Speculated lower-end Intel second generation Arc GPUs popped up via SiSoftware Sandra database entries around mid-March—evaluation samples are likely in the hands of trusted hardware partners. Yesterday, momomo_us happened upon another interesting shipping manifest, following a series of AMD-related leaks. The latest list reveals five "Battlemage" products—three utilizing the BMG-21 GPU, and the remaining two being based on the BMG-10 design. These identifiers have appeared in older leaks, although the latter has been viewed in place sight—chez Intel Malaysia's Failure Analysis Lab.

Previous leaks suggest that these second generation Arc models (Xe2) reside within a "High-Performance Graphics" (HPG) discrete GPU family—the Xe2-HPG BMG-10 range is likely targeting an "enthusiast" market segment, while the Xe2-HPG BMG-21 tier is rumored to offer mid-tier performance. Intel staffers have expressed confidence about a possible late 2024 launch window. Back in January, Tom "TAP" Petersen revealed that the Arc hardware team had already moved onto third-gen "Celestial" GPU endeavors: "I'd say about 30% of our engineers are working on Battlemage, mostly on the software side because our hardware team is on the next thing." The first-gen deck has not been cleared fully it seems—the Alchemist family could be joined by two new variants in the near future.

A CPU-Z screenshot has been shared by YuuKi_AnS—the image contains details about an alleged next-gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor engineering sample (ES). The hardware tipster noted in (yesterday's post) that an error had occurred in the application's identification of this chunk of prototype silicon. CPU-Z v2.09 has recognized the basics—an Intel Granite Rapids-SP processor that is specced with 80 cores, 2.5 GHz max frequency, a whopping 672 MB of L3 cache, and a max. TDP rating of 350 W. The counting of 320 threads seems to be CPU-Z's big mistake here—previous Granite Rapids-related leaks have not revealed Team Blue's Hyper-Threading technology producing such impressive numbers.

The alleged prototype status of this Xeon chip is very apparent in CPU-Z's tracking of single and multi-core performance—the benchmark results are really off the mark, when compared to finalized current-gen scores (produced by rival silicon). Team Blue's next-gen Xeon series is likely positioned to catch up with AMD EPYC's deployment of large core counts—"Granite Rapids" has been linked to the Intel 3 foundry node, reports from last month suggest that XCC-type processors could be configured with "counts going up to 56-core/112-threads." Micron is prepping next-gen "Tall Form Factor" memory modules, designed with future enterprise processor platforms in mind—including Intel's Xeon Scalable "Granite Rapids" family. Industry watchdogs posit that Team Blue will be launching this series in the coming months.

Intel's "Meteor Lake" mobile processor family launched last December, with an initial selection comprised of eleven "Core Ultra" SKUs. This week, internet sleuths have stumbled on some new additions—Team Blue has seemingly rolled out new models without much fanfare. Benchleaks discovered an intriguing Geekbench Browser entry that detailed a "Google Rex" Android device specced with an Intel Core Ultra 5 115U CPU. The benchmark database displays two errors—namely the incorrect detection of 10 cores and 10 threads. Team Blue's official product page lists 8 cores and 10 threads—specifically a configuration housing two P-Cores, four E-Cores, and two LP-Cores.

Amusingly, the official datasheet specifies that the Core Ultra 5 115U launched alongside the debut batch of Meteor Lake parts. VideoCardz posits that the chip's weaker iGPU specs separate it from the rest of the pack: "its designation as 'Ultra' might be misleading. In reality, even its graphics have been scaled down to 3 Xe-Cores, making it the sole SKU in the entire lineup with fewer than 4 Xe-Cores. The NPU is still intact and seems to be working at the same speed as the most powerful Meteor Lake chip. This suggests that the 115U could potentially excel as an AI accelerator, prioritizing AI tasks over other functions." This entry-level SKU is not fully out in the wild, but the existence of test platforms (via Geekbench Browser entries) semi-proves that Team Blue and its hardware partners are readying new portable products.

