Windows on Arm warns Intel

Microsoft’s first round of Copilot Plus PCs launched last week with the promise of better battery life, performance comparable to a MacBook Air, and AI-ready chips. I spent the last week testing Microsoft’s two new Surface devices, and I think they largely deliver on Microsoft’s promises.

There are some expected downsides of app emulation here and there. But for the most part, if you don’t have complex app needs, these new Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips deliver the Windows on Arm experience that Microsoft has been promising for over a decade. They also put a lot of pressure on Intel to respond.

I was very impressed with the battery life of the $999.99 base model of the Surface Laptop during my testing. There were times when I used it throughout the work day and never worried about having to charge it. I closed the lid, and days later I woke up the Surface Laptop to find that it had not exhausted its battery life. I’ve never been confident enough to do this with an Intel-powered laptop.