Microsoft Sets 16GB RAM & 40 TOPS of AI Computing Speed as Standard for New ‘AI PCs’

There has been a fast-paced growth in AI adoption and new features such as MicrosoftCopilotcoming to our personal computers. With the advent of artificial intelligence, the standard of internal specifications in modern PCs is accordingly being upgraded.

Microsoft has now set16GB RAMas the minimum requirement for ‘AI PCs‘ (Source:Trendforce). While Microsoft has yet to state this officially, many rumors also suggest the same. In addition to this, the growing adoption of LPDDR5x memory suggests faster RAM is becoming increasingly popular on new PCs!

Intel Lunar Lake, which will be the next major processor architectural innovation, may feature an even deeper adoption of LPDDR5x. Currently, Intel Core Ultra-based laptops based on Meteor Lake architecture support up to DDR5-5600 MHz or LPDDR5x 7467 MHz RAM. According to Trendforce, a30-35% surgein LPDDR-style memory demand for new laptops is expected as we move forward into 2024.

This upgrade to internal hardware requirements will increase the overall performance and multitasking capabilities of new 2024 PCs, including the latest laptops. What exactly makes a PC capable of AI? For now, the fine line is kind of gray. Anything that has aNeural Processing Unit(NPU) as found on the latestIntel Core Ultra,Snapdragon X Elite, and newRyzen 8000G desktop processorsshould qualifyas an AI-ready PC.

However, not all new PCs will meet the new requirements. In addition to all this talk about RAM capacity, TrendForce says Microsoft is also setting aminimum benchmarkof40 TOPSin AI computing power. When the personal computer meets this, it can be branded as an ‘AI PC.’

In the report, it is mentioned that Intel’s recently unveiled Core Ultra processors based onMeteor Lakecan only measure up to 34 TOPS. This is with the combined power of the CPU, GPU, and NPU. Trendforce says the new Intel processors “fall short of Microsoft’s standards.”

However, AMD’s upcoming Strix Point architecture-based Ryzen 8000 processors, along with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors, are expected to meet these requirements. For Intel, upcoming processors Lunar Lake willsurpassthe 40 TOPS requirement.

We already have various new PCs that have come out at CES 2024. These have repeatedly been branded as ‘AI PCs’, so it’s a bit unclear when the 40 TOPS & 16GB RAMrequirement is coming into place, and how it affects PCs already announced by manufacturers which don’t meet the 40 TOPS requirement for AI compute.

What are your thoughts on the increased internal hardware requirements that Microsoft is setting in place? How do you personally feel about the advent of AI in new PCs? Let us know in the comments below.

Satyam Kumar

Highly passionate about technology. Major expertise in PC hardware, the VR industry, esports-centric gear, and other gadgets. In my spare time, I’m usually researching exciting hardware breakthroughs or playing competitive games.

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