Intel squeezes desktop Alder Lake CPUs into laptops with Core HX-series chips

New chips will be faster and hotter than the current H-series processors.

Intel's HX-series laptop processors bring the company's desktop CPUs into high-end, high-powered laptops.

Enlarge / Intel's HX-series laptop processors bring the company's desktop CPUs into high-end, high-powered laptops. (credit: Intel)

Earlier this year, Intel announced three iterations of its 12th-generation Alder Lake CPU architecture for laptops: the U-series, which covers thin-and-light Ultrabooks, the P-series for thin-and-light workstation laptops, and the H-series for beefier workstations and gaming laptops with more room for large processor fans and heatsinks.

Now, Intel is adding one more series of chips: the HX series, designed for even faster laptops. Despite sharing a letter with the H-series chips, the H and HX CPUs don't have a lot in common. The H-series chips are scaled-up versions of Intel's laptop processors with beefier integrated GPUs, integrated Thunderbolt, and a built-in chipset controller on the same package as the rest of the CPU. The HX chips, on the other hand, use the same dies as Intel's desktop Alder Lake chips, but are soldered to a laptop's motherboard rather than inserted into a CPU socket.

CPU P- and E-cores P-core clocks (Boost) Base TDP Turbo TDP
Core i5-12450HX 4P/4E 2.4GHz (4.4GHz) 55W 157W
Core i5-12600HX (vPro) 4P/8E 2.5GHz (4.6GHz) 55W 157W
Core i7-12650HX 6P/8E 2.0GHz (4.7GHz) 55W 157W
Core i7-12800HX 8P/8E 2.0GHz (4.8GHz) 55W 157W
Core i7-12850HX (vPro) 8P/8E 2.1GHz (4.8GHz) 55W 157W
Core i9-12900HX 8P/8E 2.3GHz (5.0GHz) 55W 157W
Core i9-12950HX (vPro) 8P/8E 2.3GHz (5.0GHz) 55W 157W

These CPUs have higher TDPs than their H-series counterparts, with 55 W base TDPs instead of 45 W and 157 W Turbo TDPs rather than the 95-to-115 W TDPs of the H series. The power increase means these chips will run faster for longer than H-series processors at the expense of higher power consumption and heat output. However, our testing of these desktop chips suggests that the Core i7 and i9 processors will benefit more from the boosted power limits than the lower-core-count Core i5 versions.

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AMD Ryzen 6000 gets DisplayPort 2.0-certified, product testing ramps up

VESA demos uncompressed 4K at 144 Hz with certified reference silicon.

Cable Displayport on isolated white background

Enlarge / DisplayPort cable. (credit: Getty)

Pixel and speed enthusiasts have anticipated DisplayPort 2.0 products since the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), which makes the spec, announced its incoming in 2019. While the pandemic inhibited the ability to test products for supporting the video protocol and slowed its release, we've inched closer to seeing monitors, PCs, and other devices earn DisplayPort 2.0 certification.

VESA on Monday announced certification for AMD's Ryzen 6000 laptop CPUs to support DisplayPort 2.0 at up to one of its highest data link rates, Ultra-high Bit Rate 10 (UHBR10), which has a 10Gbps link rate and max throughput of 40 Gbps across four lanes.

VESA introduced UHBR labels to DisplayPort 2.0 in February. Once DisplayPort 2.0 products are readily available, it'll be easier to determine which products support the higher bandwidth capabilities of the backward-compatible spec. The move came after the HDMI Licensing Administrator, which makes the HDMI spec, received backlash for not clarifying which HDMI 2.1-certified products support the max capabilities.

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Lilbits: Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 leaked, Microsoft’s new adaptive accessories, Android 12 Beta, and more

During the first day of the 2022 Google I/O developer conference we learned that the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro are all coming this year, with a Pixel Tablet expected to launch in 2023. That’s a lot of news for one day. But it’s just the tip of the iceberg. In […]

The post Lilbits: Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 leaked, Microsoft’s new adaptive accessories, Android 12 Beta, and more appeared first on Liliputing.

