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For Computex 2023, Intel announced new details about its new AI-focused VPU silicon that will debut in the company’s new Meteor Lake chips. The company also outlined its efforts to enable the AI ecosystem for its upcoming Meteor Lake chips. Intel plans to release the Meteor Lake processors, it’s first to use a blended chiplet-based design that leverages both Intel and TSMC tech in one package, by the end of the year. The chips will land in laptops first, focusing on power efficiency and performance in local AI workloads, but different versions of the design will also come to desktop PCs. announcements from Intel, AMD, and Microsoft last week about the coming age of AI to PCs, Intel dove in deeper on how it will address the emerging class of AI workloads with its own custom acceleration blocks on its consumer PC chips.

Intel shared a few new renders of the Meteor Lake chips, and we already covered the overall hardware design during Hot Chips 2022 . These chips will be the first to leverage the Intel 4 process node and a slew of TSMC-fabbed chiplets on the N5 and N6 processes for other functions, like the GPU and SoC tiles. Here we can see the chip is broken up into four units, with a CPU, GPU, SoC/VPU, and I/O tile vertically stacked on top of an interposer using Intel’s 3D Foveros packaging technique. We’ve also included another slide deck at the end of the article with more granular architectural details from the Hot Chips conference.

The VPU is designed for sustained AI workloads, but Meteor Lake also includes a CPU, GPU, and GNA engine that can run various AI workloads. Intel’s Intel says the VPU is primarily for background tasks, while the GPU steps in for heavier parallelized work. Meanwhile, the CPU addresses light low-latency inference work. Some AI workloads can also run on both the VPU and GPU simultaneously, and Intel has enabled mechanisms that allow developers to target the different compute layers based on the needs of the application at hand. This will ultimately result in higher performance at lower power — a key goal of using the AI acceleration VPU.

Here we can see Intel’s slideware covering its efforts in enabling the vast software and operating system ecosystem that will help propel AI-accelerated applications onto the PC. Intel’s pitch is that it has the market presence and scale to bring AI to the mainstream and points to its collaborative efforts that brought support for its x86 hybrid Alder and Raptor Lake processors to Windows, Linux, and the broader ISV ecosystem.

Here are some slides with more architectural details from the Hot Chips presentation . Intel says that Meteor Lake is on track for release this year , but it will come to laptops first.

All signs currently point to the Meteor Lake desktop PC chips being limited to comparatively lower-end Core i3 and Core i5 models rated for conservative 35W and 65W power envelopes, but Intel has yet to make a formal announcement. We expect to learn more as we near the launch later this year.

Google has a large catalog of products, but one of the most practical tools is Google Translate. Using an app to communicate between different languages feels like the future, and there’s more to Translate that you might not know about.

Translate Conversations in Real Time

Google Translate powers Google Assistant’s “ Interpreter Mode ” feature, which allows you to have real-time conversations with someone who speaks a language you don’t understand. It gives you a simple interface to use, and repeats what it hears back in the desired language. You can use it on phones and smart speakers/displays.

RELATED: How to Use Google Assistant’s Interpreter Mode

Translate Text in the Real World

Translating text found in the real world can be much harder to do than with text online. Thankfully, Google Translate solves this problem. You can point your camera at text and see it translated before your eyes . It doesn’t simply show you the translation in plain text, either. The text is displayed over the top and it attempts to match the color and font.

RELATED: How to Scan and Translate a Picture in Google Translate

Handwriting Translation

You don’t have to only enter text or use your voice in the Google Translate app for iPhone and Android devices. It’s also possible to translate handwriting. Simply tap the “Enter Text” field and then select the pen icon in the top right corner. Now you can write in the bottom area and see it translated to your desired language.

Translate Full Web Pages

Google Chrome, unsurprisingly, incorporates a lot of Google services. Translate is one of them, and it can translate full web pages both on Chrome for desktop and mobile apps. When you visit a page in a language you can’t read, look for the Translate icon in the address bar on desktop, or the bottom bar on mobile. Select it and you’ll see options for languages.

RELATED: How to Translate a Web Page in Chrome

Translate Single Words and Sentences on Web Pages

Don’t need to translate a full web page? You can also easily translate single words or chunks of text on a page. On both desktop and mobile versions of Chrome, you can highlight text and choose “Translate” from the menu. Google Translate will appear on the screen with language options for you to choose from, or take you to the Translate website with the text auto-filled.

Translate Emails in Gmail

Another Google service that works with Google Translate is Gmail. When you get an email in a language that doesn’t match your primary language, Gmail automatically gives you the option to translate it. Simply click “Translate Message” from under the sender’s name or the three-dot menu. Check out our full guide for some additional translation options in Gmail .

RELATED: How to Translate Emails You Receive in Gmail

Translate as You Type With Gboard

Google’s Gboard keyboard has plenty of Google-y features built in, both on Android and iPhone . It can translate text for you with the Google Translate integration. On Android, tap the three-dot icon in the top bar of the keyboard and choose “Translate.” On iPhone, tap the Google “G” logo to see the “Translate” option. This also works with Samsung’s default keyboard .

RELATED: 10 Samsung Keyboard Features You Should Be Using on a Galaxy

Tap to Quickly Translate Text Anywhere

If you find yourself using Google Translate on your Android device a lot, you may want to enable the floating button for quick access. It allows you to quickly bring up the Google Translate interface from anywhere, or automatically translate the copied text. To use this, open Translate for Android and go to Settings > Tap the Translate, and toggle it on.

Download Languages For Offline

Downloading languages for offline use will ensure that you’re always able to use Google Translate regardless of internet connection. To download a language, open Translate on your phone and select one of the languages at the bottom of the screen. Now you can scroll through the language list and tap the download icon next to any one you’d like to have for offline use.

Save Frequent Phrases for Easy Access

If you have certain phrases that need to be translated often, such as greetings when visiting a foreign country, you might want to save them for quick access. When you do a translation in the Google Translate mobile app, simply tap the star icon to save it to your “Phrasebook.” In the future, tap the star icon on the Translate home screen to see your saved phrases.

When Google Translate works well, it can feel like magic. With a click of a button, you have full web pages translated to your languages. Text in the real world is overlayed with translations on your phone screen. Conversations happen in real time between two people who speak different languages. It’s very cool, so take advantage of it.

I avoided gaming laptops for most of my long PC gamer life, but after getting a taste of what modern gaming laptops are actually like to live with long-term, it’s hard to imagine going back to honking-big desktop gaming PCs.

Why I Ditched Desktop Gaming PCs

My journey into the world of gaming laptops started not out of a sudden desire for change but out of necessity. As a long-time desktop gamer, I was comfortable with my Mini ITX system, a 4690K processor, and an RTX 2060 graphics card. It was a setup that served me well and one that I was reluctant to leave behind.

However, my life here in South Africa presented a unique challenge. Load shedding became an unavoidable part of life, with the power going out for up to 12 hours daily. My (then) high-powered desktop system became as useful as a brick in these moments.

At the same time, I was preparing to embrace a new freelancing journey. That journey didn’t lend itself to lugging around a desktop PC.

This confluence of factors led me to the world of gaming laptops, and to my surprise, it was a world I quickly grew to appreciate.

It’s a Plug and Play Experience

The convenience was the first thing I noticed when I swapped my desktop for a laptop. There was no longer a need to fiddle with a rat’s nest of cables or ensure that all the components were seated correctly. I didn’t have to worry about the power supply having enough juice for my components or the airflow in my case.

Instead, I had a compact, powerful machine that was ready to go right out of the box. My first gaming laptop, equipped with a 9th gen six-core CPU and a mobile 1660 Ti, provided a gaming experience that was comparable to my old desktop.

