Laptops

Intel announces ‘world’s fastest mobile processor’

First laptop chipset with 24 cores

Published

January 4, 2023

Luigi Leonardo

Notebooks are finding new ways to replace desktops as powerful workstations and gaming devices. Just as NVIDIA announced the impending launch of the GeForce RTX 40 series, Intel has announced what it is calling the “world’s fastest mobile processor” — the Intel Core i9-13980HX.

As part of the 13^th generation of chipsets, the new Intel Core i9-13980HX expands the family by extending performance for the notebook market. Being called the “world’s fastest” doesn’t come out of nowhere, though.

The chipset is the world’s first notebook processor to come with 24 cores — eight performance cores and 16 efficiency cores. It can also go up to 5.6 gigahertz in frequency, making it one of the top devices in laptop speeds. It can also support up to 128GB in DDR5 and DDR4 memory. Plus, devices with the chipset can come with Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, and Thunderbolt 4.

For those who don’t need a gaming device, the lineup also includes additions to the P-series and the U-series of mobile processors. Despite featuring a lither frame, the chipset can support up to 14 cores (six performance cores with eight efficiency cores), a new Iris X GPU, Wi-Fi 6E, and up to four Thunderbolt ports.

Notebooks with the new H-, P-, and U-series chipsets are expected to come out later this year. Intel has already promised participating brands like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, MSI, Razer, Republic of Gamers, and Samsung.

Laptops

ASUS launches 2026’s Zenbook S16, Zenbook 14

Both are built for ultra portability.

Published

March 4, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

ASUS’s ultrathin notebooks are back. As first revealed during CES 2026, ASUS has officially launched the Zenbook S16, a modest upgrade to the model of the same name from almost two years ago. Accompanying it is a lesser-but-just-as-capable sibling called the Zenbook 14.

ASUS Zenbook S16

Much like its predecessor, the latest Zenbook S16 is designed for ultra portability. In terms of thinness, the notebook measures only 1.1 centimeters. Plus, it weighs only 1.5 kilograms, making it a perfect addition to your daily kit.

As is always expected from the Zenbook S lineup, the Zenbook S16 will have a tactile Ceraluminum lid, bolstered by an EasyLift hinge for ease of use. It will also have an ErgoSense keyboard with dished keycaps.

The 16-inch 3K ASUS Lumina OLED screen has touchscreen capabilities, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and 500nits of brightness. For audio, it has a six-speaker Dolby Atmos system, including four front-firing tweeters and dual woofers.

Under the hood, the new notebook will sport an AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 chipset, which can deliver up to 50 TOPS. Combined with Radeon graphics, this processor is supported by 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

For battery, the notebook will have an 83 Wh battery, which can reportedly last over 21 hours.

ASUS Zenbook 14

Technically, this isn’t the Zenbook S14, but it bears a striking resemblance to that previous notebook, both in terms of design and hardware. For one, the new Zenbook 14 is 14.9mm thin and only 1.2kg light.

The 14-inch screen carries a WUXGA ASUS Lumina OLED display, putting out images in a 16:10 aspect ratio. The notebook also has an Ergosense keyboard and touchpad for more comfortable typing and more precise controls.

Under the hood, the Zenbook 14 trades the S14’s Intel chip for an AMD Ryzen AI 7 445 processor, capable of up to 50 TOPS. It will also have 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

For battery, the notebook will have a 75 Wh battery, reportedly capable of lasting over 15 hours of unplugged use.

Price, availability

The Zenbook S16 and Zenbook 14 are available now. They both come with a lifetime license of Office 2024 Home, one-year access to Microsoft 365 with cloud storage, and ASUS Warranty (consisting of two-year International Warranty and ASUS Perfect Warranty, plus one-year accidental damage protection).

The Zenbook S16 comes in Scandinavian White and retails for PhP 134,995. Meanwhile, the Zenbook 14 comes in Jade Black and retails for PhP 79,995.

Laptops

Apple accidentally revealed something called the MacBook Neo

Is this the rumored entry-level MacBook?

Published

March 4, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

We’re living in the week of Apple. Through the past few days, Apple launched a new iPhone, iPads, and now, MacBooks. But the week isn’t over, so the brand still has a few tricks up its sleeve. Now, on the cusp of its major event, a brand-new notebook lineup has seemingly been leaked ahead of time. Apple has accidentally leaked the name “MacBook Neo” on its official website.

