Dell unveils AI-powered workstation laptop that skips the GPU for a dedicated NPU

Dell is pushing the boundaries of AI-powered computing with its new Pro Max Plus workstation laptop that foregoes traditional graphics chips in favor of dedicated neural processing hardware. This enterprise-focused device, featuring Qualcomm’s first discrete neural processing unit (NPU) in a laptop form factor, represents a significant shift toward on-device AI processing for businesses. By enabling local execution of billion-parameter AI models without cloud connectivity, Dell is addressing growing enterprise demands for data privacy and proprietary AI capabilities.

The big picture: Dell’s Pro Max Plus workstation replaces conventional GPU hardware with Qualcomm’s AI 100 PC Inference Card, prioritizing specialized AI processing capabilities over traditional graphics performance.

• The dedicated NPU can run cloud-level AI models with billions of parameters directly on the device, including certain chatbots, image generation tools, and retrieval augmented generation (RAG) applications.
• By eliminating the need for cloud connectivity, the system allows businesses to keep their data, AI outputs, and prompts completely private—a critical consideration as AI-generated assets become valuable intellectual property.

Key specifications: Qualcomm’s AI 100 PC Inference Card packs substantial processing power in a laptop-compatible form factor.

• The discrete expansion card features 32 AI cores, 64GB of onboard LPDDR4x memory, and operates within a thermal envelope of up to 150 watts.
• Being purpose-built for neural networks and AI inferencing, the NPU promises better performance-per-watt than comparable AI-capable GPUs.

Important capabilities: Dell claims the Pro Max Plus can locally run AI models with up to 109 billion parameters.

• While impressive for a mobile workstation, this capacity falls well short of the largest cloud-based models like OpenAI‘s GPT-4, which uses approximately 1.8 trillion parameters.
• The system targets engineers, developers, and data scientists who need enterprise-grade AI capabilities in a portable form factor.

What’s still unknown: Dell has yet to reveal several critical details about the Pro Max Plus workstation.

• Pricing remains unannounced, potentially a key factor given the specialized hardware involved.
• Even basic specifications like screen size are still being finalized, with Dell only committing to a display in the 16- to 18-inch range.
• The laptop is scheduled for release later in 2025, when these details will presumably be confirmed.