CES 2024: The latest notebook innovations from Las Vegas

Jan Johannsen

9.1.2024

Translation: machine translated

New AI functions are the big common feature of the new laptop launches from CES. Each manufacturer is still trying to impress with its own developments.

At the start of the year, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas provides a preview of the technology innovations for the coming months. In addition to televisions, monitors and various gadgets, this also includes notebooks. The new Core Ultra CPUs from Intel and Windows ensure that every manufacturer is advertising AI functions. Among other things, the new CPUs make Windows Copilot run more efficiently.

Windows Copilot sets the AI standard

Copilot has been an integral part of Windows since September 2023 and adds various AI functions to the operating system. Martin Jud in this article. Just in time for CES, Microsoft also presented the matching Copilot button. It is intended to allow AI functions to be called up quickly.

The aforementioned Core Ultra processors from Intel do not offer any AI functions themselves. However, they do have a Neural Processing Unit (NPU). These are designed to enable energy-saving AI acceleration and reduce the load on the CPU and GPU cores. This makes AI models, including the co-pilot, more efficient. But other applications are also conceivable. LG, for example, mentions functions for its Gram notebooks that are not part of the standard scope of Copilot. Beyond AI, the Ultra CPUs bring Wi-Fi 7, which has finally officially launched, to laptops.

Want to see the new gaming laptops? I have presented them in a separate article:

Acer: From sustainability to OLED and 3D

Acer gives its sustainable Vero series an Intel Core Ultra, changes the names of the Aspire series and equips the Swift models with OLED displays. In the gaming sector, two Helios Neo devices are a favourable addition. The manufacturer is not yet giving up on 3D either.

The proportion of recycled materials in the housing of the Acer Aspire Vero 16 is said to have increased compared to the first Vero of 2021 have doubled to over 60 per cent. The touchpad is made from recycled plastic fished from the sea.

Despite all the advertising for sustainability, the Vero 16 does not have to compromise on performance. It has an Intel Core Ultra processor on board, but only an integrated GPU. Up to 16 gigabytes of RAM and up to four terabytes of SSD storage space are also available. The equipment also includes two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4) and an HDMI 2.1 socket, Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi 7. The notebook with a 16-inch display with 2560 × 1600 pixels is expected to go on sale in March 2024. In Germany, the recommended retail price starts at 1199 euros.

In the Swift series, the top model X 14 will soon be available with an OLED display with 2.8K resolution. The manufacturer specifies its colour accuracy as Delta E<2. The screen is said to cover 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour space. The refresh rate is up to 120 hertz and the brightness is up to 500 nits.

The Swift X 14 is equipped with Core Ultra CPUs and, in the best version, a Geforce RTX4070, 32 gigabytes of RAM and a terabyte SSD. Acer is planning to sell the laptop from March 2024, with the cheapest version costing 1599 euros.

For the new Swift Go 14 and Go 16, which will be available from the end of March, Acer has not yet named any prices. These will follow later and are likely to be lower than for the X series. Their OLED displays are very similar to those of the Swift X. In addition to Core Ultra CPUs, you can also expect Arc GPUs from Intel.

In the Aspire series, Acer is also saying goodbye to numbers this year and introducing "Go" as the designation for the affordable models. You still have to do without ultra CPUs in both display sizes. Instead, Acer is using Intel Core i3 from the N-series. Alternatively, the 14-inch notebook is also available with an AMD CPU from the Ryzen 7000 series. It and the 15-inch model have up to 16 gigabytes of RAM and up to one terabyte of SSD storage, regardless of the CPU. The laptops will be released in February and March. The Aspire Go 15 starts at the lowest RRP of 529 euros. The Aspire Go 14 with Intel CPU will cost at least 549 euros and for the AMD variant you will have to budget at least 649 euros.

Asus expands its range of dual-display notebooks

The new Zenbook 14 Duo is the star of Lenovo's current line-up. For the first time, the lower touchscreen is just as large as the upper one and takes up the entire surface. A keyboard is only available virtually or as an accessory. This gives the Yoga 9i from Lenovo competition.

