(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
IFA isn't typically a PC-focused show. But this year, Europe’s biggest tech show had plenty of computing hardware, in between robots and AI washing machines.Laptop OEMs are continuing to adapt to a market riled by RAM shortages and the debut of the MacBook Neo earlier this year. Dell, Acer, and Lenovo all dropped more affordable, mid-range machines with plenty of color options – and let’s not forget Packard Bell.Nvidia and AMD, on the other hand, are both trying to bring AI computing home – shortages and high prices or not. Nvidia continued to tease its RTX Spark platform (including an October release date), while AMD finally has device partners for its AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495, with up to 192GB of unified memory. While Nvidia’s RTX Spark loomed large over the PC side of the show, there wasn't much newly announced hardware, aside from Lenovo’s 2-in-1 and a mini PC from Acer. Pricing is still unknown, and demos were largely locked down behind company representatives. We're still waiting to see the true impact of these systems on the PC market.In between, some unique monitors and peripherals dotted the show floor, challenging size and speed constraints to innovate where they can amid a challenging component and pricing landscape. — Andrew E. FreedmanLenovo IdeaPad Vibe
