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Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Yahoo
WWDC 2025 LIVE: The latest updates from Apple on iPhone, Mac, iPad and Apps
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is taking place today, Monday, June 9, and leaks have been spilling out of Cupertino about what we can expect from Apple all week long. Specifically, reporters have revealed that a smaller-scale event with fewer major announcements than in recent years may be in store. A new naming system for Apple operating systems and a new iOS design are coming, and we may get a few previews of what is coming in '26 and beyond. Wall Street is also not very optimistic about what Apple may announce next week, given hiccups in the development of Apple Intelligence and a stalled revamp of Siri. Below is a rundown of what we expect at WWDC, plus recent nuggets of information that have come out in recent days. Watch this space for live updates from today's WWDC keynote. Previews of the latest iOS, macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and visionOS versions Liquid Glass: A new visionOS-inspired UI for all devices A naming refresh for Apple's operating systems that pairs with its year of service (e.g. iOS 26, iPadOS 26) Smaller updates for Apple Intelligence More from macOS 26 "Tahoe," including a new gaming app Looking to catch the latest announcements from WWDC 2025 live? You can watch Apple's keynote presentation live via the official Apple Developer YouTube channel (embedded above) or Apple's WWDC25 website starting June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern. If you own an Apple device, you can also watch along with the keynote using the TV app. Can't watch today's keynote live? Don't worry. Stick with Laptop Mag throughout the day for a steady stream of updates, predictions, live reactions, and analysis of everything to be announced. Catch our live blog below! You can watch the keynote presentation live on Apple's website. The stream will also be on the official Apple Developer YouTube channel, so subscribe to get a notification when the livestream starts there. The keynote presentation will be on June 9 at 10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern. If you can't watch live, you can also follow along with us. Laptop Mag will cover everything Apple announces live and unpack all the highlights. While hardware announcements are unlikely at WWDC, a surprise product reveal is possible. Wild card announcements have happened in the past, like with the Apple Vision Pro. There's a slim chance that this year's presentation could include a sneak peek at a rumored pair of AI smart glasses Apple is developing. Google just unveiled a pair of Android-powered glasses at Google I/O, so this would be a good time for Apple to reveal its own glasses to keep up with the competition. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple aims to launch its glasses by the end of 2026, so a reveal could be a bit early. It's not impossible, though, especially right after Google I/O. Hardware announcements at WWDC are hit or miss. WWDC is mainly for software announcements, but Apple occasionally throws a product reveal into the mix, especially if it's a device that doesn't follow Apple's typical pattern of hardware updates. One such device we could see this year is the Mac Pro M4 Ultra. Apple's top-of-the-line Max and Ultra versions of its M-series chip tend to run at least a year or so behind its more mainstream base and Pro versions. We finally got the M3 Ultra in March with the new Mac Studio, but the M4 Ultra is not publicly available yet. It's possible that could change at WWDC this year. However, an M4 Ultra Mac Pro won't come cheap, especially with Trump administration tariffs shaking up Apple's pricing across its product line-up. Apple first announced Apple Intelligence at last year's WWDC, so we expect to see Apple spotlight some updates to its struggling AI platform during this year's keynote. Apple Intelligence got off to a rough start this year, with features slow to roll out and the critical Siri overhaul nowhere in sight. Delays with Apple Intelligence even caused a leadership shake-up at Apple, which will hopefully lead to more features and quicker updates, including the promised LLM Siri update. One feature we could see at WWDC 2025 is a rumored feature that uses AI to optimize battery life in iOS 26. This is a refreshingly practical feature that I can see many iPhone users appreciating (myself included). Hopefully, we'll also get a transparent timeline for when to expect the new-and-improved Siri. The Apple Vision Pro has struggled to catch on since it launched in February 2024, but Apple is still diligently supporting it with software updates, which could lead to a rumored pair of smart glasses on the horizon. So, it's no surprise that WWDC 2025 will likely include a look at the third edition of visionOS, which will be called visionOS 26. Interestingly, it sounds like the big visual updates to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and watchOS may have taken some inspiration from visionOS, so this OS might not change as much as the others in the Apple lineup. Even so, it will likely still get a mention in the keynote and possibly a sneak peek at any upcoming apps and movies made for Vision Pro. One announcement that's all but certain to appear at WWDC 2025 is the 19th version of iOS, called iOS 26. WWDC is mainly a software-focused event, and iOS is Apple's most widely used platform, so it's always part of the main