While we’ve seen the launches of the new MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro, the year’s lineup of notebooks is still missing the highly rumored entry-level MacBook. Ahead of this week, the brand was tipped to launch a new lineup that brought the price of the notebook down and introduced quirkier colorway options. Judging by the invite for it, the event scheduled for March 4 seems to be the launch pad for this device.

Today, in a now-deleted mention on a regulatory document on the brand’s official website (via MacRumors), Apple has accidentally leaked a mention of a “MacBook Neo (Model A3404)”. Sadly, the mention did not include any details about this device. Plus, it was deleted soon after it was spotted by the public.

There isn’t much to say about this model yet, if it is indeed the budget-friendly MacBook that everyone is talking about. If anything, it’s been tipped that the lineup will feature a mobile chipset rather than the M-series silicon often prominent in the regular MacBook series. It will also add splashes of color by offering colorway options apart from the usual metallic choices.

Then again, March 4 (in the States) is right around the corner, so the device’s launch might only be a few breaths away.

Laptops

Apple unveils MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max

Up to 8x AI gains, faster SSD, Wi-Fi 7, and bigger starting storage

Published

March 4, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Apple has introduced the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro powered by the all-new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips — bringing what feels like a full Super Saiyan moment to its pro lineup.

If M5 Pro is Super Saiyan, then M5 Max is Super Saiyan 2.

Both chips are built using Apple’s new Fusion Architecture, combining two dies into a single system on a chip. The result: massive gains in CPU, GPU, memory bandwidth, and on-device AI performance.

Apple says the new CPU includes the world’s fastest CPU core, with up to 18 cores total — 6 “super cores” and 12 performance cores — delivering up to 30% faster performance. The next-generation GPU now includes a Neural Accelerator in every core, pushing AI workloads significantly further.

Compared to M1 models, the new MacBook Pro delivers:

Up to 8x faster AI image generation
Up to 6.9x faster LLM prompt processing
Up to 5.4x faster video effects rendering

Compared to the previous M4 Pro and M4 Max generation, AI workloads see up to 4x gains, while graphics performance improves by as much as 50%.

This isn’t just about benchmarks. Apple is positioning this as a serious local AI machine. Developers can run advanced LLMs directly on device. Creators can train models, render 3D scenes, process massive photo libraries, and edit complex 8K timelines without leaning on the cloud.

And unlike many performance laptops, it does this with up to 24 hours of battery life.

Storage, bandwidth, and wireless get upgrades too

The performance bump isn’t limited to silicon.

The new MacBook Pro delivers up to 2x faster SSD speeds, reaching up to 14.5GB/s read and write performance. Starting storage also gets a major upgrade:

M5 Pro models now start at 1TB
M5 Max models now start at 2TB
The base 14-inch M5 model also now starts at 1TB

Memory bandwidth scales aggressively depending on configuration:

M5 Pro supports up to 64GB unified memory and 307GB/s bandwidth
M5 Max supports up to 128GB unified memory and 614GB/s bandwidth

Connectivity gets a boost as well. Apple introduces its new N1 wireless chip with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Thunderbolt 5 ports come standard, alongside HDMI with up to 8K support, SDXC, and MagSafe 3 with fast charging.

The laptop retains its Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 1600 nits peak HDR brightness, now with a nano-texture option. It also features a 12MP Center Stage camera, studio-quality microphones, and a six-speaker system with Spatial Audio support.

All models run on macOS Tahoe, which deepens integration with Apple Intelligence and introduces updated Spotlight, Live Translation, and more customizable UI elements.

Pricing and availability

In the U.S., pre-orders begin March 4, with availability starting March 11.

U.S. pricing starts at:

14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro: US$2,199 (US$2,049 education)
16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro: US$2,699 (US$2,499 education)
14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Max: US$3,599 (US$3,299 education)
16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Max: US$3,899 (US$3,599 education)

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with base M5 starts at US$1,699 (US$1,599 education), now with 1TB standard storage.

In Singapore, pre-orders also begin March 4 via apple.com/sg/store, with availability starting March 11.

Singapore pricing starts at:

14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro: S$2,999 (S$2,789 education)
16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro: S$3,649 (S$3,379 education)
14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Max: S$5,099 (S$4,669 education)
16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Max: S$5,449 (S$5,029 education)

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with base M5 starts at S$2,299 (S$2,159 education).

In the Philippines, customers can order the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max soon on apple.com/ph/store and Apple Authorized Resellers.

Philippine pricing starts at: