Nothing is more cutting-edge in 2025 than the best AI PCs from Qualcomm, Intel, AMD, and Apple. Picking a new laptop is already tough, let alone when you want the latest and greatest technology, so I'm here to help you navigate these stormy seas.

I'll be your AI laptop deep-dive instructor as we find the best AI PC for you. As Laptop Mag's resident hardware enthusiast, I've lived and breathed AI PCs for over a year. I've spent hours going over AI PC performance and efficiency benchmarks, and I've reviewed over 30 AI PCs personally, while the Laptop team has reviewed over 100 laptops in this emergent category in our never-ending quest to find the best laptops.

We've seen all of this generation's AI processors from Qualcomm, Intel, AMD, and Apple, so this list presents the best of the best when it comes to AI-powered laptops with options to suit any need. Even if AI isn't part of your daily life today, it would be a mistake to ignore it as you buy a new laptop in 2025 as AI is more prevalent than ever.

If you want to jump straight to our top choices, our pick for the best AI PC overall is the Asus Zenbook S 14 UX5406, which pairs a stunning OLED display with outstanding performance and efficiency thanks to the Intel Core Ultra Series 200V chipset inside. If battery life is your priority, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is your pick, with over 21 hours on our test. And for Apple enthusiasts, the MacBook Air 13 (M4, 2025) is the way to go for the best combination of value, performance, and longevity.

That's just entering into the shallows of our top picks; here's my promised deep dive into the best AI PCs in 2025.

The Quick List

Here's a quick rundown of our top picks for the best AI PC laptops. You can also follow the links to the full review to learn more about any of the computers on this list.

The best AI PCs in 2025

Best Overall

The Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) rocketed to the top to become our favorite AI PC laptop. This laptop is one of the first to feature an Intel Core Ultra 200V series processor and at just $1,499, you get a fantastic balance of performance, full-day battery life, a stunning 14-inch OLED display, plus enhanced storage and memory. So you can keep open your 57 'emotional support' Chrome tabs while still streaming music and running ChatGPT or Stable Diffusion.

In our review, Madeline Ricchiuto writes, "From its stunning design to its vivid OLED display panel, there’s plenty to appreciate about the Asus Zenbook S 14."

The Asus Zenbook S 14 lasted 13 hours and 51 minutes on our battery life test, so you should have no trouble leaving your charge cable at home while you head to work or to class. The Zenbook also features a scratch-resistant Ceraluminum ultralight chassis and Asus' quality customer support so you don't need to worry about any tech-related meltdowns.

The Zenbook S 14's 3K (2,880 x 1,800) OLED display is vividly colorful, capturing 82% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. at 342 nits of brightness, it can contend with most screen glare.

If you need to save money, Some of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Copilot+ PCs are a bit cheaper. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is one of our favorites of the Copilot+ lineup and starts at just $1,199, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition starts at just $999 and features the same Copilot+ AI features as the Yoga Slim 7x. If you prefer an AI PC with a larger screen, the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Ultra has a stunning 16-inch AMOLED display. The Galaxy Book 4 Ultra also offers excellent battery life and the powerhouse combo of an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU.

See our full Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) review.

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Best battery life

One of the most highly anticipated features of the Copilot+ AI PC platform was the extended battery life offered by AI optimization combined with Qualcomm's ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite chip, and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 has more than delivered on that promise.

In our review, Stevie Bonifield writes, "Battery life is one area where the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 really shines. It lasted 21 hours and 3 minutes in our battery test, longer than any of its rivals — longer than any laptop we’ve ever tested."

The ThinkPad T14s lasted an astounding 21 hours and 3 minutes on our battery test, outperforming even the MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro, 2024), which lasted 20:46. It also stole the battery life crown from the Dell XPS 13 (9345), which had just claimed the title of laptop with the best battery life in July 2024.

But the ThinkPad T14s offers more than just incredible battery life, as it combines power efficiency with strong CPU performance thanks to its Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (XIE-78-100) chipset and surprisingly light 2.72-pound chassis.

In fact, the ThinkPad T14s has more powerful multi-core performance than some of our favorite laptops, like the MacBook Air 13 M3 and Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M). On the Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark, the ThinkPad scored an average of 14,486 compared to the MacBook Air's 12,807 or the Zenbook 14's 12,358. The T14s also has better battery life than both, making it the best choice for power and longevity.

So what are the downsides? The ThinkPad T14s suffers from a tired design, sub-par graphics rendering, and an inaccurately calibrated display, which hold it back from taking the top spot in this category. But if you don't plan to use your AI PC for a lot of photo or video work, the ThinkPad T14s more than makes up for its shortcomings in terms of battery life and performance. In fact, with this ThinkPad, you can even dare to leave your charger at home.

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 review.

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Best budget

AI PCs offer good power efficiency, strong performance, and lightweight designs, even on budget-friendly systems. The Acer Aspire 14 AI benefits from an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor with powerful Intel Arc 130V graphics and a 40 TOPS Intel AI Boost NPU all integrated into the chipset. It also features 16GB of unified memory on-package, a 2TB SSD, and a 14-inch 1920 x 1200 display. Plus, it lasted over 14 hours on the Laptop Mag web surfing battery test and weighs just 3.2 pounds. And you get all that for just $699.

Claire Tabari writes in our review of the Acer Aspire 14 AI, "The Acer Aspire 14 AI shines as a budget laptop, hitting an affordable price point for solid Lunar Lake processing speeds, excellent battery life, a satisfying keyboard, and a sturdy chassis."

Our testing revealed that the Aspire 14 AI "delivered a Geekbench 6 score of 10,043, which is fantastic for a budget laptop." The Aspire 14 also features a swift 1TB SSD, with a transfer rate of 1,746 megabytes per second.

While the Acer Aspire 14 AI's 14 hour and 15 minute battery life average is far from the most impressive on this list, it easily competes with our top AI PC pick overall, the Asus Zenbook S 14 (13:51), however, it is almost an hour behind our top Apple pick, the MacBook Air 13 M3 (15:13).

The Acer Aspire 14 AI does have a powerful second-gen Intel AI Boost NPU which offers 40 TOPS of performance. This means it is part of Microsoft's Copilot+ program and gets access to advanced AI features like Live Captions and studio camera effects.

See our full Acer Aspire 14 AI review.

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Best for business

Not everyone wants a 2-in-1 laptop, but the convertible form of the MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo makes it a handy, versatile tool. The Summit also features a Microsoft discrete trusted platform module (TPM) 2.0 and Microsoft Pluton security. So its versatile and secure.

Madeline Ricchiuto writes in our review of the MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo, "There are plenty of reasons to recommend the Summit 13 AI+ Evo. It offers almost 17 hours of battery life, dependable performance, a bright display, a satisfying keyboard, sturdy hinges, and it comes with 2TB of storage space and a stylus for just $1,599."

MSI has also put the Summit's durability to the test through the MIL-STD-810H durability testing. The Summit 13 AI+ Evo can survive high altitudes, extreme temperatures, and exposure to dust and humidity. Making it the perfect companion for your pitch meeting in the middle of the Sahara Desert.

Like the other Copilot+ laptops, the MSI Summit 13 has full-day battery life, solid performance, and a bright, vibrant display. Even if security is not your top priority, you're still getting a solid laptop that lasted 16 hours and 52 minutes on our battery test. On our other lab benchmark tests, the Summit was competitive with the likes of the Asus ExpertBook P5 and HP EliteBook Ultra G1q, with a Geekbench 6 score of 10,895 compared to the ExperBook's 11,259 and the EliteBook's 12,717.

While you could use one of the other Copilot+ or AI PC laptops, like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x or Dell XPS 13 (9350), as a business laptop, MSI offers additional security and durability features alongside a stellar all-around laptop experience.

With a starting price of just $1,499, most other business laptops can't compete.

See our full MSI Summit 13 AI+ Evo review.

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Best for AMD fans

This AI powerhouse isn't part of the Copilot+ PC program, but with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, it more than meets the requirements for NPU performance with 50 TOPS of AI processing power. So, if you want a top-of-the-line AI PC and Qualcomm's ARM chip won't work for you, the Asus Zenbook S16 is your best pick.

Rami Tabari writes in our review, "The Asus Zenbook S16 UM5606 has the makings of a great laptop, from its incredible performance and graphics to its long battery life and stellar design."

Of course, the Zenbook does have a few drawbacks, like an unsatisfying keyboard and slower SSD, but it makes up for those shortcomings by surviving an impressive 11 hours and 35 minutes on our battery test. And it starts at just $1,399.

The Zenbook S16 scored above most of its competition on Geekbench 6, with a multicore average of 13,282. That outpaces even the MacBook Air 15 M3's 12,052 average and the Intel Core Ultra-powered Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M), which scored an average of 12,717.

So, if you need a powerful AI PC that runs Windows 11 without needing software emulation, the Zenbook S16 is the most affordable, powerful option.

See our full Asus Zenbook S16 review.

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Best for Apple enthusiasts

We rarely give out 5-star ratings here at Laptop Mag, and the Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 is one of the chosen few. Starting at just $999, with education pricing dropping it to $899, the new 13-inch Air is a laptop we can recommend for just about any purpose. It's affordable, especially by Apple standards, and it features an excellent keyboard, fantastic performance, and outstanding endurance, which makes it a great laptop for just about anyone's needs.

In our review, Sean Riley writes, "The MacBook Air 13-inch M4 feels like the return of the original M1 Air. It's an undeniable value that will give you years of excellent performance, even if you pick up the base model."

With macOS 18, the M4 chips have access to Apple Intelligence, making the MacBook Air 13 M4 one of the most affordable AI PCs on the market, with features similar to those found in Microsoft's Copilot+ PC system, like image and text generation, email summaries, and in-call recording and summaries.

Outside of the fancy new AI features coming to Macs this fall, the MacBook Air M4 boasts the same kind of all-day battery life as the other AI PCs on this list, lasting 15 hours and 42 minutes in our battery life test.

The MacBook Air is more than competitive with other AI PCs when it comes to performance, scoring a Geekbench 6 multicore average of 14,849 which outperforms the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (13,750) and Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (12,908).

Of course, you could choose the MacBook Pro 14 M4 instead. Thanks to its fan-cooled design and larger battery, it has better performance and longer battery life, but it has a much higher starting price: $1,599.

So, if you want to stick with macOS and get the best Apple Intelligence features at an affordable price, the MacBook Air M4 is the way to go.

See our full Apple MacBook Air 13 M4 review.

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Benchmark Comparisons

AI Benchmarks

We run all of our AI PCs through a series of AI-focused benchmarks, including the Geekbench ML and Geekbench AI test suites. However, because of how fast AI and machine learning is evolving, these benchmarks are often difficult to compare between versions.

Geekbench ML does not test the NPU at all, while Geekbench AI will test the NPU using the best AI inference software for that chipset, so it can be difficult to compare NPU results between chipmakers.

Though AI PCs are all identifiable by their integrated NPUs, AI workloads run off all three hardware accelerators, so we try to benchmark the CPU, GPU, and NPU in AI tests rather than just focus on the NPU alone.

But if you're curious as to how our best AI PCs stack up in the AI benchmarking stakes, here's a comprehensive chart of our testing data.

Recent reviews

We review dozens of laptops annually, and while some simply don't have what it takes to make our buying guides, others are still strong options that came up short for one reason or another. Here are some of our most recently reviewed laptops that didn't make the cut, which for this page could simply mean they aren't classified as "AI PCs."

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How to choose the best AI PC

There are several factors you should consider before buying an AI PC.

The benefits of AI laptops are multifaceted, but portability and battery life are some of the more tangible benefits of buying a laptop with a neural processing unit NPU. Courtesy of AI optimization, these laptops are more efficient than their non-AI counterparts, which helps shave off some weight with thinner, smaller batteries that can still last all day on a charge. Most AI PCs we've seen have lasted for more than 10 hours on our battery test, and many of the AI laptops we've reviewed and recommend go well beyond that, some even eclipsing 20 hours of battery life.

On-device AI is another key benefit of the AI PC platform, though we are still in the early days of generative AI, so those features will be upgraded and added as Microsoft, Apple, Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm flesh out their AI platforms. But at a minimum, all of the AI PCs have a dedicated NPU and can tackle on-device AI tasks like AI image and AI text generation. While some have more powerful NPUs than others, all of these AI PCs can run your favorite large language model.

Regarding minimum specs, we recommend a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus, AMD Ryzen 8000 series, Intel Core Ultra 100 series, or Apple M2. You'll also want to go for at least 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD minimum for extra memory and storage for your AI tasks.

Other deciding factors that can make your AI PC life even more successful are the same as most other laptops, including a comfortable keyboard, a sensitive touchpad, and a bright, vivid display. So you can enjoy your laptop for more than just its generative AI capabilities.

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FAQs

What makes a laptop an AI PC?

While there are many definitions for what counts as an AI PC, the one commonality between all laptops and desktops marked as "AI PCs" is the presence of a neural processing unit (NPU) machine learning core.

AI workloads will often use the CPU, GPU, and NPU of a machine, with certain tasks favoring one hardware accelerator over another. But to get the most use out of on-device AI, you'll want a computer with a strong chipset that has CPU, GPU, and NPU cores.

What does an AI PC do?

AI PCs are specialized laptops built to run AI workloads. They also offer great battery life and general performance. All laptops will be AI PCs at some point in the future, but for now, they're a bit more of a niche category. Essentially, any computer with an NPU machine learning processor is an AI PC.

You can use an AI PC to run on-device AI models like GPT-4 or Stable Diffusion. AI PCs can generate AI text and AI images and provide live AI translations or better video filters for your next Zoom meeting. One of the key differentiators is that these tasks are handled, at least in large part, by the NPU, which helps free up the CPU and GPU for other tasks.

You can also use an AI laptop for typical computing tasks like browsing the web, playing games, editing photos and videos, or productivity tasks if this is a work laptop. They're a versatile category of powerful, efficient laptops that fill various needs.

What specs do I need for a good AI PC?

While you can run generative AI programs like GPT-4, Stable Diffusion, or Dall-E on older processors, you'll want to opt for a newer, high-end CPU, GPU, and NPU combination if you plan to do a lot of on-device AI.

Different AI programs run through different hardware accelerators, so you'll want to have all-around powerful hardware.

An AMD Ryzen AI 300 processor gets you the most powerful NPU and a solid CPU and integrated GPU. Qualcomm Snapdragon X Series processors offer the best combination of powerful NPU and CPU performance with top-end battery life. The Intel Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" series gives you a strong NPU with solid CPU and GPU performance for additional AI support and great battery life. The Apple MacBook Air M3 gives you access to the Apple Intelligence AI software suite, alongside Apple's fantastic build quality, performance, and battery life at an affordable price. The M4 is better optimized for AI workloads and will be the superior choice once the M4 chipset hits the MacBook Air line.

If you're using mostly cloud-based AI software, you can use a processor with a less powerful NPU because the cloud server will run the AI model for most of your AI usage. However, in that case, you'll still want a laptop with a decent processor and at least 16GB of RAM to get a timely response.

Do I need a Copilot+ PC to have a good AI PC?

While having a powerful NPU rated to at least 40 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) can make certain AI programs run more smoothly, the requirement for at least 40 TOPS of NPU performance was based on Microsoft Recall. That particular segment of Microsoft's Copilot+ AI suite hasn't fully launched yet, but it is available in Preview Mode for Windows Insiders.

AI PCs can do more than just Microsoft Copilot+. Many other AI workloads, including webcam background blur, AI audio effects, and generative AI can be handled by smaller NPUs or can be run through the CPU or GPU instead of the NPU. So you can still get a quality AI PC experience with a lower-spec NPU than you'll find on Copilot+ PCs.

But if you want an NPU that can last for the next few generations of AI and you want access to every AI feature, you'll want to opt for a Copilot+ PC.

Should you get a discrete GPU for your AI PC?

Depending on the AI you intend to use, you may want a more powerful GPU. However, the integrated graphics tiles on the Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel Core Ultra 200 series are powerful enough for some light gaming and get solid GPU-based AI performance.

Of course, if you're going to be getting into heavy on-device AI that requires high graphics demands, getting a laptop with an Nvidia RTX 40-series or RTX 50-series GPU wouldn't be a bad idea.

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How we test AI PCs

We put each laptop we review through extensive benchmark testing using synthetic and real-world tests before it goes to our reviewers. Our reviewers evaluate each aspect of the laptop, including its performance, battery life, display, speakers, and heat management.

In our benchmark testing, we use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect the brightness and the sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamut of the laptop's display. For performance testing, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 6 and 3DMark professional graphics tests. A Geekbench 6 multicore score of 10,000 or higher is needed for AI workloads. While AI PC laptops don't need to be great at gaming, a higher score on 3DMark benchmarks can indicate good image generation capabilities.

With AI PC laptops, we also use machine learning benchmark tests like Geekbench ML, Geekbench AI, UL Procyon Computer Vision, and UL Procyon Image Generation. These tests use real AI workloads and models to test a laptop's AI performance capabilities. Most of these tests can target CPU and GPU performance on AI workloads, but as NPUs are the defining factor of AI PCs, we tend to focus on NPU performance for these benchmarks.

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop with compressing a 4K video to 1080p resolution and duplicating a 25 GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics test is the Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm benchmark with medium settings at 1080p and native resolution. On gaming laptops, we run additional benchmarks, including Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Cyberpunk 2077, and Assassin's Creed: Mirage.

We also test the laptop's cooling capabilities by playing a 15-minute 4K video and measuring temperatures in different areas of the laptop, such as the keyboard, touchpad, and underside, to determine whether it is too hot to be safely used on your lap or if it should be relegated to a desktop.

Last but not least, our battery test consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. For MacBooks and premium Windows 10 or Windows 11 laptops, a runtime of over 9 hours is considered a good result, whereas gaming laptops and workstations that can stay powered longer than 5 hours deserve praise. We expect over 10 hours of battery life with AI PCs, though many AI PC laptops get around 14 hours of battery life.

Following these tests, the laptop is given to our expert reviewers for extensive hands-on testing. Our reviewers will spend days using the laptop as part of their typical workflow to get a sense of the real-world performance and live with the laptop to come away with a thorough understanding of the hardware and software experience. This blended lab testing and hands-on approach allows us to offer you a clear and comprehensive view of every laptop that comes through Laptop Mag.

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Why Trust Laptop Mag

Laptop Mag reviews over a hundred laptops yearly, from paperweight ultralights to everyday workhorses to lumbering gaming notebooks that scorch the frame rates of even the hottest AAA games. We're not just experts in the laptop field, as we go one step further by meticulously testing smartphones, tablets, headphones, PC accessories, software, and even the latest in gaming.

We are 100 percent independent and have decades of experience to help you buy with confidence. Laptop Mag has been testing and reviewing products for three decades and continues to deliver trustworthy reviews you can rely on.

Our experienced team of writers and editors scour the available information about the laptop and put it through its paces to determine which is best for you. But before they start, the testing team subjects each system to a rigorous regimen of synthetic and real-world tests to see how a system handles the type of work and games you’re most likely to throw at it.

Future Publishing, one of the world's largest technology publishers, enforces our editorial trustworthiness. As a company, we have unrivaled experience across every tech sector — and we're the group's specialist for all things mobile tech.

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Recall was one of the signature new AI features for Copilot+ PCs announced by Microsoft at its Build event on May 20, 2024. On Thursday, almost a year later, Microsoft started a gradual rollout of Recall to Windows Insiders.

So why the delay? The concept behind Recall sounds excellent; it knows what you've done on your PC, allowing you to pull up anything you've seen with simple semantic searches describing what you remember. Here's how Microsoft describes it: "Unlock your photographic memory with Recall."

That may be the greatest sales pitch for buying one of the best AI laptops that I've heard, but Recall faced immediate backlash over privacy concerns, with Microsoft first changing it to an opt-in feature that you had to activate and then removing it entirely. It became one of the biggest AI controversies of 2024.

See also: Best laptop deals in April 2025

However, Microsoft did not give up on Recall, making small changes and allowing limited sets of Windows users to continue testing it out.

In December 2024, Laptop Mag contributing writer Shubham Agarwal spent weeks using the Microsoft Recall preview, and while he was initially put off by the privacy concerns, he stuck with it and found it "to be a game-changer and a glimpse into the future of desktop productivity."

Microsoft is taking another swing at bringing the feature to market via the Windows Insider program before a presumed eventual rollout to all Windows 11 users. Before that happens, let's take a look at the feature as it exists today — because you might have the chance to opt in to Recal soon.

Microsoft Recall in April 2025

Despite the rocky road for Recall, it retains the same promise and feature set we saw in May 2024. The goal is for you to be able to find anything you've seen or done on your Windows PC using a simple search bar rather than having to dig through multiple apps, files, or your browser history.

The biggest changes are all around the privacy guardrails that are in place.

The first is that the feature remains opt-in, even for those in the Windows Insider preview.

You have to launch Recall and then toggle the option to "Save snapshots" by going into Settings > Privacy & security > Recall & snapshots.

If you have concerns, you can also check this setting and verify that it's in the off position.

Second, you can manually filter apps or websites from inclusion in Recall snapshots by adding them to an exclusion list that is also found in Recall & snapshots settings.

This filtering option is in addition to the auto-filtering of sensitive information, which is designed to exclude passwords, ID numbers, and credit card numbers from snapshots. (However, Tom's Hardware reported late last year that Recall still would screenshot information like credit card and Social Security numbers.)

You also must enroll in Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security with one or more biometric sign-in options to use Recall. And finally, the snapshots are processed on-device without going to the cloud, which is why your laptop must meet the following hardware requirements:

• A Copilot+ PC that meets the Secured-core standard
• 40 TOPs NPU (neural processing unit)
• 16 GB RAM
• 8 logical processors
• 256 GB storage capacity
  • To enable Recall, you’ll need at least 50 GB of storage space free
  • Saving snapshots automatically pauses once the device has less than 25 GB of storage space

When will Recall be available on your laptop?

If you are a member of the Windows Insider Program in the U.S., Recall started rolling out on Thursday of this week, so if you don't have it already, it should arrive soon.

For Windows 11 users who aren't part of the Insider program, there's no official statement from Microsoft regarding the rollout yet.

Given the gradual rollout of the feature to Insiders even with Recall still flagged as in "preview," it seems clear that the company isn't going to rush it to a wide release.

If you can't wait, you can register for the Windows Insider Program and join the release preview channel.

What's next for Recall

The biggest question for Microsoft next is whether the influx of new Recall users will create another privacy panic or if Windows Insiders will be wowed by the feature and become evangelists for it.

The truth may be somewhere in between, but if Recall can't convince the Windows Insider audience, it will likely have trouble breaking through to mainstream users.

While the existence of a single "killer app" for AI remains in question, features like Recall certainly have strong potential.

We'll watch with interest to see if Microsoft's slow and steady approach with Recall finally pays off.

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Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, it's been nigh impossible to avoid Microsoft's relentless push to bring Windows 10 users to Windows 11 ahead of the older operating system's October 14, 2025, end-of-support date.

And while that strategy is starting to pay off — with Windows 11 now claiming an all-time high Windows market share of 42.69% on desktops and rapidly closing in on Windows 10's 54.2% lead — Microsoft still has plenty of work to do in the months ahead to cater to those yet to upgrade.

Attempting to convince Windows 10 users that the grass is greener on the other side, Windows 11 is marketed as a more secure, smoother, and feature-rich experience.

However, a recently published end-of-support checklist perhaps says the quiet part out loud: reading less like a guide on getting ready to transition and more like funeral arrangements for your favored hardware.

It's hardly subliminal; in fact, it's barely even subtle. The truth of the matter is that Windows 11's minimum hardware requirements only paint half the picture of what you'll need to experience the operating system in full.

In my opinion, this checklist all but confirms that Microsoft doesn't want you to upgrade to Windows 11. It wants you to upgrade your laptop or PC entirely — preferably to something of the Copilot+ PC variety.

Upgrading to Windows 11: It's about the hardware, not the software

Cynics (read: most Windows users) have long claimed that Microsoft's stricter hardware requirements for Windows 11 were less about security and more about sales.

Given the contents of the company's Windows 10 end-of-support checklist, that suggestion feels less like conspiracy and more like clairvoyance.

By default, Microsoft's checklist automatically assumes that your hardware is fit for the scrap. The checklist's first three steps suggest that users update Windows, make a backup of their files, and then promptly erase everything.

Immediately following this, Microsoft suggests recycling your PC responsibly — or trading it in "for money you can use toward a faster, more secure, new Windows 11 PC."

Any mention of upgrading to Windows 11 from Windows 10 is an afterthought, with Microsoft failing to even state its operating system's minimum requirements or indicate to readers that their current hardware may be up to par.

While not explicitly stated, Microsoft's true message is easy enough to decipher. It's time to part ways with your PC, preferably in a way that frees up shelf space at your local Best Buy.

Windows 11's minimum requirements are a problem for Microsoft

Officially, the most divisive aspect of Windows 11's minimum hardware requirements has historically been its hard-line demand for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip. However, while not explicitly commonplace at the time of Windows 11's 2021 launch, this module is now a standard offering of modern hardware.

Unofficially, Windows 11's evolution into an evermore AI-backed platform has raised that bar considerably — and it has "Copilot+" written all over it.

Microsoft's checklist isn't about ensuring users can run Windows 11. It's about ensuring that users can run Microsoft's vision of Windows 11. And the operating system's own minimum requirements aren't enough to ensure that will be the case. I just don't think Microsoft is willing to face the backlash if it were to state so openly.

The company's big gamble on AI has seen a growing suite of features and tools emerge on Windows 11 that increasingly benefit from an on-board NPU offered in newer processors from Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD through Snapdragon X, Core Ultra, and Strix Point chipsets.

Just because your system can upgrade to Windows 11 doesn't mean you'll have access to several of these features. In a sense, your hardware might get you through the door, but you'll have a hard time finding a space at the bar without the latest hardware.

For many, upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 will be a temporary band-aid and a gateway to a sub-par experience as a member of the crowd that Microsoft isn't primarily looking to cater to anymore.

What's next

In all honesty, this is likely the path Microsoft has to take. Windows 11's minimum requirements have slowly transitioned from controversial to obsolete, at least when compared to the operating system's current scope.

With Windows 10's end-of-support date rapidly approaching, there's still time to stretch your current hardware to its limits or see it reborn as a Linux machine if you're content enough.

However, it's clear that Windows' future is both AI-powered and hardware-dependent. If your laptop or PC isn't up to spec (and I'm not just talking about minimum requirements), then it's perhaps time to say your goodbyes. Clearly, Microsoft already has.

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Lenovo’s Yoga Pro line is a favorite at Laptop Mag, and the new 10th Generation Yoga Pro continues the tradition of offering a powerful creator laptop in a slim, stylish package with a fantastic display and a great keyboard.

The Aura editions of Lenovo's Yoga laptops have been particularly notable of late, with the convertible version of this laptop snapping up our Laptop Laurel for Best 2-in-1 at CES 2025 in January.

At this year's MWC 2025 showcase, Lenovo was back hoping to impress again, debuting several AI-powered laptops from the Yoga, ThinkBook, ThinkPad, and IdeaPad lines.

Naturally, we were excited to see the Yoga Pro 9i (Gen 10) Aura Edition, which offers a solid update to the CPU and GPU of the Yoga Pro and continues to deliver with Lenovo’s brilliant build quality — including the kind of excellent keyboard and display combo that resonates with the Laptop Mag staff.

In fact, it resonated so well that we gave it the best laptop debut award. Here's why.

MWC 2025 Best Laptop Debut: Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i (Gen 10)

The new Yoga Pro 9i features up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor, an updated Nvidia GPU up to an Nvidia RTX 5070, memory up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, storage configurations up to a 1TB SSD, and multiple display options up to a 16-inch, 120Hz, 3200 x 2000, PureSight Pro Tandem OLED with a max brightness of 1600 nits.

If you're unsure how those technical specs translate, some of the upper configurations of this device are likely to have all of your bases covered with room to spare, from intensive video editing to solid gaming performance.

As part of Lenovo’s Aura Edition family, the Yoga Pro 9i will also benefit from the new Smart Modes, Smart Share, and Smart Care features that offer file sharing between smartphones at a tap and quick access to customer support when things go wrong.

We rated the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i (Gen 9) that came before this model 4.5 out of 5 stars for its powerful CPU and GPU, a stunning touchscreen, bouncy keyboard, and decent battery life. That laptop currently holds the best overall rank on our best laptops for Photoshop list, and Lenovo's next-gen Yoga Pro offering may well be the one that replaces it.