Outpost: Infinity Siege developers recommend underclocking Intel's current and previous flagship desktop processors, the Core i9-14900K and i9-13900K, to prevent the game from crashing. This recommendation goes out to those with a GeForce RTX 4090 paired with either a Core i9-13900K or i9-14900K, we're fairly sure that the recommendation even extends to those with i9-14900KS and i9-13900KS. Team Ranger, the developers of the game, just released their second patch in just a week following the game's launch. In the patch notes, they ask users to use Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU), to lower the P-core clock speeds down to at least 5.00 GHz (maximum boost). This development closely follows a February 2024 report which says that game stability issues of high-end "Raptor Lake" processors are linked to power limit unlocks.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, is pleased to release the new BETA BIOS for all Z790 and B760 motherboards with Intel 14th Gen Processors, which provides the option to disable CEP (Current Excursion Protection) and deliver exceptional CPU performance with lower temperature and stability.

For a long time, the CEP function on Intel B760 chipset was default enabled for 14th Gen CPUs and unable to be disabled. This always results in the requirement of higher power protection and voltage compensation settings to ensure performance with stability, or a sacrifice in performance instead. The new BETA BIOS supports disabling the CEP function by utilizing Intel's updated microcode. Additionally, GIGABYTE BIOS not only features optimized power settings that suit every different CPU but also offers exclusive easy settings, like PerfDrive, to enable a simple balance of performance, power consumption, and temperature with Intel Core processors. This ensures achieving the same performance at lower CPU operating temperatures as well as excellent stability and high efficiency, safeguarding the durability of CPU/VRM components.

ZOTAC TECHNOLOGY, a global company focused on innovation, announces three brand-new series of compact form-factor mini AI PCs powered by cutting-edge processors. These mini AI PCs, powered by Intel and AMD processors with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPU), let users embrace the next generation of computing empowered by Artificial Intelligence.

Accelerated with embedded NPUs within Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen Processors, the brand-new AI PC ZBOX lineup brings the power of Artificial Intelligence to the desk, allowing users to jumpstart their productivity or creativity with AI-powered acceleration. ZBOX's signature lightweight form factor chassis coupled with next-gen hardware create a new generation of versatile, capable personal computers that are smarter to use and even easier to set up.

Today, MLCommons published results of the industry-standard MLPerf v4.0 benchmark for inference. Intel's results for Intel Gaudi 2 accelerators and 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors with Intel Advanced Matrix Extensions (Intel AMX) reinforce the company's commitment to bring "AI Everywhere" with a broad portfolio of competitive solutions. The Intel Gaudi 2 AI accelerator remains the only benchmarked alternative to Nvidia H100 for generative AI (GenAI) performance and provides strong performance-per-dollar. Further, Intel remains the only server CPU vendor to submit MLPerf results. Intel's 5th Gen Xeon results improved by an average of 1.42x compared with 4th Gen Intel Xeon processors' results in MLPerf Inference v3.1.

"We continue to improve AI performance on industry-standard benchmarks across our portfolio of accelerators and CPUs. Today's results demonstrate that we are delivering AI solutions that deliver to our customers' dynamic and wide-ranging AI requirements. Both Intel Gaudi and Xeon products provide our customers with options that are ready to deploy and offer strong price-to-performance advantages," said Zane Ball, Intel corporate vice president and general manager, DCAI Product Management.

Intel Core Ultra "Lunar Lake-MX" will be the company's bulwark against Apple's M-series Pro and Max chips, designed to power the next crop of performance ultraportables. The MX codename extension denotes MoP (memory-on-package), which sees stacked LPDDR5X memory chips share the package's fiberglass substrate with the chip, to conserve PCB footprint, and give Intel greater control over the right kind of memory speed, timings, and power-management features suited to its microarchitecture. This is essentially what Apple does with its M-series SoCs powering its MacBooks and iPad Pros. Igor's Lab scored the motherlode on the way Intel has restructured the various components across its chiplets, and the various I/O wired to the package.

