Microsoft released new Surface PCs on October 13, saying they are not called Copilot+ PCs despite meeting all previous requirements. It is the company's first Surface update since the Copilot+ PC branding initiative in 2024.
Microsoft reported the new Surface Pro 12-inch (2nd Edition) and Surface Laptop 13-inch (2nd Edition) run Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus processors and have a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU rated at 80 TOPS. That compares with the 40 TOPS requirement for Copilot+ PCs.
The new Surface devices are built on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Plus platform and target AI-accelerated workloads. Availability begins on October 13, initially for business and creative professionals.
"The purpose for Copilot+ PCs was to be able to deliver [NPU] experience," said Kedar Kondap, SVP of compute at Qualcomm.
"So, it was to define a certain category of devices with a certain bar and metric, like, for example, a 45 TOPS NPU. … So from that perspective, it’s more offering the same experiences, probably without just using [Copilot+ PC] terminology now."
The announcement follows a decline in AI PC interest as cloud-based options became more prevalent. Microsoft said the Copilot+ PC marketing campaign helped push the idea of AI PCs as generative AI expectations grew.
Microsoft did not say whether it will revive the Copilot+ PC branding, and the open question remains whether the AI PC category will persist. The company said it will focus on other innovations like the upcoming Surface Laptop Ultra with RTX Spark.
Source: arstechnica
