Samsung is implementing a major workforce realignment to improve operations and increase efficiency. According to a report from Reuters, Samsung has instructed its global subsidiaries to reduce marketing and sales staff by 15% and management personnel by 30% by the end of this year. Of its 267,800 employees worldwide, 147,000 are based overseas, and Samsung's global layoff plan is expected to impact all regions, including Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa. The exact motivation behind the layoffs is unclear; one source cites the slowdown in global demand for tech products as a factor, while another suggests Samsung is aiming to increase profits by cutting costs.

Dell is also implementing significant measures, with plans to lay off at least 12,500 employees, approximately 10% of its total workforce. Dell is striving to become "leaner" by overhauling its sales divisions and adopting paperless operations with the help of AI. Job cuts are expected to continue overseas, with U.S. staff members expecting their turn soon. Dell has declined to confirm any numbers regarding the layoffs, particularly those concerning their employees.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is almost here, and from the looks of it, it's going to be a massive hit in the gaming industry if done to the finish without any hiccups. Not even true fans of the Stalker series would have been able to anticipate the massive map size of the Stalker 2 game. And the most interesting past is, it's all handcrafted and is not created using any procedural generation, as revealed by technical producer Evegeniy Kulik in an interview.

The game will feature a 64 square kilometers world, divided into 20 regions, each with different enemies, anomalies and people. As we all know, Stalker 2 is nearing release, and from what we can see, PlayStation players are going to miss out, as the game is slated for release on PC and Xbox. Despite the challenging development period due to the war, the team has cemented the game's title as a true gem in the making, causing us gamers to have nothing but respect towards GSC Game World for their dedication and effort. Just wait to see how hard these developers have worked in creating this game's open world - very uniquely.

According to a recent report from Nikkei, China has claimed the number one spot as the single highest spender on chipmaking tools. As the data from SEMI highlights, China spent a whopping $25 billion on key semiconductor tools in the first half of 2024, more than the US, Taiwan, and South Korea combined. And the train of acceleration for the Chinese semiconductor industry doesn't seem to be slowing down, as the country is expected to spend more than $50 billion for the entire year 2024. However, this equipment is not precisely leading-edge, as Chinese companies are under Western sanctions and are unable to source advanced EUV lithography tools for making sub-7 nm chips.

Most of the spending is allocated to mature node chipmaking facilities. These so-called "second tier" companies are driving the massive expenditures, and they are plentiful. Nikkei reports that there are at least ten firms that operate with mature nodes like 10/12/16 nm nodes. Being the biggest spender, China is also one of the primary revenue sources for many companies. For the US chipmaking tool companies like Applied Materials, Lam Research, and KLA, Chinese purchases accounted for 32%, 39%, and 44% of their latest quarterly revenue, respectively. Tokyo Electron recorded orders to China accounting for 49.9% of its revenues in June, while the Netherlands giant ASML also attributed 49%. Perhaps even more interesting is the expected outlook for 2025, which shows no signs of slowing down. The Chinese semiconductor industry must establish complete self-sufficiency, and massive capital expenditures are expected to continue.

The latest Steam hardware and software survey reveals a significant shift in the gamer's operating system landscape, with Windows 11 gaining 3.36% among Windows OSes and finally surpassing the 50% mark in August 2024, now standing at 50.81%. This milestone is a notable achievement, considering the OS had been experiencing a decline in popularity just a month prior. The sudden surge in Windows 11 adoption can be attributed to users transitioning from Windows 10, which lost 3.29% of its user base in the same period. Additionally, a few users on older Windows versions, such as 8.1 and 7, have also switched to Windows 11.

Despite Windows 11's growing popularity, Windows 10 remains a formidable presence, with 48.66% of Steam users still preferring the older OS. Its success can be attributed to its stability and compatibility with a wide range of games and hardware. Many users have expressed concerns over Windows 11's performance and its stringent hardware requirements, which have made it less accessible for some gamers, especially those without the TPM 2.0-enhanced system. However, with Microsoft set to discontinue security updates and technical support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, users will need to consider upgrading to Windows 11 or another supported OS in the near future. The periodical resurgence of Windows 10 suggests that some users are hesitant to give up the older OS, but the writing is on the wall. As the deadline for Windows 10 support approaches, more users will likely make the transition to Windows 11.