When compared to "Meteor Lake," the "Lunar Lake" microarchitecture sees a small amount of "re-aggregation" of the various logic-heavy components of the processor. On "Meteor Lake," the CPU cores and the iGPU sat on separate tiles—Compute tile and Graphics tile, respectively, with a large SoC tile sitting between them, and a smaller I/O tile that serves as an extension of the SoC tile. All four tiles sat on top of a Foveros base tile, which is essentially an interposer—a silicon die that facilitates high-density microscopic wiring between the various tiles that are placed on top of it. With "Lunar Lake," there are only two tiles—the Compute tile, and the SoC tile.

MSI, an innovative leader in computing technology, is excited to announce the release of its newest All-in-One PCs: the Modern AM242TP 1M and Modern AM272P 1M series. These devices are designed to revolutionize productivity and efficiency in the modern workplace by integrating cutting-edge features that enhance user experience and performance with elegant design. The new series features the latest Intel Core processors, DDR5 memory, and dTPM 2.0 security, and MSI AI Engine.

The new Modern series All-in-One PC with the unique EyesErgo Technology, available in 24-inch and 27-inch sizes, is designed with eye-care and ergonomic technology to meet the high-performance computing needs of business and productivity users. Both models feature a modern and sleek design with a narrow bezel display. The 24-inch Modern AM242TP series has a Full HD (1920x1080) resolution with Anti-flicker, Less Blue Light, and a 10-point touch panel. The 27-inch Modern AM272P, on the other hand, has an HDMI input and output, allowing it to function as a second monitor with MSI Instant Display Technology. The tilt-height adjustable stand provides ergonomic flexibility for the Modern AM242TP and AM272P series, allowing users to adjust the viewing angles for their comfort. Whether running a personal studio, managing a YouTube channel, or brainstorming ideas for a business, the Modern series can bring ideas and imagination to life.

DFI, the world's leading brand in embedded motherboards and industrial computers, has introduced its latest KS101-EHL industrial touchscreen PC designed for reliability and durability in semi-outdoor applications. Equipped with energy efficient Intel Atom Processors, the Panel PC provides the high performance required by various industries such as automatic car wash machines, ticket machines, and parking payment machines. Combined with its rugged design and intuitive interface, the KS101-EHL ensures operational and energy efficiency.

With sustained growth in recent years, the car wash industry has a growing demand for the optimization of human-machine interfaces and other equipment. Various environmental conditions such as high temperature, strong light, high humidity, and road dust can cause damage to sensors, connections, and screens. Therefore, products used in car wash systems must meet industry requirements of different application environments to maintain the safety, durability, and efficiency. Industrial-grade touchscreen tablets with robust designs play a crucial role in similar applications.

CyberPowerPC, a leading name in the gaming PC industry, today announced its latest gaming laptops, the Tracer VIII Series. These gaming laptops come in three different models with different feature sets for all levels of gaming. Features a crisp 17.4" WQXGA 2560x1600 240HZ screen complemented by 14th Gen Intel Mobile Processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics. The keyboard is mechanical with RGB backlighting making for a comfortable gaming and typing experience. Comes ready for an optional detachable liquid cooler.

Features a clear 16" WQXGA 2560x1600 240 Hz SRGB 100% display with 14th Gen Intel Core Mobile Processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics. Also has a mechanical RGB Backlit keyboard for a pleasant tactile typing experience. This model gives you the best of the Edge and Gaming models, such as 14th Gen Intel Mobile Processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics, in a smaller, thinner package. A minimalistic design keeps things lightweight and portable. A 180-degree hinge on the screen allows the laptop to lay completely flat for ultimate viewing flexibility. The charger also sees a makeover, with a 240 W ultra slim adapter for better charging on the go. Available with 15.3" WQXGA 2560x1600 120 Hz SRGB 100% or 16" WQXGA 2560x1600 165 Hz SRGB 100% displays.

Intel Corporation today announced the creation of two new artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives as part of the AI PC Acceleration Program: the AI PC Developer Program and the addition of independent hardware vendors to the program. These are critical milestones in Intel's pursuit of enabling the software and hardware ecosystem to optimize and maximize AI on more than 100 million Intel-based AI PCs through 2025.