We have high hopes for the Yoga Pro 9i (Gen 10) and look forward to putting it through its paces when we bring it in for review. Once again, a powerful CPU and GPU combination grants the Yoga Pro 9i a generous amount of potential, but only time will tell if Lenovo's laptop makes the most of it.

The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition starts at $1,799 and will be available in the next few months.

I hate to sound like a broken record to those in the know, but, if you aren't already aware, Windows 10 will be retired by Microsoft later this year — with its official end-of-support date billed for October 12, 2025. That means no more security updates, no more fixes, no more features, and no more technical support.

The obvious and clearly pushed solution? Upgrade to Windows 11. However, for some, that's easier said than done. Microsoft's current flagship operating system is something of a mixed bag to many. With its divisive design choices, stricter hardware requirements, and questionable stability, it hasn't won everybody over. In fact, it hasn't even won most people over. Currently, estimates provided by StatCounter suggest that Windows 11 has only a 36.6% share of the Windows desktop market, compared to the 60.3% share held by Windows 10.

'Lo, a chorus of angels rings out to honor the emergence of Windows 12, suspended on a beam of light, cascading directly from Heaven — or at least, the hope of it. The savior of Windows 10 users is naught but whispers from the lips of tech tipsters, with Microsoft having not said a thing about a new milestone Windows release officially. Still, many are hoping it'll right the perceived wrongs of Windows 11, following Microsoft's near-tradition of providing good-again, bad-again operating system releases.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but even if Windows 12 is coming, it may not be the beacon of light many are hoping for. In fact, to those crossing their fingers, toes, and eyes, as they wish for a chance to skip Windows 11 entirely — you may be manifesting a journey that sends you out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Could Microsoft's next OS fix Windows 11's biggest failings, or could Windows 12 double down on two of the most contentious issues users are struggling with: stricter hardware requirements and AI overload?

If I was a betting man, my money would be on the latter.

Windows users, Microsoft Copilot is your ride or die (whether you like it or not)

Microsoft invested $1 billion in ChatGPT makers OpenAI in 2019. By late 2024, that figure had reportedly climbed to nearly $14 billion — and it's almost certainly grown since.

Even to a company with a $3 trillion valuation like Microsoft, that's hardly chump change. Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI, granting it access to several cutting-edge models, has given the company a clear edge in AI integration. Like it or not, the fact that even Microsoft Paint boasts generative AI proves that AI isn't just a fancy add-on, it's the new default for Windows. From this moment on, it's Copilot all the way down.

Microsoft isn't pushing AI tools, it's on a quest to turn Windows into an AI operating system, and won't let a few controversial hurdles slow it down. Whether that means weathering privacy concerns with Microsoft Recall or routinely cleaning up the mistakes of Windows' AI assistant, Copilot — as with its most recent blunder: helping users illegally activate copies of Windows 11.

Windows 12 could bring about a hard time for hardware

Windows 11's hardware demands left many users sitting in front of perfectly functional computers that Microsoft had no problem labeling as e-waste.

Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chips are standard now, but in 2021, when Windows 11 launched, they weren't. Microsoft's insistence on this hardware inclusion left many users stranded on Windows 10, unwilling to overhaul their hardware to meet an arbitrary requirement. Some even see it as something of a forced maneuver by Microsoft to get people to buy new computers.

If you think that's bad, just wait. Microsoft's clear desire to cram more AI into Windows makes me think it's not out of pocket to suggest that if and when Windows 12 arrives, it'll flat-out refuse to run on anything that's not an AI PC, complete with a new NPU-embracing processor that meets the Copilot+ PC standard.

The lesser of two evils? Windows 11 might not be so bad after all

To those eagerly awaiting Windows 12's grand debut, I say this: be careful what you wish for. Microsoft's next big leap could leave you feeling further behind than ever.

Suddenly, Windows 11 doesn't look so bad. Sure, it's only winning against a strawman of speculation, but it might just be the lesser of two evils. Yes, it still has its problems — ask anyone stung by the recent Windows update that borked the operating system's vital File Explorer. However, it sure beats the hypothetical alternative.

Of course, you could always avoid all of these headaches entirely and jump ship. I hear macOS is nice this time of year. Or, for the adventurous (and nerdy), there's always the strange and interesting world of Linux — as did Laptop Mag contributing writer Stevie Bonifield. But for life-long Windows familiars like myself, that's a leap that may cost both time and money.

If you're wishing upon a star that Windows 12 can swoop in and fix everything wrong with Windows 11, you might want to steady your expectations. If Microsoft's new AI-fueled direction is anything to go by, Windows 12 won't be the savior you're hoping for.

More from Laptop Mag

• Microsoft Copilot just helped me pirate Windows 11 — Here's proof
• Microsoft's Majorana 1 breaks the quantum computing barrier — and my brain
• I ditched Windows 11 for Linux — and you should, too

The last 12 months have seen a lot of attention brought to the term "AI PC," used to denote computers housing processors or APUs with powerful NPUs (neural processing units) for enhanced AI computation.

However, even then, these machines lack the raw performance that many more powerful AI applications require to tackle complex generative AI tasks, leaving a lot of the work to be done in the cloud.

Until Nvidia announced Project Digits, that is. A personal AI supercomputer, and our Laptop Laurel winner for the best use of AI at CES 2025.

Best AI of CES 2025: Nvidia Project Digits AI PC

While the Nvidia RTX 50 series GPUs dominated the conversation at CES 2025, the company’s Project Digits was a massive announcement that went a bit under the radar.

Nvidia calls it an “AI Supercomputer on your desk,” delivering a petaflop of AI performance in a form factor that appears similar to a Mac Studio.

Who needs that kind of AI power? It’s targeted at AI researchers, data scientists, and the education market to help run large AI models without relying on ChatGPT or another cloud-based solution.

The key to its performance is the GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, designed in partnership with MediaTek. It also boasts 128GB of RAM and up to a 4TB NVMe SSD. Running Nvidia’s Linux-based DGX OS, it will be capable of running 200-billion-parameter large language models or 405-billion-parameter models if pairing two Digits together.

While it feels like AI is everywhere in the tech world already, this kind of (relatively) affordable system can put it in the hands of far more users, which is an AI advancement I can get behind.

Starting at $3,000, it isn’t cheap, but assembling a comparable AI computer could run over $10,000 in the not-so-distant past. Project Digits is coming in May from Nvidia and its partners.

Nvidia's Project Digits will be available to purchase from May 2025 from Nvidia and partners at a starting price of $3,000.

CES 2025 is in full swing, and that means a new line-up of AI-powered laptops, including MSI's new Venture series featuring the latest chips from Intel and AMD.

The Venture line-up includes several AI PCs designed for students, professionals, and creators with a wide range of specs and sizes to choose from. They come on the heels of a slew of AI PCs that flooded the laptop market in 2024, including some stars like the Asus Zenbook S14 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14s. Can the MSI Venture laptops compete with the existing line-up of AI-powered laptops?

We'll have to wait until we can put the Venture laptops through the paces in our lab tests to find out for sure, but the specs look promising. You can choose from AMD and Intel processors, and the VenturePro models are available with Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series laptop GPUs.

Regardless of whether you go with an Intel or AMD processor, all of the Venture laptops use AI to enhance the user experience through tools like AI noise cancellation, webcam studio effects, automated performance optimization, and more.

All the Venture laptops also have effectively the same design. It's simple and straightforward with a centered MSI logo on the lid and a bump at the top of the lid for the webcam. That camera bump might be a turn-off for some, but it's been common on Lenovo laptops for a while now, so it may become the new norm.

One feature many will appreciate on all of the Venture laptops (yes, even the 14-inch) is the inclusion of a number pad. It's rare to see these on 14 and 15-inch laptops, which could help the smaller Venture laptops stand out. That will be important in 2025 as competition in the AI PC market heats up with more Copilot+ PCs and new AI chips.

We'll cover all the latest news from CES 2025, including even more AI PC announcements, so stay tuned for more details and updates.

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On June 4, 2024, Pat Gelsinger, then CEO of Intel, came out swinging when he arrived at the highlight of his keynote presentation at Computex in Taipei, Taiwan: AI PCs.

Gelsinger compared his announcement that day to the launch of Wi-Fi 25 years earlier and confidently predicted, "We expect that by 2028, 80% of all PCs will be AI PCs. And Intel is leading the way."

Just moments later, Gelsinger had a literal curtain drop to unveil a dozen upcoming AI PCs. Several of them were running the latest chip from Intel, the star of the show that day: Lunar Lake.

Intel's Lunar Lake chips were the latest additions to its Core Ultra line-up and its most advanced consumer AI chips yet. In his Computex presentation, Gelsinger promised these chips would deliver up to 50% better graphics performance and up to four times stronger NPU AI computing power. In a September 2024 presentation at IFA Berlin, Intel claimed Lunar Lake would have up to 50% lower power consumption.

That set a high bar for Lunar Lake laptops, especially after the success of AMD's Ryzen AI 300 series chips and the launch of Copilot+ PCs with Qualcomm chips this year. However, Intel was up to the challenge and delivered in one crucial area. While there were some key flaws with the Lunar Lake laptops we tested this year, there was also one surprising win for Intel.

Intel dominated on battery life with Lunar Lake, but at what cost?

When our first test results for laptops running on Intel Lunar Lake chips rolled in earlier this year, it was immediately clear that they were battery-life beasts. For instance, the Dell XPS 13 with an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V lasted 18 hours and 34 minutes in our battery life test. That's enough for two full work days on a single charge!

Of course, if you're doing more resource-intensive tasks like gaming or Photoshop, you'll burn through that battery life much faster. However, that score is still incredible, especially for commuters and students relying on strong battery life.

It wasn't just the Dell XPS 13 that crushed our battery life test, either. The Asus Zenbook S14, Asus ExpertBook P5, and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition boasted over 13 hours of battery life. So, Intel's claims about superior battery life on Lunar Lake are grounded in reality.

However, that doesn't mean there are still no drawbacks to Lunar Lake.

Excellent battery life usually comes at the cost of something else. For instance, a more powerful processor or a more premium display will generally eat through battery life faster than less powerful or premium alternatives. With great battery life comes great compromises.

A perfect example is, ironically, the Dell XPS 13. The non-OLED version lasted 18 hours and 34 minutes in our battery life test. The version with a premium OLED display lasted just 8 hours and 40 minutes, less than half as long.

Display quality isn't the only trade-off we noticed, either. In our review of the Acer Swift 14 AI, we note that Lunar Lake seems to fall behind on multicore performance, which can be a considerable drawback for multi-tasking.

Reviewer Joanna Nelius writes, "Maybe this is the result of Intel ditching hyperthreading on its new processors — a process that improves a computer’s ability to multitask and increases its multicore performance."

These drawbacks are disappointing, but that doesn't mean Intel didn't have any wins with Lunar Lake. Its biggest win will probably surprise you.

The surprising silver lining for Intel Lunar Lake

Lunar Lake laptops might not be perfect, but there was one surprising, last-minute win for Intel's latest series of chips this year: the MSI Claw 8 AI Plus.

If you heard anything about the disastrous original MSI Claw earlier this year, you're probably scratching your head at that. I would be, too.

At least, until I tried out the new-and-improved Claw at IFA Berlin in September. Even in my brief hands-on, I could tell MSI listened to user feedback. The new version of MSI's flagship handheld gaming PC got many updates and design changes in response to its predecessor's rough launch. One of those updates was an Intel Lunar Lake chip.

The MSI Claw 8 AI Plus was one of the best tech glow-ups of the year. While the original Claw received a measly 2.5 stars from us, the Claw 8 AI Plus earned a shining Editor's Choice award, partly thanks to its Lunar Lake processor, which powered top-tier performance and stellar battery life.

Gelsinger left Intel late this year, leaving the legendary company in a state of uncertainty — at least in public, anyway. However, with the success of the MSI Claw AI Plus, it may be taking steps in the right direction.

If you're anything from an AI enthusiast to the average AI tinkerer (or simply seeking out some of the additional features offered through Windows Copilot+ PCs or Apple Intelligence on Macs), then you'll need a powerful and performative laptop to keep up to speed with your needs.

At Laptop Mag, we review laptops year-round to ensure we're giving you expert-backed and up-to-date recommendations on which notebook is right for you. When it comes to the best AI PC category, our top picks are the excellent Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) for Windows users and the impressive Apple Macbook Air M3 for those running macOS.

So, if you're shopping for a new laptop and looking to invest in an AI PC (or just a great laptop in general), check out our current top-tier picks below.

On May 20, 2024, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took the stage at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, to introduce the next generation of Windows 11 laptops.

Nadella kicked things off by waxing nostalgic about the launch of Windows 95 nearly 30 years ago. Windows 95 was, in many way,s a revolution for the Windows platform. About five minutes into his keynote, Nadella unveiled a revolutionary upgrade to the platform of his own:

"We're introducing an entirely new class of Windows PCs engineered to unleash the power of distributed AI across the Edge and Cloud.

"We call this new category Copilot+ PCs."

With that, a new era of Windows computing was born, and the introduction of the NPU (Neural Processing Unit) as a core feature of several inbound chipsets set a new standard for the AI PC. The first wave of Copilot+ PCs in 2024 greatly focused on productivity, enhancing performance and battery life. But productivity is only the first step in a longer journey.

Jason Banta, a corporate vice president at chipmaker AMD, which makes chips for Copilot PCs, tells Laptop Mag AI is coming to gaming soon, too.

"In the coming months and years, consumers can expect to see AI integration in various other areas, including gaming," Banta says. "Gaming on an AI PC will give users a more immersive gaming experience with AI-enabled NPCs, providing a more realistic and dynamic environment.”

While NPCs won't be evolving into sentient AI beings like in Free Guy any time soon, NPUs are helping to improve the gaming experience on AI PCs. For instance, the AMD-powered Asus Zenbook S16 (UM5606) is bringing integrated graphics to a new level.

Copilot+ PCs: AI hype or AI innovation?

The term "Copilot+ PC" refers to Microsoft's AI assistant, Copilot. These new laptops were marketed as AI productivity powerhouses with Copilot baked in at every level, even down to a dedicated Copilot button on the keyboard.

But there's more on offer from Copilot+ PCs than a shortcut key. Designated Copilot+ Windows 11 laptops offer several unique features, including:

• A dedicated NPU rated for 40 TOPS of performance
• Accessibility features like Live captions
• Powerful and fast image generation through Cocreator (local AI image generation in the Paint app)
• Enhanced webcam filters and tools through Windows Studio Effects
• On-device AI features in third-party apps (such as Adobe Photoshop)
• Unique Windows 11 features and tools like Microsoft Recall

The Copilot app is the most basic AI feature and likely the one you'll use most. By tapping the Copilot key, you can launch the app and use text prompts to ask questions, generate text, or generate images overall; it ran smoothly on most of the Copilot+ PCs I tested this year.

Even if you don't use generative AI much, you may appreciate live captions and Windows Studio Effects. These AI-powered features make daily life on a Copilot+ PC easier, especially for those who love to watch almost everything with subtitles. Live captions allow you to do that even with video and audio content that doesn't already have captions, such as live streams.

Copilot+ PCs may not be the motherlode of AI software, but their feature sets continue to grow month after month, offering optimized and exclusive tools for various use cases.

AMD's Banta tells Laptop Mag, "Despite Copilot+ application development just starting, there are many things to get excited about, especially as Microsoft just announced a second wave of apps like ‘click to do.’"

Click to do offers an interactive overlay with contextual suggestions when you see images or text on Copilot+ PC. It makes adjustment suggestions and links tasks to various AI tools within installed apps. It's a perfect example of how companies like AMD and Microsoft view Copilot+ PCs — an overhaul in how people use their computers.

Banta continues: "The reason to buy is not just one application but how working with Microsoft, we are creating a new category of consumer experiences and fundamentally changing how they interact with their PCs."

Copilot+ PCs aren't just good for AI tasks, though. This year, we reviewed dozens while searching for the best AI PC. Aside from their improved performance, one stand-out feature among almost all of these machines, whether powered by AMD, Intel, or Qualcomm, was an incredible improvement in battery life. Because the processing was done directly on the chip, the computer didn't use nearly as much battery power.

In fact, a Copilot+ PC currently holds our record for best battery life, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s, powered by a Qualcomm processor. It lasted over 21 hours in our battery life test.

The real future of "AI PCs" isn't flashy

On some level, labeling a collection of new laptops "Copilot+ PC" was a marketing decision meant to set them apart from older Windows 11 laptops. However, there may still be something to the idea of having an AI assistant baked into your laptop to help with specific tasks when you need it and stay out of the way when you don't.

That might not be flashy, but it may end up being what most people want from AI on their laptops. Just look at how dedicated AI devices, like the Humane AI pin, fared this year. Ultimately, most people want a capable, reliable AI app on the devices they already use daily, like their laptops and phones.

AMD's Banta had similar thoughts, telling Laptop Mag, "To AMD, an AI PC is a PC designed to optimally execute local AI workloads across a range of hardware, including a CPU, GPU, and NPU, each with their processing efficiencies."

Microsoft's approach could become ubiquitous in consumer tech. Apple is already taking a similar approach with Apple Intelligence on its Macbooks. Google is even getting in on the action with Gemini-powered Chromebooks.

As we head into 2025, we'll soon see if integrating AI into laptops is a standard feature. The "AI PC" of the future could very well end up being just a PC — with the AI being as standard as the spacebar.

If you're anything from an AI enthusiast to the average AI tinkerer (or simply seeking out some of the additional features offered through Windows Copilot+ PCs or Apple Intelligence on Macs), then you'll need a powerful and performative laptop to keep up to speed with your needs.

At Laptop Mag, we review laptops year-round to ensure we're giving you expert-backed and up-to-date recommendations on which notebook is right for you. When it comes to the best AI PC category, our top picks are the excellent Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) for Windows users and the impressive Apple Macbook Air M3 for those running macOS.

So, if you're shopping for a new laptop and looking to invest in an AI PC (or just a great laptop in general), check out our current top-tier picks below.

Whenever anybody asks me to recommend a great Windows laptop to rival the MacBook Air, the name Zenbook is never far from escaping my mouth.

Asus' Zenbook line offers some of the most visually impressive, sleek, and slimline laptops on the market, built from premium materials with unique finishes and proportions that make these laptops so thin they look like optical illusions.

Making the Zenbook all the more of a recommendation, Asus on Monday teased an all-new Copilot+ PC model of its popular laptop, set to be revealed as part of the company's Always Incredible CES 2025 event kicking off on January 7, 2025.

The world's lightest Copilot+ PC

Last year, Asus' Zenbook S 13 became one of the thinnest laptops on the market at just 0.42 inches thick.

It would seem that the lessons Asus learned on its way to crafting such a thin laptop have been expanded, as the company now claims it's made the lightest Copilot+ PC in the world with its upcoming Zenbook.

The machine's lightweight build is likely down to refinements on the same qualities that made last year's Zenbook S 13 so slim: A magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis, a solid CNC keyboard deck that requires no additional support, and a more optimized internal layout with an ultrathin cooling fan and slimline vapor chamber.

However, that's not to say Asus hasn't innovated even further in making every millimeter inside its Zenbook count. We'll need to wait for CES 2025 to learn more.

A Zenbook with a 'cutting-edge processor'

While we can't say ahead of time which processor the new Zenbook will feature or confirm any specifications, the mention of a "cutting-edge processor" may suggest several options for the laptop's CPU selection.

The obvious processor options for the Zenbook include Intel's Lunar Lake, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite, and AMD's Ryzen AI Strix Point chips.

However, CES 2025 will likely bring several new silicon announcements. As such, there's an outside chance that we can take the "cutting-edge" claim at face value, with the potential to see the laptop adorned with Intel's next-generation Arrow Lake or AMD's Krackan processors.

On the far end of speculation, the Zenbook could also host Qualcomm's rumored Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 processor (also known as the Snapdragon X2 Elite). However, that may be more wishful thinking on our part.

One thing we can say for definite is that the shift to Copilot+ computing will undoubtedly benefit Asus' upcoming laptop.

Copilot+Zenbook: Perfect harmony

Not only will the new Zenbook be ultra-lightweight, with Asus claiming it to be the world's lightest Copilot+ PC, but it'll also be among the most ultra-efficient thanks to its Copilot+ PC branding.

AI and Copilot+ PCs have had an impressive outing throughout 2024, showcasing impressive performance and longevity thanks to their improved efficiency and battery life.

A particular star among this year's release has been the Dell XPS 13 (9345), outfitted with the powerful Snapdragon X Elite CPU, which dazzled during our Laptop Mag battery test — lasting over 19 hours of web surfing at 150 nits of brightness on a single charge.

According to Asus' testing, this new model may become a go-to for laptops with the best battery life, rating the Zenbook with a jaw-dropping 32-hour battery life. We look forward to going hands-on with the Asus Zenbook to see how well those claims hold up in our proprietary tests.

What's next?

Next up, CES 2025. That's where the always-interesting Asus will be hosting the Always Incredible launch event (streaming live, January 7, 2025, at 9 a.m. Pacific and Noon Eastern) showcasing this new Zenbook in full alongside similar hardware offerings from other manufacturers — like the recently announced Acer Swift 14 AI.

Here, we can expect processor details to be revealed and wider specifications and potentially more information about how the company achieved its new ultra-thin-and-light design. Not to mention when this new Copilot+ Zenbook will become available for purchase.

More from Laptop Mag

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• Microsoft Surface laptops to return in early 2025 with a surprise new addition, says report

Microsoft's Surface line of laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1 devices looks set to return following a major shakeup within the software giant's premium hardware division.

The Surface lineup we know today is largely shaped by the thirst for innovation shown by former EVP of Experiences and Devices, Panos Panay. However, following cancelations, layoffs, and cutbacks that impeded his vision for Microsoft Surface, Panay would step away from his role in September 2023.

Even though Microsoft would confirm its commitment to Surface hardware by announcing several new Intel Core Ultra and Qualcomm Snapdragon X-powered Surface models in March and May 2024, there was an air of doubt surrounding how future products would fare without the creativity of Panos at the helm.

However, a report from Windows Central indicates that the Surface line still has room to surprise, with early 2025 circled as the likely release window for new Surface Laptop, Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Pro, and potentially an all-new 11-inch Surface device.

Intel on Surface, surfaces

The report, coming from Zac Bowden of Windows Central, claims sources have revealed that a full-scale Surface refresh involving Copilot+ PC compatible chips from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm is in the cards for Q1 2025.

We've already caught wind of an Intel Core Ultra 268V-powered Surface Laptop, a claim that Bowden's sources lend further credibility to. According to the report, new Surface Pro and Surface Laptops will feature Intel's Lunar Lake chipset, bringing both under the Copilot+ umbrella thanks to a dedicated NPU with 40+ TOPS of computing.

The uniquely convertible Surface Laptop Studio is also expected to receive a chipset refresh as well as a 16-inch boost in display size, though there's no confirmation whether we can expect this device to house an AMD Ryzen AI or Intel Lunar Lake processor.

The Surface line still has room to surprise

When Panos Panay left Microsoft, so did much of the hope for the Surface line to continue with its innovation in design. However, according to Bowden, there's still room for Surface to surprise, with a new, unknown 11-inch device potentially joining the fray.

Described as a "Surface Go-sized Laptop Go hybrid," we could see Microsoft return to its detachable 2-in-1 form factor, though little is shared other than its adoption of "premium materials and components," and its adoption of a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor.

Outlook

Despite concerns regarding the future of Surface innovation, it appears that there's still the potential for Microsoft to experiment and try out new ideas within this line-up.

A full suite of Copilot+ laptops is also a welcome addition, bringing with it the improved performance and battery life enhancements we've seen wash across the industry throughout 2024.

As for when we can expect to see these new Surface devices, the report is somewhat vague. Early/Q1 2025 could suggest a reveal as early as CES 2025 or during a potential Microsoft Surface for Business event in March (should it mirror the same date as this year's event).

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Black Friday is long gone from our rearview mirrors, and Cyber Monday is fading into a distant dot on the horizon. However, I'm something of a nostalgic type when it comes to thinking back to the good old days of just this past Monday when I was able to save hundreds of dollars on some incredible laptops, and it seems Best Buy is, too.

Relive the heights of Black Friday and Cyber Monday in this ongoing deal from Best Buy that sees the awesome 16-inch HP Envy x360 2-in-1 laptop on sale for just $649 — a cool $450 off its regular $1,099 asking price, and a fantastic opportunity to net yourself a versatile touchscreen convertible laptop powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 processor with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage for less.

Not a fan of AMD processors? You can grab the same laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor at a steep discount too. Best Buy is also slashing the price on the Intel Core Ultra-powered 16-inch HP Envy x360 2-in-1 down to just $699 — a brilliant $400 saving on an excellent AI PC.

Both configurations offer the 2-in-1 form factor for effortless switching between laptop and tablet modes, and a striking 16-inch 2K WUXGA (1920 x 1200) touchscreen. Intel or AMD, this is a brilliant laptop for everyday use and one of my favorite Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals revived. Grab it while you can, you won't regret it.

Today's best HP Envy x360 16, 2-in-1 laptop deal

AI PCs are some of the hottest new laptops of 2024, and many of our favorites are on sale for Black Friday and these deals have extended through the weekend to Cyber Monday.

While not every one of these AI-ready laptops has made it onto our list of the Best AI PCs, they all offer cutting-edge performance and power efficiency thanks to the latest processors from AMD, Apple, Intel, and Qualcomm. We've specifically focused this list on the AMD Ryzen AI series, Apple M3 and M4 series, Intel Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" series, and Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors.

As Laptop Mag’s resident chip expert, I've put that knowledge to use, curating this list of the best AI PC deals you can find right now. Some of the highlights of this list include getting the Apple M3 MacBook Air for only $899 at Amazon, shaving $400 off the HP OmniBook X which is now just $799 at Best Buy, and the Intel Lunar Lake powered Dell XPS 13 dropping to just $1,059 at Dell.

Of course, if none of these AI PCs fit your needs, we're tracking many more Cyber Monday laptop deals.

Best AI PC Deals the quick links

• Apple M3 MacBook Air (16GB/256GB): was $1,099, now $899 at Amazon
• Apple M3 MacBook Air 15 (8GB/512GB): was $1,299, now $1199 at Amazon
• Apple M3 MacBook Air: (16GB/512GB): was $1,499, now $1,199 at Amazon
• Apple M4 MacBook Pro 14: was $1,599, now $1,399 at Amazon
• Apple M4 MacBook Pro 14 (1TB): was $1,799, now $1,599 at Amazon
• Apple M4 Pro MacBook Pro 16 (24GB/512GB): was $2,499, now $2,249 at Amazon
• Apple M4 MacBook Pro 16 (48GB/1TB): was $3,999, now $3,699 at Amazon
• Asus Vivobook S 14 (AMD Ryzen AI): was $1,199, now $1,013 at Amazon
• HP OmniBook Ultra (AMD Ryzen AI): was $1,379, now $899 at Best Buy
• Asus ExpertBook P5 (Intel Core Ultra 200V): was $1,099, now $999 at Asus
• Asus Vivobook S14 (Intel Core Ultra 200V): was $1,199, now $999 at Walmart
• Asus Zenbook S14 (Intel Core Ultra 20V): was $1,399, now $1,149 at Best Buy
• Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core Ultra 200V): was $1,399, now $1,059 at Dell
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 200V): was $1,299, now $999 at Best Buy
• Acer Swift 14 AI (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,049, now $849 at Amazon
• Asus Vivobook S 15 (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $899, now $499 at Best Buy
• Dell XPS 13 (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,199, now $999 at Dell
• HP OmniBook X (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,199, now $799 at Best Buy
• HP EliteBook Ultra (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,499, now $1,199 at HP
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,289, now $999 at Lenovo
• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 15 (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,499, now $1,199 at BestBuy
• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 13 (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,199, now $899 at Amazon
• Microsoft Surface Pro 7 11 (Qualcomm Snapdragon): was $1,199, now $899 at Amazon

Best Apple AI PC deals for Black Friday

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In Lenovo's earning report published Friday, the company tipped AI as the catalyst for continued success in the future.

According to Lenovo, "The PC market is expected to steadily recover and enter a new refresh cycle driven by AI PCs, gradually growing to represent 80% of the PC industry landscape by 2027." Previously, company projections, including those from Intel (via ASM International), were estimating AI PCs would represent 80% of the PC market by 2028.