During its Q2 2024 earnings call, NVIDIA confirmed that its upcoming Blackwell-based products are facing low-yield challenges. However, the company announced that it has implemented design changes to improve the production yields of its B100 and B200 processors. Despite these setbacks, NVIDIA remains optimistic about its production timeline. The tech giant plans to commence the production ramp of Blackwell GPUs in Q4 2024, with expected shipments worth several billion dollars by the end of the year. In an official statement, NVIDIA explained, "We executed a change to the Blackwell GPU mask to improve production yield." The company also reaffirmed that it had successfully sampled Blackwell GPUs with customers in the second quarter.

However, NVIDIA acknowledged that meeting demand required producing "low-yielding Blackwell material," which impacted its gross margins. During an earnings call, NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang assured investors that the supply of B100 and B200 GPUs will be there. He expressed confidence in the company's ability to mass-produce these chips starting in the fourth quarter. The Blackwell B100 and B200 GPUs use TSMC's CoWoS-L packaging technology and a complex design, which prompted rumors about the company facing yield issues with its designs. Reports suggest that initial challenges arose from mismatched thermal expansion coefficients among various components, leading to warping and system failures. However, now the company claims that the fix that solved these problems was a new GPU photomask, which bumped yields back to normal levels.

At Gamescom, Korean peripheral manufacturer Pulsar showed many upcoming releases slated for 2024 and 2025, some of which had to be flown in overnight fresh out of the factory. Aside from updates to existing mice series such as the Xlite, X2, X2H, or X2A, Pulsar also showed wholly new shapes and concepts.

Pulsar XS-1 sensor and in-house firmware
Shared between all new mouse releases from Pulsar will be improvements to the sensor and firmware. Based on PixArt's latest PAW3950 sensor, the custom XS-1 sensor will be capable of CPI adjustment in increments of 10, which would be restricted to steps of 50 on a regular PAW3950. After two years of development time, Pulsar's own in-house developed firmware is also nearing completion, and will feature multiple improvements over the third-party solution used previously. More specifically, refined double-click prevention will be included, slam-click prevention is implemented, and latency has been lowered further across the board. The firmware change will be accompanied by a new software as well, which will be exclusive to all newer models featuring the XS-1.

Intel's Sales and Marketing Group (SMG) has announced a 35% reduction in costs as the company looks to streamline operations and adapt to challenging market conditions. The cuts, revealed during an all-hands meeting on August 5th, will impact both jobs and marketing expenses within the SMG. Intel has directed the group to "simplify programs end-to-end" by the end of the year, a directive that comes on the heels of the company's announcement that it would lay off 15% of its global workforce to save $10 billion in operating expenses. "We are becoming a simpler, leaner, and more agile company that's easier for partners and customers to work with while ensuring we focus our investments on areas where we see the greatest opportunities for innovation and growth," Intel said in a statement to CRN. The company emphasized that this restructuring is about "building a stronger Intel for the future," with partners integral to its plans.

The job cuts within the SMG are expected to target overlapping responsibilities, such as account managers and industry-focused teams, which can confuse customers navigating Intel's complex organization. Additionally, the company plans to significantly reduce its marketing budget and simplify programs, aiming to save at least $100 million in the latter half of 2024 and an additional $300 million in the first half of 2025. The impact will also be felt in Intel's market development fund (MDF), a crucial tool for supporting OEMs and other partners through events, training, and more. An ex-Intel executive warned that the MDF had become vital as the company's product leadership waned, allowing it to maintain valuable relationships with partners. As Intel navigates these changes, its partners are bracing for the impact, with one CEO describing the situation as everyone "hunkering down and just waiting to hear something." Another partner executive expressed concerns about Intel's ability to maintain the level of service and support its customers have come to expect.

