Intel enables enthusiast desktop AI PCs

Source: Intel video screen capture at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3evkF909lc . Introducing the Intel Core Ultra 200S series of processors.

Intel has launched the Core Ultra 200S series processor family, designed to scale AI PC capabilities and usher in the first enthusiast desktop AI PCs. 

Led by the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 285K, the latest generation of enthusiast desktop processors includes five unlocked desktop processors equipped with up to eight next-gen Performance-cores (P-cores), the fastest cores available for desktop PCs1. The processors also support up to 16 next-gen Efficient-cores (E-cores). These cores result in up to 14% more in combined performance for multithreaded workloads compared to the previous generation2. 

The new family are the first NPU-enabled desktop processors for enthusiasts3 and come with a built-in Xe GPU with state-of-the-art media support.

“The new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors deliver on our goals to significantly cut power usage while retaining outstanding gaming performance and delivering leadership compute. The result is a cooler and quieter user experience elevated by new AI gaming and creation capabilities enabled by the NPU, and leadership media performance that leverages our growing graphics portfolio,” said Robert Hallock, VP and GM of AI and Technical Marketing, Client Computing Group at Intel.

The new desktop processors deliver a landmark reduction in power usage. Intel said users can expect up to 58% lower package power in everyday applications4 and up to 165W lower system power5 while gaming. The new processor family further delivers up to 6% faster single-threaded6 and up to 14% faster multithreaded performance2 over the previous generation.

With up to 36 platform TOPS, the new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processor is Intel’s 1st and ​best desktop processor ​for AI PCs​. When it comes to AI, the Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors deliver up to 50% faster performance in AI-enabled creator applications against competing flagship processors7. 

The newly-available NPU enables offloading of AI functions. Examples include freeing up discrete GPUs to increase gaming frame rates, significantly reducing power usage in AI workloads, and enabling accessibility use cases such as face- and gesture-tracking in games while minimising performance impact.

According to Intel, Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors offer excellent performance in AI and content creation, and power an immersive gaming experience, with up to 28% gaming performance uplift compared to competing flagship processors8.

- The Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors’ new Intel 800 Series chipset extends platform compatibility with up to 24 PCIe 4.0 lanes, up to eight SATA 3.0 ports, and up to 10 USB 3.2 ports.

- Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors bring new overclocking functionality with fine-grain controls, with top turbo frequency in 16.6 MHz steps for P-cores and E-cores. 

- A new memory controller supports fast, new XMP and CUDIMM DDR5 memory up to 48 GB per DIMM for up to 192 GB in total, and the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility now includes one-click overclocking enhancements.

- Connectivity: Intel Core Ultra 200S processors come equipped with 20 CPU PCIe 5.0 lanes, 4 CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes, support for 2 integrated Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6E​ and Bluetooth 5.3​. Intel Killer Wi-Fi delivers supercharged wireless performance and enables seamless, immersive online gameplay through application priority auto-detection, bandwidth analysis and management, and smart access point (AP) selection and switching.

- Multi-engine security: Intel Silicon Security Engine helps preserve data confidentiality and code integrity while maintaining high performance for demanding AI workloads.

Details

The Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors will be available at retail online and in stores, and via OEM partner systems starting October 24, 2024.

1 Among x86 desktop processors targeting ~125W TDP, based on single thread/core performance benchmarks as compared against prior generation and competition processors, as of October 2024. See intel.com/PerformanceIndex for details. Results may vary.

2 As measured by SPECrate 2017_int_base (n-copies) performance estimates on an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs. Intel Core i9 processor 14900K. SPEC, SPECrate and SPEC CPU are registered trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. See http://www.spec.org/spec/trademarks.html for more information

3 Among desktop processors targeting ~125W TDP, as of October 2024. AI features may require additional purchase or specific compatibility requirements. See intel.com/performanceindex for details.

4 As measured by processor power during a 1x1 Zoom call with background blur on NPU on an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs. Intel Core i9 processor 14900K. Individual system results may vary as power and performance are affected by use, configuration and other factors.

5 As measured by average system power while playing Warhammer: Space Marines 2 on an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs Intel Core i9 processor 14900K. Individual system results may vary as power and performance are affected by use, configuration and other factors.

6 As measured by SPECrate 2017_int_base (1-copy) performance estimates on an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs. Intel Core i9 processor 14900K.

7 As measured by the Adobe After Effects AI Scene Edit Detection feature on an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs. AMD Ryzen 9 9950X.

