The new Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors have been a game changer. Their revolutionary new architecture perfectly suits the ongoing AI revolution. As such, laptops powered by these processors offer enhanced performance and intelligent features tailored to meet the demands of modern users. When combined with the right laptops and applications, these ‘AI PCs’ can be a pivotal asset for photo editors by improving overall productivity by increasing the number of tools available to them.
The Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors feature a dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that works with the CPU and GPU. The NPU performs low-power AI-based tasks directly on the PC instead of relying on the CPU, GPU, or the cloud. As such, users can get results faster and with greater privacy. It also helps to reduce the workload on the CPU and GPU. Altogether, Intel® Core™ Ultra is the first AI-capable processor in the brand’s history.
But that’s just the tip of what the new processors offer. The new Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors boast up to 16 cores and 22 threads of performance for incredible processing power. The processors also feature an updated version of the Performance Hybrid Architecture. They continue to feature a combination of Performance Cores (P-Cores) with Efficiency Cores (E-Cores), and joining things is the new Low-Power Efficiency Cores (LP E-Cores). While P-Cores handle resource-intensive tasks, E-Cores manage multithreaded workloads, and LP E-Cores tackle scalable multithreaded performance and background tasks. This allows the processors to offer powerful performance while preserving battery life.
With so much to offer, the Intel® Core™ Ultra processors’ possibilities are endless. Intel® has enabled over 100 ISVs to function on its platform and boosted their AI performance and abilities thanks to its hardware. This collaboration ensures a seamless integration of software and hardware, resulting in many features that can leverage the abilities of the Intel® Core™ Ultra Processors. These apps improve productivity while making things a little easier for newcomers.
Take photography for instance. Traditionally, photographers needed substantial know-how and tool knowledge to properly manipulate images and tweak various settings. However, thanks to AI, photo editing can be a much simpler and faster affair. In fact, an AI PC can offer up to 52% faster photo editing* and 65% faster image generation** compared to traditional PCs. And at the heart of it all is the Intel® Core™ Ultra Processor that makes it happen.
Adobe Lightroom Classic
Adobe Lightroom has been a staple tool for photographers for many years now. But with the addition of AI, it’s better than ever. Consider the task everyone must do when photo editing: selecting objects for manipulation. This task usually requires a lot of time and precision. With the Subject Select and Select Sky features, the software uses the power of AI to automatically identify the subject and sky in an image. This could save hours of work while also achieving a greater degree of precision over manual selection.
That’s not all. The Denoise option helps remove any noise or graininess that might occur in photos, especially in those taken in low-light conditions. These processes occur without losing quality. Similarly, the Lens Blur feature automatically identifies the subject and optically blurs the background for an artistic effect, adding clarity and depth to pictures.
Meanwhile, there are also the Raw Details and Super Resolution features. Both of these use AI to enhance image details. The former helps smooth out edges and improve colour rendering while maintaining image resolution. Super Resolution does the same but doubles the width and height of the image. This increased resolution makes it more apt for taking printouts. Perfect for photographers who love displaying their talents.
GIMP
GIMP is another versatile tool for photographers. This open-source tool might be free, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less powerful. With the Stable Diffusion plugin by Intel® OpenVINO™, users can quickly create images from scratch by simply inputting a text prompt that describes the image. This has limitless possibilities for photographers. For example, the feature could be used to generate textures and backgrounds for images for a more creative touch. Photographers can also use it to create samples for prospective clients to help them visualise the final results.
Now that we have looked at how AI applications can help photographers, here’s a quick look at some of the Intel® Core™ Ultra-powered laptops they can use to make full use of AI.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 is an excellent all-round option for photographers. The laptop packs an Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155H processor that offers a total of 16 cores and 12 threads of performance. Aiding this is 32GB LPDDR5x RAM and 1TB of storage.
Aside from all this, the laptop also features a fairly compact 14-inch WUXGA display with an OLED panel. This OLED panel supports Dolby Vision HDR and is VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 500. This feature is very important for photographers as it will help ensure colour accuracy when editing photos.
HP Envy x360 14
Those who prefer using a tablet and a stylus would do well to check out the HP Envy x360 14. This laptop features an IMAX-enhanced 2.8K OLED display. This means that the laptop should offer impressive detail and colour accuracy. But that’s not all. A 360-degree hinge affixes the touchscreen display, so it can flip all the way around to turn into a tablet. Photographers can then use a stylus to manipulate the photos, making it a more ergonomic and precise way to edit photos.
Aside from this, the laptop sports an Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 125U processor, which offers 12 cores and 14 threads of performance. Helping things out is 16GB LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of storage. This setup should be enough for most photographers and keep things smooth and simple.
ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED
Those looking for something thin, light and powerful should definitely consider the ASUS Zenbook S 13 OLED. This laptop is just 11.8mm thick and weighs 1kg. However, this portability does not come at the cost of performance. This powerful device features the Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155U processor that packs 12 cores and 14 threads of performance. It is then aided with 32GB LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of storage to ensure smooth performance.
In terms of display, it packs a super-compact 13.3-inch 3K OLED display. This display covers 100% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, is VESA CERTIFIED Display HDR True Black 600, and is also PANTONE Validated. So colour accuracy is pretty much a given. Combine this with the portability, and this might be the best choice for photographers.
Do note that the laptops mentioned above are all Intel® Evo™ certified devices. This means that they have passed through some stringent tests to ensure excellent usability. This includes a long-lasting battery life coupled with quick charging. This will ensure extended use with the need to stay tethered to a power outlet. Then there is Instant Wake, which promises to wake the laptop from sleep in under a second to let users get back to work quickly. These laptops also offer enhanced wireless connectivity with support for up to the Wi-Fi 7 standard for faster and more stable connections. Finally, the processors also feature a security engine used to authenticate select system firmware to ensure greater security.
*As measured by an AI photo editing workload using Adobe Lightroom Classic with an Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 165H processor, compared to a 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1370P processor.
**As measured by a text-to-image generative AI workload using an Intel plugin for GIMP with Stable Diffusion with an Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 165H processor, compared to a 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1370P processor.
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