Samsung Electronics is set to make a significant leap in semiconductor manufacturing technology with the introduction of its first High-NA 0.55 EUV lithography tool. The company plans to install the ASML Twinscan EXE:5000 system at its Hwaseong campus between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025, marking a crucial step in developing next-generation process technologies for logic and DRAM production. This move positions Samsung about a year behind Intel but ahead of rivals TSMC and SK Hynix in adopting High-NA EUV technology. The system is expected to be operational by mid-2025, primarily for research and development purposes. Samsung is not just focusing on the lithography equipment itself but is building a comprehensive ecosystem around High-NA EUV technology.

The company is collaborating with several key partners like Lasertec (developing inspection equipment for High-NA photomasks), JSR (working on advanced photoresists), Tokyo Electron (enhancing etching machines), and Synopsys (shifting to curvilinear patterns on photomasks for improved circuit precision). The High-NA EUV technology promises significant advancements in chip manufacturing. With an 8 nm resolution capability, it could make transistors about 1.7 times smaller and increase transistor density by nearly three times compared to current Low-NA EUV systems. However, the transition to High-NA EUV comes with challenges. The tools are more expensive, costing up to $380 million each, and have a smaller imaging field. Their larger size also requires chipmakers to reconsider fab layouts. Despite these hurdles, Samsung aims for commercial implementation of High-NA EUV by 2027.

Lenovo Group Limited, together with its subsidiaries, today announced Q1 results for fiscal year 2024/25, reporting profitability improvements across all areas of the business and making significant progress in capturing hybrid AI opportunities. Group revenue increased 20% year-on-year to US$15.4 billion, net income was up 65% year-on-year to US$315 million on a non-Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards (non-HKFRS) basis, and non-PC revenue mix was up five points year-to-year reaching a historic high of 47%. The Group's results reflect its clear strategy and strong execution, persistent focus on innovation and operational excellence, as well as the advantages it reaps from being a globalized business.

The Group is both uniquely positioned and well-prepared to lead in an era of hybrid AI with its full-stack portfolio featuring AI devices like AI PCs, AI servers that support all major architectures, as well as rich AI native and AI embedded solutions and services. User feedback from Lenovo's AI PCs, defined by five key characteristics, have been encouraging, with the first AI PCs having launched in May and many more to come during IFA and Tech World later this year. The Group is confident that it will lead the industry in market share for next-generation AI PCs, which overall are expected to be more than 50% of the PC landscape by 2027, as well as lead in seizing the enormous growth opportunities across the IT market. The Group continued its commitment to innovation, with R&D spending up 6% year-to-year to US$476 million.

In a recent report by Mercury Research, AMD has shown significant progress in the CPU market during Q2 2024, particularly in the data center and laptop segments. AMD's most notable achievement comes in the server CPU space, where it now holds 24.1% of the market, a 5.6% increase year-over-year, and a 0.5% increase from the previous quarter. This growth is particularly impressive in terms of revenue, with AMD capturing 33.7% of server CPU revenue despite its lower unit share. This suggests that AMD's high-end EPYC processors carry premium prices in the data center market and are most of the unit volume. AMD has also made advancements in the laptop CPU segment, reaching a 20.3% market share. This represents a 1% increase from the previous quarter and a 3.8% rise year-over-year. The company's success in laptops can be attributed to solid demand for its existing products, propelled by Intel's reported supply issues with Meteor Lake processors.

However, AMD experienced a slight setback in the desktop CPU market, losing a 1% share to Intel quarter-over-quarter. AMD now controls 23% of this segment, compared to Intel's 77%. This dip may be due to AMD's preparation for the launch of its new Zen 5-based CPUs in August. Despite AMD's gains, Intel maintains its overall dominance in the CPU market. In the total client PC space, Intel holds a 78.9% market share, with AMD at 21.1%. Intel still holds the majority of revenue and market share on all fronts. However, AMD is executing well, and Intel's financial troubles could be a setback for team blue. More competition at every front is great to see, and we are curious to look at the data from upcoming quarters and analyze how well both of companies perform.