8 As measured by Total War: Warhammer III - Mirrors of Madness Benchmark on an Intel Core Ultra 9 285K vs. AMD Ryzen 9 9950X.

*AI features may require software purchase, subscription or enablement by a software or platform provider, or may have specific configuration or compatibility requirements. Details at intel.com/AIPC. Results may vary.

Altering clock frequency or voltage may void any product warranties and reduce stability, security, performance, and life of the processor and other components. Check with system and component manufacturers for details.

Performance varies by use, configuration and other factors. Learn more at intel.com/PerformanceIndex.

Performance results are based on testing as of dates shown in configurations and may not reflect all publicly available updates. See backup for configuration details. No product or component can be absolutely secure.

Your costs and results may vary.

Intel technologies may require enabled hardware, software or service activation.

Zoom's new AI-first platform innovations

Zoom Video Communications has unveiled new AI-first work platform innovations for Zoom Workplace and Zoom Business Services that will transform team communication, collaboration, and productivity and help customers get more done.

The announcements include the Zoom AI Companion 2.0, a new add-on option to customise and personalise AI Companion, Zoom Tasks to help users take action across Zoom Workplace, and enhanced employee and customer experience innovations underpinned by AI.

“At Zoom, we’re not just reimagining communication—we’re revolutionising the entire work experience. Our vision is to create an AI-first work platform for human connection that empowers teams to achieve more than ever,” said Eric S. Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom. 

“With AI Companion already enhancing productivity, we are helping our customers transform the way they work. This is more than an evolution; it’s a complete overhaul of how we get things done in the digital age.”

Zoom AI Companion 2.0

Source: Zoom. Zoom AI Companion 2.0 at work.

New capabilities include:

Persistence: Users can now engage with AI Companion via a convenient, persistent side panel, with seamless availability throughout Zoom Workplace, delivering an AI-first user interface (UI) that seamlessly integrates graphical and conversation UIs to allow for better information flow across workplace-wide.

More context: AI Companion gains advanced contextual understanding based on what the user is looking at in the Zoom Workplace app and on previous conversations to provide intelligent suggestions and responses that come with citations.

Better synthesis: AI Companion can pull in interactions from across Zoom Workplace, and, when connected, information from Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Google Calendar, and uploaded files from Microsoft Office and Google Docs to help users summarise content and interactions and get caught up fast.

Connected: AI Companion will be able to answer user questions and look up information from the web in real time.

Taking action: AI Companion will be able to detect, track, and complete actions across different workloads in Zoom Workplace to help users get more done.

For example, users can:

- Use prompt suggestions and generate answers from AI Companion via a convenient side panel across Zoom Workplace, including Zoom Meetings, Zoom Team Chat, Zoom Docs, Zoom Calendar, and Zoom Mail.

- Expand the context of information with data from across Zoom Workplace and, when connected, information from Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Google Calendar, and uploaded files from Microsoft Office and Google Docs. AI Companion will remember previous conversations you’ve had within the side panel and interactions from across Zoom Workplace.

- Generate next steps from a meeting summary and AI Companion can automatically turn those next steps into Zoom Tasks to help keep teams aligned and on track to deliver projects on time. Zoom Tasks is planned to be available in December 2024.

- Summarise unread messages within a Zoom Team Chat channel. Within the new home tab, AI Companion will be able to provide users with a list of updates based on unread chats and emails.

AI Companion 2.0 will be available in the coming weeks at no additional cost with paid services in Zoom Workplace accounts.

Custom add-on for AI Companion

A new optional add-on that allows for a customised and personalised AI Companion experience for individual customers will allow customisation with company glossaries, offer enhanced search capabilities, and take action on the user’s behalf. With expanded data access to apps beyond Microsoft and Google email and calendar services and additional company data sources to expand its knowledge, the add-on will provide a new level of performance to the experience. Key components of the new add-on include:

Customised experience with AI Studio: Organisations can tailor the AI Companion experience with custom dictionaries, meeting summaries, and knowledge collections, in addition to helping improve response accuracy by connecting to company data sources.

Connected third-party apps: An option to connect third-party data sources that integrate with Zoom's AI capabilities will allow AI Companion to get answers and orchestrate actions across third-party apps like Atlassian (Jira & Confluence), Glean, Workday, Zendesk, ServiceNow, Box, Asana, Hubspot, and more.

Personalisation: With the custom AI Companion add-on, individuals can also grow their skills with personal coaching capabilities and save time and production costs with custom avatars for Zoom Clips. Users can avoid multiple takes by using a personalised, AI-generated avatar to create clips with a user-provided script.