With Lenovo's estimate moving up previous projections by an entire year, it's clear that people are buying AI PCs. Whether that's because AI is what's hot right now or because people are actually finding value in the state of AI PCs, we can't be sure — but their future success will likely depend on a few things.

What does the future of AI PCs need to look like?

Regardless of whether you intend to use AI-powered features on your PC or not, you have AI to thank for base laptop RAM increasing. AI workloads are generally more demanding, and we're starting to see more laptops start with 16GB of RAM instead of 8GB. To qualify as a Copilot+ PC, a laptop needs a minimum of 16GB of RAM.

AI PCs are generally better PCs than non-AI models. They're more powerful, more battery-efficient, and better at multitasking. But in order for people to keep adopting AI PCs for more than just the specs that come with them, there are a few important details companies need to address.

First up, there are a lot of understandable concerns regarding privacy and security when it comes to AI PCs.

Microsoft's Recall feature made waves when it got out that activity data was being saved as plain text files, and was therefore very vulnerable to hacking and data theft, something we predicted when first hearing about the feature.

Without more powerful hardware to carry out AI tasks locally instead of via cloud-processing, privacy and security concerns will likely stick around. If you can't use your AI PC to help you organize sensitive info, like your taxes, or you otherwise have to be wary of how you're using your PC, that's not really a selling point.

It's great when you can ask Copilot a simple question and get a quick answer, but how much time does it save you really, when compared to the time it takes you to Google the same query?

I think the pivot AI PCs need to reach that "80% of the PC market" goal is toward true usefulness. Laptop Mag wrote on how AI is solving all of the wrong problems, and used a popular tweet from Joanna Maciejewska to drive home the point: "I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes."

Future AI PCs need to be more focused on providing users with tedious task help rather than creative task help. Manage my inbox for me, keep my tax info organized, help me stay on top of everyday tasks — basically, give me more of my free time back.

For the last few months, my excitement has been slowly building around a unique laptop release from Sightful headed by two Magic Leap alumni, Tamir Berliner and Tomer Kahan, who wanted to take the traditional notebook in a bold new direction: Augmented reality.

The company's Spacetop G1 laptop was set to offer an all-new way of computing on the go, inviting users to the age of spatial computing through an augmented reality expansion that broke free from the traditional screen and keyboard experience of most laptops.

Much to my initial dismay, it would seem that the Spacetop G1 is no more. Last week, Sightful abruptly announced that after "overwhelming feedback" from its customers and the market, it was pulling the plug on the Spacetop G1.

However, far from throwing in the towel, Sightful has revealed that its new approach to spatial computing is to bring the AR framework behind the hardware to Windows AI PCs in early 2025.

Sightful's Spacetop G1: Gone but not forgotten

Every year we see some fascinating new laptop concepts, but very rarely do they make it to production. This year, I was sure that Lenovo's transparent laptop concept was the most ambitious laptop design I was going to see — until I came across Sightful's Spacetop G1, that is.

The Spacetop G1 was a breakthrough product designed to spearhead the spatial computing experience for laptops.

Where most laptops offer a traditional clamshell display and keyboard layout, the Spacetop G1's deck was unique, pairing the conventional laptop deck with a folio-like back stand and a pair of XREAL Air 2 Ultra smart glasses.

These AR glasses were the gateway to the entirety of Sightful's Spacetop G1 visual experience, offering an expansive 100-inch portal to a virtual array of windows and panels all private to the wearer with full 6DoF tracking (six degrees of freedom, similar to that of VR/AR headsets).

The Spacetop G1 had a lot going for it, but it did have its weaknesses. For starters, the laptop would only run SpaceOS, a proprietary operating system based on Android.

Beyond this, the Spacetop was also fixed to using only one type of AR smart glasses, which were hard tethered to the device.

Perhaps the Spacetop G1's biggest problem was its $1,900 price tag. Emily Wang, the co-founder of VITURE, an AR glasses maker responsible for popular smart glasses like the VITURE Pro XR, agreed to as much when in June she told Laptop Mag "The concept of an AR laptop is certainly an interesting idea, but I foresee issues in its implementation, especially as it is/if it is Android based."

On the Spacetop G1's pricing, Wang continued: "For many, what they get may not outweigh what they sacrifice to get it.

At that price point, users could just as easily get a MacBook (or a premium Windows laptop) and a pair of XR glasses like ours."

That's not to say that Wang was dismissive of the Spacetop G1. In fact, Wang told Laptop Mag "I really appreciate and respect the innovation required for a product like this. It's still very cool to see."

However, as Wang states, when it comes to capturing people's interest in AR "people have to see it to believe it," and the Spacetop's original price point and limitations would have limited how many people would be willing to take the leap to an AR laptop.

Spacetop for Windows: Spatial computing for all

Sightful is now taking the tech behind its Spacetop G1 laptop and repurposing it for Windows AI PCs and a wider selection of compatible AR glasses.

The most ambitious laptop of 2024 will now be remolded into an AR software engine that will become available for download in early 2025.

If, as VITURE's Emily Wang says, people need to see it to believe it, then Sightful's new software approach will make its AR desktops more available than ever at a much lower price point.

Sightful's software will now act as a gateway for bringing spatial computing to AI PCs. You'll still need a pair of AR glasses, but they come at a far lower price than the Spacetop G1 was targeting.

Many AR smart glasses are available for around $300 and can be paired with any DisplayPort over USB-C capable device, including laptops, smartphones, tablets, and handheld gaming PCs.

Software like Sightful's seeks to take the "wearable display" element of AR glasses and transform them into full AR experiences that replace your 13, 15, or 16-inch laptop's display with a giant 100-inch 3DoF/6DoF virtual canvas.

It's a new direction for the company, and hopefully one that pays off with broader adoption of its AR framework, making it easier for more people to experience spatial computing at a fairer price.

If you want to be among the first to use Sightful's new Spacetop software, you'll need a pair of AR frames and to sign up to the company's Explorer Program waiting list. Sightful has not yet stated which AR glasses will be compatible with its software.

More from Laptop Mag

• 'People have to see it to believe it': We asked an expert about AR laptops and the challenges in this booming market
• I used AR Glasses to replace my monitors — here’s what happened
• I gave up my laptop for this XREAL spatial computer and smart glasses combo, I felt like I was living in the future

Amazon's Prime Big Day Deals might be in full swing, but there are plenty of savings to be found elsewhere, including Best Buy's 48-hour flash sale that ends Wednesday, October 9.

As part of this flash sale, Best Buy is heavily discounting some impressive Copilot+ AI PCs from Dell, Samsung, and Acer! Not only do these laptops tout Qualcomm's impressive Snapdragon X Elite ARM-based CPU but they also lay claim to a powerful NPU for AI computing tasks and improved efficiency that results in longer battery life.

Make your next PC an AI PC and reap the rewards of this new generation of laptops. Here are three of the best Copilot+ PC deals I've come across during Best Buy's 48-hour flash sale, act fast!

To stay up to date on our expert-picked deals throughout Amazon's Big Deal Days sale, check out our Amazon Prime Big Deal Days hub. 

Best Buy 48-hour flash sale Copilot+ PC deals — Quick links

• Dell XPS 13: Was $1,499, now $999 @ Best Buy
• Acer Swift 14 AI: Was $1,199, now $999 @ Best Buy
• Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: Was $1,349, now $799 @ Best Buy

Today's best Best Buy Copilot+ PC deals

McAfee and Lenovo announced last week a collaboration on a new AI-powered Deepfake Detector software for Lenovo's Copilot+ PCs. This means the new McAfee security software will also be available on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, Laptop Mag's highest-rated and reviewed AI PC.

Any future Lenovo Copilot+ PCs will have access to the McAfee Deepfake Detector, but for the moment, this helps elevate this Best AI PC even further above the competition. 

A representative for McAfee tells Laptop Mag that while the company is reaching out to other laptop makers, "we do not have new information about other partnerships to share at this time."

The Deepfake Detector uses advanced AI detection models directly on the laptop to identify AI-generated audio within videos. So, your laptop can help you determine if the video you're watching has been faked without compromising your privacy by uploading the video to the cloud. McAfee's Deepfake Detector will also be far faster than cloud-based alternatives.

Deep fakes are becoming increasingly convincing as AI-generated images and audio become faster and smarter. Therefore, the need for on-device deep fake detection is paramount. So, if you've been on the fence about upgrading to a Copilot+ laptop, it may be time to take a closer look at the Yoga Slim 7x.

Will deepfake detection come to other AI PCs?

The McAfee rep who spoke to Laptop Mag indicated that the security company is in talks with other laptop manufacturers but couldn't confirm that the Deepfake Detector will be available on non-Lenovo devices. But if it were to leave the Lenovo Copilot+ lineup, other Copilot+ PCs would surely be among the first to benefit.

However, the technology could theoretically be applied to any machine with an NPU that meets the Copilot+ standards set by Microsoft and Qualcomm. So AMD's new Ryzen AI 300 "Strix Point" processors and Intel's upcoming Core Ultra 200 "Lunar Lake" series could also fit the bill. After all, the NPU on both the "Strix Point" and "Lunar Lake" systems is rated to exceed the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU's 45 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) rating.

But for now, unless you pick up the Yoga Slim 7x, you'll have to stick with McAfee's new Smart AI Hub to submit suspicious videos. McAfee will analyze submitted videos to determine their credibility and offer insights on deepfake trends to help educate the public.

My back-to-school shopping days are over, but I'm not far enough away from them that I can't remember the challenge of finding the right laptop. If I were looking to grab a new laptop for school in 2024, AI PCs would be at the top of my list. 

Sure, everyone loves the Apple MacBook Air 13 M3, and it is our top pick as the best college laptop for good reason. However, many of the new Windows AI PCs have managed to close the performance and battery life gaps between Windows and Mac systems, which makes them a very attractive option for back-to-school laptops.

And since all three of these AI PCs are Windows systems, you won't have the same kind of compatibility issues that Macs sometimes run into when accessing school or university systems.

While these three AI PC laptops are featured on our best AI PCs buying guide, they're also the three laptops I think offer the best blend of price, battery life, and power for students.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is our current favorite AI PC, and for good reason. This laptop starts at just $1,199 and provides both excellent battery life and strong multi-core performance, which will let you take notes all day in class without needing to run for an outlet the moment you step out of the lecture hall.

Our reviewer praised the Slim 7x for its performance, battery life, sharp OLED display, and fantastic keyboard, saying, “it’s a fantastic all-around Windows 11 laptop for students and professionals.” While the Slim 7x can’t keep up with purpose-built gaming laptops, it can handle some casual gaming in addition to its strong productivity performance. It’s also packed with numerous AI features to make writing emails to professors and taking notes even easier.

See our full Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x review.

Dell XPS 13 9345 (Snapdragon X Elite)

The Dell XPS 13 9345 (Snapdragon X Elite) has one thing going for it over any of the other Copilot+ or AI PC laptops: battery life. Lasting over 19 hours on our battery test, the XPS 13 9345 dethroned the MacBook Pro 16 M3 Max and its 18:05 battery life for the laptop with the best battery life.

And nothing makes for a better school laptop than battery life. After all, students don't often have the downtime to charge a laptop when running between classes all day.

That's not all the XPS 13 has to offer, as the Snapdragon X Elite laptop also provides strong performance, a svelte design, a solid webcam, and a bright display. However, the keyboard on this 13-inch laptop can be cramped, and the display is a bit muted with mediocre graphics. But if you can work around the minimal ports and poor color, the XPS 13 can last for an entire day on a single charge.

See our full Dell XPS 13 9345 review.

Asus Zenbook 14 (Q425)

For the budget-conscious student, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425) is the best AI PC laptop. 

While the Asus Zenbook 14 may not have all of the same on-device AI capabilities as the Copilot+ laptops, its Intel Core Ultra processor can handle quite a bit of AI text and image generation. It also offers snappy productivity performance and all-day battery life, lasting 15 hours and 52 minutes on our battery test.

The Zenbook also features a comfortable keyboard and quality audio and can handle most casual games. With a starting price of just $799, the Zenbook 14 OLED is the ideal AI PC for students on a budget.

See our full Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425) review.

More from Laptop Mag

• The 2024 Laptop Mag Back to School Issue
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Is the Asus ProArt PX13 the new king of creator laptops, a category normally ruled by MacBooks? 

The ProArt PX13  has a lot going for it, including the performance to compete with the likes of Apple and Lenovo. From a sleek, matte black design to a sharp OLED display and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, the ProArt PX13 is made with creatives in mind. 

The ProArt PX13 also has a potentially game changing advantage: a new AI CPU from AMD. This tiny but mighty 13-inch powerhouse is one of the first laptops to feature an AMD Ryzen AI 300 series CPU, which boasts some of the best AI performance on the market. The question is whether the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 outperforms Intel and Qualcomm’s AI CPUs.

I spent several days using the Asus ProArt PX13 for everything from web browsing to gaming and AI tasks. Here’s an in-depth look at my experience with this slick creator laptop and how it compares to its rivals.

Asus ProArt PX13: Specs (as reviewed)

Asus ProArt PX13: Price and configurations

The Asus ProArt PX13 comes in two configurations. The base model, which we reviewed, costs $1,699 and includes an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 laptop GPU, 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and a 13.3-inch 2800x1800 OLED touch display. 

There is another configuration available directly from Asus that costs $300 more and includes all the same specs with a more powerful GPU, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, which has 8GB of VRAM (slightly higher than the 6GB included in the RTX 4050).

Asus ProArt PX13: Design

 The Asus ProArt PX13 is one of my favorite laptop designs of the year. It’s matte black and minimalistic, but with some creative details that help it stand out. For example, the hinges have a glossy textured design that matches a thin border around the outer edge of the display. The chassis is thin but squared off around the edges, so it feels high-end with a bit of an industrial edge.  

I also noticed the PX13's wealth of vents. They’re located along the sides, rear edge, and underside of the keyboard deck. The speakers are also on the bottom of the keyboard deck in the front left and right corners. 

The ProArt PX13 is a 2-in-1 laptop, so you can flip the display around and use it in tablet mode. The smaller 13-inch display is especially nice in tablet mode since you can comfortably use it in either portrait or landscape mode. If you plan to use it for drawing in tablet mode, you can pair it with an Asus Pen or another Bluetooth stylus. 

Asus ProArt PX13: Ports

The ProArt PX13 has all the ports most creatives need. On the left side, there is a DC charging port, an HDMI port, a USB Type-C port, and a headphone jack. On the right side, there is a USB Type-C port, a USB Type-A port, and a microSD card slot. 

That was enough ports for me, but a single USB Type-A port could be an issue if you have a lot of accessories to connect, like an external hard drive or a wired mouse. If that’s the case, you can always expand your port selection with a USB Type-C hub or a docking station. 

Asus ProArt PX13: Display

The Asus ProArt PX13 features a bright, responsive 2800x1800 OLED touch display. It looks good, but it could have done better on our display tests. It only reproduced 80 percent of the DCI-P3 color gamut, falling behind the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 (105.7 percent) and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (155 percent), two other AI laptops geared toward creators. 

Color gamut is particularly important to note since the ProArt PX13 is designed for art, design, and content creation, as its name suggests. So, I was expecting it to score higher on the color gamut test. 

The PX13 averaged 350 nits of brightness, which is also a lower score than the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 (373 nits) and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (464 nits). 

It’s worth noting that the ProArt PX13 is designed for creatives, which makes it a top rival for MacBook Pro. However, we are unable to compare it to the MacBook Pro in this review due to changes in a few of our benchmark tests, including PugetBench for Adobe Creative Cloud and Geekbench ML, which was not one of Laptop Mag’s standard tests at the time we reviewed the MacBook Pro M3. 

Asus ProArt PX13: Keyboard and touchpad

The ProArt PX13 is a compact laptop, but the keyboard and touchpad don’t feel cramped. The keys are large and well-spaced and feature moderate key travel and tactile feedback. It makes for a fast and comfy typing experience I thoroughly enjoyed. 

On the Monkeytype typing test, I scored 104 words per minute with 98 percent accuracy on the PX13, which is way above my laptop average of 90 words per minute with 97 percent accuracy. It’s just shy of what I scored on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, which currently holds the record for my fastest typing score (105 words per minute with 100 percent accuracy). 

The touchpad on the PX13 has a matte finish and offers quiet, tactile feedback. It has a unique “DialPad” built-in that acts as a precision control wheel for use in apps like Adobe Photoshop or Premiere Pro. 

You can also use the DialPad to quickly adjust screen brightness or volume directly from the touchpad. You can turn the DialPad on or off by tapping and sliding your finger diagonally from the top right corner of the touchpad (a small white LED will turn on or off to indicate when the DialPad is active). The Asus Dial and Control Panel app allows you to customize DialPad functions for different apps, much like setting up custom keybinds.

Asus ProArt PX13: Audio

The speakers on the ProArt PX13 get reasonably loud, but they’re bottom-firing, so they can easily get muffled if the laptop is sitting on your lap or a desk mat. I had to turn the volume up to around 60 percent to hear dialogue in episodes of Survivor clearly. 

Luckily, there is a solution to the speakers getting muffled. Since the ProArt PX13 is a 2-in-1, you can flip the display around so the bottom of the keyboard deck is facing upward and the display is tilted at a good viewing angle. Now the speakers are effectively top-firing, making for a good movie-watching setup. You can also use this trick for gaming, assuming you have a Bluetooth controller available. 

The ProArt PX13’s speakers have a fairly balanced sound profile with music, although the bass could be stronger. The indie rock tone of “Doing It Again Baby” by Girl In Red sounded punchy on the ProArt PX13 with crisp guitar notes and vocals. Similarly, the smooth mids and highs in “Softcore” by The Neighbourhood sounded good, but the bass could have been deeper.  

Asus ProArt PX13: Gaming and graphics

The Asus ProArt PX13 features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 laptop GPU, so I had high expectations for its gaming performance. It didn’t let me down. It may not be a gaming laptop, but it can deliver fairly strong gaming performance. 

The PX13 scored 18,634 on the 3DMark Fire Strike graphics benchmark and averaged 115 frames per second in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. That’s slightly lower than what the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i scored but far exceeds the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x’s performance. 

I ran the Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla benchmark test, which the PX13 handled fairly well. On Ultra High graphics, it averaged 36 fps with a max of 75 fps. The PX13 did better on the High graphics preset, averaging 44 fps with a max of 87 fps. That was spot on with the average frame rate I got during actual gameplay in Valhalla, as well. 

I also played some Enshrouded and Hades on the PX13, both of which ran great. I averaged a full 60 fps in both games and didn’t experience any lag or graphics issues. Both looked vibrant and colorful on the PX13’s OLED display.  

Asus ProArt PX13: Performance

As its name suggests, the ProArt PX13 is designed for creators with apps like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro in mind. Creative apps can be resource-intensive, so you need strong performance benchmark scores to ensure a laptop can keep up. The ProArt PX13 showed impressive performance across the board. 

It scored 2,847 in the Geekbench 6 single-core test and 15,203 in the multi-core test, far exceeding the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x’s scores. The PX13 also had the best HandBrake time and the highest PugetBench Photoshop benchmark score. This one is important to note since it tests performance in one of the top creative apps in the world. Both Lenovo laptops scored fairly well, but neither could match the ProArt PX13’s score of 7,948. 

During my week of testing, the ProArt PX13 ran fast and smoothly, handling everything from web browsing to gaming without any issues. The PX13 launches apps and games quickly, loads video content fast, and multi-tasks well. It offers plenty of performance for everyday tasks, including running creative apps like Adobe Photoshop. 

Asus ProArt PX13: AI Performance

Like most new laptops launched in the past six months, the Asus ProArt PX13 is an AI PC which means it has a CPU that has a built-in neural processing unit. It’s powered by the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, one of AMD’s recently debuted AI chips. 

So, how does this AMD-powered AI PC compare with its Intel and Snapdragon competitors? We ran a couple of benchmark tests that measure AI performance to find out. The ProArt PX13 had the highest score on the Geekbench ML CPU test, with a score of 3,587, far above the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. 

However, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 took the lead in the Geekbench ML GPU test with a score of 11,228, a few hundred points higher than the PX13’s score of 10,914. 

To put these scores into context, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is equipped with the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 CPU with integrated Qualcomm Adreno graphics. 

That’s why the Yoga Slim 7x scored so much lower on the GPU test compared to the Yoga Pro 9i and the ProArt PX13 – it only includes integrated graphics, while its two competitors have dedicated GPUs. 

The CPU scores are the most important to pay attention to because the ProArt PX13 and the Yoga Pro 9i have the same GPU, which is why their GPU scores are so similar. 

The CPU scores show that the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 delivers the best AI performance, followed by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 and, finally, the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H. A much larger gap shows between the AMD and Qualcomm chips than between Qualcomm and Intel in our benchmark results. So, if AI performance is your top priority, these test results indicate that a Ryzen AI 300 series CPU offers the best performance.  

The ProArt PX13 uses its NPU to run on-device AI features with Microsoft’s Copilot AI assistant and some preloaded apps from Asus. The ProArt Creator Hub app includes the MuseTree image generator and StoryCube, a tool that uses AI to help you organize your photos and videos by identifying faces, locations, and activities. You can also generate images locally with the Image Creator tool in Microsoft Paint or through prompts to Microsoft Copilot. 

Asus ProArt PX13: Battery life

The Asus ProArt PX13 could have done better on our battery life test, but it could have done worse, too. It lasted 9 hours and 49 minutes, which falls about an hour short of the premium laptop average (10:39). That’s only a couple of minutes behind the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9, though, and just barely long enough to get through a typical work day. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x far outpaced both rivals with a time of 14 hours and 13 minutes. 

Asus ProArt PX13: Webcam

The built-in webcam and microphone on the ProArt PX13 are reasonably good and definitely adequate for everyday video calls. The video quality could be better. It’s slightly grainy but not excessively so. The microphone is surprisingly good, though. It captured my voice loud and clear and even managed to filter out the background noise from my AC. 

There are buttons in the function row to mute your mic and disable the webcam, which I always appreciate for a bit of peace of mind whenever I’m not using my camera. 

If you happen to need a higher-quality webcam, you can always add an external webcam to your setup. 

Asus ProArt PX13: Heat

Any laptop designed for creative tasks like Photoshop or gaming needs to be able to dissipate heat well. The ProArt PX13 is up to the task but pushed the limits of our 95-degree comfort threshold in our heat tests. The touchpad peaked at 77.9 degrees, and the center of the keyboard deck reached 89.4 degrees. The highest temperature we recorded was 95.5 degrees along the rear edge of the underside of the keyboard deck. 

The ProArt PX13 stayed fairly cool in my tests but got warm while charging and gaming, as one would expect. It never got so hot that it became uncomfortable, though.

Asus ProArt PX13: Software and warranty

The ProArt PX13 includes Asus’s standard one-year warranty for parts and labor. The ProArt PX13 is a premium laptop, so if you want some extra protection for it, you can upgrade your warranty through Asus Premium Care Plus. 

The ProArt PX13 comes with Windows 11 Home with several standard apps pre-installed including Microsoft Edge, the Xbox app, and the Microsoft Store. It also has several Asus apps preloaded including ProArt Creator Hub, MyAsus, MuseTree, StoryCube, and CapCut.

Bottom line

The Asus ProArt PX13 is a top choice for creators looking for a compact laptop that can easily get the most out of demanding apps like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro. While its battery life could be better, it scored superbly well in our performance, graphics, and AI benchmark tests. With its sharp OLED display and 2-in-1 design, the ProArt PX13 is the complete package for creatives. 

The ProArt PX13 is especially well-suited for anyone looking to use their laptop for AI tasks like image generation or machine learning since the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU crushed our AI benchmark tests. The ProArt PX13 can even handle AAA gaming thanks to its Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card. 

The Asus ProArt PX13 is easy to recommend for creatives and professionals alike. If you want to compare it to some alternatives, see our guide to the best 2-in-1 laptops or the best laptops of the year. You can also use our laptop buying guide to help narrow down your options and find the perfect laptop for your needs.  

Intel brought about a new age of AI computing in December of last year with the release of the Core Ultra mobile processor, breathing life into the concept of the AI PC. Less than a year on and Intel is gearing up to launch its second generation of NPU-touting chips, code-named Lunar Lake.

Ahead of this year's IFA 2024 showcase in Berlin, Germany, Intel's executive and vice presidents Michelle Johnston Holthaus and Jim Johnson will take to the stage to livestream the unveiling of the company's new Core Ultra 200 processors.

Intel's Core Ultra 200 processors are a major upgrade to the company's original AI PC chips that will leapfrog Microsoft's 40 TOPS (trillion operations per second) requirements to become the first Intel chipset ready to act as the engine to Copilot+ PCs in the future.

Intel Lunar Lake: What to expect

Intel promises that its upcoming livestream will reveal all the details on its Lunar Lake chips, including their "breakthrough x86 power efficiency, exceptional core performance, massive leaps in graphics performance, and the unmatched AI computing power that will drive this and future generation of Intel products."

Said live stream will take place Tuesday, Sept. 3 at noon ET (9 a.m. PT), and will be available to watch on the Intel Newsroom.

Lunar Lake processors are expected to feature 4 P-Cores, 4 E-Cores, and up to 8 low-power Battlemage Xe2-LPG GPU cores. As for its AI capabilities, Lunar Lake chips are expected to offer 48 TOPs of performance, clearing Microsoft's barrier to entry into the Copilot+ PC market with ease. 

We may likely see a number of laptops outfitted with Intel's latest processor revealed at IFA 2024, which kicks off only a few days later on Sept. 6 in Berlin, Germany. However, we wouldn't expect an expansive range of Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs to feature.

Stiff competition in the AI PC category

Lunar Lake will revitalize Intel's efforts in the AI PC category, but it won't give the company a free pass to the top. In years past, AMD was Intel's primary concern, however, this new generation of processors has brought about further competition for Team Blue — Microsoft's current golden child and figurehead for the foundation of Copilot+ PCs, Qualcomm.

Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X CPUs have been a breath of fresh air for Windows computers, delivering excellent power efficiency, blazing performance, and unleashing the power of the NPU for vastly improved AI computing in a local setting.

The excellence of Qualcomm's latest generation of chipsets has led to many comparisons with the M-Series chips found in MacBooks, placing many Windows computers in a position that genuinely threatens Apple's mobile dominance over the last number of years.

However, Intel will still have to maintain pace with AMD, which has recently seen its Ryzen AI 300-series "Strix Point" processors hit the market in several consumer laptops.

AMD's next-gen Zen 5 processors go all-in on performance with integrated Radeon 800M graphics and an XDNA 2 NPU registering up to 50 TOPs of highly efficient AI processing power — greatly surpassing the minimum requirements set by Microsoft for chips looking to power Copilot+ branded PCs.

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Qualcomm took the world by storm this June with its Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite and Plus processors, yielding a staggering balance between performance and battery life at an affordable cost.

However, it seems Qualcomm isn't quite done raising the bar for how competitive it can get with pricing, as the company's Q3 2024 earnings call (via The Verge) revealed that it will take things to the next level with Copilot+ PCs boasting a far lower starting price point: $700.

Currently, the cheapest Copilot+ PC is the 14-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop for $999 at Best Buy, but by 2025, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon claims it will "address PCs with retail prices as low as $700."

Apparently, this will be done "Without compromising NPU performance," which is a pretty shocking statement for a machine that will essentially be $300 cheaper than anything already available.

But is that really so surprising? Let's find out.

What will a $700 Snapdragon X PC look like?

Qualcomm's statement specifically references PCs, not laptops, so there's a chance that this isn't going to end up being a Copilot+ laptop at all. If so, it's easy to imagine how Qualcomm plans to make it so affordable, as without a display, the company could launch a mini PC.

However, we will continue theorizing with the assumption that this won't happen, as it would be a rather unexciting conclusion to an otherwise bold statement. Instead, let us imagine how Qualcomm could get a laptop this affordable into the market.

The answer might not be as complex as you think, as in the world of tech, a year is a long time and many things can change. If we imagine these $700 PCs are launched around the summer (similarly to when Copilot+ PCs launched this year) that gives these laptops a long time for prices to decrease.

We already see laptops get hundreds of dollars cheaper after a year through discounts and as new models emerge. So, if Qualcomm were to launch a new round of devices, time itself is a significant enough reason to imagine why these laptops would be lower in price.

However, the reasons behind such a drop in price could be more complex, with certain aspects of the most affordable laptops cutting back in hardware avenues to achieve a more reasonable price. 