Intel has officially started shipping the "0x129" microcode update for its 13th and 14th generation "Raptor Lake" and "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors. This critical update is currently being pushed to all OEM/ODM partners to address the stability issues that Intel's processors have been facing. According to Intel, this microcode update fixes "incorrect voltage requests to the processor that are causing elevated operating voltage." Intel's analysis shows that the root cause of stability problems is caused by too high voltage during operation of the processor. These increases to voltage cause degradation that increases the minimum voltage required for stable operation. Intel calls this "Vmin"—it's a theoretical construct, not an actual voltage, think "speed for an airplane required to fly". The latest 0x129 microcode patch will limit the processor's voltage to no higher than 1.55 V, which should avoid further degradation. Overclocking is still supported, enthusiasts will have to disable the eTVB setting in their BIOS to push the processor beyond the 1.55 V threshold. The company's internal testing shows that the new default settings with limited voltages with standard run-to-run variations show minimal performance impact, with only a single game (Hitman 3: Dartmoor) showing degradation. For a full statement from Intel, see the quote below.

The demand for AI accelerators is going strong, and the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer, TSMC, has just confirmed that with its July 2024 revenue report. According to its latest July 2024 data, TSMC has reported a consolidated revenue of NT$256.95 billion, or about $7.94 billion at the time of writing. This represents a massive 23.6% jump from June 2024 and a 44.7% from July 2023, when revenue came in at NT$207.869 billion and NT$177.616 billion, respectively. For revenue throughout the year, measured from January to July, TSMC booked NT$1.523 trillion, or about $47 billion at the current rate. For this 7-month period, TSMC's revenue has increased by 30.5% Year-on-Year (YoY), showing great demand and an uptick in the company's production capabilities.

Of course, this is possible thanks to the massive demand driving AI chip sales from various startups and established giants like NVIDIA and AMD. Another vital customer for TSMC is Apple, which produces smartphone and Mac chips at Taiwanese facilities. The solid financial results from TSMC suggest that other fabless chip designers in its ecosystem may also experience positive outcomes in their earnings. It's worth noting that the semiconductor supply chain operates on a long-term planning basis, with arrangements made months in advance. As such, we can expect advanced silicon solutions to reach new customers in the coming months, further driving growth in the sector.

According to a recent report from Reuters, tech giant Intel is facing a significant legal challenge as shareholders file a lawsuit following a dramatic plunge in the company's stock price. The legal action comes from Intel's recent announcement of dividend suspensions and plans to lay off over 15,000 employees. The semiconductor behemoth saw its market value plummet by a staggering $32 billion in a single day, leaving investors reeling. The Construction Laborers Pension Trust of Greater St. Louis has initiated a proposed class action suit, naming Intel, CEO Pat Gelsinger, and CFO David Zinsner as defendants. The plaintiffs allege that the company made misleading statements about its business operations and manufacturing capabilities, artificially inflating its stock price between January 25 and August 1.

Intel's financial woes stem from underperforming contract foundry operations and 1% drop in revenue during the second quarter of 2024. While it may seem miniscule, declining revenue is paired with a negative 15.3% operating margin, resulting in a net loss of $1.61 billion. The company's August 1 announcement caught many shareholders off guard, prompting accusations of inadequate disclosure and transparency. This lawsuit is just one of several legal battles Intel is currently strangled in. The company is also locked in a patent dispute with R2 Semiconductor across multiple European countries, centering on voltage regulation technology. While Intel has secured a victory in the UK, it faces ongoing litigation in Germany, France, and Italy. Adding to Intel's troubles, a separate class action lawsuit is being explored on behalf of customers who purchased potentially faulty 13th and 14th-generation processors. The company also canceled its September 2024 Innovation event, citing poor financials, without any words on Arrow Lake or Lunar Lake. While the cancelation of events is sad, it is necessary to get financials back on track, and product launches should continue as usual.

