In a groundbreaking announcement at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2024, Intel unveiled its latest commercial lineup of Intel Core Ultra processors, integrating Neural Processing Units (NPUs) designed to turbocharge artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Building on the momentum of the consumer versions introduced last December, this innovative release heralds a new era of computing efficiency and intelligence.
The processors are at the heart of the new Intel vPro platform, which Intel promises will deliver unprecedented productivity enhancements, top-tier security measures, and novel manageability capabilities. This year's partners, an impressive roster including tech giants such as Acer, ASUS, Dell Technologies, Dynabook, Fujitsu, HP, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft Surface, NEC, Panasonic, Samsung, and VAIO, are set to roll out over 100 designs spanning notebooks, 2-in-1s, entry-level, and workstation models that leverage this cutting-edge technology.
Intel's advancements translate into tangible benefits for end-users. For instance, when compared to PCs that are three years old, the new processors enable up to a 47% improvement in productivity with office applications, according to Jen Larsen, Intel's General Manager for Commercial Segments. Additionally, these processors achieve up to 36% reduction in power consumption during video conferencing and offer more than double the AI performance for video editing, generation over generation.
Beyond hardware, Intel is deeply engaged with the application software ecosystem to refine performance further. Carla Rodriguez, Vice President and General Manager of Client Software Ecosystem at Intel, emphasized the collaboration with communication tools like Teams and Zoom to enhance the user experience through superior collaboration features—making once futuristic capabilities like background blur and noise cancellation everyday realities.
Security is another cornerstone of the Intel Core Ultra processors and the vPro platform. Intel's threat detection technology leverages the NPU to enhance security performance while allowing the CPU to focus on other tasks, thus optimizing power consumption. A notable innovation is the Intel Silicon Security Engine, which authenticates system firmware, enhancing overall system integrity. The integrated xPU strategy—encompassing CPU, GPU, and NPU—allows for flexible workload management, offering a comprehensive solution that adapts to diverse software needs.
For IT departments, manageability is significantly improved with the new vPro platform. Intel introduces features such as Intel Device Discovery, which facilitates cloud-based tools in obtaining necessary information for PC management. Additionally, partnerships with VMware and Eclypsium for Intel Device Health deliver unparalleled visibility into fleet patching requirements and comprehensive end-to-end device management. Intel's commitment to hardware-based remote management is evident in its continuous investment in both on-premises solutions, leveraging endpoint management technology, and cloud-native offerings, including VMware Workspace ONE.
Intel's launch at MWC 2024 represents a pivotal moment in computing, setting new AI integration, security, and manageability standards. As the tech industry adapts to these innovations, Intel's Core Ultra processors and the enhanced vPro platform are poised to redefine the landscape of commercial computing.