What you need to know
- Acer has announced an expansion to its Copilot+ PC lineup at IFA 2024, including the Swift 14/16 AI and TravelMate P6 14 AI.
- AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 and Intel’s new “Lunar Lake” Core Ultra mobile chips are on board, and they’re expected to receive access to Copilot+ features for free in November.
- The AMD-powered Swift 14 AI is expected to launch in NA and EMEA markets in September starting at $1,199.99. It’s coming to Australia in Q4 2024 starting at $2,799 AUD.
- The Intel-powered Swift 14 AI is hitting NA, EMEA, and AUS markets in September starting at $1,199.99/€1,299.
- The business-focused TravelMate P6 14 AI powered by Intel is coming to NA and EMEA market in January 2025 starting at $1,499.99/€1,349.
As a seasoned professional who spends countless hours working on the go, I find the TravelMate P6 14 AI by Acer to be an absolute game-changer! The 2.18-pound (0.99kg) starting weight, combined with the MIL-STD-810H durability certifications and Dust Defender feature, makes this laptop a robust and dust-free, lightweight companion that’s perfect for travel or fieldwork.
2024’s IFA event is officially starts on September 6th, yet, some significant PC brands such as Acer has already unveiled fresh hardware prior to the show. I have written separate articles about Acer’s new Predator and Nitro V gaming PCs, as well as their new Swift 14 September, leaving only Intel and the new Swift 14 Go AI powered by Qualcomm’s latest 8-core Snapdragon X Plus SoC. Now, only Intel and AMD systems remain to be examined here
Welcome to Acer’sda’s Plaza!
Until now, the expansion had merely been suggested, but it’9s officially confirmed that Intel and written down that Intel and AMD will receive Copilot+ access in November for Intel Core Ultra Series 2 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 systems. If you’s hesitcomma shy about working with Windows on ARM to secure Copilot+, the new AMD and Intel alternatives should bring a sense of relief
Let’s take a look at the new laptops that Acer has unveiled, including the Intel-powered Swift 14/16 AI and TravelMate P6 14 AI, as well as the AMD-powered Swift 14 AI.
Acer’s Swift 14 and 16 AI laptops are getting Copilot+ in November
At IFA 2024 on September 3, the latest Swift models SF14-51 and SF16-51 were unveiled, both being AI PCs powered by Intel’s new Core Ultra Series 2 mobile processors. These machines will gain access to a comprehensive suite of Copilot+ AI tools like Windows Recall, Live Captions, Cocreator, and others starting in November. This upgrade is due to the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) within Intel’s new chips that can deliver up to 48 TOPS of local AI acceleration power
The compact laptop comes with choices for either Core Ultra 5 or Core Ultra 7, whereas the bigger model includes an exclusive Core Ultra 9 288V option, all sharing an eight-core setup divided between Performance (P) and Low-Power Efficient (LPE). All Core Ultra 5, Ultra 7, and Ultra 9 chips operate at a Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 17W, except the Core Ultra 9 which operates at 30W
As an analyst, I find that both the 14-inch and 16-inch models prioritize portability, so one shouldn’t anticipate anything more than Intel’s upgraded and built-in Arc graphics. Intel claims a “significant improvement” in graphics with their latest chips, offering a DirectX 12 Ultimate GPU accompanied by Intel XeSS and Intel XMX AI engines
Instead of considering these laptops as heavy-on treating them as gaming machines, it’s worth noting that Intel intends for you to experience smoother gameplay with lighter titles at an acceptable frame rate, provided the laptops are equipped with high-performance components. These laptops can handle lightweight games with decent performance, and they come with up to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM in a dual-channel setup. The Swift 14 AI maxes out at a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, while the Swift 16 AI can accommodate a 2TB storage capacity
Due to their Intel-based design, these ports provide multiple options for connection: USB-A, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack, Wi-Fi 7, or Bluetooth 5.3. All of these choices offer fast and reliable wireless connectivity. These preferred laptop accessories can be easily handled by the latter
Acer’s latest AI-powered computers sport a new AI emblem on their lids, and they also include an AI activity indicator on the touchpad. Frankly, I’m not entirely convinced about this additional feature because it glows whenever Copilot or the Neural Processing Unit is engaged. To me, it seems like a temporary marketing tactic that will fade away once AI computers stop being so trendy
I do love the sleek look of these laptops, and even the larger 16-inch model only weighs 3.3 pounds (1.5kg). That’s achieved with an aluminum lid and what I assume is a plastic base, in line with some of Acer’s other Swift models.
The laptops each have a 1440p webcam with an IR sensor for Windows Hello and human presence detection (HPD), and the camera only gets better with Windows Studio Effects and Acer’s own PurifiedView 2.0 tool. As for the displays, you’re looking at 3K or 2K OLED in the 14-inch model, with an extra 2K IPS option if you’d like to spend less. The 16-inch model has a 3K OLED touch display. I’ve been won over by OLED laptops after testing a bunch this year, so it’s great to see Acer including them here.
The Swift 14 AI (SF14-51) is expected to launch in NA, EMEA, and AUS markets in September, with prices starting at $1,199.99/€1,199/$1,899 AUD. The Swift 16 (SF16-51) is coming to North America in October starting at $1,199.99. It’s also coming to the EMEA market in December starting at €1,299 and Australia in Q1 2025 starting at $1,999 AUD.