keynote. Rumors so far hint that iOS 26 could include some major changes, specifically an overhaul to iOS's visual style, which we haven't seen since iOS 7. Some images leaked back in March claiming to show those visual changes, but Apple analyst Mark Gurman refuted them in a Threads post, specifically stating they "aren't representative of what we'll see at WWDC." So, while it sounds like visual changes to iOS are likely, it's still up in the air how extensive those changes will be and how they'll look. While it might not be the star of the show, the Apple Watch is expected to receive an update with the 12th edition of watchOS, which will be called watchOS 26, at WWDC 2025. Like this year's other software updates, this update will feature major visual changes. Those visual updates will probably also include more Apple Intelligence features, which the Watch hasn't seen much of yet. For instance, we might get AI-powered health and fitness tools integrated into watchOS or AI-scripted replies to texts. Of course, the Apple Watch will also be able to take advantage of the upcoming Siri update, but as mentioned above, we might not see that until well into 2026, even if it's announced at this year's WWDC. Another announcement that's a lock for WWDC 2025 is the 16th edition of macOS, which will be called macOS 26, Apple has consistently given its macOS updates California-themed names over the past several years, and there are still dozens of likely candidates they haven't used, so it's hard to predict which one macOS 26 will get. The possibilities include Redwood, Mammoth, Condor, and Shasta. Regardless of the name, we expect macOS 26 to get a visual overhaul similar to iOS/iPadOS 26. MacOS 26 may look more like its iPhone and iPad counterparts this year, especially if Apple takes inspiration from visionOS. Changes could include circular app icons, translucent windows, and simplified navigation. Additionally, some features from iOS 26 could carry over to macOS, like AI-powered battery optimization and any Apple Intelligence updates. Along with iOS 26, we're also expecting to see the 19th version of iPad OS, which will be called iPad OS 26. We expect it to arrive with a slate of updates similar to the iOS system's. It could get the same visual overhaul that iOS 19 receives, but there's also a chance that this could be the year iOS and iPadOS really diverge if Apple decides to move iPadOS closer to its Mac operating system. As someone who has used an iPad as a laptop replacement, I have to admit I'm on board with the latter. While iPadOS shouldn't be completely melted into macOS, it would be nice to have better file management and a more laptop-like interface for using iPads with a Magic Keyboard and a mouse. Aside from visual changes, iPadOS 26 will likely get some of the same updates as iOS 26, including Apple Intelligence updates and AI-powered battery life optimization. We could also see improvements to Stage Manager, which seems especially likely if Apple debuts a more Mac-like iPadOS. Apple recently acquired RAC7, the two-person operation behind the cute and very fun Sneaky Sasquatch, which won the Apple Arcade award for Game of the Year in 2020. It is often in the top 10 of the most popular games on Apple Arcade. Apple's acquisition of Vancouver-based RAC7 might've been the first shoe to drop for a new pivot to gaming. A report from Bloomberg says Apple will debut a stand-alone app for video games (right now Apple Arcade is a tab in the App Store) that will show up in MacBooks, iPads, Apple TV, and, of course, the iPhone. Bloomberg reports that this stand-alone app will replace Game Center and promote Apple Arcade, the $6.99/month service that enables users to play games like Sneaky Sasquatch. Although the mood has been gloomy around WWDC this year due to its reported lack of major news, the event could be a low-key banger for millions of iOS power users. Here's why: Key updates to iOS apps that many Apple users use daily appear to be coming. Messages, Notes, and CarPlay will all see updates, reports 9 to 5 Mac in an exclusive report published this week. Messages will get live translation thanks to AI. Messages may also get a polls feature. Apple Music will have animated album art that will show up on the lock screen. In Notes, you'll be able to export your content into Markdown. Chances are, if you use Markdown code and Apple Notes, you're crying tears of joy right now. It'll be a cause for celebration for a dedicated bunch. CarPlay is an essential tool for iPhone users who drive, and in iOS 26, the look of CarPlay will get a long-overdue new look. According to reports, AirPods are slated to get a number of new features at WWDC. Those features will further integrate AirPods into more of your activities, such as listening to music, making phone calls, taking photos, and even sleeping. According to a report from 9 to 5 Mac, citing anonymous sources within Apple, the company will enable you to take pictures by pinching your AirPod stem. AirPods will also be able to detect when you fall asleep. (Though it's unclear if your AirPods or your Apple Watch will recognize the sleep detection. Read more about the reported updates here: "New Apple AirPods feature will know about your day's most private moment." Citing sources within Apple, Bloomberg reported last weekend that "People within the company believe [WWDC 2025] may be a letdown from an AI standpoint. Others familiar with the company's planned announcements worry they could make Apple's shortcomings even more obvious." Other announcements expected at WWDC: ➡️ Apple will open up its on-device AI models to developers who want to include on-device AI in their apps. This is just on-device AI, and not cloud-based AI, so there are significant limitations compared to services like Google Gemini. ➡️ The Translate app is reportedly going to be all new and integrated with AirPods. ➡️ A variety of projects are reportedly ongoing at Apple right now, but won't be part of this year's WWDC. These include a revamped Shortcuts app, a chatbot to compete with ChatGPT, a redesigned Health app, and a medical services codenamed 'Mulberry,' plus a Siri upgrade to reportedly make Siri more like the voice mode of ChatGPT. Finally, in this update, Apple is expected to release a new macOS named "Tahoe" after Lake Tahoe in California. Other California-inspired macOS names have been Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur, Monterey, Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia. We're now just a handful of hours away from today's keynote to kickstart WWDC 2025, and Apple CEO Tim Cook is already shining a spotlight on the next generation of "Wozniaks" by celebrating the winners of this year's Swift Student Challenge which awards 350 young developers for the creativity, innovation, and social impact of their apps. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, one of the biggest reveals of today's keynote will be an all-new UI design set to feature across the board for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, macOS 26 ("Tahoe"), and visionOS 26, named "Liquid Glass." The new interface is set to replace the current "Flat Design" Apple users have been familiar with since 2013, offering more contemporary design that focuses on transparency and shine effects — likely as a prelude to a new look for 2027's "Glasswing" iPhone, which is rumored to ditch the metal frame for entirely curved glass sides. Apple's new "Liquid Glass" aesthetics are said to be inspired by the look of visionOS, the operating system exclusive to the Apple Vision Pro headset. While the Vision Pro may be relinquishing its frosted glass-like visuals to other devices in the Apple ecosystem, it too is expected to receive several minor design changes in visionOS 26 — alongside several other rumored features including "eye-scrolling" and support for third-party VR controllers (finally). It's something of an open secret that Apple is hard at work developing a pair of futuristic frames following the success of the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, but it's unlikely that we'll catch sight of them during this year's keynote. However, should early reports surrounding the transparency-focused "Liquid Glass" redesign of Apple's interfaces prove accurate, a more "see through" smart glasses-friendly UI will be on-hand for Apple to make use of when it's ready to reveal its glasses — which, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, are expected to arrive by the end of 2026. Battery life is one of the most important specs people look for when purchasing a new smartphone, and it's something that Apple has excelled at providing with its recent iPhones. And, while Apple Intelligence is said to play a smaller role at this year's WWDC, it could power a new iOS 26 feature to make adjustments on the fly to limit power consumption and push your battery life further than ever before. Another handy iOS 26 feature tipped to be unveiled today is something new to iPhone, but borrowed from Android smartphones. Alongside iOS 26's claimed AI power management feature, iPhone users will reportedly now receive an estimate on how long it will take for their device to reach full charge from the lock screen. This feature was first spotted in code for the iOS 18.2 beta, where it was referred to as "BatteryIntelligence," but was suspiciously missing from the public release. However, many signs point to the feature finally making its iPhone debut with iOS 26. The battery life-boosting features and charging transparency heading to iPhone is great, but can we expect similar features to arrive on Macs? The Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are some of the longest lasting laptops on the market already, with the recent M4 MacBook Air 13 pushing past the 15-hour mark on our Laptop Mag battery test in March. If a little of that rumored Apple Intelligence-powered battery magic for iPhone makes it way to Macs, could Apple push the envelope even further when it comes to all-day power for the portable computer? We hope so. We're already expecting to see a bold rebrand of Apple's operating systems this year. The new "Liquid Glass" design aside, Apple will be trading the usual version names of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and others to highlight the software's year of service — trading what would be iOS 19 for iOS 26. However, a last-minute post by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo may suggest another major rebrand isn't far off. This time, for Siri. In a post shared to X earlier today, Kuo shares his belief that part of Apple's AI strategy for WWDC 2025 will involve "Rebranding Apple Intelligence/Siri." We've long heard that the LLM (Large Language Model) overhaul of Siri has run into trouble, and that it's a project labored with multiple delays. However, if Kuo, whose insights have previously played out accurately, is right, Apple's big AI announcement could be an all-new virtual assistant — not Siri, but whatever comes next.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Intel isn't working on discrete GPUs for laptops: Here's why.