Interesting things are happening in the gaming community, as Windows 10 operating system has seen an increase in its user base on the Steam platform, while Windows 11 has dipped below the 46% mark for the first time since its launch. According to the latest July data from Steam's hardware and software survey, Windows 10's share rose to 47.69%, marking a significant uptick that contrasts with Windows 11's decline to 45.73%. This trend highlights a growing preference among gamers for the older operating system, which is often praised for its stability and compatibility with a wide range of games and hardware. Many users have expressed concerns over Windows 11's performance and its stringent hardware requirements, which have made it less accessible for some gamers, especially those without the TPM 2.0-enhanced system.

The shift in user demographics is particularly interesting given that Windows 11 was designed with gaming enhancements in mind, including features like DirectStorage and Auto HDR. However, the adoption rate appears to be hampered by issues related to compatibility and performance, leading many gamers to stick with the more familiar and reliable Windows 10. This trend could prompt Microsoft to reevaluate its approach to Windows 11, particularly in terms of addressing user concerns and enhancing compatibility with existing hardware. Other OSes are seeing stagnation, especially with Linux-based distributions recording zero change. Apple's OSX stands at 1.37%, a +0.06% increase from last month.

Japanese professor Tsumoru Shintake of the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) has unveiled a revolutionary extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography technology that promises to significantly push down semiconductor manufacturing costs. The new technology tackles two previously insurmountable issues in EUV lithography. First, it introduces a streamlined optical projection system using only two mirrors, a dramatic simplification from the conventional six or more. Second, it employs a novel "dual line field" method to efficiently direct EUV light onto the photomask without obstructing the optical path. Prof. Shintake's design offers substantial advantages over current EUV lithography machines. It can operate with smaller EUV light sources, consuming less than one-tenth of the power required by conventional systems. This reduction in energy consumption also reduces operating expenses (OpEx), which are usually high in semiconductor manufacturing facilities.

The simplified two-mirror design also promises improved stability and maintainability. While traditional EUV systems often require over 1 megawatt of power, the OIST model can achieve comparable results with just 100 kilowatts. Despite its simplicity, the system maintains high contrast and reduces mask 3D effects, which is crucial for attaining nanometer-scale precision in semiconductor production. OIST has filed a patent application for this technology, with plans for practical implementation through demonstration experiments. The global EUV lithography market is projected to grow from $8.9 billion in 2024 to $17.4 billion by 2030, when most nodes are expected to use EUV scanners. In contrast, ASML's single EUV scanner can cost up to $380 million without OpEx, which is very high thanks to the power consumption of high-energy light UV light emitters. Regular EUV scanners also lose 40% of the UV light going to the next mirror, with only 1% of the starting light source reaching the silicon wafer. And that is while consuming over one megawatt of power. However, with the proposed low-cost EUV system, more than 10% of the energy makes it to the wafer, and the new system is expected to use less than 100 kilowatts of power while carrying a cost of less than 100 million, a third from ASML's flagship.

According to sources close to Bloomberg, Intel plans to cut 10,000 jobs from its global workforce. The news comes amid heavy pressure on the semiconductor giant, which has been on a steady decline over the years, while other industry rivals like AMD and NVIDIA have been rising and taking market share in various areas from Intel. It is reported that Intel currently has 110,000 employees globally, and reducing the workforce by 10,000 would net Intel around 100,000 global employees left. These figures exclude employees from spun-out units like Altera FPGA company, which is under Intel's ownership. Intel's aim to reduce its workforce is expected to come with a significant cost benefit to the company, with projected savings of $10 billion by 2025.

The news isn't yet official, but it is expected to see the light of the day as soon as this week. As Intel's CEO Pat Gelsinger invests heavily into the fab construction and development of next-generation products, there have been a few notes that Intel would have to overcome some challenges shortly to reach its long-term goals like more advanced silicon manufacturing facilities and new products for AI/HPC and client sector. One of those short-term measures is reducing the workforce to cut down expenses. Intel has reduced its workforce before. In 2022, the company announced reduced spending in non-critical areas and reducing the workforce, and in 2023, cut the workforce by 5% to 124,800 employees last year, only to be left with 110,000 employees in 2024.

