AI - PC or CoPilot+ PC, that is the question?

Its been a few years since we have seen the frenzy of a new generation of computing? I guess its probably back to Windows 1.0 when we made the move from DOS (or GEM desktop) to the wonderful world of Windows that will boost your productivity. However in 2024 we find ourselves at a time where PC manufacturers are getting themselves ready for a new generation of computing, and that is AI of course and at the heart Intel's Core Ultra Platform and Snapdragon's X 1 Elite

Is this going to increase PC sales?

Well for the first time in a long time the industry is predicting growth in the market, to which we can focus on these new models coming to market, with improved battery life an AI enhancements. However when we talk about growth in PC sales we are coming from an almost double digit fall after the pandemic, but any increase is a good increase.

What are the choices?

Well traditionally it has always been Intel or Intel in the PC space. Sometime ago we saw competition hot up as AMD entered the desktop space, but nothing has really challenged Intel's desktop monopoly. However since 2012 Microsoft have been plugging away with Windows on ARM, and through various iterations and the right mixture of hardware has reached its pinnacle in 2024 with the Snapdragon platform.

Intel has had to follow suit with the gen 1 Core Ultra platform, with its own NPU (AI Boost) and of course I would expect AMD to land and equivalent platform soon.

So what powers what?

In the Surface Pro 10 for Business, this is an Intel Core Ultra Chipset (with AI Boost) in the form of the Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7. The Core Ultra 7 feature the ARC Graphics GPU, giving a GPU boost over the Core Ultra 5. This is a U Series processor balancing power and economy. The equivalent Surface Laptop 6 is the same spec but comes with a H series chip, offering more power, on the basis that it sacrifices battery for and is likely to be plugged in more!

So to buy one of these Surface devices you need to be a school or business and purchase it through your favourite reseller.

On June 18th Microsoft launch the CoPilot+ PC, this initially is a consumer device that can be ordered through the Microsoft Store. Looking identical to the Surface Pro 10 and Laptop 6 a consumer device comes with Windows 11 Home, and only a consumer warranty (so is not a business purchase). These devices are called the Surface Pro 11th Edition and the Surface Laptop 7th Edition. Let me summarise that for you below as it can get a bit confusing.

Confused? well it gets a bit more confusing as we head towards September. The Snapdragon versions will be launching as a business model to run alongside the Core Ultra variants givng the business user the choice of platform.

The Surface Pro 11th gen will likely have 5G capabilities like the Surface Pro 9 5G version giving you that added mobility, and of course all devices will come with Windows 11 Pro, and the Surface business warranty unlike there consumer based counterparts.

So alot of people know my passion for the Surface Pro X being only 7mm thick, fanless, and light as a feather! However I was lucky enough to be given a Surface Pro10 for Business to try for a month and in my next post will explain how I got on with it and would I buy one?