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Intel's Arc GPU platform has finally taken off on desktop, at least in the budget and mid-range markets. With the launch of the Arc Pro B50 and B60 workstation graphics cards at Computex last week, Intel's second generation of Arc GPUs is has officially arrived. But there's one massive market that still isn't served by the Arc platform. And that's laptops. Sure, Intel has brought its B-series GPUs (codename: "Battlemage") to its integrated graphics tiles on the Core Ultra 200 series chipsets, but integrated GPUs can only take you so far when gaming, rendering designs in 3D, or parsing massive data sets. So, why are there no Arc GPUs for laptops up for individual sale? Intel is positioning those Intel Core Ultra 200H systems with integrated Arc 130-140T graphics units as "thin-and-light workstations" — essentially, entry-level workstations. Intel's Roger Chandler told Laptop Mag at Computex, "probably a good 60% of the market are mobile workstations." So, these entry-level workstations with integrated graphics are a huge focus for Intel. "There's the [Core Ultra 200H] class platform for the thin and light [workstation], and that's where you have the really bigger built-in graphics, where we're seeing some surprise [from customers]. "It surprised a lot of people how [good] the performance is. It's literally more performance than a lot of [entry-level] discrete graphics." OK — but how does Intel's integrated GPU really stack up against the iGPU competition? Intel has stiff competition on the integrated graphics front. AMD's Ryzen AI 300 series also has a powerful integrated graphics tile, but as far as raw computing power goes, Intel's integrated Arc chips on the Intel Core Ultra 200H and Intel Core Ultra 200V chipsets outperform AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370. However, AMD regains its performance lead with the Ryzen AI Max platform, which can use up to 97GB of system memory as VRAM. (AMD's Strix Halo is in a class of its own as far as x86 architecture goes.) For traditional integrated GPUs, Intel isn't wrong to consider its Core Ultra 200H systems as capable of some workstation tasks and gaming, particularly if you're not doing a lot of heavy lifting. Gaming on medium settings at 1080p is entirely feasible, but it isn't the performance we expect from a gaming laptop. On their own, Core Ultra 200H systems result in something of an entry-level device. Intel and its manufacturing partners still leverage the Core Ultra 200HX CPU alongside discrete Nvidia GPUs for high-end mobile workstations and gaming rigs. But Intel's Chandler tells Laptop Mag that the company isn't seeing entry-level workstations doing the demanding work of traditional workstations anyway. He says users are using them for better productivity. "When I have a mobile workstation, I never have to close anything." Intel's Roger Chandler at Computex 2025 Chandler explains it this way: "I use a mobile workstation for my daily driver now, and it's like I'm not using [3D design software application] SolidWorks all day. "But I'm one of those people who is a tab hoarder. I'll keep 78 tabs open on Chrome, and I've got 14 spreadsheets, and it's like, it started bogging down my old system. "When I have a mobile workstation, I never have to close anything." Chandler also says AI will improve performance as well. "[AI] takes some of the sharp edges off some of these difficult workloads, which means they're more accessible." All of which is to say, you can get away with just an integrated GPU instead of a more powerful discrete graphics card for a lot of tasks that were considered "workstation-class" just a few years ago. "Workstations are this whole category of product that is kind of entering this Renaissance," Chandler says. While it's too late in the Intel Arc B-series to expect a mobile variant, we expect Intel to launch its C-series graphics cards (codenamed "Celestial") later this year or early next year. But there is still hope for future generations of Arc GPUs to hit the mobile side. When asked during a press briefing about why Intel hadn't expanded the full Arc discrete GPU platform to laptops yet, Intel rep Qi Lin responded, "that's something we need to continue