"We have made great strides with our AI PC Acceleration Program by working with the ecosystem. Today, with the addition of the AI PC Developer Program, we are expanding our reach to go beyond large ISVs and engage with small- and medium-sized players and aspiring developers. Our goal is to drive a frictionless experience by offering a broad set of tools including the new AI-ready Developer Kit," said Carla Rodriguez, Intel vice president and general manager of Client Software Ecosystem Enabling.

Phoronix has taken a short break away from monitoring the latest goings-on at AMD's software department—the site's editor-in-chief, Michael Larabel, took a moment to investigate patch notes relating to Intel's Xe and i915 Linux kernel graphics drivers. Earlier today, he noticed that "two additional PCI IDs" have been added to Team Blue's DG2/Alchemist family. This discovery prompted further sleuthing—after: "some searching and turning up hits within the Intel Compute Runtime code, 0x56BE is for an Intel Arc Graphics A750E variant and 0x56BF is for an Intel Arc Graphics A580E."

The aforementioned GPU identification codes seem to exist in gray area—the patch notes do not reveal whether these new variants are destined for desktop or mobile platforms. VideoCardz cited a remark made by "Bionic_Squash"—the reputable leaker reckons that the: "IDs are linked to Intel's Arc Embedded series. This family is tailored for industrial, business, and commercial applications, ranging from edge systems to powering large interactive screens." It is highly likely that Intel is paving the way for embedded/low-power variants of its existing Arc A750 and A580 GPUs. Tom's Hardware proposes that Team Blue is clearing out its inventory of remaining Alchemist silicon ahead of a successive generation's rollout—Battlemage is a major priority in 2024.

An intriguing offshoot of Intel's Meteor Lake generation of processors has been discovered by hardware sleuth momomo_us—an iBase MI1002 motherboard specification sheet contains references to a 14th Gen Core Ultra (Meteor Lake-PS) family, with a next-gen LGA1851 socket listed as the desktop platform. The industrial iBase Mini-ITX workstation board is "coming soon" according to a promotional image—this could signal a revival of Meteor Lake outside of laptop platforms. 2023 was a bit of a rollercoaster year for MTL-S SKUs (on socket LGA1851)—one moment Team Blue confirmed that it was happening, then a couple of days later it was disposed of. The upcoming Arrow Lake processor generation seems to be the logical taker of this mantle, but the (leaked) existence of Meteor Lake-PS throws a proverbial spanner into the works.

iBase's MTL-PS-ready boards will be niche "industrial/embedded" items—according to Tom's Hardware: "Intel hasn't officially revealed Meteor Lake PS, but given the "PS" designation, these upcoming processors target the IoT market, similar to Alder Lake PS. Therefore, it's safe to assume that Intel is bringing the mobile Meteor Lake processors to the LGA1851 socket...Although the motherboard has (this) socket, no chipset is present because Meteor Lake PS is the spitting image of the Meteor Lake chip and doesn't need a PCH." Team Blue is hyping up Arrow Lake (ARL-S) as its next-gen mainstream desktop platform, with a launch window set for later in 2024—by sharp contrast, Meteor Lake PS parts are highly unlikely to receive much fanfare upon release.

Ugreen, a leading innovator in consumer electronics, is excited to announce the launch of its inaugural Network Attached Storage (NAS) series. The launch is scheduled for March 26 on the popular crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter.com. This campaign is specifically aimed at users in the United States and Germany. As a special incentive, UGREEN is offering an early bird discount of 40%, with prices commencing at just USD $239.99. Visit Kickstarter.com to be among the first to experience UGREEN's innovative NASync series.

UGREEN NASync series is a versatile range designed to cater to a variety of use scenarios. The NASync DXP2800 and NASync DXP4800 and DXP4800 Plus are tailored for personal and home users. For power users and business solutions, UGREEN offers the NASync DXP6800 Pro and NASync DXP8800 Plus. Lastly, the NASync DXP480T Plus is specifically designed to meet the needs of creative and media professionals.

Know more about the Kickstarter campaign here.

