Our collection of the highs and lows of Intel's 2024 will have you reaching for the brandy. I mean, aside from some of Intel's mobile chips, what exactly did it do right? Let's put it this way: when your ex-CEO prays for your company after he was kicked out, it was a bad year. As we've done for other companies in the past, we've collected the best, worst, and head-scratching moments from the past year. Get yourself a hot mug of cider or a cold glass of egg nog, and sit down with as we recap Intel's 2024. And hold on -- it's going to get bumpy.

Intel has followed up the launch of its 14th-gen mobile processors for consumers by announcing the corresponding vPro platform for business PCs, with one key difference: Only one mobile processor platform will be available, not two. Intel announced nearly a dozen Core Ultra processors for business laptops, but said that it would not offer the 14th-gen Core chips for mobile PCs. That's a change from Intel's consumer laptop offerings, where Core Ultra chips can be found in more efficient mainstream laptops and the 14th-gen Core (or Core HX) has been used for performance laptops and gaming. Conversely, only 14th-gen Core chips will be available for vPro's desktop lineup. There's Intel vPro Essentials, for small businesses up to 20 employees; and vPro Enterprise, for larger enterprises which receive the bulk of Intel's security and manageability solutions. Since these features are generally managed by an IT department, consumers typically don't need to buy a vPro laptop, though features like Intel Hardware Shield come standard with the Essentials platform.

MSI has introduced a handheld gaming device called Claw at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. And unlike its biggest rivals the Steam Deck and the ASUS ROG Ally, it's powered by Intel's processors instead of AMD's. The Claw runs on Intel's new Core Ultra chips and comes integrated with Intel's XeSS technology, which uses advanced AI upscaling algorithms to boost FPS for a smooth gaming experience. MSI says that will allow users to enjoy even resource-intensive AAA games on a handheld device. The device also uses MSI's thermal technology design called the Cooler Boost Hyperflow that redirects airflow to cool internal components so that it doesn't overheat even after extended gaming sessions. Its battery lasts for two hours under full workload conditions, same as ROG Ally's.

While Intel is leaning heavily on AI PCs with its Core Ultra notebook chips, it still has plenty of new products for gamers and speed demons who demand power above all. At CES 2024 in Las Vegas, Intel revealed its complete 14th-generation CPU family, which includes powerful "HX" series chips like the 24-core i9-14900HX, as well as new mainstream desktop CPUs. And for the other end of the power spectrum, Intel also unveiled the Core U Processor Series 1, which balances performance and efficiency in thin and light notebooks. Sure, it's confusing to see Intel juggle two completely different laptop chip platforms -- its Core Ultra chips and 14th-gen hardware -- but they each serve a different purpose. For most notebook buyers, the Core Ultra chips make the most sense: They're still decently fast, they can offer great gaming performance when paired with external GPUs and they feature all of Intel's latest chip technology, including AI-accelerating NPUs.

Intel's Core Ultra era begins now! Intel is shipping its first "Meteor Lake" 14th-gen Core Ultra chips in laptops beginning today, ushering in the new "AI PC" era -- as well as actually telling you what's in them and how fast they're expected to be. Though leaked benchmark results, we've known a bit about Intel's Core Ultra product lineup. But now it's official: Intel will offer eleven new mobile Core Ultra processors, both in the "H" high-performance segment and the low-power "U" family. Intel has disbanded the earlier "P-series" lineup.

Intel today is entering the "AI PC" era with the launch of its new Core Ultra notebook chips. Originally codenamed "Meteor Lake," these are Intel's first processors to include an NPU, or neural processing unit, for accelerating AI tasks. The launch comes a week after AMD revealed its upcoming Ryzen 8040 hardware, its second batch of chips to include NPUs. While Intel is playing a bit of AI catch-up, the Core Ultra chips still sound like a solid step forward -- at least according to the company's benchmarks. Intel claims the Core Ultra chips use up to 79 percent less power than AMD's last-gen Ryzen 7840U while idling in Windows, and they're also up to 11 percent faster than AMD's hardware for multithreaded tasks.