During the first day of the 2022 Google I/O developer conference we learned that the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro are all coming this year, with a Pixel Tablet expected to launch in 2023. That’s a lot of news for one day. But it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

In other recent tech news from around the web, we got more details about those new RISC-V chips from MIPS I mentioned yesterday, leaked images show us what to expect from Samsung’s next-gen foldable phones (they look a lot like last year’s models, honestly), NVIDIA has open sourced its Linux GPU kernel modules, Thunderbird previewed new features for the open source email client (which does much more than just email), Google released Android 13 Beta 2, and Chrome OS 101 is rolling out to Chromebooks, and Microsoft has revealed a new set of adaptive accessories designed to make it easier for people with disabilities to interact with computers.

Keep up on the latest headlines by following Liliputing on Twitter and Facebook and follow @LinuxSmartphone on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news on open source mobile phones.

The post Lilbits: Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 leaked, Microsoft’s new adaptive accessories, Android 12 Beta, and more appeared first on Liliputing.

Google teases future hardware: The Pixel 7, Pixel Tablet, and AR Goggles

Google heads off leakers with a pair of product confirmations and one prototype.

Google teases future hardware: The Pixel 7, Pixel Tablet, and AR Goggles

Enlarge (credit: Google)

Google I/O today contained a million different hardware announcements, some of which were just two-minute product teases, presumably to head off product leakers. First up is the Pixel 7, Google's flagship smartphone launching later this year.

Google called the work it did with the Pixel 6 and Google Tensor SoC "a hardware foundation that we'll be building on for years to come," and the Pixel 7 is the next step on this road map. It will have a similar design and next-generation Google SoC. The camera bar is now polished aluminum rather than glass, which should help some of the light glare issues on the massive glass panel on the current camera bar. The Pixel 7 Pro has three rear cameras, and the Pixel 6 has two rear cameras. Google promises the pro will "set a completely new standard" for camera performance.

That's it. That's how quick these teases were. Next!

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Kim Dotcom Could Seek New Zealand Trial After Co-Defendants Strike Deal

This week former Megaupload operators Mathias Ortmann and Bram van der Kolk revealed that instead of being extradited to the United States to face copyright-related charges, their case will now be handled in New Zealand. As Kim Dotcom vows to keep fighting extradition, he says that he too should be given the same right. Of course, nothing is straightforward.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

kim fugitiveOften described as the biggest case in copyright history, the so-called ‘Mega Conspiracy’ battle has been living up to its billing since 2012.

For at least a decade, Kim Dotcom and co-defendants Mattias Ortmann, Bram van der Kolk, and Finn Batato faced a mountain of charges in the United States, a country that has never been visited by the former.

More recently, however, there has been a significant shift in positions, meaning that just one of the quartet still faces being shipped there against their will.

Former Megaupload marketing manager Batato previously had his extradition case dropped on health grounds and yesterday Ortmann and van der Kolk revealed that they too will avoid the US justice system, despite being ruled eligible for extradition by New Zealand’s Supreme Court.

The men said they had reached an agreement with the New Zealand Government and the United States to face charges in New Zealand instead. Once their ‘new’ case is heard in a local court, extradition proceedings will be dropped, meaning that just one person will remain a ‘Mega Conspiracy’ fugitive according to the US.

The Fugitive Fighter & Former Friends

The charges against Ortmann and van der Kolk are believed to have been filed this week. The men say they are “similar” to those brought against them in the United States but the world will have to wait a little longer to discover exactly what they are and, crucially, what kind of plea the defendants will subsequently enter. In the meantime, Dotcom says he knows how things will play out.

According to the Megaupload founder, his former friends will “admit liability” and “become witnesses” against him. There is no public information to confirm these predictions but if they do turn out to be accurate, Dotcom’s case could become even more complicated than it is now.

Dotcom says that, unlike his co-defendants, he will never accept the injustices that all four of them have suffered so his plan is to fight on. There’s no reason to doubt that claim given Dotcom’s track record but that raises the question of what the split parties are now fighting for and what that means for their respective futures.

Uncertainty is Inevitable – But Can Be Managed

Ortmann and van der Kolk (who are on record as wanting to “move on”) no longer have to fight extradition, so in one sense they are already ahead of Dotcom. Their next challenge will be to deal with the charges against them by either mounting a full defense or admitting guilt, as Dotcom has suggested. That raises more questions.

