The Best of Computex 2024: Cutting-Edge Computing Tech Highlights
Computex usually marks the breaking ground for semiconductors and other computing hardware. At the ongoing Computex 2024, 1,500 companies from 36 countries are participating in the proceedings, with the event expected to attract over 50,000 attendees. On the final day of Computex 2024, Spiceworks News & Insights looks at the top product announcements made at the Taipei, Taiwan-based computer expo.
- At the ongoing Computex 2024, 1,500 companies from 36 countries are participating in the proceedings, with the event expected to attract more than 50,000 attendees.
- On the final day of Computex 2024, Spiceworks News & Insights looks at the top product announcements made at the Taipei, Taiwan-based computer expo.
Computex 2024 is one of the busier ones in recent years. It is jam-packed with computing product announcements from AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, ASUS, and other original equipment manufacturers. The Taipei-based event usually marks the breaking ground for semiconductors and other computing hardware.
However, the computer expo was noticeably short on personal computers as it was extensive on artificial intelligence (AI). While Computex is usually low-key on funky gadgets, unlike the Consumer Electronics Show, the 2024 edition of the event featured its fair share of gadgets, including 3D filming and streaming camera, an advanced Wi-Fi 7 router, a robot-shaped functioning rig used by the villain in the movie Avatar, and more.
As the final day of Computex 2024 unfolds, Spiceworks News & Insights examines key products announced by companies.
Computex 2024 Highlights
1. AMD
AMD CEO Lisa Su headlined the keynote at Computex 2024 after a year’s gap. The company introduced the Ryzen 9000 series for desktops. The new chips feature six to sixteen cores (similar to the 7000 series), are built on the TSMC 4nm node, have a 40% lower thermal design power (TDP), and have 16% higher instructions per cycle (IPC) throughput.
The company has announced four 9000 series chips for the Ryzen 9, 7, and 5 family of chips.
AMD also unveiled the Zen 5 microarchitecture, which forms the basis of 9000 series chips. However, the company has yet to shed light on the details of Zen 5.
The four 9000 series chips are:
- AMD Ryzen 9 9950X (flagship) – 16 core
- Ryzen 9 9900X – 12 core
- Ryzen 7 9700X – 8 core
- Ryzen 5 9600X – 6 core
2. Intel
Intel unveiled its upcoming Lunar Lake processors, which mark a shift in the company’s chip design strategy. Intel famously noted how last year’s Meteor Lake chips represented the company’s most significant architectural shift in 40 years. It seems Intel isn’t done yet.
Intel unveiled its upcoming Lunar Lake processors, which mark a shift in the company’s chip design strategy. Intel famously noted how last year’s Meteor Lake chips represented the company’s most significant architectural shift in 40 years. It seems Intel isn’t done yet.
One of the biggest draws of the new processors is that they come with 16/32 GB LPDDR5X system memory (RAM), which allows them to achieve efficiency gains and reduce power consumption by 40%. It also uses efficiency cores (Skymount) in a separate “low-power island” instead of fully integrating them with the chip.
Based on TSMC’s 3 nm process (since Intel’s 18A is under development), Lunar Lake chips are also claimed to pack a punch. Intel notes that its efficiency cores are at par with performance cores on Raptor Lake chips. Lunar Lake chips with Lion Cove P-cores are designed to deliver 14% more performance than Meteor Lake chips at similar clock speeds and a 50% higher graphics performance.
An effort to keep Arm-based Qualcomm chips at bay?
See More: Consumer Tech, Cloud, and AI: Must-Attend Tech Conferences in June 2024
3. Qualcomm
Qualcomm had nothing new to share with industry watchers and users at Computex 2024, so it focused on its partnership with seven OEMs. These OEMs will power respective AI PCs with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips.
Microsoft announced the first of these AI PCs last month, and others are rapidly working on theirs. Qualcomm’s venture has already forced Intel to discuss x86 efficiency and take measures to make Lunar Lake more efficient than its previous generation chips.