George Hotz and his startup operation (Tiny Corporation) appeared ready to completely abandon AMD Radeon GPUs last week, after experiencing a period of firmware-related headaches. The original plan involved the development of a pre-orderable $15,000 TinyBox AI compute cluster that housed six XFX Speedster MERC310 RX 7900 XTX graphics cards, but software/driver issues prompted experimentation via alternative hardware routes. A lot of media coverage has focused on the unusual adoption of consumer-grade GPUs—Tiny Corp.'s struggles with RDNA 3 (rather than CDNA 3) were maneuvered further into public view, after top AMD brass pitched in.

The startup's social media feed is very transparent about showcasing everyday tasks, problem-solving and important decision-making. Several Acer Predator BiFrost Arc A770 OC cards were purchased and promptly integrated into a colorfully-lit TinyBox prototype, but Hotz & Co. swiftly moved onto Team Green pastures. Tiny Corp. has begrudgingly adopted NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPUs. Earlier today, it was announced that work on the AMD-based system has resumed—although customers were forewarned about anticipated teething problems. The surprising message arrived in the early hours: "a hard to find 'umr' repo has turned around the feasibility of the AMD TinyBox. It will be a journey, but it gives us an ability to debug. We're going to sell both, red for $15,000 and green for $25,000. When you realize your pre-order you'll choose your color. Website has been updated. If you like to tinker and feel pain, buy red. The driver still crashes the GPU and hangs sometimes, but we can work together to improve it."

Intel is quietly working on second generation Arc GPUs—we have not heard much about Xe2 "Battlemage" since CES 2024. Back in January, Tom "TAP" Petersen—an Intel fellow and marketing guru—casually revealed during an interview conducted by PC World: "I'd say about 30% of our engineers are working on Battlemage, mostly on the software side because our hardware team is on the next thing (Celestial)...Battlemage has already has its first silicon in the labs which is very exciting and there's more good news coming which I can't talk about right now." Intel appears to be targeting a loose late 2024 launch window; Petersen stated that he would like to see second generation products arrive at retail before CES 2025's commencement. The SiSoftware Sandra database was updated around mid-March with two very intriguing new Intel GPU entries—test systems (built on an ASUS PRIME Z790-P WIFI mainboard) were spotted running graphics solutions "equipped with 20 Xe-Core (160 EU) and 24 Xe-Cores (160 EU)."

Michael/miktdt commented on the freshly discovered database entries: "some smaller versions are on Sisoft...I guess they are coming. Single-float GP Compute looks quite good for just 160 VE/192 VE. Doesn't tell much about the release though, I guess anything between Q4 2024 and Q2 2025 is a possibility." Both models seem to sport 11.6 GB VRAM capacities—likely 12 GB—and 8 MB of L2 cache. Wccftech has guesstimated potential 192-bit memory bandwidth for these speculative lower-level GPUs. Team Blue has a bit more tweaking to do—based on leaked figures—but time is on their side: "the performance per core for Alchemist currently sits an average of 16% faster than the alleged Battlemage GPU which isn't a big deal since driver-level optimizations and final silicon can give a huge boost when the retail products come out."

According to a report by the Financial Times, China has banned the use of Intel and AMD chips in government computers. The decision, which aims to reduce reliance on foreign technology and boost domestic semiconductor production, is expected to have far-reaching implications for the global tech industry and geopolitical relations. The Chinese government has instructed PC suppliers to replace foreign-made CPUs with domestic alternatives in all government computers within the next two years. This directive is part of China's broader strategy to achieve self-sufficiency in critical technologies and reduce its vulnerability to potential supply chain disruptions or geopolitical tensions. The ban on Intel and AMD chips is likely to significantly impact the two companies, as China represents a substantial market for their products.

However, the move also presents an opportunity for Chinese semiconductor manufacturers like Loongson and Sunway to expand their market share and accelerate the development of their next-generation chip technologies. By reducing its dependence on foreign technology, China aims to strengthen its position in the global tech landscape and mitigate the risks associated with potential sanctions or export controls. As China pushes for self-sufficiency in semiconductors, the global technology industry will likely experience a shift in supply chains and increased competition from Chinese manufacturers. This development may also prompt other countries to reevaluate their reliance on foreign technology and invest in domestic production capabilities, potentially leading to a more fragmented and competitive global tech market.