to work on." There are already rumors that Nvidia's next generation of graphics cards won't be optimized for gaming, as the company pivots harder toward AI and data center applications of its GPUs. While that's just speculation, the rocky launch of the RTX 50-series does lend some credence to the idea that there will be fewer and fewer Nvidia GeForce cards available in future generations. Which leaves the laptop GPU market wide open. After all, for the last several years, basically every gaming laptop and mobile workstation has featured a discrete Nvidia GPU. AMD hasn't produced a mobile discrete GPU since the Radeon RX 7000 series in early 2023. While AMD could be working on a Radeon 9000 series GPU for laptops, we haven't heard even the glimmer of a rumor around a new laptop GPU from Team Red. So if Intel can expand the Arc discrete graphics platform to laptops in the next few years, we could see a major upset in the laptop market. But only time will tell. I spent a week with the HP ZBook Fury 18 G1i, and this mobile workstation obliterated my expectations. Big cat sighting: Intel shows off Panther Lake at Computex Dell's new laptop ditches the GPU for a discrete NPU — here's why that's a big deal
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AMD Ryzen AI Max Geekbench scores reveal a power drop in 300-series APUs
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Not all laptop chips are created equal, and that's as true of AMD's innovative Ryzen AI Max "Strix Halo" APU as any. AMD unveiled the Strix Halo APU in January as the Ryzen AI Max 300 series, debuting three consumer chipset variants and four variants made for workstation-class machines. While we normally expect a large performance gap in between, say, a Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 9. But, with a name like Ryzen AI Max, you may not be expecting such a performance gap between the three APUs in the AI Max series. An APU, or accelerated processing unit, is a chipset that combines the CPU and an integrated graphics tile. AMD coined the term back in 2011. AMD uses APU for all of its mobile chipsets, from the Ryzen AI Max to the Ryzen AI 300 series. So far, we've seen only systems powered by the 16-core Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip, including the Asus ROG Flow Z 13 gaming laptop. However, the Ryzen AI Max family offers more budget-friendly options, too, from the 12-core Ryzen AI Max 390 down to the 8-core Ryzen AI Max 385. Last week, we finally saw the 8-core Strix Halo chipset's performance. An HP ZBook Ultra 14 G1a featuring this budget-friendly APU has been benchmarked on Geekbench 6, and the results were uploaded to the Geekbench archives. So, how does the 8-core Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 stack up against the 16-core 395? Let's take a look. According to results uploaded to Geekbench on May 27, the HP ZBook Ultra 14 G1a with an AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 APU scored a Geekbench single-core score of 2,489 and a multicore score of 14,136. We expected these scores to be higher. However, a few factors may explain the larger-than-expected performance gap. First, there's the hardware matchup (8 cores vs. 16). The Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 also has a lower max frequency than the flagship, which could explain the dip in single-core performance. The difference in RAM between the HP ZBook Ultra configuration Laptop reviewed and the ZBook scores uploaded to Geekbench could also be behind the score differences, as RAM affects how Geekbench scores are calculated. Our take: It has long battery life, a sharp, bright display, solid speakers, and incredible performance and graphics. Specs: Windows 11 Pro, AMD Ryzen™ AI Max+ PRO 395 (up to 5.1 GHz max boost clock, 64 MB L3 cache, 16 cores, 32 threads), 64 GB memory; 2 TB SSD storage, 14" diagonal 2.8K touch display, AMD Radeon™ 8060S Deal Geekbench's HP ZBook Ultra 14 G1a (Ryzen AI Max PRO 385) Laptop Mag's HP ZBook Ultra 14 G1a (Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395) Laptop Mag's Asus ROG Flow Z13 (Ryzen AI Max+ 395) Geekbench 6 Single-core (Higher is better) 2,489 2,837 2,995 Geekbench 6 Multicore (Higher is better) 14,136 17,721 19,457 Chipset