Dell Technologies is making significant strides in the realm of AI by introducing the most comprehensive portfolio of AI PCs and workstations in the market. Setting a new benchmark for battery life, productivity, security, and performance, the PCs are tailored to meet the evolving needs of businesses, prioritising customer choice and flexibility, and equipping them for a future powered by AI. The innovative solutions mark a significant step forward in Dell’s broader AI strategy, which aims to use its AI portfolio to support businesses from the desktop to the data centre to the cloud.

“From running complex AI workloads on workstations to using day-to-day AI-powered applications on laptops, the AI PC will be an important investment that pays dividends in productivity and paves the way to a smarter, more efficient future. Dell’s advantage starts with offering more AI PCs across the commercial portfolio from day one, catering to customers’ unique needs and giving them the ability to start future-proofing for AI today,” said Haidi Nossair, Sr. Director – Client Solutions Group – META, Dell Technologies.

The neural processing unit (NPU)–equipped AI PC will grow from nearly 50 million units in 2024 to more than 167 million in 2027, representing nearly 60% of all PC shipments worldwide. The NPU adds an AI acceleration engine that can take on more dedicated AI tasks, freeing up the CPU and GPU to do other things. This creates a more responsive experience and enhances performance, security, battery life and productivity.

Dell provides the world’s most intelligent, manageable and secure commercial PCs. With a new line-up of Latitude laptops and Precision mobile workstations, Dell will offer customers the broadest portfolio of commercial AI laptops and mobile workstations, from entry-level to ultra-premium laptops and workstation options. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with Intel vPro, Dell commercial PCs drive AI workloads and unlock new levels of productivity and efficiency.

For example, employees can now:

• Collaborate more effectively. Combining the benefits of the NPU to offload capabilities like auto-framing, background blur and eye-tracking with the power efficiency of Intel Core Ultra processors, gives workers up to 38% more battery life and valuable working time in a day packed with Zoom calls.
• Create content faster. By distributing AI processing across the CPU, GPU and now NPU, users can create generative AI images over five times faster with Stable Diffusion, a text-to-image model.
• Work more securely in a hybrid work environment. More ISVs will continue to build applications for the AI PC. For example, Dell is working with CrowdStrike and Intel to offload security functions onto the device via the NPU. This provides more comprehensive threat detection, helping customers swiftly detect malicious sites and security vulnerabilities with reduced latency compared to cloud-based solutions.
• Stay in the flow of work. The portfolio features Windows 11 and a Copilot key to make it even easier to get things done and stay in the flow of work. With the press of a key, you can have faster access to your everyday AI companion.

Building on years of industry leadership in proactive, predictive automation as well as expert advice and managed services, new Dell Services capabilities help customers:

• Maximize PC uptime and improve productivity with new self-healing capabilities through the ProSupport Suite for PCs. Customers who connect to Dell’s SupportAssist technology can leverage telemetry and AI to fix PC issues without human intervention. This lets IT activate Dell-authored scripts to autonomously correct blue screen errors, thermal issues and more across their entire fleet of PCs.
• Keep PC fleet refreshes on track and budget with Dell’s managed services. When customers need new AI devices, Dell provides detailed planning, forecasting and supply chain management to enable timely, targeted multi-vendor device rollouts.
• Adopt and maximize GenAI investments with Digital Employee Experience Services for Gen AI. These services equip employees with the tools and technology tailored to their diverse roles.

Dell’s most intelligent headset portfolio in its class includes five new headsets. The Dell Premier Wireless ANC Headset (WL7024) features AI-based noise-cancelling microphones that distinguish human speech signals from background noises from both the user and their audience and adjust the level of noise cancellation based on the user’s environment. The advanced smart sensor intelligently performs tasks like mute/unmute, and pause/play as long as the earcup is lifted, while intuitive touch controls tailor the audio experience.

The fully refreshed Latitude portfolio features updates across the 5000, 7000 and 9000 series. Latitude 5000 is Dell’s mainstream series of devices, offering flexibility, scalability, and security. The series is sustainable by design with materials ranging from recycled plastics to reclaimed carbon fibre, renewable materials and ocean-bound plastics.

The Latitude 7350/7450 Ultralights are the world’s lightest 13.3” and 14” premium commercial laptops. The Latitude 7455 is a premium AI laptop with up to 21 hours of battery life stacked with a stunning 14-inch QHD+ touch display, quad speakers with AI noise reduction, Qualcomm FastConnect Wi-Fi 7 and optional 5G for greater connectivity and collaboration. As Dell’s thinnest Latitude laptop ever, team members have the mobile form factor they need for productivity at the desk or on the go.