According to Bloomberg's latest investigation, Huawei and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) have submitted patents on the self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) pattern etching technique to enable SMIC to achieve 5 nm semiconductor production. The two Chinese giants have been working with the Deep Ultra Violet (DUV) machinery to develop a pattern etching technique allowing SMIC to produce a node compliant with the US exporting rules while maintaining the density improvements from the previously announced 7 nm node. In the 7 nm process, SMIC most likely used self-aligned dual patterning (SADP) with DUV tools, but for the increased density of the 5 nm node, a doubling to SAQP is required. In semiconductor manufacturing, lithography tools take multiple turns to etch the design of the silicon wafer.

Especially with smaller nodes getting ever-increasing density requirements, it is becoming challenging to etch sub-10 nm designs using DUV tools. That is where Extreme Ultra Violet (EUV) tools from ASML come into play. With EUV, the wavelengths of the lithography printers are 14 times smaller than DUV, at only 13.5 nm, compared to 193 nm of ArF immersion DUV systems. This means that without EUV, SMIC has to look into alternatives like SAQP to increase the density of its nodes and, as a result, include more complications and possibly lower yields. As an example, Intel tried to use SAQP in its first 10 nm nodes to reduce reliance on EUV, which resulted in a series of delays and complications, eventually pushing Intel into EUV. While Huawei and SMIC may develop a more efficient solution for SAQP, the use of EUV is imminent as the regular DUV can not keep up with the increasing density of semiconductor nodes. Given that ASML can't ship its EUV machinery to China, Huawei is supposedly developing its own EUV machines, but will likely take a few more years to show.

Intel and Arm have signed a memorandum of understanding that finalizes the Emerging Business Initiative, their collaboration to support the startup community. The initiative builds on the April 2023 multi-generation agreement to enable chip designers to build low-power compute system-on-chips (SoCs) on the Intel 18A process. Together, the companies will provide essential intellectual property (IP) and manufacturing support, while also making financial assistance available, to foster innovation and growth for startups developing a range of devices and servers built on Arm-based SoCs and manufactured by Intel Foundry. The Emerging Business Initiative was announced last month at Intel Foundry Direct Connect in San Jose, California.

"Intel Foundry and Arm share the belief that for technology to benefit everyone, the building blocks of innovation must be available to anyone. Startups play a crucial role in bringing the great promise of transformations like AI to reality. The Emerging Business Initiative provides a path for new companies to leverage leading-edge Arm-based SoCs and Intel Foundry's global manufacturing capabilities to make their ideas real," said Stuart Pann, Intel senior vice president and general manager of Foundry Services.

We are excited to announce the first Surface AI PCs built exclusively for business: Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business. These new PCs represent a major step forward in customer-focused design and are packed with features that business customers have been requesting - from amazing performance and battery life to more ports, better security and custom, durable anti-reflective displays. These are the first Surface PCs optimized for AI, with the new Copilot key being added to Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro keyboards that accelerate access to the best Windows AI experiences. In addition to the new Surface for Business products, we are pleased to announce the Microsoft Adaptive Accessories will now be available to commercial customers.

These new PCs are powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processors. We partnered with Intel to deliver the power and reliable performance our customers depend on, along with compelling AI experiences for Surface and the Windows ecosystem. Surface has also been leading in Neural Processing Unit (NPU) integration to drive AI experiences on the PC since 2019, and the benefits of these connected efforts are evident. From a performance perspective, Surface Laptop 6 is 2x faster than Laptop 52, and Surface Pro 10 is up to 53% faster than Pro 9. The benefits of the NPU integration include AI features like Windows Studio Effects and Live Captions and the opportunity for businesses and developers to build their own AI apps and experiences.

Intel today released the latest version of Arc GPU Graphics Drivers. Version 101.5379 Beta comes with a massive selection of game-specific performance updates. To begin with, the drivers introduce optimization for Diablo IV ray tracing update; Dragon's Dogma 2 (performance up 18% on average), Horizon Forbidden West (up 6%), and The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The drivers also introduce performance updates for a large selection of games, including Conqueror's Blade (+54%), Detroit: Become Human (+172%), God of War (+36%), and Sons of the Forest (+9%).

