When Microsoft made the bold assertion that Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon processors were "the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever," the claim was met with swift skepticism by the online community. The controversy reached its peak when a Community Note appeared on X (formerly Twitter), challenging the performance and capabilities touted by the tech giant. As Windows enthusiasts, technology analysts, and average users weighed in, it became clear that this debate isn't just about marketing slogans—it's about the future of Windows computing, the maturity of Arm architecture on desktops, and what users should expect when purchasing a next-generation Windows device.
Since the launch of the Copilot+ PC initiative in May, Microsoft has framed the new breed of Windows laptops as a definitive leap forward. At the heart of these devices sits Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series of processors, built on Arm architecture, and advertised as providing not just formidable AI capabilities but also strong day-to-day performance and significantly improved efficiency.
Yet, the foundation of Microsoft's marketing narrative—that these are the "fastest" Windows PCs ever—has proven to be a flashpoint. Users and industry watchers quickly pointed out that synthetic benchmarks and real-world performance tell a more nuanced story. Community Note contributors on X succinctly commented, "These are not the fastest Windows PCs. They run on Snapdragon processors which have significantly less computing power than top of the line Intel or AMD chipsets.”
For example:
However, the competition has not stood still. Intel’s Meteor Lake (Core Ultra) and AMD's Ryzen AI 300 have closed much of the energy efficiency gap, with many current-generation laptops from both companies achieving up to 15 hours of battery life under light loads. The difference—though still in Snapdragon's favor—no longer represents an unassailable lead.
Compatible laptops—those with Intel Core Ultra 200V and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors, which will soon feature more Copilot+ functions—account for less than 10% of device shipments as of mid-2024, implying that true Copilot+ adoption is far lower. Market penetration is further hampered by high prices: mid-tier models like the Surface Pro Copilot+ PC begin at $999, often costing more than comparably specced x86 laptops with broader compatibility.
Common issues include:
What's more, much of the AI functionality Microsoft demonstrated at launch is either not yet available, limited to a handful of apps, or only modestly superior to what is possible on high-end x86 hardware equipped with dedicated or integrated AI accelerators. Early reviews argue that Copilot+’s AI strengths—while promising—are currently more a vision of the future than a present-day differentiator.
On the other hand, the prevailing sentiment among gamers, creators, and power users remains cautious. For this group, “fastest Windows PC” means more than the sum of battery life and occasional AI tricks; it means unrestricted compatibility, maximal computing horsepower, and the freedom to choose the best tools for the job.
Until then, Microsoft’s claim—at least in the absolute, “fastest PC” sense—remains aspirational and should be regarded with healthy skepticism. The future of the Windows PC may well be Arm-shaped, but in the market in July 2024, buyers are best served by understanding precisely where today’s Copilot+ devices lead—and where they still lag significantly behind.
However, claims that these are the fastest Windows PCs ever are not supported by independent benchmarks, market share data, or broad user experience. Raw computing power, application compatibility, and gaming remain firm strengths of Intel and AMD x86-based laptops. For now, “Copilot+ PC” is best understood as a work in progress—potentially transformative, but not yet the all-purpose champion that Microsoft’s promotional clip suggests.
For buyers, the best advice in July 2024 is simple: evaluate your needs, check your essential apps for compatibility, and don’t be blinded by buzzwords. The smartest device is the one that actually does what you need—fast, reliably, and for as long as possible. In this fast-evolving space, those with patience may ultimately reap the greatest rewards.
Source: Tom's Hardware Microsoft gets community note on Twitter for saying Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs are the fastest Windows devices — users strike back, saying Snapdragon CPUs can't game and have "less computing power” than Intel and AMD chips
The Copilot+ PC Promise: Speed and Intelligence, Redefined?
Since the launch of the Copilot+ PC initiative in May, Microsoft has framed the new breed of Windows laptops as a definitive leap forward. At the heart of these devices sits Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series of processors, built on Arm architecture, and advertised as providing not just formidable AI capabilities but also strong day-to-day performance and significantly improved efficiency.Yet, the foundation of Microsoft's marketing narrative—that these are the "fastest" Windows PCs ever—has proven to be a flashpoint. Users and industry watchers quickly pointed out that synthetic benchmarks and real-world performance tell a more nuanced story. Community Note contributors on X succinctly commented, "These are not the fastest Windows PCs. They run on Snapdragon processors which have significantly less computing power than top of the line Intel or AMD chipsets.”
