The coolest products we saw in Berlin

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Trade shows are some of the most fun times of the year, and IFA 2024 was no exception. This time in Berlin, there were some big announcements, including brand new processors from Intel and Qualcomm that made a lot of noise. And of course, we had some of our favorites there. So without further ado, let's dive straight into the best of IFA 2024.




Intel Core Ultra Series 2

A great chance for salvation

Intel has struggled to compete with its main rivals after Apple switched to in-house silicon and Qualcomm recently unveiled its Snapdragon X-series chips, which offer battery life that Intel doesn't currently offer. The Lunar Lake processors, officially called Intel Core Ultra Series 2, are the company's attempt to get back into the spotlight, and it looks like a very good attempt.


Intel has changed a lot about these chips. They now have just eight cores, compared to the 16 you could get in the previous generation, but Intel is promising improvements in every way. In fact, the company is confident that they are not only faster than Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chips, but they are also more efficient, which is incredibly impressive considering that x86 chips have never been able to keep up with Arm in terms of efficiency. Whether these processors live up to Intel's claims remains to be seen, but it looks very promising.

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core

Offer Copilot+ at lower prices


Qualcomm hit the jackpot back in June with the launch of the Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus 10-core, but those chips were still primarily intended for premium laptops. But those Copilot+ capabilities and Arm's power efficiency should be made available to more users, and Qualcomm is delivering that with the Snapdragon X 8-core version.

Qualcomm compares this new chip to the Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, and in this comparison, the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core delivers 61% more performance while Intel's processor consumes 179% more power. That makes it a pretty premium part, even though it's found in PCs at a lower price than laptops with an Intel Core Ultra 7. It definitely feels like Qualcomm is shaking up the market in a big way, and we couldn't be more excited to see it.


Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition

New features based on Intel Lunar Lake

With Intel's Lunar Lake processors on the market, Lenovo is one of the first companies to use them, and of course it's starting with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon. But this time, everything is a little different. In addition to the new processors, which already promise much more power for the CPU, GPU and NPU, Intel and Lenovo have collaborated on something called Aura, a set of features exclusive to this new laptop.


Aura features include “smart modes,” such as Attention Mode, which blocks certain websites at certain times of the day, or Wellness features that make sure you maintain good posture. One of the coolest features, however, is the ability to tap your phone on the side of the laptop to share photos of it. This feature is powered by Intel Unison, but it's still pretty cool and offers a level of integration not usually seen on Windows laptops.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition

HP OmniBook 15-dk000na

The Spectre x360 gets a real successor

HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 in tent mode with badge


There hasn't been a proper version of the Spectre x360 since HP rebranded its entire laptop lineup in May, but with the availability of Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors, it's finally becoming a reality. The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is the new name of the Spectre x360 and offers everything you love about the previous model, including a 9MP webcam, convertible design, and 2.8K 120Hz OLED display.

Of course, it's also improved by the new Intel processors, which should give it some of the best performance and efficiency we've ever seen on a Spectre. In addition, the notebook says goodbye to USB Type-A and now only has USB-C ports. The future is here.

HP OmniBook 14

HP OmniBook 14


Dell XPS13

Lunar Lake improves another notebook

Dell's XPS 13 has always been one of the best laptops on the market, and with the launch of the latest model, that's more true than ever. Powered by Intel Lunar Lake processors, the Dell XPS 13 offers big performance boosts, including up to three times faster GPU performance and, of course, Copilot+ support later this year. Plus, it's much more efficient than before.


Otherwise, it's the Dell XPS 13 we know and love, with a very modern design thanks to the grille-free edge-to-edge keyboard, invisible touchpad, and capacitive touch feature set. It's a great laptop that just got even better.

Dell XPS 13 in Platinum

Dell XPS 13 (2024, Intel Lunar Lake)

Honor MagicBook 14

This laptop hardly feels like one, and that's a good thing

Honor isn't the first name that springs to mind when it comes to laptops, but the MagicBook Art has some good selling points. Most notably the build quality, which is unlike anything we've ever seen before. The Sunrise White model we got to try out at the show feels absolutely surreal, with a super-soft, almost rubbery finish and an ultra-thin and lightweight design.


And that's not all. The 14.6-inch display has a 97% screen-to-body ratio and the webcam is housed in the bottom of the laptop, so you can magnetically attach it to the top of the screen if you need it. What's even cooler is that you can even mount the webcam upside down, making it pretty versatile.

The notebook is available in both an Intel and a Snapdragon variant, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages. The Snapdragon model offers significantly better performance, but the Intel version has a much cooler design with the Sunrise White model.

Lenovo Auto Twist

A laptop that… follows you?


Lenovo creates some of the coolest concepts around and the company did so again at this year's IFA. Lenovo Auto Twist is a concept laptop that uses video and voice to track the user and be even more useful. By tracking the user using the webcam, the laptop can rotate its display so that it is always facing them. This makes it easier to read information for a presentation, for example.

In addition, the laptop also responds to voice commands. If you say “Hi Twist, open the lid,” the laptop will open its lid and follow you. It's as if the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Twist Gen 4 is equipped with tracking camera like the Obsbot Tiny 2. Will it ever be a real product? Well, Lenovo has already turned some crazy products into things you can buy, so who knows?


Acer Nitro 5 AN515-52

Acer finally enters the portable gaming market

There are always new PC gaming handhelds coming out from different manufacturers, and at iFA 2024, Acer finally took the stage with the Nitro Blaze 7. This new handheld features a 7-inch 144Hz display and is powered by AMD's Ryzen 8040 series processors, which offers pretty strong performance for gaming on the go while also being pretty efficient.


We got to play with the Nitro Blaze 7 at the show and it feels very well designed, with a very comfortable grip on the controllers, smooth analog sticks and analog hall effect triggers for extra precision. Handheld gaming is more relevant than ever and Acer's first attempt looks very promising.

MSI Claw 8 AI+

The first Intel Lunar Lake gaming handheld

On the topic of gaming handhelds, MSI was also there, with what might be the best gaming handheld on the market if Intel's performance promises are true. In fact, the MSI Clay 8 AI+ is the world's first gaming handheld with Intel's Lunar Lake processors, and that's a big deal.


As you may recall, Intel Core Ultra Series 1 processors already had double the GPU power (which is why they were used on the original MSI Claw), but now the Series 2 models promise triple the GPU power and are much more efficient too. With that kind of performance boost, it seems a given that the MSI Claw 8 AI+ will be the most powerful gaming handheld on the market right now, and that's definitely exciting for PC gamers.

IFA 2024 was exceptionally good for the computer industry

Computers aren't often the focus at IFA, but with Intel pushing the launch of Lunar Lake forward to this date, we got a lot of good stuff from all the major brands. Between the processors themselves, laptops, and some wild concepts, IFA 2024 was a very fun show to follow and attend. But the future is even more exciting, and CES 2025 will be here sooner than you think, so we're looking forward to it.


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