyware tool alongside Windows XP. With Windows 11, Microsoft Defender Antivirus is fully integrated and installed with the operating system, and it stays on watch for you. It offers real-time protection to detect malicious files before they harm you, but you can also run manual or scheduled malware scans. Related reading: Help! How do I remove malware from my PC? In third-party testing, Microsoft Defender Antivirus showed itself to be just as effective at detecting malware threats as other free antivirus solutions, though in our own testing it did throw up a few false positives. Better safe than sorry, but we understand that can be annoying. Microsoft Defender Antivirus also offers basic ransomware protections by locking down your files and folders and preventing malicious alterations without admin approval. Microsoft Defender Antivirus also leverages the cloud to provide faster malware identification, and is regularly updated with new malware signatures to keep your protection up to date. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen If you’ve ever tried to run a standalone indie game or an app your friend developed and had Windows try to stop you, that was Microsoft Defender SmartScreen in action. Microsoft Defender SmartScreen is an anti-phishing, anti-malware tool that protects you from malicious websites and applications. Related: The most common phishing scams, explained It analyzes the websites you visit and the apps you run to see if they seem suspicious or potentially harmful. If it senses something off, it’ll raise a flag and block you from visiting that site or running that app. You can easily get around Microsoft Defender SmartScreen by clicking a few buttons, but the warning prompt should at least give you enough pause to double-check what you’re trying to do. Windows Firewall Windows Firewall filters network traffic to protect you against malicious apps and hackers who want to access your network and devices. It can filter network traffic based on various criteria, including the IP address of the device trying to access your network, the port number it’s using, and what kind of app or service it’s trying to interact with. It can also limit network traffic to certain apps, preventing inbound and/or outbound traffic to/from applications and services. If Windows Firewall detects an untrustworthy connection attempt, it will automatically block the connection and prevent it from accessing your device and your network. You can customize Windows Firewall, including whether it runs on just public networks or private ones too, and what kind of traffic it filters. Microsoft Defender Guards Windows 11 also has some bespoke “Guards” as part of Microsoft Defender that enhance its anti-malware protections. Microsoft Defender Application Guard works across a range of Microsoft apps, including Edge and the Microsoft Office suite. It detects potentially malicious websites and/or files, and instead of opening them within Windows, does so within a sandbox that prevents any potentially malicious code from affecting your system. Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard helps eliminate common vectors for malware attacks. For example, it can prevent all executables from running within an email client or webmail service, or it can prevent applications from running after clicking links within Office documents. There’s also Microsoft Defender Credential Guard, which uses virtualization technology to isolate secret information (like password hashes) so that only privileged system software can access it. The different Microsoft Defender Guards are all enabled by default, but also have additional options and protective measures for enterprise users, offering greater granular control over how they work and how much they lock down certain Windows functions. When do you need more than just Windows Security? Not every antivirus or antimalware solution works with Microsoft Defender.Jon Martindale / IDG Back to the original question: Are Windows 11’s built-in antivirus and security features enough for everyday users? For the most part, yes. The actual security features are effective at what they set out to do. As far as detecting malware and prompting you with warnings when suspicious things happen, Windows 11 works and you probably don’t need a standalone antivirus solution. But Windows Security still puts the onus of safety in your hands. Certain features need to be properly configured ahead of time, and the overall protection offered by Windows Security is baseline. You still need to smart, careful, and aware by: Not visiting shady websites Not downloading unsolicited files Not clicking links in emails or social media messages If you trust that you’re good enough to keep yourself safe, and if you don’t mind shouldering the responsibility of maintaining good cybersecurity practices, then Windows Security should be enough. Related: Our full review of Windows Security But if you have frequent lapses in judgment, if you’re anxious about falling prey to malware or cybercriminals, or if you need additional features not included in Windows Security, then consider a paid antivirus suite. The best paid antivirus solutions offer more comprehensive protections against malware and phishing, along with additional features like VPNs, password managers, identity protection, parental controls, defense against remote access, and more. Some top-of-the-line services may even monitor your bank accounts and insure you against losses. If you’ve decided that Windows Security is good enough, make sure you change these settings to maximize its performance and security. Read...

