Microsoft Is Making AI PCs with Its 2024 Surface Lineup

After the launch of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chipset, Microsoft is now ready to unveil its true AI PCs next year. The company has an excellent Surface lineup that competes against Apple’s M-series MacBooks.

However, it lags in the performance department and is not a match to Apple’s M-series ARM silicon. With the Oryon cores and Hexagon NPU in Snapdragon X Elite, Microsoft is now on a similar footing to deliver a true AI experience on the upcoming Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6.

Surface Laptops Might Come with a Dedicated Copilot Button

According to Windows Central’s report, Microsoft is working on an overall upgrade for the next-generation Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6. These AI-powered laptops will pack the latest chipsets from Qualcomm and Intel. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite ARM chipset brings a dedicated Hexagon NPU that can perform 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for AI operations.

It can be used for on-device AI-centric features on the upcoming Windows 12 release codenamed “Hudson Valley.” Microsoft is internally calling laptops built on Qualcomm’s chipsets “CADMUS PCs.”

Intel has also upped the game with its 14th Gen Meteor Lake processors this time. It has integrated a dedicated NPU tile, which is a first on an Intel chip. Microsoft can now leverage the powerful hardware AI capabilities to offer some wide-ranging AI features on Windows 12. In addition, Microsoft is reportedly adding a Windows Copilot button on the keyboard to access the AI chatbot quickly.

Apart from that, AI features like Windows Studio Effects, voice typing, noise removal from audio, OCR in Snipping Tool, background removal in Paint, and so many other things can be improved with on-device AI capabilities. The next generation of Surface laptops is going to make the AI experience even better on Windows.

Lastly, there are also some design upgrades in tow. The Surface Laptop 6 will have an updated design with thinner bezels. The Laptop 10 will follow suit but also with a brighter screen to watch HDR content. It’s also being said that more ports will be added to both Surface laptops.

Both devices are expected to ship by mid-2024. Overall, with the increased headroom, Microsoft is now in a better place to deliver AI features, and it seems like it can truly compete with Apple’s M-series MacBooks.

So, what do you think about the upcoming Surface lineup? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!