Intel is reaching a significant milestone with the Arrow Lake-S desktop processors by introducing the first neural processing unit (NPU) in a desktop PC. Despite the NPU’s limited AI capabilities, it marks a notable advancement in CPU technology.
While Intel has not officially confirmed the specs for Arrow Lake-S, leaked information suggests that the NPU will offer 13 TOPS of AI performance, significantly lower than competitors like AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series with 50 TOPS. The decision to include a less powerful NPU in a desktop CPU is driven by the fact that high TOPS counts in NPUs are primarily needed in ultralight workstation laptops for AI and machine learning workloads where battery efficiency is crucial.
Collection of various small improvements/changes shipping with Arrow Lake -S.
All specifications are “up to”, except for TOPS, which may exceed the listed number on the retail product. pic.twitter.com/EyAxyFVZMf
— Jaykihn (@jaykihn0) July 9, 2024
While Arrow Lake-S may not excel in AI performance, desktop PCs can rely on discrete GPUs like Nvidia’s RTX 4090 for intensive AI tasks. Even a mid-range GPU can outperform the NPU in AI processing. Despite its limitations, Intel’s decision to include an NPU in Arrow Lake-S allows them to market it as the first desktop NPU for consumers, paving the way for potential future advancements in desktop AI technology.
However, questions remain about features like Recall’s delayed integration, previously exclusive to Copilot+ PCs, which may indicate future developments in desktop AI capabilities. In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology, the role of NPUs in desktop computing is still to be fully realized.