Custom AI Companion add-on will be available for US$12 per user per month and is planned to launch in 1H25.

Zoom Workplace advancements

New Zoom Workplace innovations include an AI-first product, Zoom Tasks, which will use AI Companion to help detect, recommend, and complete tasks for a user based on conversations from across Zoom Workplace; Zoom Phone AI-first enhancements, including real-time queries, which will provide summaries of Zoom Phone calls as they happen and automated Zoom Phone voicemail greetings from the user's voiceprint that are tailored to the user’s calendar events to avoid manual voicemail greeting updates.

Zoom Workplace users will be able to have more productive meetings and collaborate more effectively with AI Companion producing meeting agendas and real-time meeting summaries. A library of pre-selected avatars in Zoom Clips can help them generate professional video content from text; while Zoom Docs will offer new organisation and permission options for finer control, new Data Table views and columns for collaboration on projects, APIs and workflow automation, plus new AI Companion skills to generate content tailored for writing scenarios and additional data sources.

These Zoom Workplace enhancements are included at no added cost with the paid services in Zoom Workplace accounts.

In-person experiences

Zoom further announced AI Companion for in-person meetings, which provides meeting summaries and action items via the Zoom Workplace app on a mobile device. For in-office meetings, AI Companion is expanding within Workspace Reservation to recommend what days employees should go into the office based on when their teammates are there, and recommend rooms based on location and size.

Employee engagement

New AI-first employee engagement solutions that help foster connection include AI Companion for Workvivo, which helps keep employees informed, engaged, and connected by creating content faster, and Workvivo Employee Insights, which helps measure employee engagement, happiness, and performance.

Zoom Customer Experience

Zoom introduced enhancements to self-service solutions and improved agent and management support features to help provide world-class customer experiences.

Zoom’s self-service chatbot, Zoom Virtual Agent, now includes multi-intent detection to handle more complex customer issues. It can process several problems within a single engagement and automatically update customer intents based on learnings from active trends or common queries. Zoom is also launching an AI virtual voice agent to bring Zoom Virtual Agent’s capabilities into self-service voice calls.

The new Auto Quality Management allows supervisors to gain comprehensive insights into agent performance, automatically scoring customer interactions.

New AI Expert Assist capabilities include dynamic agent guides—AI Expert Assist analyses the conversation context, notices which steps the agent has already taken, and then guides them to the relevant next step.

Asean has two top-30 universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025

Asean has two world top-30 universities for the first time ever in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025. The National University of Singapore (NUS) moved up to 17th place, up from 19th last year, while Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) is 30th, up two places from last year.

Other highlights include:

- Universiti Teknologi Petronas is Malaysia’s highest ranked institution and joins the top 250 for the 1st time in band 201–250, up from band 301-350 last year.

- Chulalongkorn University and Mahidol University are Thailand’s highest-ranked universities, both in band 601–800 (unchanged from last year). Maejo University debuted this year in band 1201-1500 – ahead of eight Thai universities.

- The University of Indonesia, has remained in band 801-1000 since last year and retained its No. 1 position in Indonesia.

- Ateneo de Manila University is the highest-ranked university in the Philippines in band 1001–1200, and is also the country’s highest-ranked university since joining the rankings in 2023.

- Vietnam’s UEH University debuted in band 501–600 while Universiti Brunei Darussalam in Brunei Darussalam is the country’s highest-ranked institution, in the same band.

- Australia’s top five universities have all slipped down the rankings.

Asean universities in the top 800 of the THE World University Rankings 2025

University	Country	Rank 2025	Rank 2024
National University of Singapore	Singapore	17	19
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore	Singapore	30	32
Universiti Teknologi Petronas	Malaysia	201–250	301–350
University of Malaya	Malaysia	251–300	251–300
Sunway University	Malaysia	401–500	601–800
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia	Malaysia	401–500	401–500
Universiti Sains Malaysia	Malaysia	401–500	401–500
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia	Malaysia	401–500	401–500
Universiti Utara Malaysia	Malaysia	401–500	401–500
UEH University	Vietnam	501–600	NR
Universiti Brunei Darussalam	Brunei Darussalam	501–600	401–500
Chulalongkorn University	Thailand	601–800	601–800
Duy Tan University	Vietnam	601–800	601–800
Mahidol University	Thailand	601–800	601–800
Ton Duc Thang University	Vietnam	601–800	601–800
Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA)	Malaysia	601–800	601–800
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris	Malaysia	601–800	601–800
Universiti Putra Malaysia	Malaysia	601–800	501–600
Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN)	Malaysia	601–800	601–800

Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings. See the full list at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/latest/world-ranking

Three new countries have joined the top 200, including KSA and the UAE, bringing the total to 30 countries.