The OLED touchscreens of the Zenbook 14 Duo each measure 14 inches, have an aspect ratio of 16:10, a resolution of 2880 × 1800 pixels and a refresh rate of 120 Hertz.

Unlike the Yoga 9i, the stand is integrated into the device and the included Bluetooth keyboard fits between both halves of the Zenbook during transport. The equipment includes an Intel Core Ultra, up to 32 gigabytes of RAM and up to 2 terabytes of SSD storage. The battery has a capacity of 75 watt hours.

Asus, like its other notebooks, has not yet provided any information on price and availability.

The other new launches include the current Zenbook 14(UX3405), in which Asus has installed an Intel Core Ultra CPU, but has dispensed with the Copilot button. The manufacturer offers the 2024 versions of the Vivobook S family with 14, 15.6 or 16-inch displays. The inner workings include either a Core Ultra from Intel or the AMD Ryzen 8040.

Dell: New display sizes and touchscreen as an option

Dell is changing the display sizes of its XPS series. There is now a choice of 13, 14 or 16-inch displays, compared to 15 or 17 inches in the last generation. The new screens are OLED touchscreens in the best version. The webcam always delivers a full HD resolution.

The XPS 16 is the top model with a Core Ultra and up to a Geforce RTX 4070. The smaller XPS 14 has a maximum of an RTX 4050. The XPS 13 has to make do with Intel Arc.

The new XPS notebooks should be "available soon". Here too, only the starting prices for the USA are available so far:

• XPS 16: 1899 US dollars
• XPS 14: 1699 US dollars
• XPS 13: 1299 US dollars

Lenovo: Windows and Android in one device

With the ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid, Lenovo has unveiled a 2-1 device that is both a Windows laptop and Android tablet at the same time.

The fifth-generation Lenovo ThinkBook 16p is more of a standard notebook. The 16-inch laptop can now be equipped with up to a 14th generation Core i9 and a Geforce RTX 4060. It still has the so-called "Magic Bay". Lenovo presented at CES 2023. The latest addition is a 4K webcam called Magic Bay Studio. Lenovo is also showing other accessories for the interface in Las Vegas. However, SSD, external display or an AI assistant are only concepts so far.

Lenovo's LA3 AI chip is not a concept. This additional chipset for AI applications in the ThinkBook 16p is designed to improve the image and sound quality in video calls and hide distracting objects, noises and even people in the background, among other things.

The ThinkBook 16p Gen 5 is scheduled to go on sale in the first quarter of 2024. In the USA, its price starts at 1599 US dollars. The Magic Bay Studio will be available from April and will cost USD 200.

The fourth generation ThinkBook 13x is a lightweight 13.5-inch notebook. It weighs one kilogramme and has Core Ultra processors from Intel. It also utilises their integrated Intel Arc graphics chips. There is a choice of up to 32 gigabytes of RAM and up to 2 terabytes of storage space. It also features the Magic Bay and three Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB-C). The ThinkBook 13X Gen 4 should be available this quarter from 1399 US dollars.

LG treats itself to a world record

LG is trying to cause a stir with a record: the 16-inch version of the new LG Gram Pro has made it into the Guinness World Records as the "lightest 16-inch 2-in-1 laptop". Unlike the 17-inch version, it is also available with an OLED option. Otherwise, IPS displays are used.

LG also relies on the new Core Ultra processors and is more restrained than the competition when it comes to graphics with a maximum of one Geforce RTX 3050. However, there are two special features in the software. In the AI area, LG is the only manufacturer to offer the sorting and categorisation of photos on the device. In addition, the LG Gram Link app is a dedicated tool for connecting to Android or iOS devices. This is designed to facilitate file sharing, photo transfer and screen mirroring between notebook and smartphone or tablet.

GLG has not yet provided any information on availability and prices.

Jan Johannsen

Editor

Jan.Johannsen@galaxus.de

As a primary school pupil, I used to sit in a friend's living room with many of my classmates to play the Super NES. Now I get my hands on the latest technology and test it for you. In recent years at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, now at Digitec and Galaxus. more