Gaming on the go: Intel pushes laptop plus Wi-Fi 6 combo

• Announces 9th generation ‘mobile’ chips for laptops
• Paired with Wi-Fi 6, just what the gamers are waiting for
• No mention of 5G support in the future, maybe it’s just too far out

Intel has launched what it claims is its most powerful generation of Intel Core mobile processors - the 9th Gen Intel Core mobile H-series processors, it says, are designed for gamers and creators. Intel says it’s bringing desktop-caliber performance to laptops with up to 5 Ghz and 8 cores in a range of thinner systems.

And its touting a ‘“new level of connectivity with Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+)”. Gamers can now game where they want to, it says.

The interesting thing about the announcement is the lack of even a fleeting reference to 5G. Instead, Intel is advancing the notion that laptops sporting its new processor will perform at their best when paired with its latest “Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (Gig+); along with, the most versatile wired connectivity with Thunderbolt 3 [its USB-style interface technology] and support for Intel Optane memory technology, [memory modules used to accelerate a conventional hard drive].”

Intel reckons gamers are a huge and, presumably, lucrative market. They will clearly invest lavishly in kit they expect will give them an edge in their gaming.

Intel claims that there are “580 million enthusiast PC gamers and 130 million PC-based content creators today who care about raw performance as much as they do responsiveness of their PC. So they require PCs that can handle everything from demanding AAA games to taxing creative workloads like editing, rendering and transcoding massive 4K video – all while on the go.”

They’re also unafraid of dense technical jargon.

How It Performs: At the top of the stack is the 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9980HK processor, the first Intel Core i9 mobile processor with up to 5 GHz2 with Intel Thermal Velocity Boost, 8 cores and 16 threads, and supporting 16MB of Intel Smart Cache. The 9th Gen Intel Core mobile processors are designed for the most demanding workloads to deliver:

• A full range of processors including Intel Core i5, i7 and the unlocked3 Intel Core i9-9980HK for even more performance.

• Up to 33% overall performance leap compared with a 3-year old PC.4

• Up to 28% increased responsiveness.5

• Continuous performance optimization with Intel® Dynamic Tuning for all types of laptops.

How It Improves Creation:  

• With up to 1TB of total storage, Intel Optane memory H10 with solid-state storage will have the capacity users need for their apps and files.

• Up to 63% faster content creation versus a 3-year-old PC via Intel Optane memory H10 with solid-state storage versus a standalone TLC NAND SSD.13

• Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) lets you share your 10GB multimedia files in less than one minute (almost three times faster than standard 2×2 AC Wi-Fi).14 When connected to a new Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) router powered by Intel technology it is now possible to create, edit and share faster than ever before.

Intel says laptops powered by the 9th Gen Intel Core mobile processors will launch immediately from OEMs including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI. New capabilities include:

• Up to 47% more FPS while gaming.15

• Up to 2.1 times faster video editing compared with a 5-year old PC for 4K and 360 video editing experiences.16

• Intel Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) with gigabit Wi-Fi speeds delivering almost three times faster than standard 2×2 AC, and 40% faster than Intel® Wireless-AC (Gigabit).17

• Up to 8 cores and 16 threads, up to 5 GHz maximum turbo frequency, up to 16 MB Intel Smart Cache and up to 40 platform PCIe lanes.