AI is becoming a bigger part of everyday computing, and Microsoft is playing a major role in that shift. The company's AI assistant, Copilot, is now deeply integrated into Windows and is available on most modern Windows laptops. However, not every laptop qualifies as a Copilot+ PC.
To earn the Copilot+ badge, a device must meet Microsoft's hardware requirements, including a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of delivering at least 40 TOPS of AI performance. This allows the laptop to handle advanced AI tasks locally rather than relying entirely on the cloud, enabling faster and more efficient AI experiences.
Here's a broader explanation about what a Copilot+ PC can do and if it is time to upgrade your laptop.
Copilot+ PC at a glance
| Feature | What it means |
|---|---|
| Dedicated AI hardware | Includes a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) |
| AI performance | Minimum 40+ TOPS AI processing capability |
| Operating system | Windows 11 |
| Key focus | On-device AI features and faster AI tasks |
| Battery life | Longer than many traditional laptops |
| Popular chip makers | Qualcomm, AMD and Intel |
| Target users | Students, professionals, creators and everyday users |
What is a Copilot+ PC?
Copilot+ PCs are a special category of laptops introduced by Microsoft. These laptops comes with a dedicated hardware to run AI based tasks quickly and efficiently. To qualify as a Copilot+ PC, the laptop must feature an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) with 40TOPS of AI performance.
The Copilot+ PCs can handle AI tasks easily without consuming too much power because instead of the whole CPU, only the NPU can handle that task saving battery at the same time.
What is an NPU and why it is important?
NPU or Neural Processing Unit is a dedicated part of the main SoC that handles AI related tasks. The performance is calculated in TOPS and as mentioned before 40 TOPS is what is needed to handle all the AI based Windows 11 features and to get the Copilot+ badge.
This much power is enough for the NPU to handle the AI workloads locally without depending on online servers. These are few of the AI tasks that Copilot+ PC can handle locally without consuming too much power.
- AI features in Photos app like detect objects and remove background, extract text from images, upscale images, generative image and more.
- Click to do feature also uses AI to extract images and text on the screen. It can also help with summaries and generate text without communicating with a cloud server.
- Live captions create captions for videos on real time and also works completely on device.
- Notepad can also generate and rewrite text using the on device NPU
- The settings app also uses AI to understand user query and show related settings.
All these and more AI related tasks are possible because of a powerful NPU while delivering a long battery life.
Are Copilot+ PCs faster than regular laptops?
The answer depends on the task, for everyday activities such as web browsing, streaming videos, creating documents and checking emails, the difference may not feel dramatic.
However, when AI features are involved, Copilot+ PCs often have a clear advantage. Tasks such as image generation, live translations, AI-powered editing and intelligent search can run faster and more efficiently.
Users who regularly work with creative applications, productivity tools or AI software are likely to notice the biggest improvements.
Should you upgrade to a Copilot+ PC?
No matter if you are a student, a professional or a creator, you may need Artificial Intelligence in all of your tasks.
Students: Students can benefit from AI-assisted note-taking, summarisation tools, research assistance and language translation features.
Professionals: Business users can take advantage of AI-powered productivity features, smarter meeting tools and enhanced multitasking capabilities.
Content creators: Photo editors, video creators and designers may appreciate the growing number of AI-enhanced creative tools that can run locally on the device.
Frequent travellers: Because many AI functions can operate directly on the laptop, users may be less dependent on a constant internet connection.
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- What makes a laptop a Copilot+ PC?
A laptop must meet Microsoft's hardware requirements, including a powerful NPU capable of delivering at least 40 TOPS of AI performance.
- Do Copilot+ PCs require an internet connection for AI features?
Many AI functions can run directly on the device, though some services and features may still require internet access.
- Are Copilot+ PCs only available with Qualcomm processors?
No. Qualcomm launched the first wave, but AMD and Intel now offer processors that support Copilot+ PCs as well.
- Can Copilot+ PCs run regular Windows software?
Yes. They are standard Windows 11 PCs and can run everyday applications alongside AI-powered features.
- Should I buy a Copilot+ PC in 2026?
If you plan to use AI tools regularly or want a more future-ready laptop, a Copilot+ PC can be worth considering. For basic computing tasks, a conventional laptop may still be sufficient.
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