OpenAI is releasing a new lightweight version of the “Deep Research” feature in ChatGPT, which should be cheaper to run—and that makes it possible for the company to make it available to ChatGPT’s free users. ChatGPT’s Deep Research feature can perform multi-step research using sources across the internet, then generates detailed reports with clear citations and summaries of its research process and results. It’s particularly useful for complex tasks in knowledge-heavy fields such as economics, science, law, and technology. The lightweight version will be as in-depth as the standard version but will produce shorter answers, according to OpenAI. Free users will have access to five Deep Research tasks per month, while Paid Plus and Team users will have access to 15 tasks per month. These will start to be used after the first 10 standard Deep Research tasks are used up. Meanwhile, Pro users will have access to 125 tasks with standard Deep Research and 125 tasks with the lightweight version. When we reviewed ChatGPT Pro, we found that Deep Research was the best feature included in the ultra-premium subscription, with other AI assistants currently trying to mimic it but none offering anything that comes close to matching it. But ChatGPT Pro is extremely expensive—about $200/mo as of this writing—and it’s hard to justify that even if Deep Research is that good. So it’s nice to be able to have a lightweight version of it, especially without even having to pay for it. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Practical design with good ergonomic stand Lots of USB connectivity, plus Ethernet Refresh rate up to 100Hz Cons Image quality doesn’t impress No HDR No Adaptive Sync Our Verdict The Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C is a decent choice if you want an ultrawide with lots of connectivity, but the monitor’s image quality fails to impress. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C Retailer Price $749.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Ultrawide monitors are a great option for office productivity, and, at a glance, the Dell Pro 34 Plus looks ideal for the home office. It has a 34-inch IPS panel with good brightness and clarity, as well as extensive USB-C connectivity. However, the monitor’s pricing and overall image quality narrow its appeal. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best monitors for comparison. Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C P3425WE specs and features A look at the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C’s spec sheet quickly reveals what the monitor is about: connectivity. The monitor has a USB-C port with up to 90 watts of Power Delivery. That connects to one USB-C and three USB-A downstream ports. Ethernet is supported, too.   Display size: 34-inch 21:9 aspect ratio Native resolution: 3440×1440 (WQHD) Panel type: IPS Technology Refresh rate: 100Hz Adaptive sync: None HDR: No Ports: 1x USB-C with up to 90W power delivery, 1x USB-C (15W downstream), 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI, 1x RJ45 Ethernet (1GbE), 1x USB-B upstream, 3x USB-A downstream Additional features: KVM switch, Dell Display and Peripheral Manager support Warranty: 3-year Advanced Exchange Service Price: $749.99 MSRP However, the monitor’s features are otherwise reserved. The monitor notably lacks the IPS Black technology found in Dell’s flagship widescreen monitors. It doesn’t have built-in speakers either, and has a limited range of image quality customization. Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C design The Dell Pro 34 Plus deviates a bit from the design of prior ultrawide monitors. Instead of a silver or white colorway, Dell has moved back towards a conservative, all-black look. It makes sense for the monitor’s intended buyers, which include both businesses and home office users, but it’s bland. Strangely, the monitor stand is still silver. It looks like Dell stuck with an existing silver monitor stand because, uh, that’s what they had on hand. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s not great. Looks aside, the monitor’s material quality is good. The plastics feel firm and have a pleasing texture. Matthew Smith / Foundry It’s a curved monitor, as well, though only just. The curve is obvious when viewing the monitor from above or below, but not obvious when viewing the monitor straight-on. While I’d prefer a flat screen for an office monitor, the Dell’s curve is subtle enough that I didn’t mind. The stand provides a better-than-average range of adjustments for height and swivel, with 150mm for the former and 60 degrees for the latter. The stand can’t rotate 90 degrees for use in portrait orientation, but that’s typical for an ultrawide monitor. It’s simply too wide to practically support it. A 100x100mm VESA mount is also available for use with third-party monitor stands and arms. The panel (without stand) weighs less than 16 pounds, so high-quality monitor arms will easily support it. Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C connectivity As I’ve mentioned in past reviews, connectivity is often not just nice to have but, rather, the entire reason to buy a monitor. And the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C has plenty of connectivity. The star of the show is the USB-C port. It supports USB-C with data rates up to 5Gbps, DisplayPort, and up to 90 watts of USB Power Delivery. While the data rate isn’t impressive, the Dell Pro 34 Plus covers all the basics that should be expected from a modern USB-C monitor. Additional video connectivity includes DisplayPort and HDMI. All video inputs can handle the monitor’s maximum resolution and refresh rate. DisplayPort-out is not available, though, which is a bit disappointing for a monitor in this category. The USB-C input connects to one downstream USB-C port and three downstream USB-A ports. Some of these ports are found in a convenient pop-out on the monitor’s chin, which makes it easier to connect USB devices. A USB-B input is available, too, and can connect to the downstream USB ports in place of, or alongside, a USB-C device. A gigabit Ethernet port is available, which means the Dell Pro 34 Plus can extend wired Ethernet to a connected device. That’s handy if you’re connecting to a modern laptop (which, most likely, lacks Ethernet) and are looking for a wired Ethernet connection. The Dell Pro 34 Plus covers all the basics that should be expected from a modern USB-C monitor. Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C menus and features The Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C’s options are controlled with a joystick on the rear right flank. That’s typical for a monitor, though placing the joystick in this location on an ultrawide makes the control a little hard to reach. You might not need it, however, because the Dell Pro 34 Plus is compatible with Dell’s Display and Peripheral Manager (DPPM). It’s a software utility that can control most monitor features and image quality adjustments. Most competitors (including Asus and BenQ) offer similar options, but Dell’s utility looks nice and works well. DPPM is compatible with Windows 10/11 and MacOS, but not Linux. Matthew Smith / Foundry Unfortunately, the Dell Pro 34 Plus doesn’t offer a great range of image quality adjustment. It has just a handful of image quality presets and does not provide gamma and color temperature presets that target specific values. While I understand the Dell Pro 34 Plus isn’t really meant for owners picky about image quality, I still feel that, at this price, more image quality adjustments should be expected. The feature list is a bit light, too. The monitor has a KVM switch but it doesn’t have built-in speakers, a tripod mount, or an ambient light sensor. The lack of extra features feels stingy, given the MSRP. Those looking for more built-in functionality might consider the Dell Pro 34 Plus P3424WEB, a 34-inch ultrawide with camera, speakers, and similar USB-C connectivity, which is sold at an MSRP of $819.99. Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C SDR image quality The Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C is a 34-inch ultrawide monitor with a 21:9 aspect ratio, a display resolution of 3440×1440, and a conventional LCD-IPS panel. The type of panel is important. Dell was the first company to sell monitors with a new type of IPS panel, called IPS Black, that has improved contrast, and IPS Black is found in many of its flagship monitors. The Pro 34 Plus USB-C doesn’t have this new type of panel, however, which hampers its SDR image quality. Matthew Smith / Foundry We start with brightness, where the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C provides a mid-pack maximum brightness of 327 nits. This level of brightness is greater than an OLED competitor, such as the MSI MPG 341C, and some IPS-LCD monitors, like the BenQ PD3420Q. In general, the Dell Pro 34 Plus is bright enough for use in a home or business setting. However, it could be brighter, as some other monitors show. Matthew Smith / Foundry Next up is contrast, where the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C provides a contrast ratio of 1220:1 at 50 percent of maximum brightness. That, once again, is a fine but not incredible result. The Dell Pro 34 Plus has a better contrast ratio than the BenQ PD3420Q, but it’s not as good as the bigger Dell Ultrasharp 4025QW, and obviously not in the same league as MSI’s MPG 341C, which has an OLED panel. This is where the lack of an IPS Black panel comes back to bite the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C. It simply lacks the contrast needed to provide an immersive image. It’s not terrible, but shoppers can find price-competitive monitors that are much better. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut is a weakness of the Dell Pro 34 Plus. It achieved a color gamut that spanned 100 percent of sRGB, 83 percent of DCI-P3, and 78 percent of AdobeRGB. That’s not bad, but as the graph shows, it’s not competitive with similarly priced (or even less expensive) monitors sold in 2025. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color accuracy is good, as the monitor achieved an average color error below 2. In general, color errors should not be easy to notice, and colors will appear to be realistic (or, at least, true to their source). However, the monitor saw slight variants in gamma and color temperature. I measured a color temperature of 6700K, which is a bit cooler and more sterile than the target of 6500K. I also measured a gamma curve of 2.3, which is a bit darker than the target of 2.2. These aren’t huge swings, but I did find the color temperature noticeable. Also, the monitor lacks built-in adjustments that make this easy to fix (though software calibration is still an option). Sharpness is decent. The monitor’s 3440×1440 resolution works out to about 110 pixels per inch across the 34-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio display. That’s not bad. Also, IPS-LCD monitors do not have the sub-pixel quirks of OLED monitors, which means the Dell Pro 34 Plus looks sharper than 34-inch OLEDs such as the MSI MPG 341C. But 3440×1440 resolution isn’t all that impressive in 2025, with 4K and 5K monitors now readily available. Overall, then, the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C’s image quality is a bit of a bust. It’s okay. It does the job. And certainly, it’s fine for the general office productivity for which this monitor is intended. Still, there are many similarly priced monitors that offer better image quality at this price point. Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C HDR image quality The Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C does not support HDR. That’s mostly fine for a monitor that targets office productivity. Office productivity apps don’t typically benefit from HDR, and most don’t support it. However, OLED monitors (which are sold at this price) do offer HDR, and some are quite good at it. So, of course, they’re the better choice if HDR is important to you. Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C motion performance It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Dell Pro 34 Plus isn’t meant for gaming. However, the monitor does provide a refresh rate of up to 100Hz, which is better than nothing. Besides increasing motion clarity in games, the increased refresh rate also improves the readability of text and images as they scroll across the screen. Adaptive sync is not supported, though, and the monitor quotes an unimpressive gray-to-gray pixel response time of 5 to 8 milliseconds, depending on the mode. Motion blur remains obvious, and the monitor can’t sync with an input device for smooth frame pacing. Should you buy the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C? The Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C P3425WE is a workmanlike monitor built for, well, work. It doesn’t go out of its way to provide extra features or superior image quality and instead narrows its focus to connectivity and practical features, like a highly adjustable stand. I don’t begrudge Dell for that focus, but I do begrudge Dell for the price. Listed at an MSRP of $749.99, and currently sold for that price, the P3425WE becomes difficult to recommend. It’s even $70 more than the outgoing Dell P3424WE. Part of me wonders if the jump in price is the result of ongoing tariff concerns. Or, perhaps, Dell is simply trying to squeeze more cash from enterprise and productivity-minded shoppers willing to pay a lot for a practical display. Either way, the price narrows the Dell Pro 34 Plus USB-C’s appeal. It’s a good option for home office shoppers who want outstanding connectivity, including Ethernet and multiple downstream USB-A ports. If you’re more concerned about image quality and motion clarity, though, you should consider OLED alternatives with USB-C, like the MSI MPG 341CQPX. Read...

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To me, the biggest surprise of Intel’s earnings call wasn’t that Intel is selling out of its older chips. It’s that people are finally paying attention. For years, the mantra in the tech world has been, buy the latest and greatest. The newer, the better. And for some companies, like AMD and Qualcomm, that’s been true. Not anymore. Intel told Wall Street analysts Thursday that it’s selling out of its “Raptor Lake” processors and that the process technology they’re built upon, Intel 7, is constrained. Put another way, Intel chief financial officer David Zinsner told analysts that Intel is selling more of its years-old 12th- and 13th-gen Raptor Lake (and Raptor Lake Refresh) chips than Lunar Lake. That’s embarrassing, to be sure. But it caps off years of struggles, which some might say date back to Intel’s inability to move off of the 14nm node for several generations. Is it any surprise that Intel’s new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, believes that Intel’s organizational structure is bloated? Maybe, but to most people in technology, the answer is simple: if you deliver processors that don’t improve over their predecessors, why should you expect customers to buy your newest and most expensive chips? Instead, they’ll turn to your older, cheaper processors. And that’s what Intel says is happening — especially with the tariff typhoon blowing hard. Imgflip.com (We don’t exactly know if Intel executives were referring to PC makers or consumers themselves. And we don’t know whether consumers are buying Raptor Lake desktop chips or mobile processors, though comparing them to Lunar Lake implies the latter.) What we do know is that Intel’s own latest Core processors don’t meaningfully surpass Intel’s older chips in performance and, in certain benchmarks, they actually fall short. Just step through our Arrow Lake (Core Ultra 9 285K) review for yourself: In Cyberpunk: 2077, for example, the older Core i9-14900K produced 166 frames per second. The much newer Core Ultra 9 285K? 161 frames per second. Yes, there were power problems and later a performance patch, but that didn’t fix Intel’s reputation. If games matter, then this is a pretty damning slide for Arrow Lake.Adam Patrick Murray & Will Smith / PCWorld Of course, if you confine the discussion to laptops, the comparison gets ludicrous quickly — there is absolutely no way a Core Ultra (Lunar Lake) chip can keep up with an Intel 13th- or 14th-gen Core HX. Why would you spend more to get less? That’s clearly the question PC makers and consumers are asking themselves right now, faced with wildly oscillating tariffs and an uncertain economic future that even Intel is wondering will trigger a recession. I was all in favor of Arrow Lake’s promise to halve power for essentially equal performance — total cost of ownership is indeed a thing, and trading reduced power bills for flat performance appealed to me. But Intel didn’t even deliver on that promise, either. At that point, Arrow Lake as a desktop processor was essentially dead to a large chunk of its enthusiast audience. (In mobile, the Core Ultra 200H/ Arrow Lake chip performed surprisingly well, though that’s also because its predecessors like Lunar Lake tried to shave power, too.) Tech enthusiasts have been making the argument that, at least on the desktop, Intel really hasn’t offered anything much for years now. Certainly, AMD’s Ryzen chips have offered significant advancements. But that message is finally breaking through to the mainstream, and that’s not good news for Intel. It all boils down to the simple argument that Intel isn’t offering anything that its older, cheaper chips can’t do. And until they can, it’s hard to believe that Intel can really dig itself out of its hole. Read...

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