Designed for executives, salespeople and consultants, the Latitude 9450 2-in-1 provides a peek into the future of work from anywhere focused on ultra-premium design, collaboration & productivity. It boasts a haptic collaboration touchpad with support for Microsoft Teams and Zoom, a stunning QHD+ Infinity Edge display, top-firing speakers and a new HDR webcam. As new WiFi-7 capability rolls out throughout 2024, the Wi-Fi 7 capable wireless card on Latitude 9450 will expand throughput and connect us to our peers even faster. These enhancements paired with the ability to utilize AI to improve collaboration will deliver a premium new experience to end users.

Now featuring Intel Core Ultra processors Series 2, Dell’s thinnest XPS provides more power and efficiency to effortlessly tackle the most demanding tasks. This includes a dedicated NPU capable of up to 48 TOPS, enabling advanced AI capabilities such as text and image creation and faster photo or video editing. XPS 13 is the first laptop in the world to offer a tandem OLED display, allowing for higher brightness than a traditional OLED display and 26 hours of battery life while streaming on an FHD+ display.

Dell has also introduced new video conferencing monitors with upgraded convenience, a better camera and next-level multitasking features. These monitors are the world’s first 23.8-inch, 27-inch and 34-inch video conferencing monitors certified for both Microsoft Teams and Zoom7. These monitors include an integrated camera, speakers, and microphones to allow for a clean desk setup.

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA stands out in the ultrabook landscape, offering a combination of premium design, innovative AI features, and exceptional performance.

Build Quality and Design
The Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA’s premium design is highlighted by its sleek lines, lightweight magnesium-aluminium alloy construction, and distinctive “Ceraluminum” finish. Its slim 13.9mm profile adds to its portability and aesthetic appeal.

The Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA features an industry-first ceramisation process that transforms aluminium into solid, scratch-resistant ceramic. Ceraluminum combines ceramic’s durability with metal’s lightweight properties, offering unmatched longevity.

The high-tech ceramic finish is available in nature-inspired colours, Zumaia Gray and Scandinavian White, which adds a touch of sophistication to the Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA’s design. The Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA’s premium CNC unibody construction measures just 1.1 cm thick and weighs a mere 1.2 kilograms, making it the smallest 14-inch laptop on the market.

AI Features
The Zenbook S 14’s standout feature is its integration of AI capabilities, powered by Intel’s Lunar Lake processors. These processors enhance the laptop’s performance in various ways, such as improving audio clarity through AI-driven noise cancellation and optimising battery life with AI-enhanced power management.

The Zenbook S 14’s integration of Windows Copilot offers a personalized AI assistant that streamlines tasks and boosts productivity. By learning user preferences, Windows Copilot provides tailored assistance for scheduling meetings, setting reminders, and finding files.

In addition to Windows Copilot, the Zenbook S 14 leverages AI-powered features within Windows itself. These include AI-driven search for more accurate results and AI-enhanced security for enhanced protection. AI also optimizes performance, ensuring smooth multitasking.

The ultrabook also comes packed with ASUS StoryCube, a powerful tool that lets you create and share captivating multimedia stories with ease. Leveraging AI, StoryCube automatically organises photos and videos into engaging narratives, adding music and transitions for a professional touch. It’s a great option for content creators and casual users alike, simplifying the process of producing high-quality content.

Hardware
Powered by up to the latest Intel Core Ultra 9 processor (Series 2) with SoC design, it boasts a 27% smaller motherboard for improved cooling efficiency. The integrated LPDDR5X DRAM offers higher bandwidth and lower latency for enhanced performance and stability.

With up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe4.0 NVMe SSD, the Zenbook S 14 provides ample storage and memory. Its versatile connectivity options include Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB 3.2, and WiFi 7. The 72-watt-hour battery ensures long-lasting power for all-day productivity.

Display
The ASUS Zenbook S 14 features a 16:10 14-inch OLED HDR NanoEdge display with 2880-by-1800 resolution, providing you with a sharp visual experience. The OLED display of the ASUS Zenbook S 14 supports a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, up to 500-nits peak brightness, and 0.0005 nits of deep black brightness, providing creators with a brighter and more detailed viewing. Along with an ultrawide colour gamut of 100% DCI-P3 and HDR content support, the display is also certified VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black, Dolby Vision and is Pantone Validated, assuring accurate colour and high dynamic contrast.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The keyboard of the Zenbook S 14 achieves a 19.5 mm pitch (the distance between the middle of a key to the middle of an adjacent key) and offers many commonly used function keys, enabling users to type comfortably. The keyboard is backlit for convenient typing in dark environments such as flights.

In addition, the keys of the ASUS Zenbook S 14 series feature a subtle 0.1 mm dish-shaped indentation and 1.1 mm key travel — the longest of its class of laptops. The dish-shaped indentation subtly guides fingers onto the keys and the long key travel provides better feedback. Together, these features improve typing accuracy and replicate the comfort of using a desktop PC keyboard.