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

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

The market for artificial intelligence (AI) platforms software grew at a rapid pace in 2023 and is projected to maintain its remarkable momentum, driven by the increasing adoption of AI across many industries. A new International Data Corporation (IDC) forecast shows that worldwide revenue for AI platforms software will grow to $153.0 billion in 2028 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40.6% over the 2023-2028 forecast period.

"The AI platforms market shows no signs of slowing down. Rapid innovations in generative AI is changing how companies think about their products, how they develop and deploy AI applications, and how they leverage technology themselves for reinventing their business models and competitive positioning," said Ritu Jyoti, group vice president and general manager of IDC's Artificial Intelligence, Automation, Data and Analytics research. "IDC expects this upward trajectory will continue to accelerate with the emergence of unified platforms for predictive and generative AI that supports interoperating APIs, ecosystem extensibility, and responsible AI adoption at scale."

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

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

AMD reportedly plans to incorporate glass substrates into its high-performance system-in-packages (SiPs) sometimes between 2025 and 2026. Glass substrates offer several advantages over traditional organic substrates, including superior flatness, thermal properties, and mechanical strength. These characteristics make them well-suited for advanced SiPs containing multiple chiplets, especially in data center applications where performance and durability are critical. The adoption of glass substrates aligns with the industry's broader trend towards more complex chip designs. As leading-edge process technologies become increasingly expensive and yield gains diminish, manufacturers turn to multi-chiplet designs to improve performance. AMD's current EPYC server processors already incorporate up to 13 chiplets, while its Instinct AI accelerators feature 22 pieces of silicon. A more extreme testament is Intel's Ponte Vecchio, which utilized 63 tiles in a single package.

Glass substrates could enable AMD to create even more complex designs without relying on costly interposers, potentially reducing overall production expenses. This technology could further boost the performance of AI and HPC accelerators, which are a growing market and require constant innovation. The glass substrate market is heating up, with major players like Intel, Samsung, and LG Innotek also investing heavily in this technology. Market projections suggest explosive growth, from $23 million in 2024 to $4.2 billion by 2034. Last year, Intel committed to investing up to 1.3 trillion Won (almost one billion USD) to start applying glass substrates to its processors by 2028. Everything suggests that glass substrates are the future of chip design, and we await to see first high-volume production designs.

The PC market gathered momentum in Q2 2024, with worldwide shipments of desktops and notebooks up 3.4% year-on-year, reaching 62.8 million units. Shipments of notebooks (including mobile workstations) hit 50 million units, growing 4%. Desktops (including desktop workstations), which constitute 20% of the total PC market, experienced a slight 1% growth, totaling 12.8 million units. The stage is now set for accelerated growth as the refresh cycle driven by the Windows 11 transition and AI PC adoption ramps up over the next four quarters.

"The PC industry is going from strength to strength with a third consecutive quarter of growth," said Ishan Dutt, Principal Analyst at Canalys. "The market turnaround is coinciding with exciting announcements from vendors and chipset manufacturers as their AI PC roadmaps transition from promise to reality. The quarter culminated with the launch of the first Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon processors and more clarity around Apple's AI strategy with the announcement of the Apple Intelligence suite of features for Mac, iPad and iPhone. Beyond these innovations, the market will start to benefit even more from its biggest tailwind - a ramp-up in PC demand driven by the Windows 11 refresh cycle. The vast majority of channel partners surveyed by Canalys in June indicated that Windows 10 end-of-life is likely to impact customer refresh plans most in either the second half of 2024 or the first half of 2025, suggesting that shipment growth will only gather steam in upcoming quarters."