Acer also has an AMD-powered Swift 14 AI with Copilot+ capabilities headed our way
In June 2024, AMD unveiled its Ryzen AI 300 series chips based on the Zen 5 architecture, and they’ve demonstrated both power and impressive battery life. As evidenced by Windows Central Editor Ben Wilson’s ASUS Zenbook S 16 review
In the upcoming Swift 14 AI (SF14-61), I don’t anticipate the two key features will vary from what I previously discussed regarding the Intel-based version. Notably, SF14-61 is an AMD adaptation of the Swift 14 AI. This specific model, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365, boasts 10 cores, 20 threads, and can reach a boost frequency of up to 5.0GHz. It operates at a base power consumption of 28W TDP
It seems that the most significant development regarding AMD laptops is the impending availability of Copilot+ AI functionalities within Windows. We anticipate that both AMD and Intel will be enabled around November. The Ryzen AI 9 365 is the less powerful of the new AMD processors, but it’s still quite capable with an NPU offering 50 TOPS to manage Copilot+ requirements; the more advanced Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 boasts 12 cores, 24 threads, and a 5.1GHz boost clock
Due to its 75Wh battery (which can decrease to 65Wh if you opt for a non-OLED display), Acer predicts that the laptop can last approximately 27 hours while playing videos or up to 19 hours of continuous web browsing on a single charge. While these figures might be slightly exaggerated, it’s safe to say you’ll get more than a full workday’s worth of usage from one charge
Here are three display choices available:
The advanced AI model, SF14-61 by Swift, is set to debut in North America and EMEA regions this September, priced at $1,199.99. Additionally, it will be introduced to the Australian market in Q4 2024 with an AUD starting price of $2,799
The TravelMate P6 AI is a secure business laptop with Copilot+
I’ve held back what I find quite unexpectedly impressive until now: the TravelMate P6 14 AI (TMP614-54). It’s not often that a business laptop delights me, but this one boasts some remarkable specifications and characteristics
What stands out the most to me is the 2.18-pound (0.99kg) starting weight. That’s thanks to a carbon fiber chassis that has undergone MIL-STD-810H durability certifications, which is exactly what you want to see in a business laptop that’s used while traveling or in the field. Acer includes its “Dust Defender” feature to help keep detritus out of the internal hardware.
Beyond the standard Copilot+ features arriving later this year for the Intel Core Ultra NPU, the TravelMate P6 14 AI has its own human presence detection (HPD) for the 1440p IR webcam, a local AI assistant, a LiveArt 2.0 photo editing tool, and GIMP/Stable Diffusion plugin support for easier AI creation of photos.
As an analyst, I’d like to highlight a valuable addition from Acer – their PurifiedView 2.0 suite, which complements Windows Studio Effects by enhancing video conferencing image quality for a more refined experience. For our professional users, Acer equips you with a comprehensive toolkit that empowers IT departments to manage and secure your PC effectively
Regarding the laptop’s features, it offers an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V CPU and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 48 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS), enhancing local AI processing speed. It comes with up to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and up to a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for storage. Acer claims the battery life lasts up to 14 hours in MobileMark 2025’s test; even if you assume only about half that time, it still provides ample power for a full workday without needing a recharge
This device boasts a variety of ports such as two Thunderbolt 4, USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, and an audio jack for 3.5mm devices. For wireless connections, it comes equipped with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. The TravelMate P6 AI is set to debut in North America and European markets in January 2024, with a starting price of $1,499.99 or €1,349
Copilot+ coming to Intel and AMD is a big deal for all Windows users
2024’s IFA event started impressively for enthusiasts of AMD, Intel, and Copilot+. While previously, Copilot+ was exclusively accessible via laptops equipped with Snapdragon X System-on-Chip (SoC), Microsoft’s announcement in November indicates that Copilot+ will also be available on systems powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 and Intel Core Ultra Series 2 chips, effectively breaking Qualcomm’s monopoly
Initially, only the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors were suitable for local AI acceleration with Copilot+ AI tools, as they boast an NPU capable of at least 40 TOPS of power, when the Copilot+ program was first introduced
It remains uncertain about the specific terms of the agreement between Qualcomm and Microsoft, since AMD’s announcement of its Ryzen AI 300 chips with a 45 TOPS NPU a few months ago didn’t seem to affect their exclusivity deal. However, now that Intel has revealed its Core Ultra Series 2 chips featuring a 48 TOPS NPU, it looks like we can expect the Copilot+ feature in more laptops
In a sense, NVIDIA continues to outshine its competitors like AMD, Intel, and Qualcomm, even though their GPUs have greater AI capabilities. However, as of now, there hasn’t been any confirmation regarding the rumored Copilot+ integration with RTX-enabled devices, which NVIDIA announced in June
The baby steps that were taken earlier are still referred to as steps, and I’m pleased that additional individuals will now have the abilityto test out Copilot+ features such as Live Captions, CoCreator, Windows Studio Effects, and Windows Recall on an x86-64 system
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2024-09-04 16:33