A record 93 Asean universities were ranked this year, up from 80 last year. Indonesia boasts the most newcomers with seven new universities ranked; the highest-ranked is Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta in band 1201-1500.

Indonesia also has the most-ranked universities from Asean, with 31 institutions represented. Malaysia has the second-most ranked institutions with 23 in Asean, and Thailand is third with 20.

Of Malaysia’s 23 universities, four rose in the rankings, with Sunway University in Malaysia jumping forward to join the top 500 in band 401-500, up from band 601–800 last year. Meanwhile, newcomer Management & Science University (MSU) joined the rankings in band 801-1000. Elsewhere in Malaysia, three universities had lower rankings, and 15 stayed in the same position.

The number of Thai universities increased from 19 last year to 20 this year, with Maejo University debuting strongly in band 1201-1500 – higher than eight other Thai universities.

The Philippines had six universities ranked this year, up from five last year.

The rankings assess research-intensive universities across 18 performance indicators, which are divided into five pillars, covering the core missions of teaching, research, knowledge transfer and internationalisation. Pillarwise, Malaysia scored well in the research excellence and research influence metrics, and it is particularly successful in the international metrics.

The industry pillar, which measures the exchange between academia and industry, was Thailand’s strongest pillar, however, this has been declining over time relative to the rest of the world. Conversely, its research quality and research environment pillars have been improving since 2019.

While three out of the 31 Indonesian universities fell in the rankings, none improved their position. There were seven new entrants this year, and 21 remained in the same band.

Compared with last year, Indonesian universities, on average, improved by 0.6 points, most of which is driven by research influence and research excellence. Compared with the Asian average, Indonesian universities underperformed in all metrics except two – studying abroad and international staff. Its worst metrics were patents, research strength and research excellence.

Philippine universities underperformed against the Asian average across most metrics except student-staff ratio, studying abroad and international co-authorship. Its worst-performing metric compared with the Asian average was research strength.

The industry pillars have been growing significantly in Singapore, as have research quality and research environment. However, the international pillar has been declining in the last five years relative to the rest of the world.

Across most of Asean a lack of qualified effective academics, who are equipped to lead universities there, has contributed to holding back higher education in those countries. Phil Baty, Times Higher Education Chief Global Affairs Officer, said: 

Singapore

“Singapore’s status as a world-class hub for higher education, research and innovation talent is well and truly established, with Times Higher Education’s data now showing that the dynamic city state has two world top-30 universities for the first time ever. It is a remarkable achievement and testament to strong support for universities and R&D as fundamental to the success of the nation and the centring of human talent as Singapore’s greatest resource.”

Malaysia

“Transformations are taking place in Malaysian higher education, including attracting more international students as part of its efforts to globally promote its universities as well as growing research strength, which is paying dividends as a university breaks into the top 250 of the THE World University Rankings 2025. As Malaysia emerges as a strengthening global education hub, we expect to see further success in the world’s most comprehensive and rigorous university rankings in the years to come.”

Thailand

The Thai government is supporting its universities to deliver maximum social and economic impact, and they are emerging as world leaders on the sustainable development goals, which bodes well for their international partnerships and their global academic standing. However, concerns have been raised about a ‘publish or perish’ mindset in Thai research, with too much focus on the quantity of research outputs over their quality. Our rankings methodology values quality over quantity, so we look forward to supporting the sector with data insights and practical support to strengthen the research base."

Indonesia

"It is fantastic to see the participation of Indonesia who have 31 institutions represented, the most in the Asean region and who boast the most newcomers with seven new universities ranked."

The world’s highest-ranked higher education institution is the UK’s University of Oxford, which has maintained the top spot for a record nine years in a row. Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US is the second highest ranked university in the world and in third place is Harvard University.

The THE World University Rankings started with 200 universities. The 21st edition of the rankings has 2,092 universities ranked – up from 1,907 last year – from 115 countries and regions.

This year 2,860 institutions submitted data, up 6.9% from last year, representing 133 countries and territories. The remaining 768 institutions gained “reporter” status, which means, although they submitted data, they did not meet THE’s eligibility criteria to receive a ranking.