CPU cores CPU threads GPU cores Max GHz Cache NPU cTDP Ryzen AI Max+ 395 16 cores 32 threads 40 cores 5.1GHz 80MB 50 TOPS 45-120W Ryzen AI Max 390 12 cores 24 threads 32 cores 5.0GHz 76MB 50 TOPS 45-120W Ryzen AI Max 385 8 cores 16 threads 32 cores 5.0GHz 40MB 50 TOPS 45-120W Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 16 cores 32 threads 40 cores 5.1GHz 80 MB 50 TOPS 45-120W Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 12 cores 24 threads 32 cores 5.0GHz 76MB 50 TOPS 45-120W Ryzen AI Max PRO 385 8 cores 16 threads 32 cores 5.0GHz 40MB 50 TOPS 45-120W Ryzen AI Max PRO 380 6 cores 12 threads 16 cores 4.9GHz 22MB 50 TOPS 45-120W While the Ryzen AI Max 385 and its professional variant will still be interesting chipsets — as both still feature the larger Radeon 8060S integrated graphics tile — these early benchmarks clarify a few things. The Ryzen AI Max 300 series starts at 385 and tops out at 395. The Ryzen AI 300 Strix Point series starts with the Ryzen AI 9 365 and tops out with the Ryzen AI 9 HX 375. The Ryzen AI 7 350 and Ryzen AI 5 340 are both technically on AMD's Krackan Point architecture. Based on AMD's naming convention, the Ryzen AI Max 300 is designed to sit directly atop the Ryzen AI 300 series. So, as the entry-level Ryzen AI Max chip, the 385's Geekbench scores are just above what we've seen from the top end of the Ryzen AI 300 series. We're not certain yet how expensive the Ryzen AI Max 385 will be compared to its slightly less powerful Ryzen AI 300 series counterparts, as only two Ryzen AI Max systems are on the market so far. The HP ZBook Ultra with the Ryzen AI Max 385 starts at $2,599. Meanwhile, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 doesn't have a Ryzen AI Max 385 variant but costs $2,099 for the slightly more powerful Ryzen AI Max 390 chipset. But based on those prices, you are paying quite a bit more for the Ryzen AI Max chipset and its more powerful Radeon 8060S iGPU. The real question is, is the Ryzen AI Max worth its high price tag? Right now, that's still up for debate. Why Apple's next macOS might signal a shift. Here's why A 1mm fan inside your laptop's hard drive? Here's how the micro xMEMS fan works Don't buy an Nvidia RTX 5060 laptop, wait for the RTX 5050
Yahoo
21-05-2025
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Acer's ultra-portable Predator Triton 14 AI gaming laptop could be the coolest thing at Computex
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Intel's Core Ultra 200V Lunar Lake chipsets were announced last year for ultrathin and light systems. They are intended for use mostly in AI PCs and the MSI Claw 8 AI+ handheld. These mobile processors weren't expected ever to hit the mainstream gaming laptop market, and Laptop Mag was almost certain you couldn't connect a discrete GPU to the chip. But as they say, life finds a way. Acer has managed to connect a discrete Nvidia RTX 50-series gaming GPU to Intel's Lunar Lake to create the Triton 14 AI ultra-portable gaming laptop. The ultra-slim, ultra-light Triton 14 AI is intended for gaming and content creation, and based on Laptop Mag's recent hands-on demo, it just might be the coolest thing announced for Computex in Taipei next week. But other than an interesting chip combo, what makes the Triton 14 AI so unique? Price: €2,999 starting CPU: Up to Intel Core Ultra 9 288V GPU: Up to Nvidia RTX 5070 Memory: Up to 32GB Storage: Up to 2TB Display: 14.5-inch, 2880 x 1800, 120Hz OLED Battery: TBD Size: 0.68 inches thick Weight: 3.52 pounds The Triton 14 AI is a slim laptop, measuring just 0.68 inches thick. While not the thinnest laptop we've ever seen with a discrete GPU under the hood, it is incredibly slim for a 14-inch laptop. And at just 3.52 pounds, it'll fit in just about any backpack or laptop bag you own, making it super portable. Acer managed to slim down the Triton 14 to just 0.68 inches thanks to a combination of ultra-thin sixth-gen AeroBlade fans, a graphene thermal interface, and a new vapor chamber to keep the Triton slim and cool under pressure. Acer has opted for a fun, steel blue colorway on the Triton 14 AI, which sets it apart from the other black and silver gaming laptops on the market. The Triton 14 AI has an anti-fingerprint coating to keep it