In the last few hours, Dotcom said that if Ortmann and van der Kolk do admit liability, that will go against what they have argued all along, i.e none of the defendants in the “Mega Conspiracy” did anything illegal.

“My co-defendants don’t believe that they are criminals or members of an organized criminal group, they have said so repeatedly and that’s the truth,” Dotcom wrote.

Of course, the law allows defendants to change their position and in this case, it remains unclear what (if anything) they will admit liability for in a new set of charges. So what then of Dotcom’s claim that Ortmann and van der Kolk will “become witnesses” against him, potentially undermining his legal position?

“My co-defendants can’t help the DOJ [US Department of Justice]. We have hours of recorded conversations with them that make any testimony against me worthless. My co-defendants are aware of the recordings. I wonder if they disclosed that to the DOJ. Probably not,” Dotcom added.

With Ortmann and van der Kolk’s extradition battle all but over, questions are being raised over why they are in a seemingly favorable position and Dotcom is not. That should become clearer when the new charges are revealed and their official responses heard. In the meantime, Dotcom says that if they have the legal right to be put on trial in New Zealand, so should he.

A New Zealand Jury Could Be Of Interest

Dotcom claims that his co-defendants have made a “deal of convenience” but if they can have their case heard in New Zealand courts, he should have that opportunity too.

“My legal team may try to have my case heard in New Zealand Courts too, with a jury of New Zealanders,” Dotcom says.

“The difference is I would never accept any charges and I will defend myself to clear my name. If New Zealand can decide the case of my co-defendants I should have the same right.”

While Dotcom’s massively talented and extremely expensive legal team will explore any and all available options, the “agreement” reached by Dotcom’s colleagues with New Zealand and US authorities suggests that some kind of negotiation has taken place.

In New Zealand, the prosecution and defense can reach an understanding on what charges will result in a guilty plea. Actioned before trial, the prosecutor may reduce the number of charges and/or charge the defendant(s) with less serious offenses. Other implications are the reduction of costs for all parties and the securing of a conviction, something a trial cannot guarantee.

Appropriate sentencing is decided by the court but a guilty plea for non-violent crimes can also yield significant sentencing discounts. However, the issue with all of the above is that in Dotcom’s case, he is absolutely insistent he has done nothing wrong and won’t accept anything that doesn’t fully recognize that. It’s a tough position to incorporate into any agreement requiring quid pro quos.

Nevertheless, Dotcom says the shift in his co-defendants’ position means that “a new portal has opened” for his case too. That will no doubt be explored from every conceivable legal angle but in the meantime, he’s criticizing governments both at home and abroad for the very existence of his predicament.

“The reality is the New Zealand Govt has allowed itself to become a party to a corrupt White House conspiracy to destroy #Megaupload in exchange for Hollywood donations to the Obama and Biden 2012 re-election campaign,” he concludes.

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Sonos unveils its most affordable soundbar yet and its own voice-control feature

Sonos Ray lacks Atmos, costs $279; Sonos Voice Control hits June 1, uses Giancarlo Esposito.

Confirming earlier rumors, Sonos on Wednesday announced a new soundbar aimed at more budget-conscious buyers, as well as a new voice-control feature for its existing speakers.

The former is called the Sonos Ray and will be available on June 7 for $279 (279 pounds, 299 euros). It'll slot in beneath the $449 Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and $899 Sonos Arc as the popular connected speaker maker's most affordable and most compact soundbar to date, measuring in at 559×95×71 mm (so, about 22 inches wide). By comparison, the similarly compact Sonos Beam comes in at 651×100×69 mm (about 25.6 inches wide). As with the Beam, the Ray's small size should make it best suited with smaller rooms and secondary TVs, though Sonos posits the device could also work on a desktop and more generally positions it as a starting point for those interested in their first upgrade from their TV's built-in speakers.

Paying less means you'll sacrifice some features, though. Unlike the Beam and Arc, the Sonos Ray doesn't support Dolby Atmos virtual surround sound. It also lacks an HDMI port, instead opting for a lower-bandwidth optical audio port and an Ethernet jack as its only connectivity options, with no additional HDMI adapters in the box. The omission of an HDMI ARC port could make the cable situation a bit messier for those with more involved home theater setups, though Sonos says the Ray can still work in parallel with your TV remote through its IR receiver.

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