Explore

View the full World University Rankings 2025 results at https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/latest/world-ranking

Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD has more capacity, power efficiency and speed

Source:  Samsung. The 990 EVO Plus SSD.

Samsung Electronics Singapore has released the 990 EVO Plus SSD (solid state drive), which comes with PCIe 4.0 support and the latest NAND technology to offer higher performance, capacities and power efficiency. 

Optimised for business and creative endeavours as well as gaming, the 990 EVO Plus is an ideal solution for consumers who are seeking faster data processing speeds and expanded storage capacities on their PCs.

“As consumers create higher quality images, video content and engage in next-generation gaming, this creates a corresponding demand for high-performance, high-capacity storage options to facilitate quick transfers for valuable data. As the world leader in advanced memory technology, Samsung is introducing the 990 EVO Plus to users who want enhanced performance and efficiency on their laptops and desktop PCs. 

"With faster data read and write speeds, expanded storage capacities and improved power efficiency, the 990 EVO Plus offers the best-in-class SSD experience to consumers, workers and gamers alike," Jacus Long, Head of Display Business, Samsung Electronics Singapore.

The 990 EVO Plus is built on decades of Samsung’s pioneering semiconductor technology with proven reliability. Featuring Samsung's latest 8th generation V-NAND technology and a 5-nanometer (nm) controller, the 990 EVO Plus offers sequential read speeds of up to 7,250 megabytes-per-second (MB/s) and write speeds of up to 6,300MBps3,4, enhancing its performance by up to 50% compared to its predecessor, the 990 EVO. The 990 EVO Plus also incorporates an innovative nickel-coated heat shield that minimises overheating, which enhances its power efficiency by 73% compared to its predecessor.

The 990 EVO Plus offers a 4 TB model and comes with Samsung’s TurboWrite 2.0, revamped for maximised performance, to facilitate rapid file transfer speeds and reduce lag.

The 4 TB model has a random read speed of 1,050 K input/output and 1,400 K IOPS3,4 for random write, putting its performance almost on par with SSD products with DRAM (without using the DRAM cache)*. This feature makes it an optimal solution for gaming and AI tasks that require high performance.

To enhance the functionality of all Samsung SSDs, including the 990 EVO Plus, users can make use of the optimisation tools available with the Samsung Magician software. The software can help users to streamline the data migration process for SSD upgrades while monitoring SSD health and offering customised performance optimisation.

Details

The 990 EVO Plus will be available in Singapore from the end of October via the Samsung Online Store, the Samsung Official Store on Lazada and Shopee as well as at selected consumer electronics stores. 

The recommended retail price for the 1 TB 990 Evo Plus is S$159, while the 2 TB model retails for S$268, and the 4 TB model retails at S$479. 

Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus specifications

Category	Samsung SSD 990 EVO Plus
Interface	PCIe Gen 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2 NVMe 2.0
Form factor	M.2 (2280)
Storage memory	Samsung V-NAND 3-bit TLC
Controller	Samsung in-house controller
Capacity2	1 TB	2 TB	4 TB
Sequential read/write speed 3,4	Up to 7,150 MBps, 6,300 MBps	Up to 7,250 MBps, 6,300 MBps	Up to 7,250 MBps, 6,300 MBps
Random read/write speed (QD32) 3,4	Up to 850 K IOPS, 1,350 K IOPS	Up to 1,000 K IOPS, 1,350 K IOPS	Up to 1,050 K IOPS, 1,400 K IOPS
Management software	Samsung Magician Software
Data encryption	AES 256-bit full disk encryption, TCG/Opal V2.0,
	Encrypted Drive (IEEE1667)
Total bytes written	600 TB	1,200 TB	2,400 TB
Warranty 5	5-year limited warranty 6

 

For more information — including warranty details — please visit samsung.com/sg/memory-storage/all-memory-storage/?ssd. Get the installation guide for the 990 EVO Plus at https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/ssdupgrade/.

*DRAM and NAND can both be used to store data, but DRAM is faster than NAND at storage and retrieval. When the power is switched off, any data in DRAM is lost, whereas data in NAND is retained. NAND is also more durable than DRAM, but there is a maximum number of times it can write data. 

2 1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes by IDEMA. A certain portion of capacity may be used for system file and maintenance use, so the actual capacity may differ from what is indicated on the product label.

3 Sequential and random performance measurements are based on IOmeter1.1.0. Performance may vary based on an SSD’s firmware version, system hardware and configuration.

