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Fein-Lines: Here’s How Technology Will Play Out in 2022

Welcome to 2022, the start of the first year of a new normal where we go back to our pre-pandemic ways but with higher prices, more advanced technology, more acceptance of online meetings and communication, and some initial movement to XR in everyday life.

Anyone who follows my column knows I have my favorite topics. So, with that in mind, here’s what I see coming.

It’s a New Generation
I have a passion for building powerful computers. My latest one was built around an AMD Ryzen 9 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3080 GPU. It is a beast, and I am very happy with its performance.

In the last year however there have been significant advances in CPU and GPU technology. Regarding advancements in CPU technology, Intel seems to have regained the lead with the 12th Generation Intel Core i9-12900K, which has a max turbo boost of up to 5.2 GHz and as many as 16 cores and 24 threads. The new Intel 12th Generation Core i9 teams two types of cores—performance (P-cores) and efficiency (E-cores). P-cores are the heroes. They handle the heavy workloads in the foreground, like gameplay and livestreaming. E-cores are the sidekicks, easing the pressure by ticking off the smaller tasks in the background. The new desktop processors reach new heights of multi-threaded performance. Another positive for Intel is the company seems to be committed to building most of its chips in the U.S. This is the CPU for my next build.

Figure 2: Intel 12th Generation Core i9. (Image: Intel)

A few months ago, I-Connect007 reported on the new movement to bring semiconductor/chip manufacturing back to the U.S. As this movement continues, we will report on specific projects and their effect on the global chip manufacturing market share, sometime in the second quarter of the year.

Fly Me to the Metaverse
This year, computer technology will be challenged by the real start to the metaverse, not just for gaming but for realistic meetings, work environments, tourism, and entertainment in everything from the next-gen movies to virtually being at a concert, sports event, or even being onsite as a news event is being covered. Facebook seems to be betting the store on this.

Microsoft will no doubt play a major role in the metaverse. The company is working on HoloLens 3, a pair of mixed reality smartglasses that the company sees as a “critical part of [its] plans for emerging categories like mixed reality and the metaverse.” Microsoft says it remains committed to the product and its future development, despite some delays in the new model. Want one for yourself? HoloLens 2 drops for about $3,500 (thank goodness leasing options are available).

Emphasizing the importance of the metaverse to the company’s future vision. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella claims the metaverse is a primary reason the company decided to acquire Activision-Blizzard, a video game holding company. According to Nadella, "Being great at game building gives [Microsoft] the permission to build this next platform, which is essentially the next Internet."

Figure 3: I see a lot of movement in the metaverse/smartglasses arena this year, with Microsoft leading the way. (Image: Microsoft HoloLens)

Don’t Open the Window Quite Yet
Speaking of Microsoft, many have asked if I’ve tried Windows 11 yet and if they should do the update. Yes. I have been using it on one of my computers and it runs fine. There were some glitches, but I find they are quickly addressed and resolved. However, I suggest waiting until the end of this month when Windows 11 is released to the masses. That’s when I’m confident glitches will be quickly identified and fixed. Fair warning, it’s one of my favorite subjects to talk about, so don’t be surprised to see some tips and tricks from me in future columns.

Sixes and Sevens
Another technology getting an upgrade is Wi-Fi. Although Wi-Fi 6E still feels at the bleeding edge as we start of 2022, a demonstration of the upcoming Wi-Fi 7 standard showcased transfer speeds that might make Ethernet cables obsolete. For the more demanding class of both home users and professionals. Wi-Fi 7 can theoretically support bandwidth up to 30 gigabits per second (Gbps) per access point.

Overall, expect 2022 to be a much better year with progress on many fronts. Looking forward to sharing it all with you.

Dan Feinberg is an I-Connect007 technical editor and founder of Fein-Line Associates.