looking sleek even after hours of use. Acer has packed a 76Whr battery in the Triton 14 AI. Because Intel's Core Ultra 200V Lunar Lake chips are super power efficient, the Triton should have good battery life when surfing the web or even when gaming. While we expect battery life to take a bit of a hit due to the discrete Nvidia GPU and OLED display panel, the Triton 14 AI could easily last for 8+ hours of web surfing on battery thanks to its ultra-efficient CPU. We have already seen the benefits of an AI PC chip powering a gaming laptop this year, thanks to the Razer Blade 16 (2025). As the Triton 14 AI is a similar combo, just with an Intel CPU instead, it could end up nipping the Asus TUF Gaming A14 off our list as the gaming laptop with the best battery life. Acer has outfitted the Triton 14 AI with a 14.5-inch, 2880 x 1800, 120Hz OLED panel rated for 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut and sporting Calman verification. From what we've seen so far, this display looks great and has the potential to be a great tool for content creators. We saw a similar display on the Acer Swift X 14 (2024) last year. While our lab testing couldn't verify the 100% DCI-P3 rating, the display looked crisp and gorgeous in our hands-on testing. If Acer is using the same display or a similar OLED panel on the Triton 14 AI, it's guaranteed to be a great option for content creators or for gamers who really want an immersive, cinematic gaming experience. Intel's Lunar Lake platform is not the beefiest Intel CPU out there, that would have to go to the Core Ultra 200HX Arrow Lake chipset. However, Lunar Lake is certainly powerful enough to handle web browsing, spreadsheet management, video calls, and some light Photoshop work without breaking a sweat. The Lunar Lake integrated GPU is also pretty good for gaming in 1080p at Medium settings. Combined with a discrete Nvidia RTX 50-series GPU, and it should get even better graphics power for a smoother gaming experience. While we haven't reviewed an RTX 5070 laptop just yet, if it's anything like the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 laptops, it'll have some decent silicon power and all the advantages of Nvidia's new DLSS 4 technology to provide smooth, high framerates in even the most demanding games. Acer will launch the Triton 14 AI in July in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with a starting price of €2,999. Due to constantly shifting US foreign tariffs, Acer has not yet published pricing or release dates for North America. But, when the Triton 14 AI becomes available in the US, you can bet we'll be angling to get it into our labs and put this Lunar Lake/Nvidia hybrid to the test. Computex showdown: Nvidia & MediaTek tipped to steal Windows-on-Arm spotlight Play 'FBC: Firebreak' first, if your laptop can handle a return to Control's Oldest House What links GTA 6, Cyberpunk 2077, and Baldur's Gate 3? They could all be at risk of being banned.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Acer responds to tariff question about new Aspire laptops
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Acer on Friday unveiled an impressive suite of six new Aspire laptops, but an Acer rep tells Laptop Mag that tariffs are among the reasons why they haven't been priced or made available in the United States yet. Six new AI PCs — all capable of running the generative AI service Microsoft CoPilot+ — made their debut ahead of Computex, the annual tech industry summit in Taipei that starts next week. "We are refraining from disclosing U.S./North American pricing for future products." An Acer rep to Laptop Mag The Aspire range has long been recognized as filled with everyday-quality get-it-done devices. The new laptops, made of lightweight aluminum and boasting powerful processors, come in the popular 14" and 16" sizes. They will be available in Europe and Australia starting in June. When asked if tariffs had any role in the delay of these laptops arriving in the US and their prices, an Acer rep told Laptop Mag on Friday: 'The pricing impact of the tariffs will vary based on the country where each product is manufactured, the date the product arrives in the U.S., ongoing negotiations with major retailers as well as commercial