The transition was smoother than I expected, and the convenience was undeniable. I could set up anywhere, power on, and start gaming—no fuss, no muss. This plug-and-play experience was a refreshing change from the constant tinkering and troubleshooting that often comes with a desktop PC.

It’s Less Noisy Than You Think

One of the complaints often levied against gaming laptops is that they can be noisy , with their cooling fans working overtime to keep the powerful components from overheating. However, I found the noise level to be more than tolerable, and certainly less than my previous Mini ITX setup  with its water-cooled CPU and massive 200mm front intake fan.

Of course, laptop noise levels can vary depending on the specific model and how well its cooling system is designed. But with the right choice, you might be pleasantly surprised at how quiet a gaming laptop can be. Despite my (current) GS66 stealth being much more powerful than my old desktop of years ago, it produces at most a loud “woosh” which is easy to tune out, and this is a thin and light gaming laptop, with larger machines managing to be even quieter.

Laptop Keyboards Aren’t Great for Gaming

If I have one complaint about using a gaming laptop, it’s that the built-in keyboard isn’t ideal for gaming. Specifically, I can never get a comfortable angle for my hand while still having the screen in the right position and at the right distance.

To get around this, I use a Tartarus V2 keypad when gaming on the go. It’s a one-handed keyboard that offers the comfort and control I need, providing a much better gaming experience than the laptop’s built-in keyboard.

An Awesome Keypad

Razer Tartarus v2

Razer’s Tartarus gamepad features 32 programmable keys, a thumbpad for eight-directional movement, and an adjustable palm rest.

Being Unchained From My Desk Is Priceless

Perhaps the most significant advantage of using a gaming laptop is the freedom it gives me. I’m no longer chained to a desk in a specific room of my house. I can game anywhere I want, whether that’s on the couch, in bed, or even in a coffee shop.

This flexibility has been a game-changer for me, especially during our rolling blackout periods . The laptop’s lower power consumption means I can run it off a battery backup inverter during power outages. This wouldn’t be possible with my previous desktop setup, which would drain my current (rather expensive) inverter in less than an hour, doing the same job as my laptop.

I’m Not That Worried About Upgrading

When it came time to upgrade my gaming setup, I chose the MSI GS66 Stealth, featuring an i7 12700H CPU and a mobile 3070 Ti GPU. This laptop offers performance comparable to or better than a PS5 or Xbox Series X, with the added benefit of technologies like DLSS .

While desktop PCs usually have the edge in pure performance, gaming laptops have made significant strides in recent years. The performance of my current laptop is more than enough for any game I want to play, and I’m confident it will continue to be so for several years.

RELATED: Can You Upgrade a Gaming Laptop?

Moreover, any cross-platform games , assuming they are ported properly, will run just fine on my machine. I’m not constantly worried about needing the latest and greatest components to enjoy my games. Since so many people bring up a lack of upgradability when it comes to gaming laptops, it’s important to point out that you don’t have to run games at their highest settings to have a good time. The meat and potatoes of PC gaming happens in the mid-range and gaming laptops sit comfortably in that mid-range today. The most popular PC gaming GPUs are cards like the 1660 Ti or GTX 1650 ! As long as the laptop falls somewhere between an Xbox Series S and Series X or PS5, it’s going to be a relevant machine for as long as those consoles get games.

I don’t see myself going back to desktop PCs anytime soon. While they have their advantages , the benefits of gaming laptop life—portability, lower power consumption, and sufficient performance—outweigh them. Plus, I can’t overstate the freedom of being able to game wherever and whenever I want. For me, a gaming laptop isn’t just an alternative to a desktop PC; for me it’s a better choice.

The Best Gaming Laptops of 2023

Best Gaming Laptop Overall

Lenovo Legion 7i

Best Budget Laptop for Gaming

ASUS TUF Dash 15

Best Gaming Laptop Under $1,000

Acer Nitro 5

Best Gaming Laptop Under $500

HP 14

Best 17-inch Gaming Laptop

Razer Blade 18