Microsoft Copilot+ review: Top-speed plus powerful AI

What's Copilot+ and how can it help you? Check out our in-depth Copilot+ review below. The technology is set to improve how you work, create, and connect across devices.

Image from Microsoft Build 2024 / Image Credit: AP

Microsoft’s use of AI in Copilot+ promises to transform how you work, create, and interact with your devices. As other tech giants aim to catch up by investing in AI-powered computing, it’s the ideal time to learn about the capabilities of Windows’ fastest and smartest PCs. And we’re here to help with our Microsoft Copilot+ review below.

Although AI-driven computers appear simple in concept, they present engineering hurdles, traditionally hindered by processing capabilities and battery limitations. So keep reading to uncover Copilot+’s potential as an AI-powered PC.

Basics of Copilot+ PCs

Microsoft partnered with top OEMs like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung, alongside Surface, to launch Copilot+ PCs on June 18. The new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop mark the debut of Copilot+ PCs from Surface.

Copilot+ PCs are a new type of Windows 11 personal computer with a supercharged neural processing unit (NPU). This special chip handles AI-intensive tasks like real-time translations and image creation and can complete upwards of 40 trillion operations per second.

To be a Copilot+ PC, a device must have:

• 16GB of RAM
• 256GB of storage
• 40 Tera Operations Per Second (TOPS) NPU

Unfortunately, if you have a laptop with Intel Meteor Lake or AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs, it won’t handle future Windows updates well. The first Copilot+ PCs will only use Qualcomm Snapdragon X series processors.

Qualcomm snapdragon X series processors

At the Copilot+ launch, Microsoft announced that Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus are the only processors currently capable of delivering Copilot+ experiences.

Qualcomm Technologies is boosting performance in Windows PCs with its leading NPU powered by Snapdragon X Elite. It offers the best NPU performance per watt for laptops, up to 2.6 times better than M3 and up to 5.4 times better than Core Ultra 71.

The integrated Qualcomm Hexagon NPU architecture delivers up to 24 trillion operations per second per watt. It excels in tasks like Super Resolution. With the leading Qualcomm Oryon CPU, the Snapdragon X Elite matches competitors’ peak PC CPU performance, using 60% less power.

Using a PC with a Snapdragon processor in the past often meant dealing with compatibility issues due to Windows on Arm. But now, Windows on Arm upgrades support Copilot+ PCs. This includes native Microsoft and third-party apps for Arm, as well as a new Prism emulator for solid compatibility with x86 apps.

More Arm64 apps are available, including Microsoft 365 apps. Other apps like Chrome, Spotify, Zoom, WhatsApp, Photoshop, and more now run smoothly on Arm. Slack and others will follow soon. 87% of app usage now has native Arm versions. Additionally, Adobe is bringing its Creative Suite to Windows on Arm.

Did you know that the Snapdragon X Series processor comes with an NPU capable of handling a whopping 45 trillion TOPS for AI tasks? This means it’s designed to significantly enhance productivity and creativity.

AI capabilities and features

Moving on to Copilot+ computers, Microsoft says they are AI-centric, thanks to NPU. Older AI PCs had NPUs but didn’t use them much.

Now, Copilot+ PCs’ powerful 40 TOPS NPU constantly runs in the background. It’s great for tasks that are best done on the computer itself.

The major new feature is Recall. Microsoft says it’s like having a superpower that gives you a “photographic memory.” Search through all the activities on your computer using natural language. Find whatever you’re looking for quickly and intuitively by using cues you remember.

Additionally, the size of your Copilot+ PC storage affects how many snapshots Recall can save. To use Recall, your PC needs at least 256 GB of storage, with 50 GB free. 

It’s essential to note that Copilot+ tracks user activity extensively, so you may have some privacy concerns because of past Microsoft practices.

However, you can specify particular apps or websites to filter out of your snapshots. Also, pause snapshots on demand using the Recall icon in the system tray. You can also manage stored snapshots by clearing selected ones or removing all snapshots from your device entirely.

Finally, snapshots from Recall are stored on Copilot+ PCs right on the computer’s hard drive. Encrypting the data on your device keeps them safe. If you have Windows 11 Pro or a business version of Windows 11, BitLocker also protects them.

Other AI features found only on Copilot+ PCs include:

• Cocreator for generating images progressively
• Windows Studio Effects for new creative filters and Portrait Light
• Super Resolution for automatically enhancing existing games
• Live Captions for translating audio from 40+ languages into English

Plus, Microsoft executives have recently mentioned that GPT-4o, the newest technology from OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, will be available in Copilot soon.

Performance and battery life

The Surface Laptop enables lightning-fast speed and seamless multitasking capacity. Here’s a snapshot of what the Surface Laptop offers:

• 86% faster than Laptop 5
• Powers up to 3 external 4K monitors
• 45 TOPS NPU for seamless productivity
• Longest battery life on any Surface: up to 22 hours (15″ model) and up to 20 hours (13.8″ model)
• Variety of ports for connectivity
• Lightning-fast Wi-Fi 7

Copilot+ is up to 20 times more powerful and up to 100 times as efficient for doing AI tasks than traditional PCs.

Compared to the M3 MacBook Air, these new laptops boast roughly 16% faster multi-threaded performance, with a claimed 46% lead in sustained performance.

Besides, the 22 hours of local video playback is impressive, showcasing a significant leap in Windows laptop technology. However, battery life can vary greatly depending on how you set up your device, how you use it, and other factors.

The Surface Pro is now 90% faster than the Surface Pro 9, capable of supporting 3 4K monitors with Wi-Fi 7 and optional 5G connectivity.

The highlight is the stunning new OLED with HDR display, offering high-quality visuals. It features an ultra-wide front-facing camera and a rear camera supporting up to 4K recording.

The Flex Keyboard provides stability, whether attached or detached, and now has a larger touchpad.

Bottom line

Featuring the world’s most powerful PC NPUs, Copilot+ is up to 100 times more efficient for handling AI workloads than traditional PCs.

Therefore, Microsoft anticipates 50 million AI-equipped PCs will be bought in the next year. This shows that faster AI assistants, directly on your PC, make upgrading worthwhile.

Take advantage of the power of Microsoft Surface Pro’s AI Copilot+ capabilities today! Discover more. We hope you round this Microsoft Copilot+ review helpful!

Note: This blog was contributed by Grigor Baklajyan and edited by Lauren Wadowsky.