Elon Musk’s X Analyzes Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs: “Not the Fastest Computers”
Microsoft has positioned its Copilot+ PCs as remarkably powerful compact computers, and while there’s some truth to this claim, the reality may not be as clear-cut. Recently, the company shared a brief video on X, promoting Copilot+ PCs as “the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever.”
However, the video left many viewers on X unsatisfied, prompting them to provide additional context. Some even referenced an article highlighting that numerous AI capabilities have been part of Copilot+ PCs since their introduction.
It’s certainly awkward for a major corporation to be fact-checked by its users, especially when exaggerated claims are made about features not even available at launch (a situation reminiscent of Windows Recall). The commentary on X criticized the Copilot+ PCs for not being the fastest processors available, particularly when compared to leading AMD and Intel processors.
Even if we look at the latest Intel Ultra AI Series 2 processors, they boast performance that matches or even surpasses Snapdragon’s NPU capabilities by up to 3 TOPs. Additionally, AMD’s AI CPUs can achieve 50 TOPs, significantly outpacing older Snapdragon models.
Since top-tier Intel and AMD CPUs are available and will soon be integrated into Copilot+ PCs, it seems misguided for Microsoft to champion Snapdragon CPUs as the superior choice.
Another concern raised by users revolves around the ARM architecture utilized by the Snapdragon CPUs, which lacks the vast app support that the X64 architecture offers.
Gaming on Copilot+ PCs does not match the convenience found with X64 systems. Although the list of compatible titles is growing, less mainstream games are still unlikely to be supported.
Windows Recall was initially a key selling feature of the Copilot+ PCs but was ironically “recalled” due to significant privacy and security issues. Although it’s back in preview now, one must question how many individuals who purchased Copilot+ PCs for this feature will actually engage with it.
Copilot+ PCs Are Not a Complete Replacement
While it’s accurate to say that ARM-based PCs, such as Copilot+ models, offer energy efficiency and respectable performance in a compact design, they cannot serve as replacements for robust desktop PCs unless they feature dedicated GPUs.
It’s likely that Snapdragon is working on an updated version of its X Elite processors, promising enhanced NPU performance in the future.
Microsoft has drawn comparisons between its devices and MacBooks, boasting about battery life and the availability of popular applications with ARM versions. However, these factors alone may not entice everyone to invest $1000 or more in a Copilot+ PC that offers only a handful of AI functionalities.
This lack of appeal extends to gamers and those who seek high frames per second and resolution, as GPU-intensive tasks remain a challenge for these lightweight machines. While Microsoft advocates for ARM as the future of computing, convincing users to shift away from the mature and dependable X64 architecture proves to be a formidable challenge.
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