4 Test system configuration: AMD Ryzen9 7950x 16-Core Processor CPU@4.5GHz, DDR5 4,800 MHz 16 GB x 2), OS-Windows 11 Pro 64-bit, chipset - ASRock X670E Taichi.

 5 Samsung Electronics shall not be liable for any loss, including but not limited to loss of data or other information contained on Samsung Electronics’ products or loss of profit or revenue which may be incurred by the user. For more information on the warranty, please visit samsung.com/SSD or semiconductor.samsung.com/internal-ssd/

6 Five years or total bytes written (TBW), whichever comes first. For more information on the warranty, please refer to the enclosed warranty document in the package.

Blue Bottle Coffee enters SEA via Singapore

Source: Blue Bottle Coffee. The gift shop.

Blue Bottle Coffee has debuted in Southeast Asia at the LUMINE Singapore global flagship store in Raffles City Shopping Center with a gift shop and exhibition that will lead in to a broader Blue Bottle Coffee experience in future.

The gift shop will spotlight Blue Bottle’s instant craft coffee and premium matcha offerings, including the craft instant espresso (S$24), the New Orleans-style craft instant coffee blend (S$24), and ceremonial-grade craft matcha ($51) from Uji, Japan. A variety of drinkware and accessories for enjoying Blue Bottle’s instant coffee and matcha will also be available for purchase, including an exclusive Singapore tote bag (S$39).

The gift shop will feature an exhibition that chronicles Blue Bottle Coffee’s journey over the past 20 years, showing how the brand has been shaped by its California roots and Japanese influences as well as its commitment to innovation.

The exhibition features three unique brewing tools — Oji, Syphon and the Nel Drip. The Oji water dripper, originating from Tokyo, produces a heavy body and layered, complex cup, often compared to an alcoholic spirit, through a slow, meticulously-timed drip. 

The Syphon, crafted by HARIO, requires precision and heat manipulation to deliver a rounded cup with an intricate flavour profile. The Nel Drip also by HARIO, is closely associated to traditional Japanese kissaten (喫茶店, a tea-room which also serves coffee) culture, offering a rich cup profile through its slow-drip method and high coffee-to-water ratio. 

In the coming months, visitors can look forward to holiday merchandise, as well as workshops and educational coffee sessions within the Blue Bottle Coffee space.

New Galaxy collection lands in Singapore

The Galaxy S24 FE, Galaxy Tab S10 Series and Galaxy Fit3 have launched in Singapore, with availability in October.

“We are bringing the Galaxy AI experience to more consumers with the introduction of the Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 Series. With Galaxy AI, users will be able to explore new ways to communicate, express their creativity and boost their productivity in their daily routines,” said Ronnie Ng, Head of Mobile eXperience, Samsung Electronics Singapore.

“The Galaxy ecosystem is also expanding to provide Galaxy users with an easier way to track their health. The new Galaxy Fit3 features Samsung’s advanced health monitoring tools to keep users on track with their wellness journey.”

The Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 Series will bring Galaxy AI to more consumers to discover new ways to communicate, express their creativity and boost their productivity. And for consumers looking to track their wellness, the Galaxy Fit3 features Samsung’s advance health monitoring technology in a sleek and lightweight design that won’t get in the way during workouts.

Galaxy S24 FE

The Galaxy S24 FE offers premium Galaxy AI tools and ecosystem connectivity to enhance communication, productivity and creativity — all housed in an iconic design and protected by Samsung Knox security. 

Powered by the AI-based ProVisual Engine and Galaxy AI’s Photo Assist features, Galaxy S24 FE showcases an enhanced camera setup. It’s the perfect device for gaming on the go with a 6.7"² Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, a 4,700 mAh battery and an Exynos 2400 series chipset.

“We want everyone to enjoy all the benefits of our latest mobile innovations,” said SeaYoung Lee, Corporate EVP and Head of the Smartphone Research and Development team at Samsung Electronics. 

“Galaxy AI opens so many new experiences for users, helping them communicate, and be more creative and productive. Galaxy S24 FE makes the powerful performance and premium Galaxy AI capabilities of the S24 series available to even more people.” 

The new Galaxy S24 FE comes in Blue, Graphite, Gray, Mint and Yellow.¹⁶

1 Samsung Account login may be required to use certain Samsung AI features. Samsung does not make any promises, assurances or guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the output provided by AI features. Availability of Galaxy AI features may vary depending on the region/country, OS/One UI version, device model and phone carrier. Some function availability may vary by device model. Galaxy AI service may be limited for minors in certain regions with age restrictions over AI usage. Galaxy AI features will be provided for free until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices. Different terms may apply for AI features provided by third parties.