Things like a smaller battery, cheaper materials, or a lower-quality display could absolutely get it lower, but Qualcomm needs to hit $700 without sacrificing all of its positive qualities.

All that Qualcomm promises is that it will hit this price "Without compromising NPU performance," beyond this, nothing is off the table for the company to achieve such low prices.

However, if Copilot+ PCs do go on to hit a $700 price point while maintaining their NPU performance, we can't help but wonder how severely crushed Apple's MacBook Air will be.

Is Apple toast in the face of Qualcomm?

Apple silicon chips changed the game back in 2020, introducing the world to what it could achieve by manufacturing its own processors. The result is battery life greater than any other laptop maker can dream of, alongside impressive performance to boot.

Intel has done well in the last few years too, and its latest Meteor Lake processors are undeniably impressive. However, it's hard to deny how much further ahead MacBooks are in performance and longevity when compared to Intel CPUs.

Copilot+ PCs drummed up a similar level of hype from Qualcomm, with the company bluntly promising up to 22 hours of battery life. Our tests so far have been nowhere near as good as this, but some laptops got close — like the Dell XPS 13 9345 hitting 19 hours of uptime. 

The longest-lasting MacBook we've tested is the MacBook Pro 16-inch (M3 Max, 2023) at 18 hours and 5 minutes. In Apple's defense, not all Qualcomm laptops last quite this long, but most of them do pretty well. The Asus Vivobook S15 S5507 (12:53), HP EliteBook Ultra (16:01), Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (14:01), Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition (15:44), and Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition (12:11) all have great battery life.

Under normal circumstances (and particularly with Intel or AMD laptops), anything averaging around 10 hours of battery life is considered good. Each Snapdragon X laptop we've tested thus far has crushed this without issue.

But it's not just battery life, as performance itself is vitally important also.

Assuming Qualcomm's chips stay the same next year, the most affordable of Qualcomm's processors is the Snapdragon X Plus, thus it will almost certainly be what's available in the $700 version of its laptops.

Our sister website, Tom's Guide, pitted a Snapdragon X Plus laptop against the M3 MacBook Air, and on the Geekbench 6 benchmark, the former achieved a multi-core score of 13,015, while the latter was a bit behind at 12,087.

If we can expect similar performance from 2025's Copilot+ PC which is only $700, versus MacBook Air's starting price of $1,099, that's an incredibly competitive price point that could absolutely bring people over to Qualcomm's side. And if we see similarly fantastic battery life as shown above, there's even more reason to be excited about the future of Windows PCs.

However, all of this theorizing is being done without knowing what Apple has up its sleeve. Who knows how Qualcomm will fare against the inevitable MacBook Air M4? Regardless, it's looking like it will be an interesting battle.

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On Sunday, Asus launched three new laptops featuring AMD's Ryzen AI 300-series processors, the latest entries in a growing list of competitors in the AI PC market. 

The Asus ProArt P16, ProArt PX13, and Zenbook S16 are now available starting at $1,399. They join a line-up of over a dozen AI-powered laptops launched this year, many of which are Copilot+ PCs featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets. 

If you're in the market for a new laptop, particularly one with AI capabilities, you're probably wondering how these new Ryzen AI-powered laptops compare to Qualcomm's offerings. Laptop Mag ran our thorough benchmark tests on two of the new Asus laptops to see how they measure up. 

Here's an in-depth look at the first round of benchmark results for the Asus Zenbook S16 and ProArt PX13, and an overview of how they compare to Snapdragon-powered laptops. 

First Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 benchmark results

On July 28, Asus officially launched three new AI-powered laptops featuring AMD Ryzen AI 300-series processors: 

• Asus ProArt P16: starting at $1,899.99
• Asus ProArt PX13: starting at $1,699.99
• Asus Zenbook S16: starting at $1,399.99

Each model is available with the AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370 CPU. These are the first laptops to launch with this chip, so we're finally getting a look at how it performs in hands-on testing. 

Laptop Mag will be publishing full reviews on these laptops soon, but our first round of benchmark results already paints an interesting picture of how their performance measures up. 

Right out of the gate, the ProArt PX13 is the frontrunner across the board. It outscored the Zenbook S16 by 82 points in the Geekbench 6 single-core test and 1,921 points in the Geekbench 6 multi-core test. The ProArt PX13 also completed the HandBrake video transcoding benchmark in less than four minutes while the Zenbook S16 took over five minutes. 

It's worth noting that our review configurations for both laptops are fairly similar, but not exactly alike. Both include the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. However, there is one major spec difference: graphics.

Our review configuration of the ProArt PX13 includes an NVIDIA RTX 4050 laptop GPU. In comparison, the Zenbook S16 does not have a dedicated GPU, relying instead on AMD Radeon 890M integrated graphics. Both laptops' overall performance scores are solid, but the ProArt PX13's lead widens even more when we take graphics performance into account: 

Based on our gaming benchmarks, the inclusion of a dedicated GPU in the ProArt PX13 clearly makes a significant difference. It averaged 45 fps higher than the Zenbook S16 in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and nearly doubled the Zenbook's score in Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. 

Notably, the Zenbook S16 does not currently have a configuration available with a dedicated GPU. So, if you plan to use your laptop for gaming or other graphics-intensive tasks, you would be better served with the ProArt PX13. 

Of course, the ProArt PX13 has a higher starting price, but the dedicated GPU is included in the base configuration. So, the $300 price difference between the base ProArt PX13 and the base Zenbook S16 could be worth it depending on how you plan to use your laptop. 

AMD Ryzen AI 300-series CPUs vs. Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite

Arguably the biggest question surrounding Asus's new Ryzen-powered AI laptops is how they compare to Snapdragon-powered competitors. Laptop Mag's lab testing team ran some AI-focused benchmark tests on the new Asus laptops as well as the first several Copilot+ PCs. The results may reveal whether AMD or Qualcomm has the better chip for AI tasks: 

These results show significantly stronger AI performance from AMD's Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chip compared to all three versions of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chip. The Asus ProArt PX13 is the frontrunner across the board. It has a clear advantage on the graphics test due to its dedicated NVIDIA graphics, but it still scored higher on the Geekbench ML GPU test when Laptop Mag's lab testing team ran the test with integrated graphics instead. Keep in mind, of course, that this tests the CPU and not the NPU.

The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge, powered by a Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100, comes fairly close to the Asus Zenbook S16 in the Geekbench ML CPU test but falls far behind in the GPU test with a gap of 3,467 points. Unsurprisingly, the less powerful versions of the Snapdragon X Elite fell even further behind across the board. 

This is bad news for Qualcomm and good news for AMD since, at least based on these benchmark results, the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 offers far stronger AI performance. If you're specifically looking for a laptop capable of running on-device AI tasks, such as local image generation, you may be better served with one of Asus's new Ryzen-powered laptops rather than a Qualcomm-powered Copilot+ PC. 

Laptop Mag's reviews of the Asus Zenbook S16 and ProArt PX13 are coming soon, so stay tuned for our full analyses.

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When asked why the top-tier chip in the new Snapdragon X Elite series isn't in more laptops yet, Qualcomm's Sascha Segan offers an answer that might feel counterintuitive coming from a processor manufacturer: It's not all about the processor.

"[Laptop manufacturers] can create a bunch of very different laptops with the same processor. So, you need to look at more than the processor," Segan tells Laptop Mag.

Segan, a public relations manager for the San Diego-based chipmaker, points out that Qualcomm makes the chips, but design choices fall on device manufacturers. Laptop brands, like Lenovo or HP, decide how they want to integrate a chipmaker's processors into their laptops. 

Qualcomm's latest laptop chips, the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets, are at the core of the first wave of Copilot+ PCs, a new series of laptops featuring on-device AI that debuted in June.

These Snapdragon-powered laptops have been among 2024's biggest tech stories, but one SKU — the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100, the most powerful version of the Snapdragon X Elite — is still elusive.

Laptop Mag has already reviewed several new laptops with Snapdragon chipsets, with some emerging as shining stars while others don't quite live up to the hype. 

So far, there are three confirmed versions of the Snapdragon X Elite processor: 

• Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100
• Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100
• Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100

The first two versions, the X1E-78-100 and X1E-80-100, have already appeared in numerous Copilot+ PCs. However, the X1E-84-100, the most powerful version, is only in one laptop so far, Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Edge. 

So, if you're not interested in a Samsung laptop or simply want different features or a different design, you may have a long wait ahead of you before more laptops with the X1E-84-100 hit the market. 

Is the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 worth waiting for? Does sheer CPU power make one laptop better than another? Conventional wisdom suggests yes, but Snapdragon-powered laptops might not be that simple. Here's why.

Where's the most powerful version of the Snapdragon X Elite chip?

The first round of Copilot+ PCs that launched earlier this year were mainly powered by the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 and X1E-78-100, the two mid-range offerings of the four Qualcomm chips in the line-up (including the Snapdragon X Plus). 

One might expect Qualcomm to come out swinging by putting its most high-performance chip front and center, but the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 is only available in one laptop so far, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge. 

Information about when more laptops with the chip could arrive has been scarce. 

We know more Copilot+ PCs are launching later this year, but all those announced so far include the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 or X1E-80-100 (or don't have confirmed specs yet). 

So, if you're considering buying a Snapdragon-powered laptop, you may wonder if more laptops with the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 are worth waiting for. However, more sheer processing power might not be a deal-breaker with Snapdragon-powered laptops. 

Any laptop is quite literally the sum of its parts, so it's possible for a chip that's less powerful on paper to deliver stronger real-world performance in some areas than a more powerful chip, depending on the other components in the laptop. 

Laptop Mag has benchmark results for several Snapdragon-powered laptops, so one can examine how different builds perform with different versions of the Snapdragon X Elite. 

Those testing results offer some clues about the most powerful Snapdragon X Elite.

Is the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 worth waiting for?

The only laptop announced so far with the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 is the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge. So, unfortunately, we only have one laptop's benchmarks to compare the X1E-84-100 to the other versions of the Snapdragon X Elite. 

However, even this limited sample size offers hints about whether the X1E-84-100 is significantly better than the other Snapdragon X Elite chips. 

Laptop's benchmark results for a handful of the first Copilot+ PCs paint an intriguing picture of how the Snapdragon X Elite chips compare.

At first glance, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge with the X1E-84-100 is the clear frontrunner across the board. It has the best scores in three main benchmark tests, but things get interesting when we compare those scores to the benchmark results for the lower-power versions of the Snapdragon X Elite. 

For example, the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 trailed the Galaxy Book4 Edge by just 122 points in the Geekbench 6 single-core test but lagged by 1,386 points in the multi-core test. That means the Galaxy Book4 Edge is about 4.3% faster in single-core performance and about 9.6% faster in multi-core performance. 

Does the same gap between the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 and the X1E-78-100 show up? Not exactly. 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x with a 78-100 chip scored 361 points lower than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 with an 80-100 chip in the Geekbench 6 single-core test, and 676 points lower in the multi-core test. 

That means the Surface Laptop 7 is about 14.7% faster in single-core performance and about 4.9% faster in multi-core performance.  

That difference is crucial since it's effectively the opposite of the performance gap between the X1E-80-100 and X1E-84-100. 

Based on these results, there's a much sharper single-core performance falloff between the X1E-80-100 and X1E-78-100, although multi-core performance between configurations with both chips is fairly similar.

When we factor in the 3DMark Fire Strike graphics test scores for all five laptops, the Galaxy Book4 Edge unsurprisingly scored the highest, but the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x with the X1E-78-100 scored higher than both of the laptops with the X1E-80-100.

In fact, Laptop reviewers noticed this performance difference in hands-on reviews. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x offers a better gaming experience than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

What's even more baffling is the chasm between the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x's scores and those of the HP EliteBook Ultra G1q. Both laptops have the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, but the Yoga Slim 7x scored 3.2% higher on the Geekbench 6 single-core test and 8.1% higher on the multi-core test. The Yoga Slim 7x also scored 466 points higher on the 3DMark Fire Strike test. 

That's a far bigger performance gap than the difference between the scores of the two laptops with the X1E-80-100, which were within 50 points of each other across the board. 

Now the question is, based on these results, which Snapdragon-powered laptop should you buy?

Which Snapdragon-powered laptop should you buy?

The results that show a lower-tier chip perform better than its higher-specced sibling go back to Segan's comments about looking beyond the processor. They also highlight why the X1E-84-100 might not be sorely missed after all. 

For instance, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x with a 78-100 chip delivers excellent performance and even outscores some more powerful competitors — despite having the lowest-power version of the Snapdragon X Elite. 

If there's one thing to take away from these benchmark results, it's that Snapdragon-powered laptops are the sum of their parts. So, choosing the right one requires zooming out and looking at any laptop's trade-offs. 

For example, the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge might have the most potent Snapdragon chip in the first wave of Copilot+ PCs, but it also has the worst battery life test result. Equally ironic, the laptop with the best battery life in this group, the HP EliteBook Ultra G1q, has some of the worst performance benchmark results. 

So, the Snapdragon-powered laptop that's the best deal is one in the "Goldilocks zone," where performance and battery life are all relatively strong. 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is arguably the top candidate for that Goldilocks zone. It comes at a reasonable mid-range price, making it the best Snapdragon-powered laptop for most people — at least right now.

The Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100 can undoubtedly outperform the other Snapdragon X Elite chips. We would love to see more laptops with this chip unveiled over the next year or so, which could give us a clearer picture of the chip's performance. 

Why we don't know about more 84-100-powered laptops

Unfortunately, none of the major laptop brands have announced upcoming laptops with the X1E-84-100 as of mid-2024. Segan also noted that that decision is up to laptop manufacturers, so Qualcomm isn't at liberty to reveal specs for products before they're publicly announced. 

So, if you're thinking about buying a Snapdragon-powered laptop, the long wait for more options with the X1E-84-100 might not be worthwhile. The benchmark results we have so far don't show a significant enough performance gap to warrant waiting, at least not for the average user. 

If you're considering buying a laptop from the first round of Copilot+ PCs, your best bet may lie in the most well-rounded laptop, not necessarily the one with the most powerful processor.

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The AI PC competition is about to heat up. 

An Asus representative tells Laptop Mag that a July 17 event will be "a China local event" discussing some of the laptops Asus revealed at Computex 2024 earlier this summer. They also noted that there are no immediate livestreams planned, so it looks like the July 17 event will be exclusively for audiences in China.

The event may showcase some upcoming laptops featuring AMD's Ryzen AI 300-series APUs. These powerful new chips could be major rivals for Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips, which are running the current line-up of Copilot+ PCs. 

ASUS launched a Copilot+ PC, the ASUS Vivobook S15, in May, but it looks like it's not the only AI PC in ASUS's 2024 line-up. 

An upcoming July 17 event in China is expected to showcase several new laptops running ASUS's own AI platform using AMD chips. 

Here's a look at what we could see at the event, what we know about it so far, and how AMD's Ryzen AI 300 chips could compete with Qualcomm's Snapdragon offerings. 

ASUS July 17 event to feature Ryzen AI 300 laptops

On Tuesday, Asus posted on its official Weibo account announcing a "Next Gen AI PC" event slated for July 17 at 20:00/8:00 pm (Weibo is a Chinese social media site similar to X). 

According to details provided by representatives from Asus, it will be a local, China-only event. It follows a June 3 announcement unveiling Asus's upcoming AI PC line-up for Computex 2024. The presentation at the July 17 event will focus on some of the models from Asus's Computex announcements. 

Over the past few weeks, the AI PC world has focused on the first Copilot+ PC launches in May and June. However, Asus is preparing to shake things up with its own AI tools and several new laptops running AMD's Ryzen AI 300-series chipsets. 

Asus published a press release on Wednesday detailing its plans for enterprise and consumer AI apps and services, which could be a build-up to a hardware-focused presentation at the July 17 event. 

This event could be a big one, too, despite being a local, China-only event. It could give us more details about the Ryzen-powered laptops Asus announced at Computex 2024, which feature processors that may rival Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite. 

Can AMD's Ryzen AI 300 APUs compete with Snapdragon X Elite?

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite/Plus chipsets kicked off the AI PC race but may not dominate the market for long. Other AI-powered chipsets are in development or gearing up for launch at Intel and AMD, Qualcomm's biggest rivals. 

AMD's Ryzen AI 300-series chips are expected to power this next wave of Asus AI laptops, so we could soon see how these chipsets compare to Qualcomm's in actual benchmarks. 

Early benchmarks hint that the Ryzen AI 300 chips could offer graphics performance similar to some low-end discrete GPUs, which is impressive for integrated graphics. 

If AMD's AI chips can deliver strong graphics performance, it could give them a significant edge over Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips, which have struggled with gaming thus far. 

This is partly because Qualcomm chips use Arm architecture, which most games are not designed to run natively on. So, the Ryzen AI 300 chipsets could offer an alternative to Qualcomm's chips for gamers looking to switch to an AI PC. 

The Ryzen AI 300-series chips also support up to 50 TOPS (trillion operations per second), outpacing the current variants of the Snapdragon X Elite, which max out at 45 TOPS. That means the Ryzen AI 300-series chips offer stronger performance for AI applications than the Snapdragon X Elite. 

We will have to wait until we can run Laptop Mag's thorough lab tests to determine whether AMD's AI chips deliver in real-world use. 

However, these early specs and benchmarks indicate that the Ryzen AI 300-series chips could seriously challenge Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets. 

What's next?

The July 17 Asus will be a local, China-only presentation, so unfortunately audiences in other parts of the world will not be able to watch along. However, we do know the presentation will focus on some of the Asus laptops unveiled at Computex 2024, most likely those powered by the Ryzen AI 300-series APUs, which could spark an exciting rivalry with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite line-up. 

Until then, we're looking closely for additional news and rumors surrounding Asus's next wave of new releases and AMD's Ryzen AI 300-series chips. 

AI PCs are the next wave of innovation in the laptop space, so it's exciting to see some new laptops on the horizon to contend with the current line-up of Copilot+ PCs. 

Laptop Mag will cover the latest news on Asus's upcoming laptops and share our full reviews soon, so stay tuned for more expert insights, deals, and details. 

This article has been updated to incorporate comments from Asus.

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Copilot+ PCs might be good with AI, but how do they hold up with gaming? I tested out a range of games on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x to find out and the results were... interesting, but not grim. 

Copilot+ PCs are a new collection of AI-powered laptops equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets. Qualcomm's chips run on a different type of architecture than Intel and AMD chips, which means many apps and games can't run natively on Copilot+ PCs — yet, anyway. For now, anything that can't run natively on Qualcomm's Arm architecture goes through Mircosoft's Prism emulator instead. 

As a result, gaming on a Snapdragon-powered laptop can be hit or miss. If you're thinking about getting a Copilot+ PC and may want to game on it, there are a few things you should know first. Here's a look at my dive into gaming on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. 

Gaming on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is… fine?

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is a slim, sleek mid-range laptop designed to suit a variety of everyday tasks like web browsing or media consumption. However, it's not a purpose-built gaming laptop and doesn't feature a dedicated GPU. Our review unit included the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 CPU, integrated Qualcomm Adreno graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. It performed well overall, but provided an interesting gaming experience.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Snapdragon X Elite, so I started with a couple of low-spec games and worked my way up from there. I usually prefer to use Xbox Game Pass during my gaming tests, but it doesn't run on Copilot+ PCs (unless you want to stream games with Xbox Cloud Gaming). So, I went through Steam instead. 

I kicked things off with Death's Door, which is a pretty lightweight indie title. When I launched the game on the Yoga Slim 7x, it defaulted to max graphics settings (2944 x 1840, 89 fps), which led to a bit of lag but still playable. It ran perfectly when I changed the graphics settings to Medium (1920 x 1280, 59 fps). Death's Door looked great on the OLED display and ran smoothly, making it an enjoyable experience overall. 

Next, I booted up Risk of Rain 2 to see how the Yoga Slim 7x handled generated worlds and large numbers of creatures to render. The Snapdragon X Elite lagged a bit when new worlds were loading in, but ran smoothly after that. It kept up with quick movements and rendered hordes of cartoon aliens without much trouble. 

I was feeling a bit optimistic after these first two games — at least the Yoga Slim 7x can run casual titles, right? What about more demanding single-player games, though? 

I took things up a notch by trying Horizon: Zero Dawn and Assassin's Creed: Valhalla next. Both games are designed for computers with dedicated GPUs. Zero Dawn will even trigger a pop-up to warn you about potential graphics issues if you try to run it on a PC without a dedicated GPU. I ignored the pop-up and ran it on the Yoga Slim 7x anyway. The results surprised me. 

Horizon: Zero Dawn launched fairly quickly and loaded in my most recent save without any issues. On Low graphics settings, it ran perfectly and averaged around 55 fps. I made some progress on a quest, searched for supplies, and fought a pack of robots without any issues. Even combat was smooth and responsive. 

So, surprisingly, it was a completely playable experience. The OLED display helped make up for the Low graphics settings, too. The Snapdragon X Elite slowed down a bit on Medium and High graphics, but I still consider this a "pass" overall. 

The Yoga Slim 7x was three-for-three so far, but when I tried to run Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, I finally uncovered its limits. 

Where gaming on a Snapdragon X Elite falls short

Despite being a few years old now, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla is a pretty demanding game, especially for a mainstream laptop like the Yoga Slim 7x. I immediately had to turn down the graphics quality, which was set to "High" by default. When I wasn't moving, the graphics looked great on the OLED display, but the Yoga Slim 7x couldn't handle movement with the graphics on "High." 

I turned everything down to "Medium" and ran the in-game benchmark test on a few different graphics: 

Those results line up with our lab testing results on Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm, which showed an average of 20.8 fps in 1080p on the Yoga Slim 7x. That's much lower than the framerates I was getting in other games. Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) didn't help much, either, but that is most likely because Assassin's Creed: Valhalla doesn't support it yet. 

Auto SR is a feature on Copilot+ PCs that uses AI to enhance graphics performance. By lowering rendering resolution, it can increase FPS. Since it's a new feature, it only works on a handful of games so far. Unfortunately, Assassin's Creed: Valhalla isn't one of them (at the time of writing). 

Valhalla was barely playable, even on low graphics settings. The 20 fps it averaged in the benchmark test matched what I got in actual gameplay. I ran around a bit, but attempting things like combat or parkour was headache-inducing due to dropped frames. 

So, unfortunately, the Yoga Slim 7x did not pass my Assassin's Creed: Valhalla test. 

Things continued to go downhill when I moved on to the final stage of my gaming test: multiplayer. The first title I attempted to play, Apex Legends, ended abruptly with a pop-up notifying me that it wasn't compatible with the Snapdragon X Elite chipset. I expected this might happen since Apex Legends, and other esports titles like it, use anti-cheat software, which has so far completely blocked these games from running on ARM-based PCs. 

After that failed attempt, I booted up Elder Scrolls Online to see how the Yoga Slim 7x handled large environments with a lot of moving players and creatures. The game did run, but it was completely unplayable. The Snapdragon X Elite struggled to render things correctly, resulting in accidentally invisible monsters and floating grass. The keyboard deck also got noticeably hot, especially in the top left corner where the WASD keys are. 

So, sadly, both of my multiplayer tests were failures. The Snapdragon X Elite has its limits, but I wouldn't say it's a complete flop when it comes to gaming. 

What about streaming games?

Assassin's Creed: Valhalla, Apex Legends, and Elder Scrolls Online paint a grim picture of gaming on Copilot+ PCs, but there may be a solution: cloud gaming. NVIDIA GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming work on the Snapdragon X Elite, allowing you to play games that might not otherwise be playable on the Yoga Slim 7x. It's not a perfect solution since it relies on an Internet connection, but many modern games require that anyway. 

I played some Forza Horizon 5 on GeForce Now on the Yoga Slim 7x and had a great time with it. The resolution and framerate were just as good as what I normally get on my desktop gaming PC and the graphics were crisp and colorful on the Yoga Slim 7x's OLED display. The keyboard deck got a bit warm, but not as scorching hot as when it tried to run Elder Scrolls Online. 

Cloud gaming offers a way to bridge the gap while game developers and publishers port their titles over to ARM architecture. While there have been other attempts to bring Qualcomm chips to laptops, Copilot+ PCs are the first time there have been so many Snapdragon-powered laptops on the market. So, it may just take time for more games to get optimized to run natively Arm architecture. In the meantime, you can still get a great experience with cloud gaming.

Bottom line

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is many things — Copilot+ PC, Snapdragon-powered laptop, MacBook Air rival — but "gaming PC" is not one of them. It's designed to be a mid-range mainstream laptop and it succeeds at that. If you're looking for a device specifically for gaming, you would be better served with one of the best gaming laptops or even a handheld gaming PC. 

However, if you're looking for a slim, lightweight, all-purpose laptop that can do some gaming on the side, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is up to the task. It stumbled when I tried to run graphics-intensive games and multiplayer titles, but casual games run just fine on it. Indie titles performed especially well in my testing. 

You could easily take this laptop with you on the plane and play a bit of Hades or Death's Door without any trouble. Considering the Yoga Slim 7x is running most games through an emulator right now, it keeps up surprisingly well. If you ever want to play a more resource-intensive game, you can always use a cloud gaming platform like NVIDIA GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Gaming. Plus, games look great on the 3K OLED display. 

If you're considering getting a Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x but are concerned about gaming performance, keep in mind that many games aren't optimized for Qualcomm chips yet. This will likely improve over time. 

Whether the Yoga Slim 7x, or any other Copilot+ PC for that matter, is the right laptop for you comes down to what games you like to play. Competitive gamers who stick mainly to multiplayer titles should opt for a gaming laptop instead, but casual gamers or fans of indie games could be right at home with the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. 

More from Laptop Mag

• I tried gaming on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition... I wanted to cry
• The 9 most important factors for buying a gaming laptop
• Copilot+ PCs: Release date, reviews, price — and what Reddit thinks

While Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops aren't meant to replace a gaming laptop, casual gamers may be surprised by what's possible with their performance. Copilot+ PCs even introduce a new AI-powered feature in Windows 11 that's supposed to enhance gaming, but in our experience, it doesn't.

This new feature is called Automatic Super Resolution, or Auto SR for short, and according to Microsoft, it's supposed to provide "a smoother, more detailed gaming experience." by "automatically lowering the game's rendering resolution to increase framerate, then [employing] sophisticated AI technology to provide enhanced high-definition visuals." 

That sounds fantastic on paper, but one of Laptop Mag's own, Rami Tabari, unfortunately didn't experience the positives promised for Auto SR.

Laptop Mag's frustrating experience with Auto SR

Rami was fighting against strange resolution and frame rate problems with multiple games.

When he first launched Control, the game automatically lowered its resolution and apparently lowered the resolution of the laptop's display as well. According to Microsoft, you can turn off this display resolution change in settings, but that's an annoying default feature.

When Control finally launched and was playable, Rami ran into "stuttering and spiked frame drops in combat" — not a great start.

He ran into the same issues with Dark Souls III, even though both Control and Dark Souls III are two games supposedly verified by Microsoft to work with Auto SR. When Rami turned off Auto SR, Control and Dark Souls III instantly captured the native resolution of his Microsoft Surface Laptop review unit.

There are several FAQs covering potential problems and solutions regarding Auto SR, but here's my question: If there are this many possible issues and/or if the feature isn't intuitive for resident gamers to use, why is it available right now?

You can read through Rami's gamer troubleshooting night experience or keep scrolling to see how to turn off the feature if you don't even want to bother with it.

How to turn off Automatic Super Resolution in Windows 11

If you don't even want to risk troubleshooting Auto SR and trying to get it to work correctly with your Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptop, you can turn the feature off — here's how.

1. Open Settings in Windows 11 by using the Windows key + I shortcut or clicking the Start menu button in your taskbar and selecting Settings. 

2. Navigate to the System menu.

3. Click on Display at the top of the System menu.

4. Scroll down and select Graphics from the Display menu, under the Related settings header.

5. Under Default settings, switch the toggle off next to Automatic super resolution. You'll only see this option listed if you have a Snapdragon X Elite-powered PC. 

MORE FROM LAPTOP MAG

• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x review: A Copilot+ PC that hits all the right notes
• Qualcomm Snapdragon X-powered laptops: How does their battery life hold up?
• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition review: Doesn’t quite bite the apple

While the new Copilot+ PCs deliver plenty of impressive benchmarks, many crave the blend of performance and battery life that Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chipset promised.

