After months of hype, the first laptops packing Intel's new Lunar Lake chips have launched at IFA 2024 in Berlin — and they're on their way to store shelves near you.
This is significant because these new Intel Lunar Lake CPUs (technically known as Intel Core Ultra 200V) have an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) onboard that meets Microsoft's requirements to qualify as a Copilot+ PC.
If you're not familiar, Copilot+ PCs are a new category of computer defined by Microsoft as PCs having at least 16GB of RAM, at least 256GB of SSD/UFS storage and an NPU capable of at least 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second).
Copilot+ PCs are currently the only computers that will be able to access the new AI-centric features Microsoft plans to add into Windows 11 by the end of 2024. So if you want to check out those new features, like Windows Recall and Live Captions, you'll need a Copilot+ PC.
All of these Lunar Lake laptops have an NPU capable of 40+ TOPS, so as long as you buy one with at least 16GB of RAM they all should support the AI features of Copilot+ PCs.
Watch out, MacBooks
They will hopefully also deliver great performance and battery life, as Intel has claimed that Lunar Lake laptops have outlasted Snapdragon X Elite laptops in some battery tests. That would be amazing if true, because our testing has shown that Windows laptops powered by Snapdragon X chips can last between 15-19 hours on a full charge.
That's MacBook-beating battery life right now, so if Lunar Lake laptops can do better it will be a significant win for Windows laptop fans. And since Intel's new Lunar Lake chips are built on x86 architecture instead of the Arm architecture which underpins Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips, Lunar Lake laptops should have no compatibility issues when running Windows apps and games.
When do Lunar Lake laptops ship?
The first Lunar Lake laptops are expected to start shipping as soon as September 24, but more are being announced and launched on an ongoing basis, so expect to see dozens from vendors like Acer, Asus, Dell, Lenovo, HP and more hitting retail in the coming months.
But if you just can't wait, our crack team of PC experts at IFA 2024 have compiled a list of the most exciting Lunar Lake laptops that you can order right now or very soon.
We'll be updating this list throughout IFA 2024 and as laptops become available for purchase, so check back later for more details!
Lunar Lake laptops
Asus Zenbook S 14
I've always been fond of Asus' ultra-thin Zenbook laptops, and now the company is bringing a new model to market with Intel Lunar Lake chips inside.
It's called the Asus Zenbook S 14, and Asus claims it's awfully portable thanks to its 2.6-pound weight and ultra-thin 0.43 inch thickness. That's just a hair lighter and thinner than Apple's MacBook Air M3, which is remarkable given the Zenbook has a slightly larger (and higher-res) 14-inch 3K (2880 x 1800 pixels) 120Hz OLED display.
U.K. pre-orders for the Asus Zenbook S 14 became available this week, with units slated to start arriving on owner's doorsteps by mid-September 2024.
Acer Swift 14/16 AI
Acer is rolling out two new models of its Swift laptop that are powered by Lunar Lake chips: the Acer Swift 14 AI and Acer Swift 16 AI.
As you might guess, these are nearly identical laptops that are chiefly differentiated by screen size: The Acer Swift 14 AI comes with a 14-inch display, while its larger sibling has a more expansive 16-inch screen.
Both models can be upgraded to OLED displays if you care to splurge, and they offer a few different Lunar Lake chip options (Intel Core Ultra 5 226V - Intel Core Ultra 7 258V) to choose from. They can also be outfitted with up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage, though the Acer Swift 16 AI can be upgraded to a higher level of raw power (namely, an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V CPU and up to 2TB of storage instead of 1TB) than its smaller sibling.
The Acer Swift 14 AI is available to purchase in North America, Europe and other regions this month (September) at a starting price of $1,199/£1,199, while the beefier Acer Swift 16 AI will become available in October in North America for a starting price of $1,199. However, it will launch later in Europe (December 2024) at a slightly higher starting price of £1,299.
Acer's website hasn't yet updated with links to actually purchase the laptop, but they should be available by the time you read this or shortly thereafter.
Dell XPS 13
We're still remarking on the incredible battery life of the Snapdragon-powered Dell XPS 13 (2024) that launched recently, and now there's a new model coming that packs Intel's new Lunar Lake chips.
This could be a promising 13-inch Windows ultraportable for folks who want better battery life in their Windows laptops but don't want to sacrifice the versatility of x86 architecture. While it remains to be seen whether the Lunar Lake XPS 13 can last longer than the Snapdragon X model in our lab's battery tests, the new Intel-powered XPS will almost certainly run games a bit better than its Qualcomm-equipped sibling.
Pre-orders for the Lunar Lake XPS 13 opened at IFA 2024, with units slated to start arriving as early as October.
MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo
The MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo is a mouthful of a name for what's basically MSI's new 13-inch Lunar Lake ultraportable.
This slick device comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD for storage. Like the rest of the laptops on this list it supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and the 13.3-inch 2.8K OLED panel offers an expansive 16:10 aspect ratio for getting work done. Plus, it comes with a copy of Windows 11 Pro included.
Pre-orders for the MSI Prestige 13 AI+ Evo are open now, and laptops are expected to start shipping to customers on September 24th.
Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360
The Samsung Galaxy Book 5 Pro 360 has been a badly-kept secret since the spring, when the laptop and its new chipset was implicated in the leak of the first performance benchmarks for Intel's Lunar Lake CPUs. Leaked images of the laptop appeared late last month, and now it's finally been officially unveiled at IFA 2024.
And besides what's under the hood, it looks awfully similar to the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Pro 360 I reviewed earlier this year. The Lunar Lake model sports the same ultra-thin 2-in-1 chassis and eye-catching AMOLED display, but is configurable with Intel Core Ultra 5 or Intel Cure Ultra 7 Lunar Lake chips, up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of SSD storage.
It also comes with a stylus packed in, which is a nice touch, as well as an all-new "adaptive palm rejection" touchpad that sounds like it will also come to the rest of the Galaxy Book 5 lineup when they arrive down the line.
Samsung has not yet announced pricing or put up a link to order this laptop, but since the company claims it will become available in the U.S., the U.K, France, Canada and Germany in September I expect pre-orders will open soon — stay tuned.
Coming soon: LG Gram 16 Pro
Last but not least, there's at least one Lunar Lake laptop that was announced at IFA 2024 which may take a little while to hit stores: the LG Gram 16 Pro.
I've long appreciated LG's Gram laptops because they're capable Windows ultraportables that give you a nice big screen and a wide, comfy keyboard with remarkably low weight. They're not amazing for high-performance work (and the matte black paint job tends to pick up fingerprints) but they're lovely for getting work done on the go.
So when I heard LG is launching a new model of the LG Gram 16 Pro that comes with Intel Lunar Lake CPUs, I got excited. I enjoyed reviewing the LG Gram 17 Pro last year, so a new and slimmer model with Intel Core Ultra series 2 chips sounds awfully promising.
Unfortunately, LG has not yet published a ton of details about this new Lunar Lake Gram 16 Pro yet aside from a promotional image. We also haven't heard yet how much it will cost, when it will go on sale or how it will be outfitted, but LG claims the laptop "will be unveiled before its release at the end of 2024," so expect to hear more about it soon.
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