If you are shopping for a new Windows laptop, you may see some computers described as a Copilot+ PC. This does not mean that the computer is designed only for artificial intelligence, and it does not mean that you have to use Microsoft Copilot.
A Copilot+ PC is simply a Windows 11 computer that meets Microsoft’s hardware requirements for a newer generation of AI-enabled features.
The Important Difference: The NPU
The main hardware difference is the inclusion of an NPU, or Neural Processing Unit.
Computers already contain a CPU, which handles general computing tasks, and many also contain a GPU, which handles graphics and can perform certain types of intensive calculations.
A Copilot+ PC adds an NPU that is specifically designed to efficiently perform artificial intelligence and machine-learning calculations.
This allows some AI-related tasks to run directly on the computer instead of always sending the work to an online cloud service.
What Does TOPS Mean?
When looking at specifications for Copilot+ PCs, you may see the term TOPS.
TOPS stands for Trillions of Operations Per Second. It is commonly used as a measure of AI processing performance.
One of Microsoft’s key requirements for a Copilot+ PC is an NPU capable of approximately 40 TOPS or more.
This does not mean that a computer with a higher TOPS number will automatically feel dramatically faster when browsing the web, writing documents, or using ordinary Windows applications. TOPS primarily relates to workloads that can make use of the NPU.
Other Copilot+ PC Requirements
Copilot+ PCs also have minimum hardware requirements beyond the NPU. They generally include at least:
- 16 GB of RAM
- 256 GB of storage
- A compatible 64-bit processor
- An NPU capable of at least 40 TOPS
- Windows 11
Many Copilot+ PCs greatly exceed these minimum specifications.
What Can the NPU Be Used For?
The NPU can be used by Windows and compatible applications for tasks involving artificial intelligence.
Depending on the computer, Windows version, software, and Microsoft’s currently available features, this can include things such as:
- Background effects and camera enhancements
- Noise reduction and other audio processing
- Live captions and translation features
- Image processing
- Searching or organizing information using AI
- Running certain AI models locally on the computer
The exact set of Copilot+ features continues to evolve as Microsoft and software developers add support for the NPU.
Does Copilot+ Mean Copilot Runs Entirely on Your Computer?
No.
This is an important distinction.
Microsoft Copilot itself may still use cloud-based AI services. The term Copilot+ PC refers primarily to the capabilities of the computer and Windows platform, especially the presence of a sufficiently powerful NPU.
Some AI tasks can run locally, while other tasks may still require an Internet connection and cloud services.
Do You Have to Use Copilot?
No. A Copilot+ PC is still a regular Windows computer.
You can use it for ordinary tasks such as:
- Web browsing
- Microsoft Office
- Programming
- Visual Studio Code
- Python development
- Databases
- WordPress
- Photo management
- Watching videos
- General business applications
You do not have to build your workflow around artificial intelligence simply because the computer has an NPU.
For Most People, the Traditional Specifications Still Matter
When comparing computers, the Copilot+ label should not replace the usual considerations.
You should still look closely at:
- Processor performance
- Amount of RAM
- SSD capacity
- Screen quality
- Battery life
- Keyboard and trackpad quality
- Ports
- Build quality
- Warranty
- Price
For example, a laptop with 32 GB of RAM, a good modern processor, a comfortable 16-inch display, and a quality keyboard may provide much more noticeable everyday benefits than the Copilot+ designation itself.
Copilot+ Can Still Be Useful for Future-Proofing
One advantage of buying a Copilot+ PC is that the hardware is already equipped for a growing number of applications that may use local AI processing.
Software developers are only beginning to make broader use of NPUs. Over the next several years, more Windows applications may be able to move appropriate workloads from the CPU, GPU, or cloud to the NPU.
This could become useful in many different types of everyday software.
Possible Uses for the NPU
For example, applications may increasingly use the NPU for tasks such as:
- Removing background noise during video calls
- Automatically improving webcam images
- Transcribing speech into text
- Generating captions for audio and video
- Translating spoken or written language
- Searching photographs by describing what is in them
- Removing or changing backgrounds in photographs
- Organizing large collections of documents or images
- Summarizing or classifying information
- Providing writing or coding assistance
- Running smaller AI models directly on the computer
Some of these features already exist in various forms, while others are likely to become more common as Windows and application developers make greater use of NPU hardware.
Why Run AI Locally?
Running an AI task directly on the computer can have several advantages.
Speed: Some tasks can be performed immediately without sending information across the Internet to a remote server.
Privacy: Certain information may be processed locally instead of being uploaded to a cloud service.
Offline use: Some AI-powered features may continue to work even when an Internet connection is unavailable.
Efficiency: An NPU is designed specifically for this type of processing and can often perform suitable AI workloads using less electrical power than relying on the CPU or GPU.
This last point can be especially important in laptops, where lower power consumption can help reduce heat and preserve battery life.
AI May Become a Normal Part of Applications
Today, artificial intelligence is often presented as a separate feature or service. In the future, it may become less noticeable.
Instead of opening an application specifically called an AI tool, you may simply find that ordinary programs have become better at understanding text, speech, photographs, documents, and other information.
A photo application might understand a request such as “show me pictures of a red car.” A meeting application might automatically produce captions and notes. A document application might help classify or summarize a large collection of files. A programming tool might analyze code locally and provide assistance without sending every operation to a remote server.
In these situations, the user may not even need to know that the NPU is being used. It could simply become another part of the computer’s hardware, much like the graphics processor is today.
Buying a Computer for Several Years
For someone who replaces a computer every year or two, having an NPU may not be particularly important.
However, many people keep a good laptop for five years or longer. Software can change considerably during that period.
A computer purchased today may therefore encounter applications several years from now that make much greater use of local AI processing than today’s software does.
There is no guarantee that every future AI application will use the NPU, and newer generations of NPUs will certainly become more powerful. Nevertheless, having a capable NPU gives the computer another processing resource that future versions of Windows and other software may be able to use.
For someone purchasing a computer they expect to keep for several years, that makes the NPU a reasonable form of future-proofing — not because everyone needs local AI today, but because the hardware is already available if software begins making much greater use of it tomorrow.
What Does Copilot+ PC Really Mean?
A simple way to think about it is:
A Copilot+ PC is a normal modern Windows PC that also contains sufficiently powerful dedicated AI hardware to support Microsoft’s newer local AI features.
The computer still works like any other Windows PC. You can continue using your existing applications and workflows, while the NPU provides an additional type of processor that Windows and future software can use when appropriate.
For most buyers, Copilot+ should therefore be considered an additional capability rather than the single most important reason to choose a particular laptop.