Among the issues fixed with 101.5379 Beta include an application crash with Counter Strike 2 at launch; and a similar application crash with DOTA 2; and for Arc iGPUs, an application crash with Serif Affinity Photo 2 when running the benchmark; and Alan Wake 2, which experiences display corruption when turning off the global reflection settings. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.5379 Beta

The Biden-Harris Administration announced today that Intel and the U.S. Department of Commerce have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) for up to $8.5 billion in direct funding to Intel for commercial semiconductor projects under the CHIPS and Science Act. CHIPS Act funding aims to increase U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and research and development capabilities, especially in leading-edge semiconductors. Intel is the only American company that both designs and manufactures leading-edge logic chips. The proposed funding would help advance Intel's critical semiconductor manufacturing and research and development projects at its sites in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio and Oregon, where the company develops and produces many of the world's most advanced chips and semiconductor packaging technologies.

"Today is a defining moment for the U.S. and Intel as we work to power the next great chapter of American semiconductor innovation," said Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. "AI is supercharging the digital revolution and everything digital needs semiconductors. CHIPS Act support will help to ensure that Intel and the U.S. stay at the forefront of the AI era as we build a resilient and sustainable semiconductor supply chain to power our nation's future."

Today, Lenovo launched its latest business laptop offerings in the form of the ThinkPad L series and ThinkPad X13 series. The new laptops are a testament to Lenovo's commitment to innovation and sustainability with features such as enhanced repairability, more recycled materials, efficient power management, and powerful processing capabilities with built-in security and manageability. With these offerings, Lenovo is not only showcasing its technological expertise but also its dedication to supporting a diverse customer base in achieving success across many business segments.

Lenovo's latest ThinkPad L series and X13 series with multiple advancements geared towards enhancing user experience. The new models offer several form factors - including 13-inch or 13-inch 2-in-1, 14-inch and introducing new 16-inch displays in ThinkPad L16 - catering to those in need of portability without compromising performance. Equipped with an optional higher resolution 5MP camera, users can expect enhanced video conferencing and content creation capabilities. The 16:10 ratio displays are designed to offer an immersive viewing experience for optimal productivity and with support up to 64 GB RAM, these laptops promise seamless multitasking and enhanced performance. Improvements in rear vent thermals ensure efficient cooling for prolonged usage, while select models offer support for up to Wi-Fi 7 and 4G LTE or 5G sub6 on select models, enhancing connectivity options. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with Intel vPro or AMD Ryzen PRO 7030 Series processors on ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 and L16 Gen 1, these new laptops are designed to optimally run Windows 11 and are poised to elevate productivity and streamline professional tasks.

Construction of Intel's New Albany, Ohio fabrication site started back in late 2022—since then, a series of setbacks have caused anticipated timelines to slip. Team Blue's original plans included a 2025 opening ceremony—last month, this was amended to late 2026 or early 2027. New equipment deliveries have been affected by extreme weather conditions—Intel appears to be shoring up its flood prevention systems at their Licking County location. Ohio's Department of Development received a progress report at the start of this month, authored by Team Blue staffers—revised figures indicate that Fabrication sites 1 and 2 are expected to reach operational status somewhere within "2027-2028."

Jim Evers (Intel's Ohio Site Manager) stated: "we are making great progress growing the Silicon Heartland. In addition to the approximately $1.5 billion investment in completed spends through 12/31/23 referenced in the report, Intel has an additional $3 billion in contractually committed spends underway, totaling $4.5 billion committed toward our Ohio One projects." Intel committed a hefty $20 billion greenfield investment into the two Ohio wafer fab sites, but the latest progress report indicates that just under a quarter of that budget has trickled out of company coffers (so far). Evers's statement continued: "this investment is growing every day as we work to establish a new manufacturing campus to build leading-edge semiconductor chips right here in Ohio." A Tom's Hardware report reminds us about Team Blue's New Albany project receiving "over $2 billion in incentives." Industry rumors posit that the US government is readying a multi-billion dollar grant for Intel's Arizona facility.