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 features a new ergonomic touchpad measuring 127.0-by-79.17 mm. This touchpad includes a hydrophobic coating and a high-end PVD anti-fingerprint coating, providing users with smooth feedback for every scrolling movement and ensuring excellent resistance to wear and tear. Even after more than 10,000 slides, the touchpad remains as smooth as new.

Additionally, the touchpad has an optimal click depth of 0.23 mm, offering a great feel with natural feedback. This design also significantly reduces unintended activations. The ErgoSense touchpad supports multitouch gestures in Windows, so you can use three- or four-finger shortcuts to launch frequently-used applications or functions, enabling users to quickly access commonly used settings and apps.

Cooling Features
The Zenbook S 14 is incredibly thin at just 1.1 centimetres, half the thickness of a typical 28W ultraportable. Despite its slim design, the Zenbook S 14 does not compromise on cooling. It features an advanced cooling system that efficiently dissipates heat, ensuring the laptop remains cool even during intensive tasks.

This system includes dual fans, a 0.7 mm ultra-slim vapour chamber, and a geometric grille design. These components work together to ensure the laptop reaches an optimal 28-watt TDP without throttling. The ambient cooling technology helps maintain whisper-quiet operation, keeping noise levels below 25 dB during light workloads.

WiFi 7
Connectivity is another strong suit of the Zenbook S 14, thanks to its support for WiFi 7. This latest wireless standard provides faster speeds, lower latency, and improved reliability compared to previous generations. The benefit of the Wi-Fi 7 is a potential maximum data rate of almost 5.8 Gbps.

This is 4.8X faster than the Gbps-level Wi-Fi 6/6E and could easily enable high-quality 8K video streaming or reduce a massive 15 GB file download to roughly 25 seconds vs. the one minute it would take with the best legacy Wi-Fi technology. It also has an ASUS-exclusive WiFi SmartConnect feature, which provides greater distance, stability, and seamless wireless network experiences for users.

AiSense Camera
The AiSense camera is designed to enhance video conferencing experiences. It features AI-driven enhancements such as background blurring, auto-framing, and lighting adjustments, ensuring you always look your best during calls. The camera also supports facial recognition for secure and convenient login.

Performance
Our review unit of the Zenbook S 14 was powered by Intel’s Core Ultra 7 258V processor, paired with 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and a 1TB SSD. This configuration delivered excellent performance for everyday tasks, multitasking, and even some light gaming. The integrated Intel Arc 140V graphics provide a boost for graphics-intensive applications, making it a versatile machine for both work and play.

Verdict
The ASUS Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA is a well-rounded ultrabook that excels in multiple areas. Its premium build quality, innovative AI features, and robust performance make it a compelling choice for professionals and casual users alike. The advanced cooling system, stunning OLED display, and support for WiFi 7 further enhance its appeal.

While it comes with a premium price tag, the features and performance justify the investment. If you’re in the market for a high-end ultrabook that combines style, functionality, and cutting-edge technology, the Zenbook S 14 UX5406SA is worth considering.

Price: AED 7999

Acer has launched its latest Swift laptops, powered by the new Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2). The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI Copilot+ PCs offer exceptional AI performance, sleek designs, and a suite of AI-powered features. Equipped with Intel Core Ultra processors, these laptops deliver up to 48 trillion operations per second (TOPS) of NPU AI performance. This enables them to accelerate generative AI tasks and creations with ease. The laptops also feature advanced security features, including biometric security and hardware-level protection, to safeguard user data.

The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI boast premium aluminium chassis and stunning OLED displays with 90 Hz refresh rates and HDR TrueBlack 500 certification. The laptops also offer exceptional battery life, thanks to efficient power management and the new Intel Core Ultra processors. Acer’s suite of AI features includes Copilot+, which provides intelligent assistance for various tasks. The laptops also feature AcerSense, which allows users to control system settings and access AI features with a single click. Additionally, Acer Assist offers AI-powered document search and troubleshooting, while Acer PurifiedView and PurifiedVoice enhance video conferencing experiences.

The Swift 14 AI and Swift 16 AI are Copilot+ PCs, offering a new era of productivity and efficiency. With Copilot, users can access AI-powered tools like Cocreator for image generation and Live Captions for real-time speech translation. The Acer Swift Go 14 AI, powered by a Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor, offers exceptional performance and long battery life. It is designed for everyday users who seek a powerful and accessible AI-powered laptop.

Acer’s new Swift laptops offer a combination of powerful AI performance, sleek designs, and innovative features. Whether you’re a creative professional, a student, or a business user, these laptops have something to offer.