The good news is that, for the most part, that is coming true. We've tested seven of the new Copilot+ PCs so far, and battery life is generally excellent; there's just one notable exception.

The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge is the most powerful Copilot+ PC available today, so it's not shocking that it has the worst battery life. However, the disparity between reality and Samsung's claims and the rest of the Snapdragon X Elite laptops had us run multiple additional battery life tests to confirm.

Here's how far short the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge came from matching the rest of the Copilot+ PC laptops.

How long does the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge last on a charge?

We went in-depth on how we test AI PCs, which is a challenging process at the moment as benchmark developers work to properly capture Neural Processing Unit (NPU) performance along with overall AI performance that utilizes the CPU, GPU, and NPU. 

While that process will continue to evolve over the coming months and years, fortunately, our battery test remains as applicable as ever.

The Laptop Mag battery test involves setting the laptop to 150 nits of brightness and cycling through dynamic, static, and video webpages with standby periods in between until the battery entirely runs down.

At the top of the Copilot+ battery life pecking order are the HP EliteBook Ultra and the HP OmniBook X. Both managed a remarkable 16 hours and 22 minutes in our test. Scroll to the bottom and you'll find the Galaxy Book 4 Edge, which called it quits at 9 hours and 56 minutes. 

Barely under 10 hours isn't an abysmal showing from the Galaxy Book 4 Edge if we are grading it against the entire laptop market. The premium laptop average on our test is 10 hours and 7 minutes, just narrowly beating the Book 4 Edge. However, Samsung claimed up to 22 hours of battery life for video playback, so below 10 in our admittedly much more rigorous test still came as a surprise. 

Just look at the chart below, and you'll understand why we find this to be a disappointing result grading against the Copilot+ PC laptop curve. The only other Snapdragon X Elite laptop to finish under 14 hours was the Surface Pro 11th Edition, a fanless tablet that you would expect to come up short of the competition.

Bottom line

Multiple Copilot+ PCs are candidates for our laptops with the best battery life page, so it's unfortunate to see one fail to live up to that standard. This isn't enough to warn you away from the Galaxy Book 4 Edge; it has enough battery life to get most people through the day, and it has plenty else to recommend.

For example, if you want the best performance of any Copilot+ PC then the Galaxy Book 4 Edge is the clear choice, it scored decisive victories against its Snapdragon X Elite rivals in Geekbench 6, Handbrake, and 3DMark Wildlife Extreme. It even edged out the MacBook Pro M3 Pro in Geekbench 6 multicore performance.

Add in the 3K 120Hz AMOLED display, thin and light chassis (0.43 inches, 2.62 pounds), and a solid array of ports, and you may forgive the Galaxy Book 4 Edge's battery shortcomings. 

The final ace up its sleeve is perhaps the most relevant: It can charge up to 40% in just 30 minutes using the bundled charger, so as long as you can occasionally access an outlet, you can easily keep it topped up.

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Is the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x the best Copilot+ PC for most people? After test-driving it for the past couple of weeks, I can safely say it’s a top contender for the title. 

From its thin, stylish design to its strong battery life and crisp OLED display, there’s a lot to love about the Yoga Slim 7x. It’s one of the first in a new collection of Copilot+ PCs, paving the way for AI-powered laptops that look to change how we interact with our devices. The initial batch of Copilot+ PCs features Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips, which include a neural processing unit (NPU) that allows for on-device AI. In this case, that AI is Microsoft Copilot. 

Since Microsoft announced Copilot+ PCs at Microsoft Build 2024, many have wondered how Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipsets will hold up in real-world use. I found out first-hand while testing the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. 

Here’s a look at where this Snapdragon-powered laptop shines, where it falls short, and why it might be the best Copilot+ PC for most of us.  

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Specs (as reviewed)

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Price and configurations

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x has two configurations. The base model costs $1,199 and includes the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 CPU, Integrated Qualcomm Adreno graphics, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. 

The premium model, priced at $1,289, includes the same CPU, graphics, and RAM, but increases storage to 1TB. Our review unit is the base configuration. 

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Design

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x has a sleek, thin design with a unique cosmic blue casing. It’s reminiscent of a MacBook Air, from the keycap font to the new location of the Lenovo logo in the center of the lid. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. This new design is pretty stylish, and the metallic blue finish helps it stand out. 

The aluminum chassis doesn’t just look good—it’s also durable. The Yoga Slim 7x passed the MIL-STD 810H military-grade durability certification, meaning it can withstand the rigors of life in your laptop bag. 

The keyboard deck includes a full row of function keys with pre-assigned media functions for brightness, volume, setting, screen capture, and more. There’s also a dedicated Copilot key in the lower right corner of the keyboard, which launches the Copilot app. This is handy for quickly pulling up Microsoft’s AI assistant, but it does mean there is only one control key on the Yoga Slim 7x, which may be a drawback for some people. 

The top-firing speakers line the left and right edges of the keyboard deck, providing a pleasing audio experience. The right edge of the keyboard deck has a switch to activate the webcam shutter for added privacy. 

At 12.8 x 8.8 x 0.51 inches and 2.8 pounds, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is thinner and lighter than its Copilot+ PC competitor the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition (11.85 x 8.67 x 0.72 inches, 3.67 pounds). However, the MacBook Air 13 M3 (11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches, 2.7 pounds) sneaks in under it, but it's worth noting that Apple's laptop features a 13.6-inch display compared to the 14.5-inch panel on the Slim 7x.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Ports

The Yoga Slim 7x's port selection is limited. It only has USB4 Type-C ports—two on the left and one on the right side above the power button and webcam shutter switch. One of the ports on the left-hand side is for charging, so you effectively have two USB Type-C ports for everything else. There are no USB Type-A ports. 

This might be fine for some users but could become an issue if you use tools and accessories like an external hard drive, a USB thumb drive, or an external mouse. Most of these accessories are still designed for USB Type-A ports, so you may need a USB Type-A to USB Type-C adapter to use them with the Yoga Slim 7x. Alternatively, add one of the best USB Type-C hubs or a laptop docking station to your setup for a more comprehensive selection of ports.  

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Display

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x features a 14.5-inch 3K 2994 x 1840 OLED touch display. It’s crisp and colorful and fared well overall on our display tests. It covered 155% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, far above the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and the MacBook Air M3. 

The Yoga Slim 7x didn’t do as well as its competitors on average SDR screen brightness, scoring 464 nits. That’s slightly lower than the MacBook Air M3 (476 nits) and about 100 points below the Surface Laptop 7 (567 nits); however, it’s still a solid result that beats the premium laptop average of 457 nits. The Yoga Slim 7x also boasts the highest max brightness of this group, hitting 785 nits at 100% in HDR. 

The OLED display looked great during my everyday use. The colorful sci-fi sets and costumes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds looked fantastic, as did most of the games I tried. The 90Hz refresh rate ensures everything is smooth and responsive, too. 

The only real drawback I noticed is reflections. Even if you crank up the brightness on the Yoga Slim 7x’s display, you can usually still clearly see your reflection unless you’re looking at a bright white window. This was noticeable during low-light scenes in shows and movies. I wish there was an anti-reflective layer over the display; otherwise, it looks sharp and colorful.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Keyboard and touchpad

The keyboard is one of my favorite features of the Yoga Slim 7x. It offers a fantastic typing experience, from the soft texture of the keycaps to the satisfying 1.5mm of key travel and tactile feedback. In fact, the typing experience on the Yoga Slim 7x is so good that I broke my typing speed record on it. 

On the Monkeytype typing test, I scored a whopping 105 wpm with 100% accuracy, the highest I’ve scored on any keyboard I’ve ever tested, laptop and standalone keyboards included. 

Lenovo’s laptop keyboards are usually among my favorites (the Lenovo Slim 7i formerly held the record for my top typing score). So, I wasn’t surprised the Yoga Slim 7x featured such a stellar typing experience. The keyboard layout perfectly balances keycap size and spacing, which helps increase typing speed. 

The touchpad on the Yoga Slim 7x is equally impressive. It’s roomy without being so big that it encroaches on typing space. It has a soft matte texture and never got overly warm during my tests. Mouse movement with the touchpad is smooth and responsive. 

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Audio

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x has four 2-watt speakers with Dolby Atmos support. They sounded good playing games, watching movies, and listening to music. I never needed to crank up the volume past 60% to hear videos and games clearly. 

The speakers delivered the smooth, bassy tones of the Lofi Girl stream on YouTube with good balance and detail. Post Malone’s Into the Spider-Verse hit “Sunflower” sounded punchy and smooth, especially at the higher end. Highs and mids sounded fuller than lower notes on the Yoga Slim 7x, but the speakers still sounded good.  

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Gaming and graphics

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x isn’t a gaming PC, but it can easily manage some casual gaming. It scored 5800 on the 3DMark FireStrike graphics test and averaged 20.8 frames per second in Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm in 1080p. That’s slightly higher than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (5792, 20.6 fps) but significantly lower than the MacBook Air M3, which averaged 41 fps in Civilization VI. 

The Yoga Slim 7x performed surprisingly well in my hands-on gaming tests. I downloaded a handful of games from my Steam library, including Death’s Door, Risk of Rain 2, Horizon: Zero Dawn, and Elder Scrolls Online. I was skeptical about how well the Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 chip would hold up with gaming, so I started with a fairly low-spec game and worked my way up to more graphics-intensive and multiplayer titles. 

Death’s Door and Risk of Rain 2 are both lightweight games. Both ran well overall, although Risk of Rain 2 had a bit of lag when loading in new planets. Death’s Door was smooth and responsive, around 60 fps on 1920 x 1280p. 

Horizon: Zero Dawn was where I expected the Yoga Slim 7x to begin to stumble. It isn’t a particularly demanding title for a desktop gaming PC, but it can be a horrible experience on laptops with integrated graphics. 

I was pleasantly surprised, though. It launched and ran smoothly, albeit on low graphics settings. Combat was quick and responsive, and I didn’t notice any dropped frames. Of course, the Yoga Slim 7x struggled when I tried to turn it up to medium and high graphics settings, but the fact that it ran the game so well at all is impressive. 

Lastly, I tried multiplayer gaming on the Yoga Slim 7x with Elder Scrolls Online. This is where things got interesting. ESO ran noticeably worse than the other titles I tried. Load times were slow, and the Yoga Slim 7x struggled to render graphics correctly, especially details like grass and leaves. It was effectively unplayable, even on low graphics settings. So, the Yoga Slim 7x can manage some casual gaming, but it has limits.  

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Performance

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x performed well overall in our performance benchmarks. It scored 2,448 on the Geekbench 6 single-core benchmark and an impressive 13,750 on the Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark. That far exceeds our premium laptop Geekbench 6 multi-core average of 9,595 and even bests the MacBook Air M3’s score of 12,087. However, the Yoga Slim 7x fell behind the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 in both single-core and multi-core performance, with the Surface Laptop 7 scoring 2,809 and 14,426, respectively. 

The Yoga Slim 7x completed the HandBrake video transcoding benchmark in a speedy 5 minutes and 16 seconds. That time matches the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7’s and beats the MacBook Air M3 by over a minute.

It’s worth noting that the Yoga Slim 7x outpaced the MacBook Air M3 on the Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark but fell over 600 points behind on the single-core benchmark. This indicates that the individual cores in the Yoga Slim 7x’s Qualcomm CPU are slower than the individual cores in Apple’s M3 chip. However, when all of Qualcomm’s CPU cores work together, they are faster overall.  

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: AI Performance and features

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is a Copilot+ PC, meaning it includes a Neural Processing Unit and runs Microsoft’s Copilot AI platform locally. Laptop Mag has developed a thorough testing process for AI PCs like the Yoga Slim 7x to compare AI performance across devices. Our process tests how NPUs handle tasks like image generation and machine learning to give an overview of the real-world AI performance you can expect from an AI PC. 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is one of the highest-performing laptops in the first batch of Copilot+ PCs, especially in the more budget-friendly range. It scored 2,903 on the CPU component of the Geekbench ML benchmark and 2,303 on the GPU component. Both scores are higher than those of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and even the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (which has the more powerful Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 CPU). 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x also performed well on the UL Procyon AI Computer Vision benchmark, scoring 1,710. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 lagged by about 20 points, but the Surface Pro 11 was only 7 points behind the Yoga Slim 7x. 

All that AI performance allows you to tap into various Copilot AI features, including live captions, Studio Effects, Cocreator, and everyday generative AI and chat tasks with Copilot. Live captions was one of my favorite AI features on the Yoga Slim 7x. It can generate subtitles for any audio playing on your device and even translate for you. The captions aren’t always perfect, but Copilot is pretty good with clean audio. 

Cocreator is a local image generation tool you can access through the Paint app. You can start with a doodle or sketch of your own and have Cocreator finish it for you. If you want to generate images using just text, Copilot can do that locally, too. Just hit the Copilot key on the keyboard deck and type in whatever you want Copilot to generate. 

The general Copilot window the Copilot key opens is also where you can type in questions or ask for generated text. I really appreciated that Copilot displays links to its sources alongside its chat responses, allowing you to double-check any info easily. 

Studio Effects is handy for anyone who frequently attends video calls or Zoom meetings. It uses AI to locally create different video effects such as automatic framing, eye contact adjustment, background blur, and a few creative effects.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Battery life

The Yoga Slim 7x has strong battery life, but can’t quite beat some of its rivals. It lasted an impressive 14 hours and 14 minutes on our battery life test, which is more than enough to get through a full day and far longer than our premium laptop average of 10 hours and 8 minutes. 

However, the MacBook Air M3 outlasted the Yoga Slim 7x at 15 hours and 13 minutes. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 scored better than both competitors at 15 hours and 44 minutes. All three are great times, but if laptops with the best battery life are your top priority, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 might be a better Copilot+ PC for you than the Yoga Slim 7x. 

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Webcam

The Yoga Slim 7x includes a Full HD IR camera with Windows Hello Face ID sign-in support. It has a built-in privacy shutter, which you can switch on or off from the right edge of the keyboard deck. 

The Yoga Slim 7x’s webcam quality is fairly good. My test video looked soft, but not blurry. The “Portrait Lighting” feature in Windows Studio Effects helped improve image quality overall. The mic quality is decent and good enough for everyday video calls.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Heat

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x managed heat reasonably well in our tests and my everyday use. The highest temperature we recorded in our thermal tests was 86 degrees near the middle of the back edge of the underside of the keyboard deck. The warmest the touchpad got was 80.5 degrees. Both temperatures are well below our 95-degree comfort threshold. 

I only noticed the Yoga Slim 7x getting warm during my gaming tests. It quickly went from being nice and cool to uncomfortably hot in some parts of the keyboard deck. Unfortunately, one of the warmest areas was the upper left side of the keyboard deck, right under the WASD keys. So, if you want to game on the Yoga Slim 7x, I’d recommend using a Bluetooth controller instead of the keyboard. 

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: Software and warranty

Out of the box, the Yoga Slim 7x comes ready to go with Windows 11 Home (or Pro for an upgrade fee). You have the standard Windows and Microsoft apps, including the Copilot app, Microsoft Edge, the Xbox app, trial versions of the Microsoft Office apps, and Lenovo Vantage, which is a hub for device info, settings, and warranty details. 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x includes a 1-year limited warranty for parts and labor. You can upgrade or extend your warranty coverage through Lenovo’s Premium Care packages if you want more peace of mind and access to 24/7 customer service. For more information on Lenovo’s customer service, see how it performed in our annual Tech Support Showdown report.

Bottom line

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x delivers smooth performance, strong battery life, and a host of AI features in a lightweight, stylish chassis at a fair mid-range price. It’s a fantastic all-around Windows 11 laptop for students and professionals. While it can’t compete with purpose-built gaming laptops, it can handle some casual gaming. 

Even if you aren’t explicitly looking for an AI PC, the Yoga Slim 7x is worth considering. The Snapdragon X Elite CPU delivers solid, stable performance in everyday tasks like web browsing or media consumption, on top of the on-device AI features from Microsoft Copilot. Plus, it has a typing experience that’s tough to beat and a crisp OLED display. 

If you’re looking for a Windows alternative to the MacBook Air, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x should be on your shortlist. It rivals the MacBook Air M3’s performance across the board, with only a few exceptions (like graphics processing). Overall, for $1,200, it’s tough to go wrong with the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, and it makes a great introduction to the intriguing new world of AI PCs.

The Razer Blade 14 combines high-end performance with the portability of a 14-inch laptop chassis, making it a compelling choice for gamers on the go. Last year’s model had some of the best battery life we’ve seen on a gaming laptop, making it a shoo-in for our list of best gaming laptops.

With an updated Ryzen 9 CPU and an RTX 4070, the Razer Blade 14 (early 2024) model continues to offer blazing performance in a sturdy aluminum chassis. However, it doesn’t quite meet the battery life standards set by the Razer Blade 14 (mid-2023) model, which makes it a bit less compelling than the previous generation.

That battery shortcoming doesn’t mean the Razer Blade (early 2024) isn’t worth your time, but it does come with a few more caveats this time, so let’s get into it.

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Specs

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Price and configurations

The Razer Blade 14 (early 2024) starts at $2,199, offering an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS CPU with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, just like the new Asus Zephyrus G14. It also has 16 GB of memory and 1TB of storage space. This configuration is only available in the traditional Razer black and green colorway.

For an additional $500, you can upgrade the RAM to 32GB of memory and swap in the Nvidia RTX 4070 — a GPU that peppers our guide to the best gaming laptops. You cannot upgrade only the memory at this time. This $2,699 version of the Blade 14 comes in both the Black and Mercury colorways. While $2,199-$2,699 isn’t the most expensive price range for a gaming laptop, it is a pretty steep price for a laptop with an  Nvidia RTX 4060 or 4070 GPU. 

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Design

Razer has kept the Blade 14's exterior design mostly the same, utilizing a minimalist aluminum clamshell design reminiscent of the Apple MacBook Pro. 

The Razer Blade 14 (early 2024) model is no exception, and the mercury-silver colorway of our review unit will only feed more Apple comparisons. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, but the Blade 14 may feel a bit boring for a gaming laptop. I will say that the mercury option is more resistant to fingerprints and smudges than the more traditional Razerblack chassis.

As far as travel goes, the Blade 14 is easily portable at 12.23 x 8.97 x 0.7 inches and 4.1 pounds. You can find plenty of laptop bags or backpacks that will suit the Blade 14 without needing to look too hard.

In fact, those dimensions are exactly the same as the 2023 Blade 14. So you aren’t adding any extra weight or thickness in choosing the newer generation of Blade 14 laptop. The bad news for Blade 14 is that some of its competition manages to be both thinner and lighter. In particular, the HP Omen Transcend 14 has similar dimensions at 12.3 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches but is only 3.7 pounds. The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) is the thinnest and lightest of the bunch, measuring 12.3 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches and weighing 3.3 pounds.

While you aren’t liable to wreck your back toting around any of these gaming laptops, the Blade 14 is thicker and heavier. It’s not a massive difference in weight, but that extra eight ounces can make a difference.

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Ports

The Razer Blade 14 is a premium gaming laptop with the ports to match. Featuring two  Thunderbolt 4 ports with 100 watts of power delivery, two USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, one HDMI 2.1 output, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack, it should have enough ports for all of your gaming accessories.

Unless you’re running a multi-monitor configuration, it's unlikely you’ll need additional connection options. However, if you want to use the Blade 14 for content creation, it may be worth investing in one of the best USB Type-C hubs or best laptop docking stations to optimize your streaming setup. 

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Display

The Razer Blade 14’s QHD+ 240Hz matte anti-glare display panel is bright and vivid enough to capture color and depth across various entertainment options. I had little trouble viewing low-light environments while gaming, and the display held up well while streaming, although it did struggle a bit with dim scenes in movies and tv shows.

The Blade 14 (early 2024) captured the crisp details in the trailer for Robert Egger’s Nosferatu. However, it struggled a bit with the deep blacks, particularly during the shot of a lonely carriage trundling along a mountain path toward an ominous castle in the distance. The daytime scenes of rats on the streets of Victorian London were more vibrant and detailed in comparison. The QHD+ panel did a good job with the trailer but fell short compared to an OLED screen.

While gaming, I noticed far less of a struggle. The Blade 14 easily kept up with the Underdark cave sequences of Bladur’s Gate III and didn’t stutter much when forced to handle the player effects barrage of a Final Fantasy XIV raid. That said, I didn’t get around to testing too many horror games on the Blade 14. So while I easily got around in indie horror titles Inner Voices and Song of Horror, I did need to be careful of my Gamma settings to ensure I didn’t lose any terrifying details.

My experience is supported by our lab benchmarks, which report the panel as bright and relatively accurate but not quite as vibrant as the previous generation of Blade 14. 

According to our display testing equipment, the Razer Blade 14 (early 2024) captured 78.9% of the DCI-P3 color gamut with a Delta-E accuracy of 0.23. The Razer Blade 14 (mid-2023) captured 114.3% of the DCI-P3 color gamut with an accuracy of 0.07. That’s a pretty big gap in both color gamut coverage and accuracy.

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) is a bit more vibrant than the 2024 Blade 14, covering 85.2% of the DCI-P3 color space with an accuracy of 0.23. The most vibrant of the bunch is the HP Omen Transcend 14, which covers 135% of the DCI-P3 color gamut with an accuracy of 0.29.

Regarding brightness, the Blade 14 (early 2024) is on the brighter side for a gaming laptop, with a display average of 446 nits. The Blade 14 (mid-2023) was a bit brighter, offering 464 nits of average brightness, while the Zephyrus G14 (387 nits) and Omen Transcend 14 (392 nits) didn’t quite beat the 400-nit mark. So if you prefer to watch your vampire movies with the house lights on, the Blade 14 has a peak brightness and anti-glare matte panel capable of keeping up with even the most dedicated daywalker.

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Keyboard and touchpad

The Razer Blade 14 has a large 6 x 3.4-inch precision glass touchpad and an RGB keyboard powered by Razer Chroma. This is pretty much the standard setup for keyboards and touchpads on all Razer laptops, so these touchpoints will feel familiar to Razer owners.

The keyboard has solid click activation and is springy enough to feel comfortable under your hands. The per-key lighting is customizable in Razer Synapse, so you can sync it with your other gaming accessories. The keys are spaced nicely as well, so you don’t have much of a problem with any mistypes.

On the 10FastFingers advanced typing test, I averaged 86 words per minute (WPM), just below my 88 WPM average on my MacBook Pro 14.

The large touchpad on the Blade 14 is great for smooth cursor control, though it can take some adjusting to find the right-click zones if you’re coming from a laptop with a smaller touchpad. The palm rejection software is just as good as previous Blade models, so you don’t need to worry about accidentally moving the cursor in the middle of typing, even if your palms slide across the massive trackpad mid-word.

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Audio

The Razer Blade 14's built-in stereo speakers are loud enough to provide quality sound even at lower volume ranges. The speakers easily keep up with the Blade 14’s fan noise levels, so you can game without a headset if you like.

As is often the case with laptop speakers, the audio quality gets metallic at higher volumes. This is most noticeable on tracks with high distortion values. So I noticed quite a bit of tinniness when listening to French post-black metal band Alcest’s “Sapphire” at volumes above 60 percent. However, Chappell Roan’s queer pop anthem “Good Luck, Babe” sounded clean and clear even at max volume.

While gaming, this tin-quality wasn’t too problematic until I stepped back into Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers’ Delubrum Reginae raid. I heard the already discordant “The Queen Awakens” with added distortion. I very quickly opted to shut the speakers down for that encounter. Granted, the song is designed to grate on your ears, so I can’t blame the Blade 14 too much for that one.

Of course, if you want immersive surround sound and high-quality audio, you’ll be better served with one of the best computer speakers, but they aren’t a must with the Blade 14. Just highly recommended. 

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Graphics and gaming performance

Gaming is the main reason to buy a Razer laptop, so performance testing focuses primarily on gaming performance. 

I broke out a ton of video games to check how the Blade 14 handled several titles and genres. From my MMO addiction vehicle Final Fantasy XIV and current RPG obsessions Baldur’s Gate III and Dragon’s Dogma 2 to indie titles like Rabbit and Steel, Inner Voices, and Song of Horror. I didn’t have any trouble running any of those games on the Blade 14, but with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS and RTX 4070, I didn’t expect much trouble.

The Blade 14 easily kept up with packed FFXIV alliance raids with full ability effects enabled, managing a steady 60 frames-per-second (FPS) on high settings at the native QHD+ resolution. Dragon’s Dogma and Baldur’s Gate III also ran easily with vivid details and smooth framerates. In fact, the only real stumbling blocks I found were on the horror side with the Blade 14’s less vivid display panel.

My gaming experience on the Blade 14 was easily backed up by our lab benchmarks. On 3DMark’s Fire Strike Ultra Direct X 11 4K benchmark, the Blade 14 averaged a score of 7,307, which is far better than its competition. 

The Blade 14 (mid-2023) with an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and RTX 4070 GPU averaged a score of 6,792, while the Zephyrus G14 with an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS and RTX 4060 averaged only 5,575. 

The HP Omen Transcend 14, with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and RTX 4060 GPU, scored 4,924, trailing behind the other three laptops. 

On 3DMark’s Port Royal ray tracing benchmark, the Blade 14 (early 2024) again led the pack with an average of 7,596, with the Blade 14 (mid-2023) scoring just below at 7,005, while the Zephyrus G14 (5,264) and Omen Transcend 14 (4,498) offered little competition. 

Of course, the Zephyrus G14 and Omen Transcend 14 are powered by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, which leads to lower GPU benchmarks, particularly on higher-end gaming tests like Fire Strike Ultra and Port Royal.

We also ran the laptops through a few gaming benchmarks using the built-in benchmarking tools in Far Cry 6 and Red Dead Redemption 2.

On Far Cry 6 at Ultra High settings and 1080p resolution, the Razer Blade 14 (early 2024) averaged a frame rate of 86 FPS, just behind the Razer Blade 14 (mid-2023), which averaged 87 FPS. The Zephyrus G14 averaged 69 FPS on Far Cry 6, while the HP Omen Transcend averaged 62 FPS.

On Red Dead Redemption 2 at Medium settings and 1080p resolution, the Razer Blade 14 (early 2024) averaged a frame rate of 73 FPS, which was identical to the Blade 14 (mid-2023). The Zephyrus G14 averaged 53 FPS, and the Transcend 14 averaged 46 FPS, which really highlights the difference between the RTX 4070 and RTX 4060 GPUs' particular strengths.

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Performance

With an AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS AI CPU, 32GB of memory, and 1TB of storage space, there was not much I could do on the Razer Blade 14 that it couldn’t keep up with. Between my usual light Photoshop work, my 57 emotional support Chrome tabs, and Spotify and Discord running in the background, my work day was hardly a challenge.

Between the AI capabilities of the Ryzen 9 8945’s built-in NPU and increased processing power, the Blade 14 was perfectly optimized to easily handle our general productivity benchmarks. 

On the Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark, the Blade 14 (2024) held up a respectable single-core average of 2,648 compared to the 2023 Blade 14 (2,671), 2024 Zephyrus G14 (2,614), and Transcend 14 (2,362). 

With a multicore average of 13,781, the Blade 14 easily crushed our expectations for performance. The Razer Blade 14 (mid2023) averaged just 11,881 on Geekbench 6.2’s multicore benchmark, while the Zephyrus G14 averaged a multicore score of 12,246 and the HP Omen Transcend 14 averaged a multicore score of 13,248. 

Most laptop usage requires multiple cores, so the multicore score on Geekbench is often the most important factor in judging performance. However, some major design and engineering programs require a higher single-core performance metric, so it is worth considering the balance of single-core and multicore performance.

Regarding video editing, our Handbrake test records how long a laptop takes to convert the 4K version of Tears of Steel to a 1080p 30 FPS format. The Blade 14 (early 2024) laptop took just 4:01 minutes to complete the task, while the ROG Zephyrus G14 was a close second at 4:21. The Razer Blade 14 (mid-2023) took a bit longer to complete the video encoding task (4:45) while the HP Omen Transcend was the slowest (5:04) to convert the file.

Finally, we tested the read/write performance of the laptops on our file copy test which takes a 25GB multimedia folder and times how long the laptop takes to copy the folder. The Blade 14 (early 2024) was the quickest at this, taking just 13.8 seconds to copy the folder for a transfer rate of 1,952 MBps. The HP Omen Transcend 14 took 15.5 seconds to copy the folder for a transfer rate of 1,730 MBps. The Zephyrus G14 was a bit slower at 20.8 seconds for a transfer rate of 1,289 Mbps, while the Razer Blade 14 (mid-2023) took the longest at 21.8 seconds for a transfer rate of 1,230 Mbps.