LG Electronics USA (LG) is expanding its thinnest and lightest lineup of laptops with the LG gram SuperSlim in a crisp white colorway. The 2024 LG gram SuperSlim (15Z90ST-G.AAW4U1) stands out with an upgraded processor and sleek profile. Customers can now purchase the new LG gram SuperSlim for $799, a $600 savings from its retail price of $1399. Designed with ultra-portability in mind, the new 15.6-inch white model measures just 0.49-inches and weighs a scant 2.18lbs.

With Intel Evo Edition powered by Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processors, the 15Z90ST-G.AAW4U1 delivers improved performance for more productivity, content creation and entertainment. Powered by an Intel Core ️ Ultra Processor with an integrated AI Boost, this LG gram SuperSlim is faster than previous-generation CPU-only systems. Intel Core Ultra processors include a specialized AI processing unit alongside supercharged performance to support advanced, innovative use cases and demanding applications. The architecture enables smooth graphics and power efficiency for improved battery life.

Micron has announced more precise timeframes for the commencement of operations at its two new memory facilities in the United States during its Q3 FY2024 results presentation. The company expects these fabs, located in Idaho and New York, to begin production between late 2026 and 2029. The Idaho fab, currently under construction near Boise, is slated to start operations between September 2026 and September 2027. Meanwhile, the New York facility is projected to come online in the calendar year 2028 or later, pending the completion of regulatory and permitting processes. These timelines align with Micron's original plans announced in 2022 despite recent spending optimizations. The company emphasizes that these investments are crucial to support supply growth in the latter half of this decade.

Micron's capital expenditure for FY2024 is set at approximately $8 billion, with a planned increase to around $12 billion in FY2025. This substantial rise in spending, targeting a mid-30s percentage of revenue, will support various technological advancements and facility expansions. A substantial portion of this increased investment - over $2 billion - will be dedicated to constructing the new fabs in Idaho and New York. Additional funds will support high-bandwidth memory assembly and testing, as well as the development of other fabrication and back-end facilities. Sanjay Mehrotra, Micron's CEO, underscored the importance of these investments, stating that the new capacity is essential to meet long-term demand and maintain the company's market position. He added that these expansions, combined with ongoing technology transitions in Asian facilities, will enable Micron to grow its memory bit supply in line with industry demand.

PC (excluding tablets) shipments to the United States grew 5% year-on-year to 14.8 million units in Q1 2024. The consumer and SMB segments were the key growth drivers, both witnessing shipment increases above 9% year-on-year in the first quarter. With a strong start to the year, the market is now poised for a healthy recovery trajectory amid the ongoing Windows refresh cycle. Total PC shipments to the US are expected to hit 69 million units in 2024 before growing another 8% to 75 million units in 2025.

For the third consecutive quarter, the consumer segment showed the best performance in the US market. "Continued discounting after the holiday season boosted consumer demand for PCs into the start of 2024," said Greg Davis, Analyst at Canalys. "However, the first quarter also saw an uptick in commercial sector performance. Shipment growth in small and medium businesses indicates that the anticipated refresh brought by the Windows 10 end-of-life is underway. With enterprise customers set to follow suit, the near-term outlook for the market remains highly positive."

The PC (desktops, notebooks, and workstations) market in Mainland China is forecast to contract by 1% in 2024 according to the latest Canalys data. The first quarter of the year already saw a sharp decline, with shipments down 12%, in contrast to the global market which returned to growth. Desktop shipments are expected to perform well in 2024, growing 10% annually as they benefit from commercial sector refresh demand, especially from large state-held enterprises and local governments. Notebook shipments are set to drop 5%, as demand from consumers and the private sector is anticipated to remain cautious on short-term expenditure such as PCs.

China's PC market trajectory is diverging from global trends in its recovery journey. In Q1 2024, the commercial sector bore the brunt of the market downturn, undergoing a 19% decline due to weak IT spending by large enterprises. The decline in consumer shipments was milder, with shipments dropping 8%. However, despite the muted performance in 2024, significant local developments point to a stronger market in 2025, in which PC shipments are expected to grow 12%.