There’s growing speculation that smartphone capabilities will soon surpass the dominance of laptops.
AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm have all been working on a technology to make Apple’s old M3 chip obsolete while embracing AI and increasing battery life.
Rumors claim that Nvidia may be pursuing an Arm solution. This was one of the reasons for its failed bid to purchase Arm, which is now public.
RISC V is on the horizon, but it is not a serious threat to PCs.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT adds another twist to this story by exploring the development of a neural processor unit (NPU), which could replace GPUs in high-performance language models such as generative artificial intelligence.
This activity is likely to take place in the latter part of 2024. It’s a sign that there will be an epic battle. But, in the background, companies are realizing that smartphones may eventually replace laptops.
Qualcomm and Lenovo will be able to benefit from the growth of smartphones in 2024. Apple will not allow this to happen because it wants customers to buy both its products.
This week, we will discuss the 2024 laptop chip battles and conclude with the Product of the Week: a high-end 4K touchscreen graphics monitor.
Laying out the Battlefield
Intel has made a remarkable recovery from its mistakes in the last decade. As a well-established vendor, it only needs to be good enough.
It is difficult to convince customers that Intel’s products are inferior. Intel’s defense is heavily dependent on its Lunar Lake chip, which, on paper, is as powerful and efficient as AMD’s upcoming products or as fast as Qualcomm’s.
Intel, however, has many distractions. Intel is more distracted than its competitors from the conflict in Israel, where one of Intel’s largest FABs is located, to the fallout after layoffs and wage reductions. As of yet, I haven’t seen any problems, but if OEMs start to experience them, they will hedge with another company.
AMD
AMD is a shining example of execution.
The company is gaining market share and performing well because it is focusing on PCs. AMD’s Ryzen 8800 processors with Zen 5 will likely outperform Intel Lunar Lake. However, Intel must only be good enough for buyers to switch to AMD.
AMD’s existing customers will remain loyal to the company. However, for AMD to grow the market, the bar is set very high. Making Intel’s customers unhappy would take a very competitive part, as well as an extensive advertising campaign. AMD does not typically fund such campaigns, so it is unlikely AMD will be able to take a large share of Intel’s market even if AMD’s parts are significantly better.
Qualcomm
The Qualcomm Snapdragon X is a new and exciting processor. However, it is not x86-based. It is Arm-based. This architecture requires the processor to run an x86 emulation, which can lower the perception of performance. This requirement requires a much greater leap of faith than AMD does.
The Snapdragon X elite’s AI performance and battery life numbers are impressive on paper, but they may not be enough to compete in a market dominated by x86.
Microsoft is giving Qualcomm a lot more help than usual, as it loves the technology. However, Microsoft’s latest laptop, Surface Studio 2, uses Intel chips. Qualcomm is more dependent on Microsoft than AMD, and the success of this component will be closely tied to Microsoft’s support as well as Qualcomm’s marketing.
In terms of marketing, Qualcomm usually relies on its OEMs, which have worked well for smartphones but not for PCs for years.
Qualcomm’s chances would be better if it adopted a more aggressive strategy and targeted smartphones. Qualcomm’s PC competitors do not have smartphones.
I see more and more testing on using smartphones as laptops are being replaced. I think someone will get it right. Qualcomm will benefit the most if it succeeds, as its strength would be able to offset the weaknesses of its competitors.
Nvidia
Nvidia’s Arm-based CPU is still a mystery.
Nvidia’s relationships with PC OEMs and its leadership in AI give it an advantage in the market.
Nvidia is a major force in the industry. It has executed exceptionally well and predicted market movements before its competitors. It uses AI more internally than most of its rivals, which suggests it could develop a new approach to find a blend between traditional performance and AI supremacy.
I expect Nvidia will surprise the market. The size of the surprise is yet to be determined.
Wrapping up
Intel will continue to dominate the market and be entrenched in its position.
This new AI wave, however, is far from settled. It offers paths of displacement that were never before possible. AI is the biggest disruptor. Nvidia is currently the king of AI, and Microsoft is its most aggressive marketer.
If an innovator can package technologies such as head-mounted displays or better hardware voice interfaces, it could lead to a market pivot similar to the iPod. Apple is unlikely to want to do this as it wants to sell both smartphones and PCs. However, it could integrate the two more closely, potentially achieving its goal.
This means that 2024 is going to be an interesting year. By the time it’s over, we may look at laptops and desktop PCs very differently.
Wacom Cintiq Pro 17
My mother was a talented artist who specialized in advertising campaigns. If I were to buy her a Christmas present, I would choose the Wacom Cintiq Pro 17, which was recently released.
This 4K screen, with its extreme color accuracy, is the perfect digital tool for artists and engineers who need to draw with precision and high color accuracy.
Wacom’s three-button stylus, which is unique to the company, does not have a battery and works with the wireless power and data system.
The 17-inch display comes with a base but can also be used handheld, which is perfect for this.
Wacom offers this high-quality product line in several sizes. The 17-inch model is the most portable and functional, even though it costs nearly $2,500.
Wacom Cintiq Pro is a great gift for anyone who enjoys creating beautiful, accurate art. I know my mother would have loved to receive this product at Christmas.