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Battery life

Gaming laptops are rarely known for having great battery life, but the Blade 14 (mid-2023) shocked us with its lengthy battery time. Unfortunately, while the Blade 14 (early 2024) model has pretty decent battery life for a gaming laptop, it won’t break any records. In my hands-on testing, I rarely went far from an outlet with the Blade 14 because I’d get through just over half of my work day before needing to get the Blade 14 charged back up.

Our lab results were similarly middling. On the Laptop Mag battery test, we set a laptop to 150 nits of brightness and have it surf the web continuously through a series of static, multimedia, and video web pages. The Blade 14 (early 2024) lasted 6 hours and 26 minutes on the Laptop Mag battery test, while the Blade 14 (mid-2023) beat that mark by over 2 hours at 8:34. 

The loss of two hours and eight minutes is a large drop in battery life from generation to generation, and it’s the most compelling reason to consider the older Blade 14 instead. 

The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (8:15) also lasted much longer than the 2024 Blade 14, though the HP Omen Transcend 14 (4:09) made every other 14-inch gaming laptop look better by comparison.

On the PCMark 10 Gaming battery test, with the laptop still set to 150 nits of brightness, the Blade 14 (2024) lasted a respectable 1 hour and 52 minutes. This was just a bit longer than the Blade 14 (2023) model, which lasted 1:46 and is quite impressive compared to the Zephyrus G14 (1:03) and the Transcend 14 (0:58).

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Webcam

The Blade 14's built-in webcam is of acceptable quality and has a nice, easy camera shutter for increased privacy. Details are a bit fuzzy on the webcam feed, but the colors are rather accurate. It’s not a dim webcam feed either, so you don’t need to be in extreme light in order to get a decent picture for the occasional video call.

Of course, if you plan to use the Blade 14 for streaming or frequent video calls, I recommend getting one of the best webcams so you get a less grainy feed. 

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Heat

Heat can be a problem for a gaming laptop, as the format crams a lot of computing power into a clamshell chassis. Razer uses a vapor chamber cooling system and fans to try and keep the Blade 14 from overheating, but you may still find that your fingers end up getting a bit toasty on the WASD keys after a long gaming session.

On the Laptop Mag gaming heat test, we run the laptop through five loops of Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition’s Extreme benchmark and measure the heat at multiple points on the chassis with an infrared thermometer. The Blade 14 hit a peak of 133 degrees Fahrenheit on the rear underside near the riser, which is well above the Laptop Mag comfort threshold of 95 degrees. So you’ll definitely want to avoid gaming with the Blade 14 on your lap.

After five runs of Metro Exodus, the keyboard hit a max of 107 degrees Fahrenheit between the ‘G’ and ‘H’ keys, which is more than a little uncomfortable. In my own testing, I did notice the Blade 14 took about an hour to ramp up to a high heat while playing Dragon’s Dogma 2, but it still may be worth using a separate keyboard for longer gaming sessions. 

Razer Blade 14 (early 2024): Software and warranty

The Blade 14 has a one-year limited warranty which covers everything but the battery, and a two-year limited battery warranty. You can opt into RazerCare’s Essential for Blade and Elite For Blade optional coverage for a fee.

If you want to see how Razer's customer service performed in our annual ranking, check out our Tech Support Showdown list. 

Bottom line

There are plenty of reasons to recommend the Razer Blade 14 (early 2024), from its fast performance, smooth graphics, impactful speakers, and bright display. However, it does fall short of the previous generation when it comes to displaying vivid color and lasting for a full day on battery. Both the 2023 and 2024 versions of the Blade 14 could get rather hot when gaming, making it imperative to use an external keyboard or mouse for lengthy game sessions.

The Blade 14 starts at $2,199, and the configuration we tested retails for $2,699. While this is hardly expensive compared to the Razer Blade 16, which can easily be configured to cost over $4,000, it is on the pricey side for a gaming laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU. The good news is that more and more 14-inch gaming laptops are being built every year, so you have plenty more options to choose from. The bad news is that it makes it harder to justify Razer’s price point.

If you love Razer products and need a new gaming laptop, the Blade 14 does offer a good balance of portability and power. And it isn’t egregiously expensive. But if you have a 2023 Blade 14, there really isn’t much reason to upgrade.

The first wave of Microsoft Copilot+ PCs arrived on June 18, which means our labs have been hard at work testing all of the claims made about the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset's performance. 

The HP EliteBook Ultra is HP's AI business laptop, so we're looking for a good balance between performance and battery life. HP made multiple claims about the laptop's performance, pitting it against the MacBook Air 13 M3 and MacBook Pro 14 M3. 

While the EliteBook’s battery life easily beats the MacBook Air, things are a bit less cut and dry in the performance score face-off. In a reviewer's workshop for the new Copilot+ AI PCs, HP admitted that the EliteBook Ultra takes a performance hit over the OmniBook X thanks to the increased HP Wolf Security system onboard the EliteBook platform.

So when it comes to pure computing power, can the EliteBook keep up?

Apple MacBook Air 13 M3

The MacBook Air 13 M3 is a 13-inch fanless laptop while the HP EliteBook Ultra is a 14-inch laptop with cooling fans. So the MacBook Air will suffer from more heat-induced performance degradation than the EliteBook. With that said, the MacBook Air 13 M3 stays surprisingly cool under most conditions, so the comparison isn't completely off base.

On the Geekbench 6 benchmark, the MacBook Air has the edge on single-core performance with an average of 3,082 while the EliteBook's single-core average is just 2,371. On the multicore side, the laptops flip and the EliteBook comes out the winner with an average of 12,717 compared to the Air's 12,087 score. Of course, most of your general laptop usage will involve multiple cores so we often weigh multicore performance higher than single-core performance. 

However, depending on what kind of business you are in, the scales may tip in the other direction. For example, photo and video editing or CAD software require higher single-core performance, so if those are primary tasks for you it may make more sense to opt for the MacBook Air instead.

As for our Handbrake test which takes the 4K version of Tears of Steel and encodes it to 1080p 30FPS, the HP EliteBook Ultra was one minute faster at converting the video file than the MacBook Air. The EliteBook took 6 minutes and 40 seconds to complete the conversion while the MacBook Air took 7 minutes and 40 seconds to complete the same task.

So unless you desperately need to run a lot of Photoshop, the HP EliteBook wins the performance battle with the MacBook Air.

Apple MacBook Pro 14 M3

The MacBook Pro 14 and the HP EliteBook Ultra are both 14-inch clamshell laptops with cooling fans, so this is the closest one-to-one comparison we can find between the Copilot+ AI PC and an Apple laptop.

On Geekbench 6, we found the MacBook Pro had a similar lead on single-core performance as the MacBook Air. The MacBook Pro averaged 3,163 on Geekbench 6's single-core CPU benchmark while the EliteBook averaged just 2,371. Much like with the MacBook Air, those places flipped on multicore performance. The HP EliteBook's 12,717 multicore average outpaced the MacBook Pro 14's 11,968 score.

However, things were much different on our Handbrake test. The MacBook Pro 14 M3 was able to take the 4K version of Tears of Steel and encode it to a 1080p 30FPS format in just 5 minutes and 38 seconds, while the HP EliteBook Ultra took 6:40 to complete the same task.

Of course, if your job mostly involves balancing spreadsheets, responding to emails, and having 20+ Chrome tabs open the HP EliteBook is still the better choice. However, if you do any design or editing work the increased single-core performance and speedy video encoding speeds of the MacBook Pro 14 M3 are far more useful.

HP OmniBook X

The HP OmniBook X is a nearly identical laptop to the HP EliteBook Ultra. The primary difference between the two laptops comes down to chassis color and the HP Wolf Security software loaded onto the EliteBook Ultra as part of HP's enterprise laptop platform. HP already confirmed that the EliteBook will take a bit of a performance hit compared to the OmniBook X, but just how much of a performance hit is it?

On Geekbench 6, the EliteBook had a slightly higher single-core performance average of 2,371 compared to the OmniBook X's average of 2,347. However, a difference of under 50 points on Geekbench's single-core metric is practically nothing so they're nearly identical. On the multicore side, the OmniBook X has a little more power, averaging 12,861 compared to the EliteBook (12,717). Again, we're talking only 150 points on GeekBench multicore scores which is not the biggest difference though it's a little more significant than the single-core performance gap.

On Handbrake, the OmniBook X was far faster, completing the Tears of Steel encode in 5 minutes and 46 seconds. That's almost a minute faster than the EliteBook (6:40).

As the OmniBook X and EliteBook Ultra are both Windows laptops we were able to run our 25GB file transfer test. The OmniBook X was quicker at copying over our 25GB multimedia test folder, taking just 30.08 seconds to copy the files for a transfer rate of 893 MBps. The EliteBook took 37.7 seconds to copy the folder for a transfer rate of 712 MBps.

Overall performance results

The HP EliteBook Ultra stacks up well against to the MacBook Pro 14 M3 and MacBook Air 13 M3. Based on pure computing power, the HP OmniBook X is the better Windows laptop. The OmniBook X even gives the MacBook Pro 14 a run for its money on our Handbrake test.

The MacBook Pro and MacBook Air will still offer better single-core processing power, so if you need to do heavy design work, Apple still retains the edge. But if you just need a laptop to handle more generalist tasks, the EliteBook and OmniBook make a great case for Microsoft's Copilot+ PC program.

The OmniBook X packs a more powerful punch in terms of pure performance and it's also cheaper than the EliteBook Ultra, though it does miss out on the increased security platform. So if you need a personal laptop, the OmniBook X is the way to go, but if you need to buy some laptops for your small business the EliteBook is the safer choice.

More from Laptop Mag

• In a battle of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chips, is there a clear winner?
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• Microsoft's Copilot+ PC battery tests are good — but worrying for Snapdragon X Elite

If you plan to upgrade your MacBook or become a new MacBook owner soon, think twice before choosing Apple's base 8GB models, especially if you intend to use future Apple Intelligence features.

Apple has remained steadfast for years that 8GB of RAM is plenty for its base model devices. However, in an interview from early April 2024 with the China-based IT Home, Evan Buyze, a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Apple, asserted that 8GB of RAM was suitable for many tasks. Web browsing, media streaming, light photo and video editing, and casual gaming are all possible with 8GB, reported IT Home, attributing the information to Buyze.

This claim may very well be true; 8GB of RAM is likely plenty for the average user right now, but what about future AI-powered features that demand more?

We've now encountered Apple's first release of a feature requiring 16GB of RAM. According to release notes for the June 10 release of Xcode 16 beta, "Predictive code completion requires a Mac with Apple silicon and 16GB of unified memory, running macOS 15." 

Predictive code completion was announced during Apple's Platform State of the Union at WWCC 2024. It runs locally on your Mac, powered by an LLM specifically trained for Swift and Apple SDKs, and gives you suggestions as you work.

Yes, this is a coding-specific feature that the average user won't miss in an 8GB MacBook, but it's an AI feature, and that calls into question the future of Apple Intelligence features intended for the average user on 8GB Macs. 

Why are 8GB MacBooks even an option anymore?

For many of Apple's products, 8GB of RAM in a base configuration is standard. Entry-level MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, the iMac, and the Mac mini all start with 8GB of RAM, but shouldn't that starting number be 16GB in the modern age?

While 8GB RAM Windows laptops exist, it's more common to see 16GB of RAM as standard. It's a requirement for all of the new Copilot+ PCs. It stands to reason that Microsoft is aware that AI-powered features need the added RAM to go with the NPU capable of 40+ TOPS.

Apple has big plans to bring, if slowly, Apple Intelligence features to MacBooks, but 8GB of RAM may not be enough for every feature. Apple says 8GB of RAM is plenty for basic tasks, but Apple Intelligence features may not classify as 'basic' in the company's eyes.

Even if current Apple Intelligence features run using 8GB of RAM, it's highly likely that 16GB of RAM will become the new minimum as AI features become more advanced and powerful. So, if you want to keep your Mac for multiple years and utilize all the latest AI features as they are released, future-proof your choice and spend a few extra hundred dollars to get at least 16GB of RAM. 

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Yet another trend is making its way onto our doorstep: Copilot+ PCs. Naturally, I'm skeptical about any marketing tactic from big tech companies, but something about Qualcomm revitalizing its effort into the laptop chip-making game is exciting. Competition is healthy, but did it help the new Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition?

Our lab testers ran Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100 processor ragged, testing its mettle in the critical performance tests you'd find in our reviews. The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition's new CPU is going head-to-head with the Dell XPS 14, Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425M), and the MacBook Pro 14 (M3, 2023).

As you might've guessed, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition tears through its competitors — including the MacBook M3 Pro — on overall performance thanks to its Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100 CPU. However, its Qualcomm Adreno GPU suffers quite a bit in the graphics department.

Does Microsoft finally stand a chance against the biggest competitors in the laptop space? Let's find out.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition: Geekbench 6

On the Geekbench 6 overall performance test, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition scored 2,809 on single-core performance and 14,426 on multicore performance. That surpasses the average premium laptop (8,799) by miles.

Did it beat the MacBook Pro 14 M3, though? Technically, yes. It beat the M3 (11,968) and the M3 Pro (14,357). I say technically because the M3 and M3 Pro scored higher on single-core performance, with 3,163 and 3,154, respectively.

But how does that compare to the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor? The Dell XPS 14 (multicore: 12,711; single-core: 2,373) and Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (multicore: 12,707; single-core: 2,453) lagged.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition: HandBrake

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition transcoded a 4K video to 1080p in just 5 minutes and 10 seconds on our HandBrake benchmark, crushing the average premium laptop (7:45).

It easily outpaced the Dell XPS 14 (5:44) and Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (6:36). Even the MacBook Pro 14 M3 didn't stand a chance (5:38). However, the M3 Pro comes in with a killing blow, completing the test in just 4 minutes and 26 seconds.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition: 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme

How well does the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition's new Qualcomm Adreno GPU do under pressure?

On the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme synthetic graphics benchmark, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition scored 6,499. A solid score, but not relatively as high as the MacBook Pro 14 M3 (7,861) or M3 Pro (7,311)

Since this is an ARM-optimized test, the x86 Zenbook and XPS 14 couldn't participate.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition: Gaming

Forget about synthetic graphics benchmarks. Let's throw the Adreno GPU back in time. That's right, it's time for the Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm benchmark. 

At Medium, 1080p settings, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition scored... oof. That's just 21 frames per second, which fails to hit the minimum 30 fps for playability.

And that's not the worst of it. Every single competitor outpaced the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition. The Dell XPS 14 (88 fps; RTX 4050 GPU), MacBook Pro 14 M3 (51 fps), and M3 Pro (54 fps) excelled, and even the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (31 fps; Intel Arc Graphics) managed a playable frame rate.

Bottom line

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition is a champ when it comes to CPU performance, and that's all thanks to the Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100. Qualcomm put its best in this. 

However, I'm not excited to play games on this rig. The Qualcomm Adreno GPU is not even capable of 30 fps on our lowest gaming benchmark. It's possible that the GPU doesn't play well with that specific game. I plan on loading up a number of games on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition and writing about that experience this week.

Following that, you'll see the full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition. From what I'm seeing so far, it will score well. The question is how well. Gaming is disappointing, but that's not the point of the laptop, despite Qualcomm showing off demos of Baldur’s Gate III, Control, and Redout II.

If you're as excited about this new age of laptops as I am, stay tuned for my full review and benchmarks of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition.

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The first wave of Copilot+ PCs has crashed into our testing labs this week, and our expert testers are hard at work running a blend of synthetic and real-world tests on them to gauge performance, battery life, and more before handing them off to our reviewers.

Naturally, we reviewers are eagerly awaiting these laptops in our hands, but for now, we can only press our faces up against the metaphorical glass of the testing lab and look on as new results come in. Some of the astounding benchmarks are making the wait that much harder.

We've highlighted the HP EliteBook Ultra's battery life, the Microsoft Surface Pro's performance, the Lenovo Slim 7x's performance, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop's performance, but that leaves the most powerful of them all: the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge. As the lone Copilot+ PC currently available with Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon X Elite X1E-84-100, performance is the metric that I have a close eye on, and overall it looks pretty amazing.

Our lab is still wrapping up the final tests, but the majority are done, and Samsung is putting up impressive numbers. To be clear, I don't just mean it's beating Copilot+ PCs with lesser Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips; even the MacBook Pro 14 M3 and M3 Pro can't keep up with it on some tests. Let's dive into the hard numbers.

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge vs. MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro: Geekbench 6

We can lead off with the Geekbench 6 test, where the Book 4 Edge averaged an incredible 15,818 for multi-core and 2,935 for single-core. That's solidly ahead of the  MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro, which recorded scores of 14,357 and 3,154, respectively. Looking at the base M3 MacBook Pro 14, it falls distantly behind in multi-core at 11,968, while it retains the single-core advantage with 3,163.

One of our favorite recent Intel Core Ultra laptops, the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED, came in behind them at 12,615 and 2,453. Multi-core performance is more relevant for modern computing, so this is a meaningful victory for Samsung and Qualcomm despite Apple retaining that single-core advantage. 

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge vs. MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro: Handbrake

Turning to our Handbrake test, which involves converting a video from 4K to 1080p using the Fast 1080p30 preset, the Galaxy Book 4 Edge acquitted itself well. It finished the conversion in 4 minutes and 59 seconds, but it wasn't quite fast enough to beat the 14 Pro's 4-minute and 26-second finish. The M3 MacBook Pro on the other hand falls behind at 5 minutes and 38 seconds, while our Intel competitor slots in last with 6 minutes and 36 seconds.

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge vs. MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro: 3D Mark Wildlife Extreme

For graphics testing, we use the synthetic 3DMark Wild Life Extreme test and this is where Apple claims a decisive victory with a score of 11,938 from the M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14 compared to 7,311 for the Galaxy Book 4 Edge. However, dropping to the base M3 MacBook Pro makes it much closer with 7,861.

This test looks at the device's ability to handle heavy performance tasks over short periods, which does not bode well for gaming on the Galaxy Book 4 Edge. This is an ARM-optimized test so the x86 Zenbook couldn't participate.

Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge vs. MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro: Gaming

Our typical suite of gaming tests isn't well-suited to the Snapdragon X Elite laptops, a subject we'll be digging into further as we spend time reviewing these laptops, but we have results from Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm. In keeping with the previous test results, the MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro and M3 both rocketed past the Galaxy Book 4 Edge.

Samsung mustered 24 frames per second in 1080p, while the M3 Pro and M3 MacBook Pros averaged 53 and 51 frames per second, respectively. The Intel laptop did score a win against Qualcomm here with the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED delivering 30.5 frames per second.

Bottom line

That's an early look at the performance and graphics testing on the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge. We naturally have many other test results to come, including display benchmarks, battery life testing, and additional performance and graphics tests.

While the MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro does still hold the edge in some areas, Qualcomm and Samsung are beating this third-generation Apple Silicon in any metrics, which is impressive. Notably, the Galaxy Book 4 Edge is also cheaper at $1,749. The comparable MacBook Pro 14 M3 Pro with 1TB of storage is $2,199, and the 16-inch model (matching the size of this Galaxy Book) is $2,699.

We'll need to finish our full review before we can crown an overall winner, but this early look is undoubtedly favorable for Samsung and the rest of the Copilot+ PC makers. The second half of 2024 will be an intriguing time to be in the market for a new laptop.

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Copilot+ PCs have finally hit the market, but before you buy one, there's something you should know.

Thanks to a recent screenshot from leaker Fahad (via VideoCardz.com), we know that Qualcomm might be releasing up to 10 unique chip variants in its Snapdragon X Series. This screenshot, shown below, reveals multiple unannounced Snapdragon X SKUs in Qualcomm Adreno GPU driver files.

Update: We just tested HP's first Copilot+ AI PC and it has amazing battery life.

Prior to seeing this screenshot, we were only aware of five unique Snapdragon X Series SKUs, four premium Snapdragon X Elite chip variants (denoted by the X1E identifier) and one budget-friendly Snapdragon X Plus (X1P) chip.

• X1E-00-1DE
• X1E-84-100
• X1E-80-100
• X1E-78-100
• X1P-64-100

If this leak has merit, we can potentially expect 5 new SKUs. There could be one slightly less powerful Snapdragon X Elite chip (X1E-76-100) and four less powerful (and possibly cheaper) Snapdragon X Plus chips (X1P-62-100, X1P-56-100, X1P-40-100, and X1P-42-100).

With rumored chip variants on the horizon, is it worth waiting to buy your Copilot+ PC? Probably not — here's why.

Should you wait for new Snapdragon X variants to upgrade to a Copilot+ PC?

If you're after the performance power that Qualcomm's top-tier Snapdragon X Elite chips promise, there's no need to wait. The only rumored X Elite chip that could release in the future will be less powerful than the existing variants.

Many Copilot+ PCs you can buy right now come equipped with Qualcomm's mid-tier X1E-78-100 Snapdragon X Elite chip, but if you're looking for top-tier power, check out the Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge with a X1E-80-100 or X1E-84-100 Snapdragon X Elite variant. Just be aware that Samsung's Copilot+ PC may not natively run a few popular programs immediately.

The Snapdragon X Elite-powered Copilot+ PCs available now are surprisingly affordable, but laptops equipped with Qualcomm's more affordable, less powerful Snapdragon X Plus should be even cheaper.

If you're looking to upgrade to a Copilot+ PC on a budget, it might be worth waiting to see if Qualcomm officially announces more Snapdragon X Plus variants later this year.

There's no estimated date Qualcomm may announce a few or all of these leaked variants, but back-to-school season in July and August seems like the perfect time to announce more budget-friendly Copilot+ PCs for students and teachers. 

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While Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs aren't the first AI PCs we've seen, they are the first laptops that heavily rely on the power and performance of the much more powerful onboard NPU. So now we are faced with an interesting new challenge: How do we test AI PCs?

We'll naturally put them through a thorough review process using the laptops in our daily work and lives, but Laptop Mag also relies on consistently reproducible tests in our mission to find the best laptops and best AI PCs for you. And where that is concerned, the short answer is that, as of now, we only have three current viable synthetic benchmark tests built to test NPU performance: Geekbench AI and UL's Procyon AI Image Generation and Procyon AI Computer Vision. Other available test workloads to test an AI PC are prohibitively difficult and time-consuming to set up and run as part of a typical review process.

Let's get back to basics before we go any further; before we can determine how to test an AI PC, we need to agree on what makes a laptop an AI PC. While all laptops can access some version of cloud-based AI, AI PCs are computers with a built-in NPU capable of handling on-device AI.

What is an NPU?

An NPU, or Neural Processing Unit, is a processor dedicated to neural network operations and AI tasks. A computer's CPU and GPU can also handle AI workloads; however, the NPU is optimized for parallel computing, which makes it better at handling AI tasks like image generation, speech recognition, background blurring in video calls, and object detection tasks in photo and video editing software.

While laptops without NPUs can access some of these features, they will struggle with more intensive AI tasks. Thus, Microsoft's Copilot+ program requires more than 40 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of NPU performance for the laptop.

So far, the only laptops that will meet Microsoft's new requirement are those featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chipsets. At the time of publication, 9 Copilot+ PCs were available to purchase. However, laptops with an AMD Ryzen AI "Strix Point" processor or Intel Core Ultra "Lunar Lake" processor will also become part of the Copilot+ platform when they are released later this year.

Existing AI Benchmarks

Geekbench ML

Geekbench ML is, naturally, brought to you by the same minds as the industry-standard benchmark Geekbench 6. This multi-platform benchmark measures your computer's machine learning performance on the CPU and GPU or uses Core ML or NNAPI frameworks to test neural accelerators.

Much like Geekbench 6, Geekbench ML uses real-world workloads that utilize computer vision and natural language processing.

Of course, because Geekbench ML comprises multiple real-world tests into one benchmark, it kicks back a synthetic score. With NPU results ranging from under 500 on the OnePlus Nord to over 3,600 on the Apple iPhone 15 Pro, there is massive variability in scores. A higher number is preferred and indicates better NPU performance. However, it can be difficult to conceptualize the difference between a Geekbench ML NPU average of 500 compared to 3,600.

Of course, we'll start to better understand this as we test more AI PCs and compare the synthetic results with those in real-world testing.

Geekbench ML is not optimized to test the NPU of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chipsets, though the full version of this benchmark, Geekbench AI, has been optimized for the new Qualcomm hardware. For now, we will continue to run Geekbench ML on applicable AI PCs to compare older laptops, but this test will likely be phased out of our benchmark suite within the year.

Geekbench AI

Geekbench AI is a cross-platform AI benchmark built as a follow-up to Geekbench ML. This machine learning benchmark will measure NPU performance in on-device AI tasks rather than simply measuring NPU accelerators. Geekbench AI can also calculate the AI performance of a CPU and GPU, but the NPU benchmark is most important for testing AI PCs.

Like Geekbench 6 and Geekbench ML, Geekbench AI uses real-world AI workloads to measure the performance of a computer's CPU, GPU, or NPU when handling AI tasks. Geekbench AI can be tested using Core ML, OpenVINO, ArmNN, Samsung ENN, and Qualcomm QNN AI frameworks.

Also, like the other Primate Labs benchmarks, Geekbench AI reports synthetic Full Precision, Half Precision, and Quantized scores. AI workloads cover a wide range of precision levels depending on the task, which increases the complexity of evaluating AI performance. While this can make it difficult to conceptualize what the Geekbench AI scores mean, a higher score is preferred across all three metrics.

As this is the updated version of Geekbench ML, Geekbench AI will likely replace Geekbench ML in our testing suite within the year.

UL Procyon AI Image Generation

UL is the same company that produces 3DMark and PCMark 10, although the Procyon suite of benchmarks is geared more toward professional-grade software benchmarks than gaming or general productivity tests.

The UL Procyon AI Image Generation benchmark measures the inference performance of on-device AI accelerators in generating images using Stable Diffusion. The benchmark includes two tests for measuring the performance of mid-range and high-end discrete GPUs. The benchmark can be configured to work with Nvidia TensorRT, Intel OpenVINO, and ONNX inference engines.

While an NPU can assist with image generation, this Procyon benchmark does not target the NPU. This makes it tricky to use as an AI benchmark because while a GPU can run AI workloads, it isn't an AI PC-specific benchmark.

Additionally, the Procyon AI Image Generation benchmark kicks back a synthetic benchmark score, much like Geekbench ML, which can make it difficult to understand the performance of your AI PC. While the challenge of the test using both NPU and GPU will remain, we should be able to hone in on a better understanding of the results as we test more AI PCs.

UL Procyon AI Computer Vision

The second UL Procyon AI benchmark is the AI Computer Vision test, which can measure AI inference performance using the CPU, GPU, or dedicated AI accelerators like an NPU. 

This cross-platform Windows and Mac benchmark can run Nvidia TensorRT, Intel OpenVINO, Qualcomm SNPE, Microsoft Windows ML, and Apple Core ML inference engines.

Much like the other UL Procyon and Geekbench ML tests, the Procyon AI Computer Vision benchmark scores are synthetic. While higher scores are preferred, they will again be difficult to depend on as a sole indicator of AI performance. Like the previous test, this is compounded by the test utilizing more than simply the NPU.

Other AI test workloads

There are a few other benchmark options, though they aren't as formalized as Geekbench ML or the UL Procyon suite. These benchmarks often involve installing software, making changes to the software, and then letting the test workload run.

Some tests involve using programs like Audacity to remove background noise from a video or require the NPU to auto-complete a program in Python. These tests provide a specific result, making them feel more "real-world" than the synthetic results generated from Geekbench or Procyon. However, these tests involve a lengthy setup period and take a long time to run. This makes it difficult for the tests to be repeatable enough to join our benchmarking suite. One attempt at running the Python workload left the review unit laptop unusable until it had been reset multiple times.

So, for now, our AI PC testing mostly involves running Geekbench ML and the two UL Procyon AI tests because they're much simpler to set up and run to obtain reproducible results.

The Future of AI Benchmarking

Like most things to do with AI PCs, this list of benchmarks is subject to change. While we aren't on the first generation of AI processors, we are still in the early stage of AI PC development. Companies are still making a case for why you need an AI PC compared to a regular computer. This means we could end up with plenty of new AI PC benchmarks in the future.

