There has been rapid growth in AI adoption, evident in new features like Microsoft Copilot making their way to personal computers. As artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent, the standards for internal specifications in modern PCs are being elevated.
It is rumored that Microsoft has established 16GB RAM as the minimum requirement for ‘AI PCs,’ as reported by Trendforce. Although Microsoft has not officially confirmed this, numerous speculations support the claim. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of LPDDR5x memory indicates a rising preference for faster RAM in new PCs.
Intel’s upcoming Lunar Lake processor, anticipated as the next major architectural innovation, may see a more extensive adoption of LPDDR5x. Presently, laptops based on the Intel Core Ultra architecture with Meteor Lake support RAM up to DDR5-5600 MHz or LPDDR5x 7467 MHz. Trendforce predicts a 30-35% increase in demand for LPDDR-style memory in new laptops as we progress into 2024.
This enhancement in internal hardware requirements is poised to elevate the overall performance and multitasking capabilities of PCs in 2024, including the latest laptops. Defining what makes a PC capable of AI remains somewhat ambiguous for now. However, having a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), present in the latest Intel Core Ultra, Snapdragon X Elite, and new Ryzen 8000G desktop processors, should qualify a PC as AI-ready.
Despite the evolving requirements, not all new PCs will meet the updated standards. In addition to emphasizing RAM capacity, TrendForce indicates that Microsoft is establishing a minimum benchmark of 40 TOPS in AI computing power. PCs meeting this criterion can be labeled as ‘AI PCs.’
According to the report, Intel’s recently unveiled Core Ultra processors, based on the Meteor Lake architecture, achieve up to 34 TOPS. This computation takes into account the combined power of the CPU, GPU, and NPU. Trendforce notes that these new Intel processors “fall short of Microsoft’s standards.”
AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 8000 processors based on the Strix Point architecture, along with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors, are anticipated to meet the revised requirements. Intel’s forthcoming Lunar Lake processors are also expected to surpass the 40 TOPS requirement set by Microsoft.
While various new PCs unveiled at CES 2024 have been labeled as ‘AI PCs,’ it remains unclear when the 40 TOPS and 16GB RAM requirement will officially take effect. The implications for PCs already announced by manufacturers that do not meet the 40 TOPS requirement for AI compute are also uncertain.
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