First Copilot+ PCs Arrive With Snapdragon X Chips as Testing Begins
The initial wave of Copilot+ PCs powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors hits store shelves today, bringing dedicated NPUs and new AI features to Windows. Early hands-on testing reveals lengthy setup times as reviewers evaluate the battery life and performance claims.
The first wave of Copilot+ PCs officially hits store shelves today, marking a major milestone for Windows on Arm and Qualcomm. These new laptops feature Snapdragon X series processors that include built-in Neural Processing Units (NPUs) capable of exceeding 40 TOPS. This high level of AI processing power enables advanced Windows features like Cocreator for image generation, Windows Studio Effects, and live captions with translation, though the highly debated Recall feature remains absent in this initial build.
Microsoft and Qualcomm make bold claims about these new machines, particularly promising significantly longer battery life compared to traditional Intel and AMD-powered laptops. By launching these AI-centric features exclusively on Snapdragon hardware first, Microsoft leaves its long-time partners Intel and AMD waiting until later in the year to unlock similar capabilities on their own upcoming AI-enabled chips. This controversial strategy highlights just how heavily Microsoft is betting on the Arm architecture for the future of Windows computing.
Reviewers are currently getting their hands on these devices to see if the hardware lives up to the immense hype. Tom's Hardware is actively setting up a 15-inch Surface Laptop equipped with a Snapdragon Elite X chip to conduct early benchmarks and share real-world impressions. However, the initial out-of-the-box experience shows some friction, as the Windows 11 setup process demands a lengthy 30-minute update before users can even access the desktop.