AI laptops have been the theme of 2024 and computer manufacturers have transitioned over to a platform that allows for lower power consumption and more-efficient computing with the inclusion of NPUs. MAINGEAR now has their line leading off with the ML-16. Yes, there are now three processors to account for: CPU, GPU and NPU. The Neural Processing Unit is designed to handle tasks to ease back on resources allocated elsewhere. This can include the suite of Microsoft products, video editors and conference calls. With the later two, mainly special effects are involved such as video upscaling, noise suppression, AI greenscreening, face detection and more. The real question that is being asked is if this is something the user actually needs?
What Does the ML-16 Bring to the Table?
The industry will only see AI usage grow and a broader implementation of using the NPU. The MAINGEAR ML-16 that was sent for review is headlined by the Intel Ultra 7 155H processor that comes with 16 cores and 22 threads and offers 24 MB of Intel Smart Cache with a peak clock speed of 4.8 GHz. This sits at the higher end of current Intel Ultra 7 processors and it includes Intel Arc Graphics that will switch with a NVIDIA RTX 4070 for gaming and more demanding tasks. The ML-16 includes 32GB DDR5 RAM (2x16GB) at 4800MT/s and a 2TB Gen4 M.2 NVMe SSD for storage. MAINGEAR offers a Boost option on its builds as this can be boosted to 64GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD for a price.
The ML-16 offers a 16:10 display for the widescreen approach and a resolution of 2560x1600. A high refresh rate of 240Hz is included for those looking for competitive gaming. Users can expect an 80WHr battery that seems to offer some longevity, but there were a few issues trying to wake up the laptop. Connectivity options that are built-in include Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and a 1Gbps LAN port. Other ports include one Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB-C, two USB 3.2 Gen 2, an HDMI port, a MicroSC Card Reader and a 3.5mm combo auxillary port for headsets. These are all solid specifications for a workstation and gaming unit with the options that are needed.
Does Anything Stand Out on the ML-16?
Honestly, the ML-16 is a low-key laptop as it doesn’t offer a lot of flash. The chassis design is specific for the model and offers a slick silver back lid with the MAINGEAR logo in the middle in black. The top cover with the keyboard is in all black and the bezel features a bold MAINGEAR logo in the middle. The top cover area is sleek and smooth for a comfortable approach. An RGB keyboard was included along with what is possibly the softest touchpad I have ever used to this day. The keyboard includes a number pad, but the layout of some of the buttons in the bottom right is a bit difficult to get used to. The RGB is 4-zone and can be customized with the included MAINGEAR Control Center.
The laptop doesn’t necessarily grab any attention, but there are plenty of users who want a powerful laptop that doesn’t look like it flew down from Mars. MAINGEAR does allow for custom artwork for an additional $69 to be added to the laptop lid, so those looking to customize or spruce up the look do have that option. They would need to submit artwork or a photo of what they would like during the purchasing process. There’s also an integrated webcam and MAINGEAR doesn’t put a lot of bloatware on these machines. Soundblaster Pro software is included with the audio drivers along with its own hardware monitoring software that allows for profile adjustment. There won’t be a long list of bloatware that’s seen with Lenovo, HPs or Dells on this laptop. The ML-16 is also lightweight coming in at 4.89 pounds, so it’s easy to be mobile with it.
Everyday Usage
It is hard to dispute that the ML-16 isn’t the perfect laptop for everyday usage. Fans will rarely turn on during general usage as MAINGEAR has integrated a dynamic cooling system that would put most of the heat dissipation completely away from the keyboard. There are a couple of options for this laptop that includes the same processor, but the main variation comes with either selecting a NVIDIA RTX 4060 or the 4070. There’s also a NVIDIA Studio Edition with their Studio drivers pre-installed for content creation, which may make more use of the AI aspect. This is just a comfortable, snappy and easy-to-use laptop straight out of the box no matter the setup the user selects.
What Does the AI Do?