Those benchmarks will likely be as varied as AI PC usage and AI PC chips evolve. 

The Laptop Mag testing lab will continue to look at new tests, and our process will evolve to ensure that we bring you the best and most accurate representation of AI PC performance.

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On May 20, Microsoft revealed a new line of AI laptops called Copilot+ PCs, promising new levels of performance using the Microsoft Copilot AI platform. And in mid-June, they began to hit the market.

Asus, HP, Dell, Lenovo, Samsung, and Acer are among the laptop manufacturers integrating the Copilot AI in their new devices. They hope to seriously challenge Apple, which just announced its own on-device AI features at WWDC 2024. 

The dawn of this new era poses a lot more questions than answers. Chief among them is whether it's worth buying a Copilot+ PC, and what actually makes them unique. 

Whether you're thinking about buying a Copilot+ PC or you're simply curious about all the hype, Laptop Mag dove deep into the world AI PCs and emerged with this easy-to-digest overview of everything you need to know about this new line-up of AI-powered laptops, from features to price and release dates. We even visited Reddit to see how Copilot+ PCs are being received so far.

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• Samsung has the most powerful Copilot+ laptop — here's how it performs against the MacBook Pro | The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge has the most powerful Snapdragon X chip, but how does it hold up against the MacBook Pro? Here's how the benchmark results compare. 
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• How we test AI PCs: The process of lab testing Copilot+ and other AI PCs | Wondering how we're rating and testing this new wave of AI PCs? Here's an inside look at Laptop Mag's testing process for Copilot+ PCs. 

What do Copilot+ PCs do and how are they different?

Copilot+ PCs are a collection of laptops from various manufacturers that run the Microsoft Copilot AI platform on-device. That means Copilot+ PCs can run many AI tools and features locally rather than sending your information to an external server in the cloud. On-device AI is not only faster than cloud-based AI but also (usually) more private and secure. 

Copilot+ PCs run AI models locally using a neural processing unit or NPU. 

All of the Copilot+ PC models announced so far use variants of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset, which includes an NPU capable of up to 45 TOPS (trillion operations per second). 

To put 45 TOPS into perspective, Apple's base M4 chip, currently only available in the iPad Pro M4, only offers 38 TOPS. The more TOPS a chipset supports, the better its AI performance. 

Copilot+ PCs use all that processing power specifically for running Microsoft's Copilot AI assistant, which isn't just a chatbot. Copilot can perform generative AI tasks, answer your questions with natural language, create live captions for audio content, improve video calls with background effects, integrate with third-party apps like Adobe Creative Suite, and more. 

A Copilot+ PC functions just like a conventional laptop for the most part, with the notable addition of these on-device AI features. Copilot is there to help if you want to use it, but you can also completely turn it off and carry on with your typical laptop tasks. 

What Copilot+ laptops are out there so far?

The first Copilot+ PCs were the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11, announced at Microsoft Build 2024. While all Copilot+ PCs run Microsoft's AI assistant, Microsoft is not the only brand making them. Several leading brands, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung, are also manufacturing Copilot+ PCs. 

These are the Copilot+ PCs announced so far (in alphabetical order): 

• Acer Swift 14 AI ($1,099+)
• ASUS ProArt P16/PX13/PZ13 ($1,699.99+)
• ASUS Vivobook S 14 
• ASUS Vivobook S 15 ($1,299.99+)
• ASUS Vivobook S 16 
• ASUS Zenbook S 16 ($1,399.99+)
• ASUS TUF Gaming A14 
• ASUS TUF Gaming A16
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16
• Dell XPS 13 ($1,299+)
• Dell Inspiron 14 
• Dell Inspiron 14 Plus ($1,099+)
• Dell Latitude 7455
• Dell Latitude 5455
• HP OmniBook X AI PC ($1,150+)
• HP EliteBook Ultra G1q AI PC ($1,699+)
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x ($1,199+)
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 ($1,889+) 
• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 ($999.99+)
• Microsoft Surface Pro 11 ($999.99+)
• Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge ($1,349.99+)

How much do Copilot+ PCs cost?

Some might assume a laptop with AI baked into it would be pretty pricey. However, Copilot+ PCs are available in a wide range of price brackets. There are many premium models, but there are also some lower-priced ones, allowing anyone to try a laptop with on-device AI. 

Although some outliers exist, most Copilot+ PCs cost between $1,099 and $1,700. Some manufacturers have announced models — but not prices.

The most affordable Copilot+ PCs announced so far include: 

• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (starting at $999.99)
• Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (starting at $999.99)
• Acer Swift 14 AI (starting at $1,099)
• Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (starting at $1,099)

If you don't mind spending a bit more for one of the most powerful, premium Copilot+ PCs, take a look at these models: 

• ASUS ProArt P16 (starting at $1,899.99)
• ASUS ProArt PX13 (starting at $1,699.99)
• HP EliteBook Ultra G1q AI PC (starting at $1,699)

Copilot+ release dates: When are they coming?

Dozens of Copilot+ PCs debuted at Microsoft Build and Computex 2024, but they aren't all available for purchase yet. However, purchase and pre-orders opened for the first wave of Copilot+ PC models on June 18, including: 

• ASUS Vivobook S 15 
• ASUS ProArt P16 (pre-order, release date July 28)
• ASUS ProArt PX13 (pre-order, release date July 15)
• ASUS Zenbook S 16 (pre-order, release date July 15)
• Dell XPS 13 
• Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (pre-order, release date June 25)
• HP OmniBook X 14 
• HP EliteBook Ultra G1q AI PC 
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x
• Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6
• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
• Microsoft Surface Pro 11
• Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge

Several other models aren't available just yet but will be later in the year: 

• Acer Swift 14 AI (July 2024)
• ASUS ProArt PZ13 (Q3 2024)
• ASUS Vivobook S 14 (Q3 2024)
• ASUS Vivobook S 16 (Q3 2024)
• ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (Q3 2024)
• ASUS TUF Gaming A14 (Q3 2024)
• ASUS TUF Gaming A16 (Q3 2024)

What are examples of what Copilot+ PCs can do?

Plenty of Copilot+ PC laptops are out there already for you, but many people wonder what features make these laptops unique. What makes a Copilot+ PC worth buying over a conventional laptop? 

Microsoft unveiled the first wave of Copilot+ features at Microsoft Build 2024. They range from generative AI tools to third-party app integrations to the flagship "Recall" feature. We recently ranked the top seven Copilot+ PC features, with Cocreator in Paint, Image Creator in Photos, and Recall at the top. 

Some Copilot+ PC features are tools that offer basic quality-of-life improvements. For example, Live Captions uses natural language processing to generate subtitles for any audio content, even content that doesn't already have closed captions. This is a great feature for those with hearing challenges but may be popular with a wide audience due to the growing preference for watching content with subtitles on. 

Copilot+ PCs can also run generative AI models on-device, which is great for fans of online AI tools like DALL-E. Copilot includes a few tools and features with image generation capabilities, including Restyle Image and Image Creator in the Photos app and Cocreator in the Paint app. Third-party integrations for creative apps like Adobe Creative Suite, DaVinci Resolve Studio, and CapCut leverage Copilot+ PCs' AI capabilities to enhance performance. 

The most thoroughly discussed Copilot+ PC feature, though, is Recall. This feature monitors all of your activity around the clock on your Copilot+ PC, allowing Copilot to "recall" things if you ask it to. For example, you could ask Copilot, "What was that pair of running sneakers I was looking at yesterday?" the AI will sort through its records of your recent activity to find the webpage you visited. 

That might sound useful on the surface, but some users are concerned about their privacy. Recall works by taking "snapshots" of your activity and filing that information away if you want to "recall" it. 

This means Copilot+ PCs can accumulate a huge amount of data, including sensitive information like passwords, financial data, and personal messages or documents. For many people, the convenience of having an AI find lost bookmarks isn't valuable enough to risk letting an AI record everything you do on your laptop. You can turn off Recall or restrict it to certain apps, though. 

However, Microsoft faced so much backlash over cybersecurity concerns that it announced Recall would not be among the Copilot+ features launched on June 18. Recall's public launch is currently being delayed for further testing and development. 

Unfortunately, Recall isn't the only potential stumbling block for Copilot+ PCs. Shortly after the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge, a list of apps with compatibility issues appeared on the Samsung South Korea website. The list includes some major apps and games such as Fortnite, Google Drive, Adobe Creative apps, League of Legends, Halo Infinite, Valorant, APEX Legends, and more. 

The issue stems from the switch to Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite/Plus chipsets, which use a different architecture than the Intel and AMD chips most Windows apps are designed for. Microsoft's Prism emulator is supposed to allow any app to run on Copilot+ PCs, even if it can't run natively. However, it appears that might not be the case for some apps. 

Luckily, this is likely a temporary issue that could be resolved if app developers choose to create new versions of their apps and games that can run natively on Qualcomm chips. 

What do reviews of Copilot+ PCs say so far?

The first wave of Copilot+ PCs was released on June 18, so there aren't many reviews yet. Laptop Mag's expert lab testing team is already putting these new laptops through the paces, though, so we will have in-depth reviews on several Copilot+ PC models in the coming weeks. 

The first round of lab test results is already painting an exciting picture of what to expect. 

For example, early battery tests show that Copilot+ PCs boast impressive battery life, making for some strong competition with Apple's MacBook Air and Pro M3. The HP Elitebook Ultra G1q and HP OmniBook X are the frontrunners so far, both delivering over 16 hours of battery life in Laptop Mag's tests. 

The Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge showed the strongest performance of the new Copilot+ PCs in Laptop Mag's early lab tests, scoring a whopping 15,818 on the Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark test. That puts it ahead of the MacBook Air M3, MacBook Pro M3 Pro, Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425), and the other Copilot+ PC Laptop Mag has tested so far. 

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 performed similarly, outscoring Apple's MacBook Air and MacBook Pro in the Geekbench 6 multi-core benchmark but falling behind those models in the Geekbench 6 single-core benchmark. 

While the full review for the Surface Laptop 7 will go into more detail on performance, these early results could indicate that the Surface Laptop 7 is best for apps optimized for multi-core CPUs. Most modern apps and games can tap into multi-core performance, but not all. Strong multi-core performance can also hint at good multi-tasking with numerous apps running at once. 

There are still many Copilot+ PCs that haven't been released yet, so we'll have to wait a bit longer to get a look at those. However, Laptop Mag's Madeline Ricchiuto got a hands-on preview of one of the upcoming Copilot+ PCs at Computex 2024. 

Ricchiuto remarked that the ASUS TUF Gaming A14 was "such a lightweight machine I didn’t quite believe my eyes." She also noted that it had a reasonably bright 2.5K 165Hz IPS display and mentioned that it "could become one of the best budget gaming laptops we’ve seen in a while." 

Copilot+ PC: What is Reddit saying?

Professional reviews help get an unbiased, in-depth look at how Copilot+ PCs perform from the perspective of people who test products like this often. However, when gauging how everyday users feel about new tech, many people turn to Reddit. 

There isn't a Copilot+ PC subreddit yet, but Redditors in other corners of the site have been sharing their thoughts over the past several weeks. Their posts and comments shed light on public sentiment toward Microsoft's push into the AI PC market. 

For example, one Redditor in r/Windows11 asked, "Is anyone actually going to buy "Copilot+ PC" computers?" Many of the responses were indifferent, like user "warenb," who commented, "Not sure how that'll help me browse Reddit and play my 5 PC games better, so nah." 

Some users looked at the Copilot+ PC announcement from a technical perspective, such as user "FalseAgent," who commented, "It's a big deal because these computers are not x86. They are efficient ARM computers that look like they will perform well without sounding like a jet engine and give you almost 20 hours of battery life... so yeah, of course, people are going to buy it." 

Much of the public response to Copilot+ PCs on Reddit has centered around the Recall feature. For example, users on r/overemployed shared concerns about workplace privacy in a thread titled, "Say no to Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft Recall." 

Even Apple users weighed in on r/Apple in a thread titled "Microsoft announces Copilot Plus PCs with built-in AI hardware." The competition between Microsoft and Apple ahead of WWDC 2024 was clear here, with users debating whether the Copilot AI is actually useful and whether Apple's M-series chips can keep up. 

Copilot+ PC vs AI PC

An AI PC is any laptop that uses on-device AI to offer advanced features or enhance the user experience. Copilot+ PCs are now one of the most common types of AI PCs, but they are not the only kind. 

For example, the term could also apply to Chromebook Plus laptops like the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 714, which uses Google's Gemini AI to power local AI features similar to those on Copilot+ PCs. It's just one in a new range of Chromebook Plus devices that are effectively the ChromeOS equivalent of Copilot+ laptops. 

Apple is also trying to break into the AI PC market with its new Apple Intelligence platform, which will run on M-series Macs. So, every Mac with an M1 chip and above will soon technically be an "AI PC." 

What's next for Copilot+PCs?

Copilot+ PCs are finally starting to hit the shelves, so Laptop Mag will share our in-depth impressions soon after thorough lab testing. If you're considering buying a Copilot+ PC, you'll have many options, ranging from the budget-friendly Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 to gaming powerhouses from ASUS, like the ROG Zephyrus G16. 

The main factor to think about is whether the Copilot+ AI features will be helpful for your needs and whether they are worth the cost of one of these new laptops. However, remember that more and more new Windows laptops may launch with Copilot+ functionality. So, even if you are not specifically looking for a Copilot+ PC, you could get one anyway simply because the leading manufacturers seem to be including most of their new devices under that umbrella now. 

As on-device AI tech continues to advance, we can expect Microsoft to add new features and capabilities to the Copilot AI. It's still up in the air when Microsoft Recall will get a full public release, but it looks like Microsoft will spend more time and focus on improving its security features before launching it. 

We'll cover all the latest news, rumors, and product releases for the growing Copilot+ PC line-up, so stay tuned for our full reviews and more details. 

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Late last week, Microsoft announced it would be changing how the flagship Recall feature of its recently announced Copilot+ PCs would work. The decision from Microsoft to change how Recall performs comes after an outcry from Windows users over potential privacy and security concerns.

Recall, expected to launch on June 18, is an all-new Windows 11 feature designed to run on Copilot+ PCs exclusively. It seeks to renew the way users can interact with their devices by harnessing AI to intelligently capture and analyze snapshots of your activity so users can search across an interactive timeline of events of every action taken during their computing sessions — from pages visited to songs listened to.

However, while Recall is easily one of the more promising AI PC features we've seen to date, it's also the one that's drawn the most ire from users who see it as a potential invasion of privacy and a possible security risk.

How Windows users reacted to Recall

Reactions to Microsoft's Recall feature for Windows have been one-sided. While there are those who defend the software, and the fact it's an optional service for Windows users, they're few and far between in the overall conversation.

"Calm down. You can switch it off!" states one redditor, attempting to calm down those concerned about Microsoft's latest AI-powered feature. However, it does little to calm the instant agitation felt by many.

Within another Reddit thread, users even show suspicion about the legitimacy of being able to truly "turn off" Recall, with one user asking: "Has there been any investigation on whether this setting is actually disabling Recall, as in not taking snapshots at all, or if it's simply disabling the long term storage?"

Comment from r/technology

In one thread, a Reddit user frames Recall in the harshest light possible: "It's literally spyware." Drawing conclusions as to why the feature was developed, the same redditor continues "Bet it was added at the behest of companies to spy on remote workers easier."

Comment from r/technology

But was the ire well warranted? After all, it took only days of Recall entering early testing before security researcher Kevin Beaumont showed video proof of the feature being hacked remotely.

Clearly, as it currently exists, Recall has a considerable number of security flaws that are rightfully drawing criticism online. It appears that the concerns of users about the safety of this feature weren't unfounded, but what can Microsoft do to resolve matters ahead of the feature's June 18 launch date?

Microsoft refit Recall for Copilot+ PCs: What's changed?

In a recent post to the Windows Experience Blog, Microsoft responded to growing criticism of Recall by highlighting several ways it intends to update the tool to patch any security loopholes and rebuild trust with Windows users.

The blog covers forthcoming changes that deal with everything from Recall's switch to an opt-in feature, as well as various updates to the security requirements of the software in the future.

• Windows Recall will now require a user to opt-in to the service, meaning the service will be disabled by default.
   
• Recall will now require Windows Hello to be active to use the feature. Windows Hello will be used to provide proof of presence for users to view and search through saved timelines.
   
• Windows Hello enhanced sign-in security (ESS) will also be used to bypass "just in time" decryption of snapshots and the search index database, to further ensure that Recall snapshots are only accessible when the user provides authentication.

Alongside these updates, Microsoft reaffirms the privacy of Recall, reminding users that snapshots are stored locally and won't be shared with any other applications or companies — including Microsoft.

It's also been revealed that a Recall icon in the taskbar will let users know when the feature is running, and that users will be able to pause, filter, and delete what's saved at will.

Microsoft has also confirmed that InPrivate or digital rights managed browsing will not be saved when using supported web browsers.

Outlook

How Windows users react to Recall's security enhancements remains to be seen, however, Microsoft will be under heavy scrutiny as the feature goes into release later this month — and with so much user data on the line, it's difficult to dismiss these concerns as unfounded.

We'll keep a close eye on Windows Recall and its subsequent updates in the testing period before release. However, without significant change, Microsoft's killer Copilot+ app could quickly become a liability for the company.

More from Laptop Mag

• I spy with my little AI: Are Copilot+ PCs a threat to your privacy?
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Technology. Isn’t it great? It powers the world around us, fuels innovation at rates never seen before, and binds us into a never-ending cycle of thirsting over the next shiny new thing. Frustratingly, while I’m lucky enough to be in a position where I might just be able to afford some of these shiny new things, I can’t buy them. More accurately, I won’t.

It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I’m deathly afraid of wasting what little money I have buying something that leaves me feeling like I just bought a bridge from George C. Parker.

Case in point, look no further than this month’s Computex event — a sparkling showcase of all the shiny new things, from sports car branded laptops to a selection of Windows gaming handhelds. All of which are arriving “soon.”

But as sure as eggs is eggs, by the time that “soon” arrives, there’ll be something else clearing the distant horizon with its own near-future shipping date — and it’ll probably be twice as good and have a really cool unique feature that I wouldn’t be able to get if I stuck with my current Computex compulsion. It seems this month’s innovation is next month’s last generation.

I’m lumped with consumer tech FOMO, and, ironically, that fear of missing out is causing me to miss out.

Stop the innovation, I want to get off. 

It’s a cruel, never-ending cycle of anticipation and hesitation that’s left me in a constant state of deadlock when it comes to buying new tech. My love of VR/AR has had me clamoring to pick up a Meta Quest 3 ever since it was announced in June 2023. A year on, and I’m still very much Quest 3-less. 

Before the Quest 3 had even launched, there were rumors of it being just one of three headsets to be released shortly. Even by the time my life could accommodate the purchase, a cheaper, updated version was said to be coming soon.

So how could I possibly buy one now? It seems the stronger my temptation becomes, the more details emerge about the upcoming Meta Quest 3s. There are literally pictures of it appearing online, you’d have to be a muggins to pick one up at this very moment.

Even game consoles with their supposed seven-year life cycles are failing me. If the PlayStation 4 taught me anything it’s that mid-generation upgrades now exist solely to laugh in your early adopting face. I can’t get a PS5, the PS5 Pro is right around the corner. I can’t even pick up an ROG Ally, that’s due for its refresh in the ROG Ally X. 

Messy overlaps cause purchase paralysis 

AI PCs are another prime example. They burst onto the scene in the closing moments of 2023 with Intel’s NPU-touting Meteor Lake Core Ultra CPUs. It was supposed to be the dawn of a new era for computing, one that unlocked the power of AI for all and that would change the Windows landscape forevermore.

Six months later the supposed dawn of the AI PC falls short as Microsoft announces the Copilot+ PC, a newer, more powerful, more AI-ready machine ready to drag us, kicking and screaming, into the age of AI. And just as you’ve settled into that thought, Intel returns with its all-new Lunar Lake AI chips and disrupts everything all over again.

Add AMD’s Strix Point CPUs into the mix and we’ve all the ingredients for a perpetually cycling rotation of more and more powerful chip releases faster than ever before. Moore’s Law might not be dead, but at this rate, I’m beginning to wish it was.

It’s not like Apple users have it any better either. I feel more compelled than ever to pick up a MacBook in the face of all of this AI PC turmoil. But why bother when the MacBook Air M4 is nearing? And why bother still, knowing that the M5 is only a year away, too? 

Outlook

Before you know it, a moment’s hesitation has caused you to stray so far from harnessing the cutting-edge of tech that you’re practically wielding safety scissors in comparison.

In some ways, I should be thankful. Microsoft and Intel’s AI PC back-and-forth has probably saved me more money this year than any high-yield savings account ever could have. But in perpetually waiting for the opportune moment, I’ve missed out on some impressive tech along the way — regardless of whether or not that tech remains as impressive six to twelve months down the line.

I’ve been trying my best to ease out of this mindset and enjoy tech more and more for what it is, without worrying about whether or not it will be relevant in half a year. My tips for those similarly suffering from a never-ending fear of missing out?

Know what you really want. Nothing zaps the consumer confidence out of you more than an impulse buy without a second consideration. There’s a difference between truly wanting something and just being carried along with the ebb and flow of marketing magic.

New tech is great, but you don’t always have to be keeping up with the Joneses. While you shouldn’t feel pressured into buying every new and shiny bit of tech there is, there’s absolutely no reason to be always standing on the sidelines either.

So, to those of us ever waiting for the opportune moment, lighten up. Get back in those virtual isles and try something new. Maybe I’ll see you there. I’ll be the glasshole in the Meta Quest 3.

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For those struggling to make a purchase, I'd like to point out Laptop Mag's excellent selection of best picks and buying guides. They're designed with you in mind, and ready to get you up to speed on the latest and greatest in tech across multiple categories.

If you're looking to solve a case of FOMO of your own, I highly recommend our expert-curated gallery of the best laptops, 

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Framework is a laptop manufacturer that promotes sustainability through creating modular laptops designed to reduce e-waste and empower consumers through choice, upgradability, and ease of repair.

Furthering the dream of a fully upgradable laptop, Framework is now taking pre-orders for a new swappable main board featuring Intel's current Cure Ultra chips — bringing an upgrade pathway to users seeking the capabilities of an AI PC.  

Framework Laptop 13: A modular medley of upgrades

The new Intel Core Ultra option brings a host of performance improvements to the new Framework Laptop 13, including an NPU (neural processing unit) and support for up to 96GB of RAM.

However, Framework has made even further upgrades available for their modular laptop, including a new 13.5-inch display that packs a higher 2880 x 1920 resolution and a 120Hz variable refresh rate. Better still, a new 9.2MP webcam enables 1080p capture and improved low-light performance.

The Framework Laptop 13's new processor brings the company's laptop into the AI PC market for the first time, unlocking a host of options when it comes to running AI-based software or models on-device.

Intel Core Ultra: Welcome to AI computing

AI PCs are a blanket term that describes laptops and computers that feature an NPU and are designed to run AI-enhanced tools and features. Intel's Core Ultra and AMD's Ryzen 8040 series of processors are the first x86 processors to offer this, touting 10 to 16 TOPS (trillions of operations per second) of performance.

These types of computers have already seen their first evolution with Microsoft's announcement of the Copilot+ PC, which is a classification of AI PC that features an NPU capable of 40 TOPS of performance, with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X-series chips being the primary choice for most manufacturers looking to meet these processor specs.

However, Intel and AMD are gearing up to release their next-gen CPUs featuring improved NPU performance of between 40 and 45 TOPS via Core Ultra "Meteor Lake" and Ryzen "Strix Point" APUs respectively.

The future is modular

Framework's modular laptop is far more than a novelty, showcasing the real potential and usefulness of an upgradable laptop with swappable components. Framework have in essence created the last laptop you'll ever buy by providing the platform capable of being upgrading in all areas, from graphics to processor and even display.

Practically all areas of Framework's laptop are capable of being swapped in or out for newer components. Larger models even allow for customizable keyboard decks that can feature macro pads, RGB lighting, haptic sliders, LED matrixes, and in theory secondary displays.

This level of customization and upgradability allows for smaller improvements over time, not all that dissimilar to desktop PCs. The e-waste reduction is also a massive benefit to those concerned about the industry's footprint, and other manufacturers are beginning to see the potential of modular computing with even Dell showcasing a modular laptop concept called Luna at the tail end of 2022.

The lack of upgradability for laptops is one of the key negatives when it comes to these devices, with their lifespan being typically limited to the generation of processor or GPU housed within. Modular laptops break through this barrier and allow for a longer-lasting laptop with a huge level of customization available when it comes to configuration. 

Outlook

The new Framework Laptop 13 is currently available for pre-order starting at $1,100, with shipping starting as early as June.

If you're looking for a laptop experience that can be fine-tuned and customized to exactly suit your needs, with the potential for upgrading throughout the years ahead, then a Framework laptop could be ideal for you.

For news, rumors, and how-tos on everything laptop-related and all things tech, follow Laptop Mag on Twitter, Facebook, and Flipboard for the latest word as it arrives.

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On Monday, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 — the first devices featuring the highly-anticipated Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor.

While performance specs for this powerful new AI CPU have been rumored for months, nothing was confirmed until this week. We finally have the first benchmarks for the Snapdragon X Elite, including comparisons to Apple's MacBook Air M3. 

The Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 are the first in a new wave of Copilot+ PCs from Microsoft and partners like Dell, Lenovo, and ASUS. The Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in the Snapdragon X Elite, which helps to power these new laptops, allows Copilot+ PCs to deliver longer battery life and smoother performance, along with a suite of AI tools and features. 

How does the Snapdragon X Elite stack up in benchmark testing, though? Is it as good in practice as it sounds on paper? Here's a look at the numbers, from battery life to gaming.

The results are in: First Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite benchmarks

The first hands-on benchmark testing for the Snapdragon X Elite was released this week after Microsoft announced its new Surface devices ahead of Microsoft Build. While Microsoft commissioned the testing, it was performed by a third-party lab, Signal65. 

They tested the Snapdragon X Elite configuration of the new Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, which is priced at $1699. Signal65 performed the same tests on the 15-inch MacBook Air M3, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 with an Intel 12th Gen Core i7, and the MSI Prestige 16 EVO AI with an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. 

There were a couple of categories where the Surface Laptop 7 came out on top, but the competition with the MacBook Air M3 was closer than expected. The Surface Laptop 7 excelled on battery life, lasting 58% longer than the Surface Laptop 5 and 16% longer than the MacBook Air M3, which came in second place.

The Surface Laptop 7 also outperformed the competition on the multi-thread Geekbench 6.3 test, scoring 12% higher than the MSI Prestige 16 AI EVO and 15% higher than the MacBook Air M3. However, the MacBook was the champ in the single-thread Geekbench 6.3 test, scoring 15% higher than the Surface Laptop 7. 

The Surface Laptop 7 lagged in almost every other test, as well. The MSI Prestige 16 EVO AI scored 40% higher on the Handbrake 1.7.3 media transcoding test. The MacBook Air M3 outpaced the Surface Laptop 7 by 40% on the Speedometer v3.0 web browsing test. The MSI Prestige 16 EVO AI and the MacBook Air M3 both outperformed the Surface Laptop 7 in graphics tests, as well. 

AI is the one area where the Surface Laptop 7 had a significant edge. The Surface Laptop 7 showed 48% more NPU performance than the MacBook Air M3 in the Procyon AI Computer Vision test. This category is important to note since AI is a major focus of Microsoft's new Copilot+ PCs, including the Surface Laptop 7. 

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite in practice

The first round of test results for the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite paint a curious picture: excellent AI performance mixed with middling results in almost everything else.

While we won't get a detailed idea of how the Snapdragon X Elite performs until we review one of the new Copilot+ PCs, there have been some demos this week during Microsoft Build that hint at what it's everyday performance could be like. 

For instance, Microsoft showed gaming demos of Baldur's Gate 3 and Borderlands 3 running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon Developer's Kit. Both games were able to run at 30 FPS.

That's low by gaming laptop standards, but still completely playable. The demo also included support for auto Super Resolution, which uses AI to deliver up to 60% faster FPS. 

Signal65's testing also included gaming. They were able to run Cyberpunk 2077, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Borderlands 3 at 1080p on the Surface Laptop 7, which is fairly good.