2 Measured diagonally, Galaxy S24 FE’s screen is 6.7" in the full rectangle and 6.5" accounting for the rounded corners; actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners and camera hole.

3 Generative Edit requires a network connection and Samsung account login. Editing with Generative Edit results in a resized photo up to 12MP. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by Galaxy AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.

4 Portrait Studio requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Supports JPG, HEIC (HEIF), BMP and PNG files. The background must not be transparent. Editing with Generative Portrait results in a resized photo up to 12MP. A visible watermark is overlaid on the image output upon saving in order to indicate that the image is generated by Galaxy AI. The accuracy and reliability of the generated output is not guaranteed.

5 Edit Suggestion is compatible with JPG, PNG, GIF and MP4 formats. Edit results and quality may vary depending on the photography or filming condition. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

6 Instant Slow-mo feature is available on Samsung Video Player and Samsung Gallery. May not be available on certain video file types. Accuracy of results not guaranteed.

7 Comparing Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S23 FE.

8 Comparing Galaxy S24 FE vs Galaxy S23 FE (4,500 mAh).

9 Results may vary depending on visual matches. Requires Internet connection. Users may need to update Android to the latest version. Product functionality may be dependent on app and device settings. Some functions may not be compatible with certain apps. Availability of the service varies by country and language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

10 Interpreter requires Samsung Account login. Certain languages may require language pack download. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed. Availability and supported features may vary by country, region or carrier. Availability of supported languages may vary.

11 Live Translate feature for Call Assist does not require a network connection. Calls require a network connection to activate Live Translate. Samsung Account login required. Live Translate is only available on pre-installed Samsung Phone apps and some third-party apps. Service availability may vary by language or region. Certain languages may require language pack download. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

12 Note Assist requires a network connection and Samsung Account login. Character limit applies. Service availability may vary by language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

13 Galaxy S24 FE features components that incorporate a minimum of 10% recycled plastics sourced from discarded fishing nets, water barrels, PET bottles and PBT wastes, and preconsumer recycled aluminum (a minimum of 30%) and glass (a minimum of 20%) sourced from materials generated as a by-product during manufacturing. Additionally, select components incorporate 100% recycled rare earth elements (neodymium and praseodymium) recovered from magnets that were discarded during manufacturing or from products that reached their end-of-life.

14 Galaxy S24 FE will be supported with seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates from the global launch date.

15 100% recycled paper is used in the following packaging components: the product packaging unit box, cover protector, manual box, manual pad and DLC band.

16 Availability of colours may vary by market and carriers.

Galaxy Tab S10 family

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S10+ are Samsung’s first tablets purposefully built for AI. The premium hardware includes 14.6" and 12.4" Dynamic AMOLED 2X displays — the ideal canvas for the bundled S Pen.

Performance upgrades¹ for the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra include an 18% increase in CPU, 28% increase in GPU and 14% increase in NPU compared to the Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. This improved processing power enables faster and more responsive AI features, which are now accessible with written prompts using the new Galaxy AI Key on the Book Cover Keyboards to customise the AI assistant. 

The software includes features such as Note Assist and Drawing Assist, optimised for the tablet form factor. The Galaxy Tab S10 series also acts as a home AI device, with a 3D Map View that gives a visual overview of the home and all connected devices to streamline device management across the SmartThings ecosystem. Samsung Knox security ensures data privacy and control.

“The Galaxy Tab S10 series is Samsung’s first tablet built with AI enhancements available right out of the box, and it’s the latest addition to the Galaxy AI family,” said MC Lee, VP, Head of Galaxy Ecosystems Business Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. 

“We’re proud to add to our seamless ecosystem of connected devices, bringing versatile experiences that only an AI tablet can offer through the Galaxy Tab S10 series’ blend of power and portability.” 

Source: Samsung. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra displaying the 3D Map View feature.

* Specifications may vary by market.

* All functionality, features, specifications and other product information provided in this document including, but not limited to, the benefits, design, pricing, components, performance, availability and capabilities of the product are subject to change without notice.

1 For Galaxy Tab S10+, performance upgrades include a 16% increase in CPU, 27% increase in GPU and 13% increase in NPU compared to Galaxy Tab S9+.