Having done research on what the NPU actually does in the PCs points to a lot of small things. It seems Microsoft has aimed to make this a requirement going forward for manufacturers, thus there was an influx this year of AI laptops. The task manager now includes a NPU section for tracking usage of the processor, so this was put to the test in various fashions. This included recording audio with various effects, attempting a green screen filter in OBS Studio, simply using Microsoft Office, rendering and upscaling a video, using Co-Pilot and Clipchamp, and going by a supported list of apps. I did not receive one ounce of usage under Task Manager for this, because most of this seems to be still mapped to the GPU. This begs the question if AI is actually needed at this point in time.
There has been no clear-cut direction on how the NPU works. This could be something that just automates in the background, which was my initial belief. Managing power and efficiency to automatically dictate aspects of the operating system or tasks could be something automatic that isn’t viewable via the Task Manager. Benchmark tools do not have a way of measuring this yet, and maybe because the laptop is plugged in and is using the GPU, it doesn’t utilize the NPU. This is supposed to be more efficient than the GPU and CPU, but including an NPU at this time points to more of a marketing ploy.
There’s no sign that anyone needs this in 2024, but futureproofing becomes questionable due to when there is more utilization of this technology, how far behind would these 2024 setups be? Microsoft wants to move away from cloud computing to let the NPUs handle its tasks locally, but I don’t see how this is even at that point yet. If all Intel laptops are going to have these processors going forward, then so be it, but don’t pay extra for an AI laptop versus a non-AI laptop that can do the exact same thing.
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There are a lot of settings in Windows that aim for efficiency and not maximizing the hardware, leaving customer short changed on performance to save energy. If the NPUs are meant to do the same work tasks the GPU does and the user isn’t interested in gaming, then that may be the benefit. For someone unboxing a laptop and using things out of the box, however, it doesn’t appear the NPU is being used.
Gaming Performance
With the NVIDIA RTX 4070, gaming at 1600p at the highest settings provides a good experience, but these games won’t be hitting that 240Hz without assistance. MAINGEAR included a dynamic cooling system and while it does well for the GPU, the CPU was hitting high temperatures under load. While the heat is positioned away from WASD and quite well, the CPU would max out at 100-102 degrees Celsius. This also means that throttling had to have occured as running these tests a second time produced a lower score. Benchmarks that were run using 3DMark, Cinebench and Geekbench. For the benchmarks, a comparison was done with a HP Victus 16 that featured an AMD 7840HS, 16GB DDR5 5600MT/s and a RTX 4060.
Games that were selected for benchmarking the ML-16 wereCyberpunk 2077,XDefiant,The FinalsandDiablo IV.XDefiant, The FinalsandDiablo IVwere tested at their highest settings along with Ray Tracing being added forDiablo IV.CyberPunk 2077was tested with varying settings and Ray Traced Medium. The ML-16 was set to Max Performance power settings in Windows for all benchmarking and the resolution was set at 2500x1600. Most of these games pushed into the 60-80 FPS range, but the competitive shooters will command higher frames so dropping settings would probably be preferred. Cyberpunk was taken from the in-game benchmark tool, while the others were during gameplay. The laptop also comes with calibration software and with this being an IPS panel, the colors did well for that type of display but users won’t get the vivid colors of OLED.
Closing Comments:
The MAINGEAR ML-16 can be purchased with various options or customized to the user’s liking from its website. The model for the review, which included the RTX 4070, is currently discounted to $2,099, down $100 for a limited time. This is a solid laptop both for work, creation and gaming across the board. The temperatures do pose an issue while under stress, but there was never any issues with stuttering or frame drops during gameplay. The looks are low profile with the inclusion of 4-zone RGB to add a bit of life to the ML-16, but the best way to describe the laptop is standard. It’s nice to use, works as advertised and doesn’t cut any corners. The elephant in the room remains with the inclusion of AI and if this NPU will ever be properly utilized. Currently, this seems more like a marketing ploy and potential customers should be looking at the specs and base their purchase around the pricing, which is a solid price point for what’s included.
MAINGEAR ML-16 AI Gaming Laptop
The MAINGEAR ML-16 AI Gaming laptop offers both AI capabilities and strong specs for gaming needs. It includes a 16:10 calibrated display with a refresh rate of 240Hz.
