Microsoft has officially kicked off its Copilot+ PC ecosystem for the “AI PC” era, powered by new laptops from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm.
Microsoft Places The Bets on NPU For Its Copilot+ PC Ecosystem, AI-Powered Laptops Coming To Market With Qualcomm Snapdragon X, Intel Lunar Lake & AMD Strix Chips
As a part of its special event at the Redmont Campus, Microsoft unveiled its Copilot+ PC platform which will harness the NPU technology to power the latest AI PC experiences within the Windows 11 operating system. Microsoft states that the latest silicon from Qualcomm, AMD & Intel will be enabling over 40+ TOPS of AI compute which is the minimum requirement for these experiences.
In its presentation, Microsoft fired all barrels at Apple and its M3 chips (even though the latter has announced its M4 chip recently). Microsoft claimed up to 20x faster AI performance than the Apple M3 and up to 100x efficient processing against the likes of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4080 with the use of an NPU onboard the latest AI chips from Intel, AMD & Qualcomm.
Tested April 2024 using Phi SLM workload running 512-token prompt processing in a loop with default settings comparing pre-release Copilot+ PC builds with Snapdragon Elite X 12 Core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations (QNN build) to Windows 11 PC with NVIDIA 4080 GPU configuration (CUDA build).
Tested May 2024 using Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark comparing NG AI PCs with Snapdragon X Elite 12 core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations to MacBook Air 15” with M3 8 core CPU / 10 Core GPU configuration. Performance will vary significantly between device configuration and usage.
The first devices to feature these capabilities are available for pre-orders today and start at $999 US. Also, Qualcomm seems to be the first with their Snapdragon X Elite and Plus CPUs to unveil a range of products with OEM partners such as ACER, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung & Microsoft itself.
Following is the full list of Microsoft Copilot+ PCs that are being announced today:
- Acer: Acer’s Swift 14 AI ($1099 / July 2024) 2.5K touchscreen enables you to draw and edit your vision with greater accuracy and with color-accurate imagery. Launch and discover AI-enhanced features, like Acer PurifiedVoice 2.0 and Purified View, with a touch of the dedicated AcerSense button.
- ASUS: The ASUS Vivobook S 15 ($1299 / 18th June) is a powerful device that brings AI experiences to life with its Snapdragon X Elite Platform and built-in Qualcomm AI. It boasts 40+ NPU TOPS, a dual-fan cooling system, and up to 1 TB of storage. Next-gen AI enhancements include Windows Studio Effects v2 and ASUS AiSense camera, with presence-detection capabilities for Adaptive Dimming and Lock. Built for portability, it has an ultra-slim and light all-metal design, a high-capacity battery, and premium styling with a single-zone RGB backlit keyboard. The laptop is currently available for pre-order at AntOnline.
- Dell: Dell is launching five new Copilot+ PCs, including the XPS 13 ($1299 / Q3 2024), Inspiron 14 Plus ($1099 / Q3 2024), Inspiron 14 (Q4 2024), Latitude 7455 (Q4 2024), and Latitude 5455 (Q4 2024), offering a range of consumer and commercial options that deliver groundbreaking battery life and unique AI experiences. The XPS 13 is powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors and features a premium, futuristic design, while the Latitude 7455 boasts a stunning QHD+ display and quad speakers with AI noise reduction. The Inspiron14 and Inspiron 14 Plus feature a Snapdragon X Plus are crafted with lightweight, low-carbon aluminum, and are energy efficient with EPEAT Gold rating.
- HP: HP’s OmniBook X AI PC ($1199 / 18th June) and HP EliteBook Ultra G1q ($1699 / 18th June) AI PC with Snapdragon X Elite are slim and sleek designs, delivering advanced performance and mobility for a more personalized computing experience. Features include long-lasting battery life and AI-powered productivity tools, such as real-time transcription and meeting summaries. A 5MP camera with automatic framing and eye focus is supported by Poly Studio’s crystal-clear audio for enhanced virtual interactions.
- Lenovo: Lenovo is launching two AI PCs: one built for consumers, Yoga Slim 7x, and one for commercial, ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 ($1699 / June 2024). The Yoga Slim 7x ($1199 / June 2024) brings efficiency for creatives, featuring a 14.5” touchscreen with 3K Dolby Vision and optimized power for 3D rendering and video editing. The T14s Gen 6 brings enterprise-level experiences and AI performance to your work tasks, with features including a webcam privacy shutter, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and up to 64GB RAM.
- Samsung: Samsung’s new Galaxy Book4 Edge ($1299 / 18th June) is ultra-thin and light, with a 3K resolution 2x AMOLED display and Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. It has a long-lasting battery that provides up to 22 hours of video playback, making it perfect for work or entertainment on the go.
In addition to partnered design, Microsoft also announced its new Surface Pro & Surface Copilot+ PCs which feature the same Snapdragon X CPUs from Qualcomm. The laptops will start at $999 US and are expected to be available at key retailers by the 18th of June.
While these products are based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon X CPU platform, Microsoft also announced that Intel and AMD are prepping their own products, featuring several AI TOPS and expected to launch by the holiday season. We just talked about Intel’s Lunar Lake CPUs which are going to bring over 100 AI TOPS in an extremely efficient package. Meanwhile, AMD’s Strix APU is also expected to deliver up to a 3x NPU performance gain which should easily end up in the 45+ TOPS range over Hawk Point.
The first Copilot+ PCs will launch with both the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus processors and feature leading performance per watt thanks to the custom Qualcomm Oryon CPU, which delivers unrivaled performance and battery efficiency. Snapdragon X Series delivers 45 NPU TOPS all-in-one system on a chip (SoC). The premium integrated Qualcomm Adreno GPU delivers stunning graphics for immersive entertainment.
We look forward to expanding through deep partnerships with Intel and AMD, starting with Lunar Lake and Strix. We will bring new Copilot+ PC experiences at a later date.
In the future we expect to see devices with this silicon paired with powerful graphics cards like NVIDIA GeForce RTX and AMD Radeon, bringing Copilot+ PC experiences to reach even broader audiences like advanced gamers and creators.
via Microsoft
Microsoft also states that these new platforms from Intel and AMD will later benefit from new Copilot+ PC experiences and further accelerate performance by adding in discrete graphics capabilities such as NVIDIA RTX and AMD Radeon. NVIDIA has played a crucial role in the AI PC segment already, being the first to bring AI-prowess to several consumers and gamers and the company has already labeled RTX as the “Premium AI PC” platform. We can expect future GPUs from NVIDIA and AMD to further accelerate the AI push in the first half of 2025.