2 Actual battery life may vary depending on model, network environment, usage patterns and other factors.

3 Super Fast Charging speed depends on battery level and other factors; use only Samsung-approved chargers and cables; do not use any worn or damaged chargers or cables; incompatible charger or cable can cause serious injuries or damage to your device.

4 Galaxy Tab S10 + and S10 Ultra are rated as IP68. The inbox S Pen is also water and dust-resistant with an IP68 rating. Consistent with IP68 rating, water resistant in up to 1.5 m of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. Rinse residue / dry after wet. Not advised for beach or pool use.

5 Results may vary depending on visual matches. Requires Internet connection. Users may need to update Android to the latest version. Product functionality may be dependent on your app and device settings. Some functions may not be compatible with certain apps. Availability of the service varies by country and language. Accuracy of results is not guaranteed.

6 Book Cover Keyboard sold separately. Product design may vary by model. Features and keyboard layout may vary by model or type of language.

Details

Galaxy S24 FE

The Galaxy S24 FE is available for preorder in Singapore via:

• Samsung Experience Stores
• Samsung Online Store
• Samsung Official Stores on Lazada, Shopee and iShopChangi
• Major consumer electronics & IT stores (Gain City, Courts, Challenger, Best Denki, Harvey Norman)

Consumers who pre-order the Galaxy S24 FE will receive their device from 3 October 2024 onwards. The Galaxy S24 FE will also be available for pre-launch purchase via telecommunication operators (M1, Singtel, StarHub) from 3 October 2024 onwards.

From 27 September to 9 October 2024, customers who purchase the Galaxy S24 FE via Samsung Online Store, Samsung Experience Stores, Samsung Official Stores, telecommunication operators, and major consumer electronics & IT stores can enjoy the following pre-launch special¹:

- Up to S$150 overtrade bonus²

- S$100 Samsung e-voucher³

- 50% off their two-year Samsung Care+ purchase (worth S$71)⁴

The respective recommended retail prices (RRPs) for the Galaxy S24 FE are as follows:

Model	Colour	Built-in Memory1	RRP (including GST)
Galaxy S24 FE	Blue, Graphite, Mint	512GB	S$1,208
		256GB2	S$1,028

The following Galaxy S24 FE accessories will also be available:

Accessory	Colour	RRP (including GST)
Galaxy S24 FE wallet case	Black, White, Mint, Blue	S$68
Galaxy S24 FE standing grip case	Blue Black, Gray, Yellow	S$68
Galaxy S24 FE silicone case	Black, Gray, Yellow, Mint, Blue	S$48
Galaxy S24 FE flipsuit case	Yellow, Red	S$58
Galaxy S24 FE clear case	-	S$38
Galaxy S24 FE anti-reflecting film	-	S$38
Galaxy S24 FE flipsuit card – Smiley		S$18
Galaxy S24 FE flipsuit card – Powerpuff Girls		S$18
Galaxy S24 FE flipsuit card – Minions		S$18
Galaxy S24 FE flipsuit card – Batman		S$18

Galaxy Tab S10 Series

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S10+ will be available in Singapore from 10 October 2024, at:

• Samsung Experience Stores
• Samsung Online Store (available from 10 October)
• Telecommunication operators (M1, Singtel, StarHub)
• Samsung Official Stores on Lazada, Shopee and iShopChangi
• Major consumer electronics & IT stores (Gain City, Courts, Challenger, Best Denki, Harvey Norman)

Galaxy Fit3

The Galaxy Fit3 will be available exclusively online in Singapore from 10 October 2024, Thursday, on the Samsung Online Store and selected retailers.

1 While stocks last. Promotion cannot be exchanged for cash and other items and are not valid with any other discounts, vouchers or promotions, unless otherwise stated. terms & conditions apply.

2 Overtrade bonus is only applicable for eligible devices with trade-in. Trade-in value may vary depending on model & the device condition.

Unless otherwise stated, specified trade-in values & overtrade offers are valid between 27 Sep - 9 Oct. Samsung reserves the right to amend the list of eligible devices & their trade-in values at any time without prior notice.

3 E-voucher will be used to automatically offset S$100 off your Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.

4 Samsung Care+ coverage may vary by country and model. The 50% off two-year Samsung Care+ promotion is only applicable with purchase of Galaxy S24 FE.

5 Actual user-accessible internal memory is less than specified total memory due to storage of the opera1ng system, the software used to operate device features, and other built-in applications, and may vary after software updates/upgrades.

6 Not available via telecommunication operators.