Fact-Checking Performance Claims
To understand the basis for this skepticism, it's necessary to compare the Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips with the latest laptop CPUs from Intel and AMD. According to public benchmarks and technical analysis from reputable sources such as AnandTech, Tom’s Hardware, and PCWorld, the Snapdragon X Elite typically matches or slightly exceeds midrange Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen 7000/8000 series chips in multi-core tasks focused on efficiency and AI acceleration. However, performance drops notably in sustained workloads, high-end gaming, and compatibility-sensitive tasks.For example:
- CPU-intensive tasks: Intel’s Core i7-14700H and AMD’s Ryzen 9 8945HS CPUs often outperform the Snapdragon X Elite in raw single-core and multi-core benchmarks.
- Professional and content creation workloads: Native x86 applications running on Intel and AMD hardware offer better compatibility and higher performance, especially for code compilation, video editing, and 3D rendering tasks. Tests reveal that apps still require translation (via Windows’ Prism emulator) to run x86 binaries on Arm, resulting in slower execution and, in some cases, instability or lack of support.
- Gaming: The Arm-based Copilot+ PCs trail far behind. Most PC games are optimized for x86 design, meaning they suffer both performance penalties and in some cases, outright incompatibility on Arm-powered devices. Even casual users report difficulties running popular titles that work flawlessly on Intel or AMD hardware.
Battery Life: The Real-World Advantage—But for How Long?
Where Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs shine undeniably is battery efficiency. Drawing inspiration from Apple’s own success with their M-series Arm chips, Qualcomm and Microsoft claim that users can expect days of usage, or even, in light workloads, weeks on standby. Independent reviews back up this assertion: real-world testing by outlets like PCMag, The Verge, and Tom's Hardware shows these devices routinely delivering all-day performance—12 to 20+ hours of active use is not uncommon, dwarfing many x86 laptops.However, the competition has not stood still. Intel’s Meteor Lake (Core Ultra) and AMD's Ryzen AI 300 have closed much of the energy efficiency gap, with many current-generation laptops from both companies achieving up to 15 hours of battery life under light loads. The difference—though still in Snapdragon's favor—no longer represents an unassailable lead.
Market Share and Adoption: Hype vs. Reality
Some industry voices have predicted Arm-based Windows PCs could capture 50% of the market within five years. Verification of such claims, however, reveals them as starkly optimistic. According to the latest quarterly figures from major research firms (IDC, Gartner), Copilot+-class devices made up a tiny fraction of the PC market in Q3 and Q4 2024. In fact, industry analysts refrain from breaking out exact numbers, because shipments remain so low, they can't meaningfully register on market share charts.Compatible laptops—those with Intel Core Ultra 200V and AMD Ryzen AI 300 processors, which will soon feature more Copilot+ functions—account for less than 10% of device shipments as of mid-2024, implying that true Copilot+ adoption is far lower. Market penetration is further hampered by high prices: mid-tier models like the Surface Pro Copilot+ PC begin at $999, often costing more than comparably specced x86 laptops with broader compatibility.
The Elephant in the Room: Compatibility Challenges
For many, the most pressing concern with adopting a Copilot+ PC is not battery life or even raw performance, but compatibility. While Microsoft has made significant progress with Windows 11 on Arm and its program called Prism for x86 app emulation, a non-trivial number of mainstream applications and utilities either don't work or operate at significantly degraded performance levels.Common issues include:
- Games: The vast majority of Windows gaming titles are written for x86 and, as of now, very few are both compatible and performant on Arm. Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass streaming partly mitigates this, but local gaming remains limited.
- Productivity Apps: Many professional Windows apps (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud tools, software development IDEs, high-end video editors) have not yet released native Arm editions, so they run under Prism’s emulation—a process that can drain battery and hobble speed. Some applications don't run at all due to missing x86 dependencies or unsupported drivers.
- Peripherals and Accessories: Older drivers and custom utilities for hardware peripherals (e.g., printers, specialty input devices, and external GPUs) are often unavailable. This friction can be a dealbreaker for enterprise users or those with bespoke workflows.