4. NVIDIA
NVIDIA teased RTX AI PCs at Computex 2024, possibly hinting at Copilot+ computers from Asus and MSI, powered by its graphics cards and AMD’s latest Strix CPUs.
Similar to how Intel is vying to keep its x86-based processors alive by focusing on efficiency, NVIDIA faces an existential threat because AI tasks are undertaken by NPUs integrated within the CPU instead of requiring dedicated GPUs.
However, the company has evolved beyond the time when PC graphics cards were the bread and butter. It briefly became the world’s most valuable company, overtaking Apple, and hit the $3 trillion market capitalization mark on Wednesday. The company is riding and capitalizing on the AI wave with its high-in-demand GPUs that sell faster than they can be produced.
NVIDIA only recently unveiled the Blackwell architecture B200 GPU at NVIDIA GTC 2024. At Computex 2024, the company teased the next-in-line GPU, dubbed ‘Rubin.’ It has a new high-bandwidth memory tech (HBM4) and NVLink Switch 6. “I’m not sure yet whether I’m going to regret this or not,” NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said, referring to his decision to announce Rubin GPUs.
The American chipmaker said Rubin GPUs will be unveiled in 2026, while Blackwell Ultra chips can be released in 2025.
NVIDIA also released guidelines for small form factor (SFF) GeForce graphics cards to enable building smaller gaming PCs. The company listed 36 GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics cards and compatible cases that meet SFF guidelines.
5. ASUS/ZOTAC/MSI
Computex is incomplete without companies announcing gamer gear. At Computex 2024, three companies—ASUS, ZOTAC, and MSI—introduced their second-generation handheld consoles to compete with Valve’s Steam Deck, and now users are spoilt for choice.
Here’s how the trio fare:
|
Specs |
ASUS ROG Ally X | ZOTAC ZONE |
MSI CLAW 8 AI+ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dimensions |
11″ x 4.4″ x 1.5″ | 12.2″ x 5.31″ x 1.57″ | NA |
| Display | 7” Full HD IPS; 120 Hz | 7” Full HD AMOLED; 120 Hz |
8” Full HD IPS; 120 Hz |
|
RAM |
24 GB LPDDR5x | 16 GB LPDDR5x | NA |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme | AMD Ryzen 7 8840U |
Intel Core Ultra 200 Lunar Lake |
|
GPU |
AMD Radeon Graphics | AMD Radeon 780M Graphics | Intel Xe2 Graphics |
| Storage | 1 TB PCIe Gen 4×4 SSD | 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD | NA |
|
Battery |
80 Wh | 48.5 Wh | 80 Wh |
| Weight | 676 gm | 700 gm |
NA |
|
Wireless |
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 | Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 | NA |
| I/O | 3.5 mm Headphone Jack; 1x USB4 Type-C, 1x USB3.2 Gen 2 Type-C; microSD Card Reader Slot | 3.5 mm Headphone Jack; 2 x USB4, UHS-II microSD Card Reader Slot |
2x USB-C |
|
Price |
$799 | $799 | NA |
| Availability | Available for pre-order | September 2024 |
2025 |
6. Honourable mentions
The ASUS ROG Mjolnir portable UPS (uninterruptible power supply) isn’t as powerful as Thor’s hammer from Norse mythology. Still, it packs a 700W punch, delivering for around 60 minutes through a 768Wh battery size. It comes with quality-of-life upgrades such as an LCD screen displaying battery life and operation time, a detachable flashlight, four AC outputs, and a USB-C output.
Lexar announced four new internal storage devices, including the Lexar Professional NM1090 M.2 Gen 5.0 NVMe, capable of a read rate of 12,000 MB/s and a write rate of 11,000 MB/s. Meanwhile, the Lexar Professional NM990 has a low-power mode for reduced heat dissipation and power consumption.
Acer’s 3D camera device, SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera, has two 8-megapixel cameras designed to film 3D content. It comes with the SpatialLabs Player 3.0 to livestream 3D content to YouTube, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Google Meet.
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