and education customers, and various other factors. "Due to this, we are refraining from disclosing U.S./North American pricing for future products and instead, will announce pricing, availability, and configurations closer to market availability in the United States/North America.' The six laptops are divided into three categories — those with processors from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm —and each category offers a 14' and 16' version. Most share a similar price range: between €899 and €999 for the 14' models and between €999 and €1,099 for the 16' models. A key difference does crop up in display, though. Perhaps to keep the price similar to Intel and AMD models, the Aspire with a Snapdragon X processor doesn't have an OLED screen — that model has IPS tech instead. All laptops are expected to go on sale in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa this summer, and this fall in Australia. Notably, the United States and other North American countries are left off the news release. "We think 10% probably will have to be the default price increase." Acer CEO Jason Chen In February, Acer CEO Jason Chen said that the company had to adjust prices to reflect the tariffs put on goods made in China. In an interview with The Telegraph, Chen said, "We think 10% probably will have to be the default price increase because of the import tax. It's very straightforward." To borrow a phrase from an earlier political era, U.S. President Donald Trump has been flip-flopping on tariff threats since he began to face pressure over them. "Don't buy the silly arguments that the U.S. consumer pays." U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick On Friday, Axios reported that Trump said the U.S. will unilaterally set tariff rates in the next few weeks. Trump has previously walked back tariff threats after the global economy went into a tailspin and stocks sank. In an interview with CNN earlier this month, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that "We do expect a 10% baseline tariff to be in place for the foreseeable future — but don't buy the silly arguments that the U.S. consumer pays." Lutnick said then, 'The businesses and the countries primarily eat the tariff.' However, that directly contradicts what Acer CEO Chen has said. Trump's plan on a tariff rollout has been uncertain above anything else. What is certain is that new Aspire laptops don't appear to be going on sale in the US anytime soon. Dig into the specs on these impressive new laptops below — and once they go on sale in the U.S., Laptop will be sure to report the news. Model Availability Price North America availability North America price Top-level processor Battery life Memory Storage Graphics Display tech Aspire 14 & 16 AI laptops (Intel) 14" model: July 2025 in Europe, Middle East, Africa & 16" model: August 2025 in Europe, Middle East, Africa 14" model: €999 & 16" model: €1,099 ??? ??? Intel ® Core ™ Ultra 7 processor 258V Up to 26.5 hours Up to 32 GB Up to 1 TB Intel® Arc ™ Graphics 140V 16:10 OLED WUXGA+, 120 Hz refresh rate, 500 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut Aspire 14 & 16 AI laptops (AMD) 14" model: July 2025 in Europe, Middle East, Africa. Q3 in Australia. & 16" model: August 2025 in Europe, Middle East, Africa. Q3 in Australia 14" model: €999 or AUD 1,499 & 16" model: €1,099 or AUD 1,499 ??? ??? AMD Ryzen ™ AI 7 350 processor s with advanced 'Zen 5' CPU architecture Up to 18.5 hours Up to 32 GB Up to 1 TB AMD Radeon™ 860M graphics (integrated) 16:10 OLED, 120 Hz refresh rate, 500 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut Aspire 14 & 16 AI laptops (Qualcomm) 14" model: June 2025 in Europe, Middle East, Africa. Q3 in Australia & 16" model: July 2025 in Europe, Middle East, Africa. Q3 in Australia. 14" model: €899 or AUD 1,399 & 6" model: €999 or AUD 1,499 ??? ??? Snapdragon®X X1-26-100 processor with Qualcomm Oryon ™ CPU Up to 28 hours Up to 32 GB Up to 1 TB Qualcomm® Adreno™ GPU 16:10 WUXGA, 120 Hz refresh rate, 100% sRGB color gamut Did Tim Cook orchestrate Apple's tariff break? What we know Tariffs and TSMC delays could turn Apple into an Intel Foundry customer Jensen Huang says Nvidia will 'continue serving the Chinese market' despite tariffs
