Intel’s Vision for Modular PCs: Unveiling a Revolutionary Tablet-Laptop Gaming Hybrid at CES!

During CES 2025, Intel welcomed reporters into its exclusive “Innovation Showcase,” where we encountered devices like prototype next-generation laptops and oversized stereo 3D handheld gaming computers.

While I was at the event, I also noticed a hefty handheld device resting on a table, which didn’t appear… completely connected… to its display. Upon lifting the display, it detached effortlessly.

It felt oddly light for a genuine tablet, prompting me to flip it over to reveal three connectors beneath:

Above it, situated on a shelf, was a laptop featuring a suspiciously sized plastic component at its base that seemed like an ideal fit. A moment later, Intel gaming advocate Colin Helms verified: I was indeed observing a conceptual modular PC.

That module houses a complete Intel Lunar Lake computer, encompassing all the internal components necessary to operate it, apart from peripherals and display. Essentially, it’s a reimagining of Intel’s discontinued Compute Card concept, albeit not entirely devised by Intel, and you likely shouldn’t expect it to be commercially available.

This is an initiative from Quanta, a firm whose name is seldom seen on the laptops and tablets they produce, as Quanta is an ODM (similar to Compal, Pegatron, Wistron, and Apple’s more recognized iPhone provider Foxconn) that designs and manufactures equipment on behalf of branded names.

Quanta brands the entire modular system as the “AI8A,” with the previously mentioned module at its core called the “Detachable AI Core.” Helms informed me it can connect with other concept systems, including an all-in-one desktop that Intel did not display. Presumably, similar to the Compute Card concept, one could upgrade their computer merely by inserting a new module.

The modular laptop also features a plethora of conceptual bells and whistles, so many that Intel’s CES personnel hadn’t even figured them all out yet.

To begin with, the laptop incorporates a motorized hinge, allowing you to command it to open and close its lid autonomously; it also claims to feature eye-tracking capabilities that enable you to rearrange multitasking windows simply by gazing at the desired location. It apparently includes a mouse embedded in a ring that you can wear.

The most routine feature is a built-in Qi wireless charging pad located in the palm rest, complete with indicator lights displaying your battery’s remaining power.

Regrettably, I was unable to test any of its functionalities, nor did I have an opportunity to inquire about the meaning of “AI8A,” as I mistakenly believed it read Aiba until I closely examined my photos just now. Additionally, we could not switch the module between the handheld and laptop, since the module reportedly lacks an internal battery.

Once again, this is an intriguing computing concept vehicle: it is improbable that this computer will ever reach the market, even in a more sensible or less gadget-laden format. Fortunately, we have started to witness some tangible, practical modularity in the laptop sector since the demise of Intel’s Compute Card. Framework recently commemorated its fifth anniversary this week, and Dell took a modest step forward at CES with its inaugural modular repairable USB-C port.

Images by Sean Hollister / The Verge