However, they reported keeping the graphics quality on "low" and noted that the Surface Laptop 7 couldn't run games that require kernel-level anti-cheat software, such as Fortnite.

Outlook

Judging by these early demos and test results, it looks like the Snapdragon X Elite may be great for AI and productivity tasks, but struggle with gaming and graphics-heavy tasks. Microsoft may be planning ahead to address that issue, though.

Popular GPU manufacturer NVIDIA announced on Tuesday that it will be making RTX GPUs for Copilot+ PCs in the coming months. This could be the perfect complement to the Snapdragon X Elite, offering a boost in graphics performance that would be helpful for many AI tasks as well as gaming. 

It will be interesting to see how the addition of NVIDIA GPUs impacts performance and battery life on future Snapdragon X Elite devices. Even in areas where the MacBook Air M3 outperformed the Surface Laptop 7, the results were often close. The addition of a dedicated GPU could give the Snapdragon X Elite an edge. 

However, it's worth noting that these initial benchmarks and demos don't include comparisons to Apple's latest processor, the M4 chip, which is currently only available in the iPad Pro. Will it dethrone the Snapdragon X Elite when it comes to the MacBook? We'll have to wait and see. 

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Microsoft recently defined an "AI PC" as one that has the AI-accelerating Neural Processing Unit, or NPU, chip, along with the latest CPUs and GPUs. It also would need access to Copilot, with a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard. 

But according to alleged presentation slides from Nvidia, these requirements from Microsoft simply outline a "basic AI PC," not a "premium AI PC" that'd be possible with a powerful discrete GPU.

The presentation slides were leaked to the China-based site BenchLife.info and marked with "Nvidia Confidential — Do Not Distribute" in the corner, but there's no way to verify their legitimacy. That said, the slides differentiate basic and premium AI PCs with peak AI TOPS metrics and dive into the ways a premium AI PC could outperform a basic alternative.

Are discrete GPUs better for AI performance than NPUs?

While this might seem like a simple marketing ploy for Nvidia to sell more RTX GPUs, it's not. Of course, touting Nvidia RTX-powered computers as "premium AI PCs" is a self-serving marketing move. Still, discrete GPUs have more computing capability than NPUs right now — Nvidia's right about that.

According to one leaked slide, a basic AI PC utilizes an NPU as the AI accelerator, capable of 10 to 45 TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second). In contrast, a premium AI PC uses a discrete GPU capable of 100 to over 1,300 TOPS. Then, a heavy AI PC is capable of "1000s of TOPS" with a cloud GPU — another product that Nvidia currently sells. 

While there's no way to confirm whether these slides are legitimate—short of Nvidia confirming it—the information presented in the slides doesn't seem far-fetched. Using a discrete GPU as an AI accelerator rather than an NPU will allow for faster photo and video editing and a higher-quality gaming experience, among other things, but there's a catch. 

Generally, computers with discrete GPUs are more expensive than those with integrated graphics. If NPUs are the only way to bring on-device AI to PCs without increasing their price, that might be why Microsoft is choosing to push "basic" AI PCs right now.

So, while computers with an RTX GPU from Nvidia might be the more "premium" AI pick, they might not be accessibly priced compared to "basic" options. But for someone who plans to play games on their laptop, the extra cost for a discrete GPU might be more justified by a boosted AI experience.

We've been hearing so much about AI PCs that will use Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chipset, but there has been little in the way of a release date — other than "mid-2-24." That changed this week, with Asus teasing a "premium ultraportable laptop that is the first new-era ASUS AI PC."

The Tawain-based tech giant revealed on Tuesday that it would debut an AI PC during a live-streamed event on May 20 called "Next Level. AI Incredible." 

Laptop Mag understands that the computer will most likely be the Vivobook S 15 OLED (S5507) equipped with Qualcomm's highly anticipated Snapdragon X Elite chip, which is rumored to beat Apple's M3 chip in performance.

What to expect from the first AI PC from Asus

There aren't many specs available for this "new-era ASUS AI PC," but it's most likely going to be an upgraded version of the company's Vivobook S 15 OLED, which scored 4 out of 5 stars in our review. In fact, the Vivobook is pictured in an Asus press release about the May 20 event, and its off-center trackpad solves any hint of a mystery.

Our Vivobook S 15 OLED came with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a 15.6-inch FHD OLED display. While the display will likely stay the same, it wouldn't be surprising if Asus offered configurations with up to 1TB of SSD storage and possibly more RAM to facilitate better multitasking performance from the Snapdragon X Elite.

Thus far, Asus has only released general claims of impressive AI performance, like "revolutionary computing power" and "comprehensive support for the latest AI functionality from ASUS and Microsoft." So it's unclear exactly how AI will be utilized to make this a "remarkable innovation," but the world will find out at 11 a.m. Pacific on May 20.

We're very excited for this laptop to launch so we can test the Snapdragon X Elite's performance and efficiency. Will we finally get a Windows laptop that rivals a MacBook in both performance and battery life? We hope so.

You can join the event directly on the Asus website (the link won't be active until May 7). Although this AI-powered PC from Asus will debut virtually, we'll get a chance to see it in person — along with the rest of the Asus AI PC lineup — at Computex 2024 in Taipei, so be sure to check back in for our first impressions. 

Since Apple adopted its ARM-based silicon chips, it's been at the forefront of laptop, tablet, and smartphone performance. However, all that could be about to change as Microsoft confidently claim that Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X Elite ARM processors will be a game changer for Windows laptops and Surface devices going forward.

Sources familiar with Microsoft's ARM goals have revealed to The Verge that there is an aura of open confidence surrounding the performance capabilities of these Qualcomm-equipped devices, with several demos being planned to showcase the performance and AI acceleration potential of these devices compared to Apple's latest MacBook Air — outfitted with the M3 Apple silicon SoC.

An end to Apple silicon supremacy?

If the performance of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite is able to topple Apple's latest generation of chips, as Microsoft claim, then we could be looking at a new era for ARM-based computing, as well as Windows on ARM — which has made considerable advances over the last few years after an otherwise turbulent and ill-supported existence.

One of its key troubles has been app emulation, which is essential for running software designed for x86-64 architectures. While Windows on ARM's capabilities in this area have expanded and improved, it has lacked the smoothness and efficiency as handling these apps in their native manner.

That being said, according to internal documents shared with The Verge, Microsoft believes that Qualcomm's chips will be of great benefit to this emulation process. Going so far as to claim that its new wave of ARM-based laptops will offer "Faster app emulation than Rosetta 2," which Apple silicon Macs make use of to perform similar emulations.

Qualcomm's "next-gen AI Copilot PCs"

While both AMD and Intel are offering NPUs in their latest lineup of processors, Microsoft has earmarked Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops to be at the forefront of its AI PC push.

According to the same sources, Microsoft plans to launch the latest of its AI PC features on these Qualcomm platforms first, ensuring they're always at the cutting edge of this new frontier's offerings.

At present, we're still looking for a real delineation of what an AI PC truly is, or truly will be. However, we do know that Microsoft is currently testing a number of AI features to be included in the upcoming Windows 11 2H24 update like expanded Copilot capabilities, an AI Explorer that tracks events over a timeline, and new Windows Studio Effects for video processing in virtual meetings and video calls.

Microsoft will likely have more to showcase on the AI front, but we'll have to wait for the company's scheduled AI PC showcase taking place on May 20, before its annual Microsoft Build event kick starts on May 21.

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While we know many Windows 11 24H2 rumors include upcoming AI features, namely via Microsoft's Copilot assistant, there hasn't been much concrete information from Microsoft on its plans for AI in Windows. However, Intel just revealed a few basic requirements from Microsoft for OEMs to build an AI PC.

In an Intel press briefing with The Verge, system requirements mentioned for a Windows PC to be classified as an "AI PC" include a Neural Processing Unit, the latest CPUs and GPUs, access to Copilot, and — shockingly — a dedicated Copilot key on the keyboard. 

Todd Lewellen, head of the PC ecosystem at Intel, told The Verge that "From an Intel perspective our AI PC has Core Ultra and it has an integrated NPU because it is unlocking all kinds of new capabilities and functions in the AI space. We have great alignment with Microsoft, but there are going to be some systems out there that may not have the physical key on it but it does have our integrated NPU.”

So Intel believes that laptops equipped with Intel's new Core Ultra chip and an integrated NPU are AI PCs, regardless of whether they have the dedicated Microsoft Copilot key, but Microsoft's definition would say these laptops aren't AI PCs. As long as a PC has Copilot access, it seems frivolous to require a dedicated key to classify it as an AI PC.

Future AI PCs might require 40 TOPS of NPU performance

While The Verge learned basic requirements for current-gen AI PCs in the Intel press briefing, Tom's Hardware chatted with Intel at its AI Summit in Taipei about how the AI PC requirements might change over time, with next-gen AI PCs possibly requiring 40 TOPS of NPU performance to classify. 

Intel's Todd Lewellen told Tom's Hardware that "there's going to be a continuum or an evolution, where then we're going to go to the next-gen AI PC with a 40 TOPS requirement in the NPU," followed up by this statement: "We have our next-gen product that's coming that will be in that category." 

This 40 TOPS requirement will allow many of Copilot's key capabilities to run locally (rather than in the cloud), which will result in lower latency, better performance, and benefits to privacy. However, many current NPUs fall shy of that 40 TOPS requirement. Intel says its next-gen product will be in that 40 TOPS category, but its current Meteor Lake chip only offers up to 10 TOPS for the NPU.

AMD's Ryzen Hawk Point platform, for comparison, offers up to 16 TOPS for its NPU. That's slightly better than Intel's current-gen offering, but both fall short of the 40 TOPS next-gen requirement. 

Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon X Elite chip, releasing in laptops as soon as mid-2024, will supposedly support a whopping 45 TOPS in its NPU, surpassing the next-gen AI PC requirement with a current-gen product.

According to The Verge, Intel is expanding its new AI PC acceleration program to help software developers create AI-powered features for apps to utilize the full capabilities of Intel's AI-powered processor and Microsoft's Copilot assistant. In theory, the more optimized apps and hardware for Intel's AI PCs before Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite laptops roll out, the better (for Intel).

But with rumored performance of the Snapdragon X Elite, even compared to Apple's current-gen M3 chip or next-gen M4 chip, optimized apps and hardware for Intel's AI PCs might not be enough to keep Qualcomm from leading the competition.

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Microsoft's first surface event of the year might have a business-first approach, but it's also our first peek at the company's latest Surface devices with the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 heavily expected to be unveiled in full for the first time.

Not only that, it would seem Microsoft will be gearing up to showcase new Copilot features and potentially deeper integration with the Microsoft 365 suite of office tools.

Want to check out the event as it happens? You're in luck. Microsoft will be broadcasting tomorrow's event for all to see, giving you front-row seats to check out Microsoft's first AI PCs as they're revealed to the world.

How to watch Microsoft Surface event 2024: Surface Laptop 6, Surface Pro 10, and Copilot reveals

Microsoft's Surface event for business takes place tomorrow, March 21, 2024. There's no word yet on how long the stream will last, but the 'New Era of Work' showcase will kick off at 9 a.m. PDT (or noon EDT) for those in the US & Canada. You can catch the stream as it happens at the event page on Microsoft's website.

Tuning in from outside of the US & Canada? Don't worry, we've assembled the event start times across various other time zones below, too!

• US & Canada: Thursday, March 21 @ 9 a.m. PDT / noon EDT
• United Kingdom: Thursday, March 21 @ 4 p.m. GMT
• Europe: Thursday, March 21 @ 5 p.m. CET
• India: Thursday, March 21 @ 9:30 p.m. IST
• Australia and New Zealand: Friday, March 22 @ 3 a.m. AET / 5 a.m. NZDT

How to watch Microsoft Surface event 2024: What to expect

Microsoft's Surface event will be primarily business-focused, with the company already announcing that a more consumer-focused Surface event will take place on May 20, 2024.

Regardless, it'll still be our first look at new Surface hardware and a peek at what's to come with Microsoft Copilot, so there'll be a decent chunk of interesting reveals amid the talk of spreadsheets and Teams meetings.

Notable expectations for the event include Microsoft Surface hardware, including a new Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10. Both of these could be the first of Microsoft's machines to feature the new Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, an ARM-based SoC said to deliver M3-chasing performance and improved efficiency for better battery life.

It's all but confirmed that these devices will also come in Intel configurations, outfitted with Intel's latest Core Ultra 5 and 7 CPUs with powerful neural processing units (NPUs) for improved AI computing.

To learn more about what's expected at tomorrow's event, catch up with our rumor mill of everything we've heard so far about the Microsoft Surface event 2024. 

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Microsoft's next showcase is a Surface event for business that will likely reveal to us a duo of AI PC offerings in the form of the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10. The event, expected to take place this coming Thursday (March 21, 2024), will also likely showcase a number of Copilot features available with Microsoft's first dive into the AI PC landscape.

We've keenly observed and had the chance to review Surface devices for over a decade at Laptop Mag, from the original Surface Pro to last year's Surface Laptop Go 3. While it's a cliche to hear, this year's Surface event, with its "New Era of Work" tagline, has the potential to be one of the brand's biggest in recent years.

Far from hollow hype, the age of AI sees Microsoft in pole position when it comes to adoption of this tech, and this is the company's first chance to really showcase how it can impact our devices on a day-to-day level.

Coming off a rather lackluster showing in 2023 and with Surface Chief Product Officer Panos Panay having stepped down, Microsoft will, no doubt, be seeking to impress this time around. And, with a duo of AI PCs, Microsoft Copilot, and the potential of M3 Apple Silicon-crushing Qualcomm CPUs all expected to feature, it might well do so.

Let's dive in to what we can expect from this week's event.

Microsoft Surface Event 2024: Surface Laptop 6

Microsoft's more traditional Surface laptop is set for a refresh in the Surface Laptop 6, looking highly likely to feature both Intel and Qualcomm processor options, both of which touting powerful NPUs (Neural Processing Units) for dramatically improved performance and efficiency when it comes to AI-related tasks.

On the Intel side of things, the Surface Laptop 6 is highly likely to include the chip manufacturer's "Meteor Lake" Core Ultra 5 and 7 processors backed by up to 64GB of RAM, which, according to Windows Central's Zac Bowden, Microsoft claim makes the device up to 50% faster than the Surface Laptop 5.

For the Qualcomm model, the Surface Laptop 6 will reportedly house an ARM-based Snapdragon X Elite processor with up to 64GB of RAM in tow. Qualcomm's processor is currently stirring up considerable buzz after benchmarks appeared online that showcase results to rival Apple's M3 SoC as found in the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air.

Whichever chipset eventual Surface Laptop 6 owners go with, they can expect improved battery life, an additional USB-C port, a haptic touchpad, and the new dedicated Copilot shortcut key.

Business models of the Intel Surface Laptop 6 are expected to begin shipping in April 2024, with consumer models including the ARM-based Qualcomm SoC arriving in May and Intel models in June.

Microsoft Surface Event 2024: Surface Pro 10

Microsoft's Surface Pro is set to enter its 10th generation, with the 2-in-1 detachable hybrid also coming in models with Intel and Qualcomm chipsets.

This new Surface Pro 10 will also include an anti-reflective, OLED screen (now with HDR support and trimmer bezels) and an ultrawide webcam (ideal for making use of some of the new Windows Studio effects arriving in this year's Windows 11 2H24 update).

The Surface Pro 10's versatility is one of its key selling points, and having such a powerful Windows ultraportable on hand in tablet or clamshell mode gives it a wide variety of use options. Factor in whatever features Microsoft is ready to wow its user base with during the event and the upcoming Windows 11 update, and you have one of the most AI-capable tablet hybrids around.

Business models of the Intel Surface Pro 10 are estimated to begin shipping in April 2024, with consumer Intel Core Ultra models arriving in May and Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite models available in June.

Microsoft Surface Event 2024: Windows Copilot

Little is known about how much Microsoft intends to reveal when it comes to the capabilities of its AI-ready machines, or how it plans to maximize the potential of Copilot within them.

However, we have heard that Microsoft is working on a new AI Explorer in Windows 11 for NPU-touting systems. This new Explorer will catalog actions taken on a device, allowing you to engage in temporal searching across a recorded timeline, similar to the damp squib that was the Timeline feature of Windows 10.

This time around, Microsoft has the software and hardware capable of making its feature a success, in theory. However, whether it catches on with users will have to be seen.

Also arriving on Windows AI PCs will be Super Resolution mode for integrated DLSS-like upscaling in games, and the capability to generate live captions to media on-device in a range of supported languages.

Outlook

While this is going to be our first look at the Surface Laptop 6, Surface Pro 10, and some interesting AI features heading to the Windows 11 platform in the near future, Microsoft's upcoming event is primarily business-focused.

As such, the configurations of these devices might leave some potential consumers wanting, at least until May 20 2024 when Microsoft intends to deliver a more mainstream-focused Surface event to showcase the capabilities of its new devices to a consumer audience.

Until then, we look forward to catching Microsoft's latest hardware take center stage, and hopefully getting our hands on it soon to put it through our review process. After a rocky 2023 for Microsoft hardware, we're keen to see if there's a successful rebound on the cards for the Seattle company, especially when it comes to the Surface lineup — a stable of devices with impressive, albeit not fully realized, potential.

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Microsoft's "New Era of Work" event is just over a week away, and we're likely to get a glimpse of the company's future plans for Windows, Copilot, and its Surface catalog of laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1s.

While AI, and its continued adoption by Windows 11, will almost certainly be a major part of the event, we are expecting to see new Surface devices unveiled, also. These new devices could also do away with the Surface lineup's Intel and AMD pairings, potentially making use of Intel's latest, AI-ready, NPU-sporting CPUs from the Core Ultra family and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite SoC — an ARM-based chipset rumored to deliver performance comparable to Apple's M3 silicon.

While we can't say for sure exactly what Microsoft have on the cards for the March 21 event, it's becoming more and more likely that at least two future Surface devices will be showcased. Namely, the Surface Laptop 6 and the Surface Pro 10.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 6

The Surface Laptop is Microsoft's flagship laptop and one of the company's most concentrated efforts to recreate the concept of a Windows MacBook. The latest Surface Laptop 5 is slim, lightweight, touts a minimalist design, and packs a keyboard and speaker combo that is up there with the best of them.

So why did this laptop only score three out of five when we reviewed it last year? Well, in a nut shell, middling performance, lackluster battery life, and a dated thick-bezel design.

However, when it comes to the Surface Laptop 6, each of these issues has reportedly been addressed as Microsoft has chosen to give its flagship notebook more of an overhaul than a simple refresh. 

Beyond the indication that the laptop will offer the latest Intel or Qualcomm models for a much needed performance boost, these chips are also set to offer dramatic efficiency improvements that will likely elongate the Surface Laptop's battery-life.

Also rumored to feature on the Surface Laptop 6 are trimmer screen bezels, a haptic touchpad, a secondary USB-C port, and the all-new Copilot shortcut key which will now replace the right control key.

Microsoft Surface Pro 10

The Surface Pro is Microsoft's 10th generation, 2-in-1 detachable laptop, and a popular device for its standalone tablet form factor, solid performance, and dependable battery life.

However, Microsoft is more than prepared to build on that success by reportedly upgrading the Surface Pro's display to an anti-reflective, HDR supporting, OLED panel, an ultrawide webcam to make better use of Windows Studios AI effects, and a built-in NFC reader.

Once again, the Surface Pro 10 is likely to be made available in two models, with each touting a different chipset from Intel or Qualcomm. Either of which could rocket Microsoft's hybrid tablet to being one of the most powerful options on the market, further elevated by its AI potential through upcoming feature drops arriving in the upcoming Windows 11 2H24 update.

Outlook

On paper, it would seem that the Surface lineup is getting some much-needed love from Microsoft, especially after a 2023 that generally failed to impress for the lineup. However, beyond the hardware changes, the most exciting aspect of these AI PCs is what Microsoft has in store to take full advantage of their advanced capabilities.

With rumors of a much improved Windows Copilot steering an AI Explorer in systems featuring an NPU to DLSS-like upscaling and smoothing in games, Windows' AI features and software could well steal much of the spotlight during the upcoming event.

Windows 11 is gearing up for its annual 2H24 update, with many new features already being tested within Canary and Insider Preview builds of Microsoft's OS. However, new features are hinted at in each new build, the latest of which was spotted by leaker XenoPanther and alludes to incoming video chat effects for Windows 11 users running on NPU-featuring PCs and laptops.

The leaker spotted references to these new features while digging through the latest Windows 11 preview build, also finding files that suggest the operating system could see updates to its OOBE (Out of Box Experience) and sign-in screen.

In a follow-up post, XenoPanther also points to three new potential camera effects heading to the Windows 11 platform: Watercolor, animated, and illustrated.

Microsoft Teams: Now in Technicolor

All three will likely feature as part of the AI-enhanced Windows Studio Effects already available to machines sporting an NPU. Some already available effects include automatic framing (similar to Apple's Centre Stage feature), background blur (similar to the portrait mode on smartphones), voice focus (which clears up audio from distracting background noise), and Eye Contact — which uses AI to "fake" eye contact with your webcam during video calls so that users feel more engaged with one another.

The new additions will offer full-image filters that turn your typical video feed into something with an artistic twist, painting you on a watercolor canvas, as a cell-shaded colleague, or looking like you've just stepped out of an A-ha music video.

These features aren't exactly new, but the fact that they're exclusive to NPU-owning machines does suggest that they'll be much better performing than similar effects of old and potentially far more visually impressive.

Windows Central's Zac Bowden believes so, anyway. As he has reportedly seen the effects in action, claiming that they look "Super cool."

Outlook

There's no word yet as to when we'll see these features appear in preview builds, or even if they'll make the cut for the coming Windows 11 2H24 update, but it remains interesting to see how Microsoft plans to exploit the potential of new AI PCs.

Until then, we'll just have to wait a see whether this feature passes the Microsoft quality check, after which, we could all be left feeling more than a little Toonstruck in our Teams meetings.

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This week while attending MWC 2024 in Barcelona, Intel announced the expansion of its AI PC initiative with the new Intel vPro platform coming soon to the best business laptops. This platform leverages the power of the latest Intel Core Ultra processors (with optional built-in Intel Arc GPUs) and 14th Gen Intel Core processors to deliver.

I already reviewed the MSI Prestige 16 AI EVO, which is meant for business users, I found it to perform not only all your document-pushing business needs but also found it was great for editing 6K videos in DaVinci Resolve while on the go.

The AI PC revolution is now entering the Enterprise marketplace, toting along new tools like Copilot, powered by the onboard NPU, which could present enterprise users with an opportunity to not only improve workflow but work-life balance. Here is an overview of what we learned during our time with Intel at MWC. 

Enterprise users prepare for vast improvements

• Enhanced productivity: Up to 47% improvement in office application performance compared to 3-year-old PCs.
• Robust security: Enhanced threat detection, system firmware authentication, and hardware-based remote management.
• Streamlined manageability: New tools for cloud-based device management and patching.
• Improved stability: Frictionless OS transitions and 99.7% application compatibility with Windows 11.
• Sustainability: 94% of vPro devices are EPEAT Silver or better, and using its remote repair features can save significant carbon emissions.

David Feng, Intel VP of Client Computing Group, emphasizes the significance of this development "The new Intel vPro platform with Intel Core Ultra continues to raise the bar... We are delivering new AI experiences with more than 100 software vendors, Windows 11 and Copilot. 2024 is shaping up to be the best year to refresh your fleet and be AI-ready."

Key features of the vPro platform

• Powerful processors: Intel Core Ultra and 14th Gen Core processors offer exceptional performance and efficiency, with optional built-in Intel Arc GPUs for enhanced graphics capabilities.
• Advanced security: Intel Threat Detection Technology and Intel Silicon Security Engine safeguard against cyber threats.
• Improved manageability: New tools like Intel Device Discovery and Device Health simplify device management for IT teams.
• Enhanced stability: The vPro platform ensures compatibility with Windows 10 and 11, while Intel's Stable IT Program simplifies deployment. list

The vPro platform fills growing demand for professional workstation graphics

• New Intel Arc Pro graphics: Delivering performance and features typically found in high-end discrete graphics cards, these integrated GPUs offer ray tracing, AI upscaling, and AV1 encoding for enhanced visuals and performance.
• ISV certifications: Ensure compatibility and reliability for professional design and engineering software. list

Final thoughts

When combined with deep co-engineering with Microsoft on Windows 11, Copilot, and Teams, the vPro platform should deliver a comprehensive solution for businesses of every size seeking to embrace the potential of AI PCs.

This looks to be a pivotal moment for enterprise technology, and the vPro platform that will equip businesses with the tools and capabilities to thrive in the AI-driven future.

Ultimately some industry insiders are concerned about whether Microsoft will be able to deliver, and in a sense keep up with the hardware now being produced not only by Intel but by OEMs as well. I will say CoPilot is a nice start, but the next phase or iteration of Windows OS has to be stable, secure, innovative, and when launched at least appear to be fully baked.

The Dell Latitude laptop line-up is getting an update with neural processing units, AI features, and improved sustainability. Dell has unveiled several upcoming Latitude devices including the 7350 Detachable, 9450, 5350, 5450, 5550, 7350, 7450, 7650, and 7450 Ultralight. While the chassis designs are nothing new, there are some hardware updates worth taking a look at.  

Dell Latitude 7350 Detachable: A step up for tablet users 

The new Dell Latitude 7350 Detachable has a few features that caught my eye (although I’ve never been a fan of the kickstand design). It’s pretty powerful for a detachable, shipping with an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 AI-ready CPU. Dell’s goal for this device is to achieve laptop-level performance in a tablet form factor, which the Core Ultra processors will certainly help accomplish. 

The Latitude 7350 Detachable also includes up to 32GB of RAM, up to 2TB of SSD storage, and optional 5G connectivity. You can also add the detachable keyboard and pen as well as a touch fingerprint reader and Face IR camera for Windows Hello compatible sign-in. The 13-inch IPS display is made with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus boasting a max brightness of 500 nits and a reported 100% sRGB. 

The 7350 Detachable also received a camera upgrade. It now has 8MP cameras on the front and back with the addition of HDR. This should noticeably improve camera quality with better lighting and exposure, handy for anyone who’s often in video meetings. 

Another feature that will help out with that is the collaboration touchpad. This was previously only available on Dell’s 9400 series Latitude devices, but it’s now making its way into the rest of the line-up. The collaboration touchpad activates four buttons on the touchpad while in video calls on Zoom, Google Meet, or similar platforms. The buttons act as shortcuts for video call features like muting, turning your camera on or off, and opening the chat panel. 

The 7350 Detachable would make a good device for someone who mainly uses a tablet but wants the option for laptop functionality. If you enjoy the form factor of detachables but wish yours had a bit more processing power, the Latitude 7350 could be a solid upgrade. The only drawback to it is the lack of a dedicated GPU, but the integrated graphics should be powerful enough to handle everyday productivity tasks, especially with the help of the new AI-enabling NPU.

Core Ultra CPUs and improved sustainability across the Dell Latitude line-up 

While the 7350 Detachable is the highlight of Dell’s updated Latitude devices, the entire line-up has a few new stand-out features. First, the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs will be available across the product line. That means you can tap into a plethora of AI features on any of the new Latitude devices. 

Intel’s NPUs open the door for a few really exciting AI tools including hardware acceleration, camera effects, and security features. For instance, if you are on a Zoom call on one of the new Latitude devices, you can turn on background blur without it sucking up processing power from your CPU. Now the NPU will handle tasks like that, allowing your CPU and GPU to perform more efficiently, even during processor-intensive tasks.

A longer-to-use Latitude

Another update that really stands out is Dell’s increased attention to sustainability. The Latitude 7350 and 7350 Detachable both include a battery made with 50% recycled cobalt. The chassis on the Detachable is also made with 90% recycled magnesium which reduces its weight as well as its environmental impact. 

The screen on the 7350 Detachable is fully serviceable, as well, which means it’s designed to be easily repairable. So, if you dropped your 7350 Detachable and cracked the screen, you could just replace the panel instead of the whole device, resulting in less e-waste.

Damaging the 7250 Detachable's display could be easier said than done, though – it’s made with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, and therefore stands to resist a sizable amount of wear and tear without fail. The improved serviceability of the new Latitude devices also means you can easily upgrade certain components, such as the SSD.

While we don't have pricing to share yet, we can reveal that the Dell Latitude 7250 Detachable will be available from Q2 2024, with the rest of the Latitude lineup available from March.

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