What key features underpin best-in-class AI PCs?

As businesses seek to leverage AI in all aspects of their operations, it’s vital that IT leaders understand how this transformative moment will impact hardware.

CIOs who aren’t actively investigating the possibilities risk being left behind. IDC expects AI PCs will represent nearly 60% of all PC shipments worldwide by 2027. ¹

IDC’s Tom Mainelli, group vice president, Devices and Consumer Research, says: “Promises around enhanced user productivity via faster performance, plus lower inferencing costs, and the benefit of on-device privacy and security, have driven strong IT decision-maker interest in AI PCs. In 2024, we’ll see AI PC shipments begin to ramp, and over the next few years, we expect the technology to move from niche to a majority.”²

The AI PC’s moment is here: but what does best-in-class look like?

Ensuring the performance and efficiency of AI workloads

As with traditional PCs, the starting point must be the processors. CIOs should look for processors that can run AI workloads at the speeds needed for time-sensitive AI applications such as language translation, image recognition, and interactive AI systems.

Dell, for instance, is integrating Snapdragon® X Elite and Snapdragon® X Plus processors into its AI PC range, which includes its new XPS 13, Inspiron 14 Plus, Inspiron 14, Latitude 7455 and Latitude 5455 devices.

In these devices, the Qualcomm Oryon™ CPU, premium GPU and neural processing unit (NPU) can focus on what they were designed to do. And that means Dell’s new AI PCs deliver 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of performance on the NPU, enabling AI tasks to run optimally.

Unlocking productivity with on-device AI

A second consideration is the extent to which AI is integrated into the device as an out-the-box feature. On-device AI is important as it can substantially increase the performance and efficiency of the laptop as well as the productivity of employees.

Dell’s AI PCs featuring Snapdragon® X Series are a case in point. Its laptops come with an integrated “Copilot+,” an AI assistant that delivers responsiveness and speed for navigating workloads, while enhancing security and efficiency.

The new capabilities mean users will never need to take a screenshot again. The Copilot+ feature, Recall³, instantly scans apps, files, emails and websites a user has seen before to retrieve exactly the content they’re looking for.

Another example is how Copilot+ can be used to improve the quality of video calls. The Voice Focus filters out background noise to make sure that end users are heard clearly.

The new NPU will allow Windows Studio Effects to correct eye gaze, auto-frame the user, and blur their background.

Sustainable technology

While performance, efficiency, and productivity will always be crucial factors in purchasing decisions, CIOs today also have to factor in the sustainability credentials of the hardware they buy.

Here, the choice of materials used in the manufacture of AI PCs is a key consideration.

Look for devices that contain high levels of recycled materials, recycled or recyclable packaging, and low-emissions aluminum.

Dell’s XPS 13 family, for instance, are designed with a combination of recycled and low-emissions aluminum and recycled plastics, which helps lower the carbon footprint of the laptop by up to 88%.⁴

In the coming years all businesses will deploy AI in their operations. By selecting the best AI PCs, CIOs can help ensure that their AI deployments deliver.

Learn more about how Dell is shaping the next generation of PCs with its new range of AI-powered devices.

¹ IDC Media Centre, IDC expects AI PCs will represent nearly 60% of all PC shipments worldwide, February 2024, https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS51851424

² Ibid

³ Please note: Recall is coming soon through a post-launch Windows Update. See here. Recall is optimized for select languages (English, Chinese (simplified), French, German, Japanese, and Spanish). Content-based and storage limitations apply.

⁴ Recycled materials: Based on internal analysis, March 2024. Percentages are based on total system weight. Low emissions aluminum: Based on internal analysis, March 2024. Lid, bottom cover and palm rest: 75% recycled aluminum and 25% low emissions aluminum. Recycled glass: Based on internal analysis, March 2024. Recycled plastic: Based on internal analysis, March 2024. The percentage is based on plastic weight.