OPINION : Intel ’s Core Ultra ( codenamed Meteor Lake ) chip are here , and along with AMD ’s 7040 series check plus the inbound 8040 cooking stove , they ’re make thin - and - swooning Windows laptop computer competitive with the MacBook Air once again . Take placard , Apple .
Now , I ’m not going to get forwards of myself . TheMacBook Airrange rest one of the sluttish recommendations in tech , whether that ’s paying full knock for a 13 or 15 - inch M2 or saving cash on the – still excellent – M1 model . However , everything is n’t flushed on the Mac side of things , with load declining spectacularly in 2023 ( viaForbes ) .
This damning news was surveil by Apple shipping its M3 series of chips speedily in a year when we ’d already seen the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips occur on the view . true , this clash appear to have happened as the M2 MacBook Pro chips were delayed rather than an M3 - instill affright reception from Apple .
The M3 MacBook Air is n’t expected until 2024 , so we ca n’t make lineal comparison between that and the latest Intel and AMD laptop computer to burst on the scene . However , based on our experience with theApple MacBook Air 16 - inch M3 Max , this year looks to be another iterative upgrade for the range . This is despite Apple moving from a 5 nm outgrowth on the M2 series to a more efficient 3 nm process with the fresh M3 range . Apple had its grownup moment with the transition to Apple Silicon and its now been little stair fore in the years since .
In 2023 , Intel and AMD have calculate to take vantage of Apple ’s resting on its laurels . I ’m focusing on the late released check from these manufacturers but it ’s also worth noting Qualcomm also has Apple in its hatful for 2024 , with Arm - basedSnapdragon X Elitelaptops set to burst on the scene .
With AMD , some laptops from its Ryzen 7040 serial publication have become available and I test theAcer Swift Edge 16 . It ’s an impressive equipment that occupy cues from the LG Gram reach without interrupt the bank . The Ryzen microprocessor chip was particularly impressed with the battery life it could offer , as well as the newfangled AI video conferencing feature enabled by the onboard NPU . But , the eager fan and poor speakers stopped it from being a lawful rival to the 15 - inch MacBook Air .
But , it ’s Intel ’s AI - flavoured poker chip launch this week that has limit tongues wagging … is Intel back ? commentator Stuart Andrews certainly bespeak so , with theIntel Core Ultra7 155H - poweredAsus Zenbook 14 OLEDgetting a 4.5 - star recapitulation in one of the first early outings for Meteor Lake chips .
Stuart call it a “ fantastic lightweight laptop combining good design , strong performance and an splendid screen , ” with particular praise reserve for its powerful productivity performance and in writing capacity – even if it remains well shy of the ilk of a MacBook Pro , but this is a thin - and - light .
However , there put down a warning in the revue for Apple ’s higher - end MacBook good example . The independent criticism of the novel Core Ultra laptop computer was that lack of blistering graphical capabilities but we ’re keen to see how these flake carry out their duties in great and more business leader - friendly form factors .
With the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED , Intel now has a laptop computer that can be called a worthy MacBook Air challenger . machine in late age have been limited beyond productivity power and , if they went beyond this , typically drew literary criticism for strong-growing fans , warm chassis and , importantly , poor battery living . That important peak has largely languish away with this first Core Ultra laptop computer . In our review , the Zenbook achieved a strong almost 13 hours of battery life in our bench mark testing . It is n’t perfectly on equation with the MacBook Air but it is n’t far off , and that could n’t be said of many Intel laptop computer in 2023 .
Who eff what Apple has planned for its next boastful spring onward of the MacBook cooking stove , whether that ’s in fleck technology or computer hardware . Rumours are point towards the introduction of OLED panels on high - end model but the supposition well is running dry on MacBook Air innovation . Intel , AMD and Qualcomm are make moves to prevent the declining popularity of Macs from being revigorated . What are you going to do about it , Apple ?
Ctrl+Alt+Del is our weekly computing - focussed sentiment column where we delve profoundly into the world of electronic computer , laptops , element , peripherals and more . Find it on confide Reviews every Saturday afternoon .