AI Features: Promise and Pitfalls
A primary selling point of Copilot+ PCs is their AI-powered functionality, relying on built-in NPUs to accelerate features such as Recall, live captions, real-time translation, background blur, and Copilot voice assistants. In practice, though, the rollout of these features has not gone smoothly. As of July 2024, Microsoft has temporarily held back the deployment of Recall due to privacy and security concerns—an admission that advanced AI capabilities on Copilot+ hardware are still in their infancy.What's more, much of the AI functionality Microsoft demonstrated at launch is either not yet available, limited to a handful of apps, or only modestly superior to what is possible on high-end x86 hardware equipped with dedicated or integrated AI accelerators. Early reviews argue that Copilot+’s AI strengths—while promising—are currently more a vision of the future than a present-day differentiator.
Arguments in Favor: Who Should Buy a Copilot+ PC Now?
Despite the controversy and caveats, Copilot+ PCs are not without merit:- For light productivity and web-first users: If your workflow is browser-based (email, documents, web apps, streaming), the performance, battery life, and instant-on capability of a Copilot+ device are exceptional.
- Form factor and portability: These devices are among the slimmest and lightest Windows laptops yet, thanks to power-sipping Arm chips that require less cooling.
- Security architecture: Snapdragons’ modern, secure boot and TPM implementations provide robust hardware-based protection, a plus for security-conscious buyers.
Potential Risks: What to Be Wary Of
Power users, gamers, and professionals with specific application needs will want to exercise caution:- Incompatible or poorly supported applications: The emulation layer is improving, but it is not a panacea. Essential software or drivers may not work, leaving users stuck or reliant on suboptimal web versions.
- Gaming limitations: Serious gamers are better served by x86 laptops (Intel/AMD), as both native games and emulated ones perform poorly and, in some cases, may not run at all.
- Delayed AI features: Flagship AI tools like Recall are not yet available and may be rolled out in a limited, staggered manner—if at all—depending on privacy reviews and regulatory scrutiny.
- Resale value and long-term support: With the Arm Windows market still maturing, concerns linger around resale value, third-party repair, and the continued interest of app developers in supporting this ecosystem if uptake stalls.
Community Reactions: A Marketplace Divided
Microsoft’s X post—and the subsequent Community Note—underscored how skeptical much of the current Windows community remains about the proposition behind Copilot+ PCs. On one hand, enthusiastic early adopters and some industry analysts believe Arm's energy efficiency and native AI acceleration will eventually overtake legacy x86 platforms—mirroring Apple’s successes with its M-series Macs.On the other hand, the prevailing sentiment among gamers, creators, and power users remains cautious. For this group, “fastest Windows PC” means more than the sum of battery life and occasional AI tricks; it means unrestricted compatibility, maximal computing horsepower, and the freedom to choose the best tools for the job.
The Road Ahead: Can Arm Take Over Windows?
For Arm-powered Copilot+ PCs to fulfill even a portion of Microsoft’s vision, they will need to close the compatibility gap, deliver on promised AI features, and demonstrate competitive or superior performance in a far wider range of real-world tasks. Microsoft’s commitment to regular updates, robust emulation, and close partnerships with both software vendors and Qualcomm will be critical.Until then, Microsoft’s claim—at least in the absolute, “fastest PC” sense—remains aspirational and should be regarded with healthy skepticism. The future of the Windows PC may well be Arm-shaped, but in the market in July 2024, buyers are best served by understanding precisely where today’s Copilot+ devices lead—and where they still lag significantly behind.
Conclusion
The introduction of Copilot+ Windows PCs marks a bold step for Microsoft, an attempt to recast the Windows experience with heavy emphasis on AI, efficiency, and sleek design. Battery life in these Snapdragon-powered devices sets a new bar, and for light users, the tradeoffs may be wholly acceptable.However, claims that these are the fastest Windows PCs ever are not supported by independent benchmarks, market share data, or broad user experience. Raw computing power, application compatibility, and gaming remain firm strengths of Intel and AMD x86-based laptops. For now, “Copilot+ PC” is best understood as a work in progress—potentially transformative, but not yet the all-purpose champion that Microsoft’s promotional clip suggests.
For buyers, the best advice in July 2024 is simple: evaluate your needs, check your essential apps for compatibility, and don’t be blinded by buzzwords. The smartest device is the one that actually does what you need—fast, reliably, and for as long as possible. In this fast-evolving space, those with patience may ultimately reap the greatest rewards.
Source: Tom's Hardware Microsoft gets community note on Twitter for saying Snapdragon Copilot+ PCs are the fastest Windows devices — users strike back, saying Snapdragon CPUs can't game and have "less computing power” than Intel and AMD chips
