Microsoft stacks Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel and AMD chips against (last year's) MacBooks in updated benchmarks

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Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel processor buoy the platform and give the platform devices without app compatibility questions.

ASUS Zenbook S 14 with Intel Core Ultra (Series 2)
The ASUS Zenbook S 14 delivered respectable benchmarks, which is promising for future PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)
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New Copilot+ PCs performance details just dropped. Microsoft updated a post this week that compares Copilot+ PCs to MacBooks and that explains how Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon processors stack up against other systems. The Copilot+ PC performance details webpage has been around for months, but it only discussed Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs until recently. It now shows details about Copilot+ PCs with Intel and AMD chips as well.

Microsoft has an uphill battle when it comes to selling Copilot+ PCs. Many people don't know what a Copilot+ PC even is, and the fact that the best AI PCs and the best Copilot+ PCs roundups aren't identical lists doesn't clear things up. Additionally, Copilot+ PCs were exclusively Snapdragon PCs for much of this year, but the Copilot+ PC designation now refers to some Intel and AMD devices as well. Even that rollout can be confusing to everyday users since some features are only in testing for Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs.

Only had a 0.8% market share of PCs sold in Q3 of 2024 and just 720,000 PCs sold in that quarter had Snapdragon X chips. Things will likely get better in that category as new chips come out and more app developers embrace Arm computing, but the rollout of Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs should buoy the entire Copilot+ PC platform significantly.

AMD and Intel Copilot+ PCs

The ASUS Zenbook S 14 is among the first Copilot+ PCs to run on a processor not from Qualcomm. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

For much of this year, all Copilot+ PCs ran on Arm processors such as the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus. Our list of the best Arm laptops includes flagship devices such as the Surface Laptop 7, Surface Pro 11, and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge. But even the best Arm PC is still an Arm PC. I don't mean that as an insult as much as to highlight that at the moment there are still some people, such as gamers, who won't consider Arm PCs (more on the app situation later).

Luckily for those that need an AMD or Intel chip, Copilot+ PCs with non-Snapdragon processors started shipping in the second half of 2024. Our first impressions of the ASUS Zenbook S 14 were positive. That PC runs on an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor.

In 2025 we'll see many more Copilot+ PCs running on Intel or AMD processors. Those devices should help the Copilot+ PC platform grow.

Apps on Windows 11 on Arm

Google Chrome is one of many big-name apps to now have native Arm versions. (Image credit: Future)

One of the biggest concerns people have with PCs powered by Arm processors is app compatibility. Since those systems run Windows 11 on Arm, some apps will not run natively. Microsoft's Prism emulation technology closes the gap some, but there are apps that still do run or run well on Windows 11 on Arm. That being said, the list of the best native Windows on Arm apps includes many popular apps and grows by the month.

Since Windows has been around for decades and has excellent backward compatibility, there are tens of millions of PC apps. The vast majority of those have not been recompiled to run natively on Arm PCs. While that number may seem staggering, many people use a relatively short list of core apps. Heck, I know people that literally only use their web browser and Office.

According to Microsoft, over 93% of total minutes spent in apps are in apps compatible with Arm devices. 87% of total app minutes are spent in apps with native Arm versions (though so may not be using the native version). Microsoft highlighted that emulated apps on devices running on a Snapdragon X Elite are over 2x faster than Windows on Arm devices from the previous generation.

Those figures are noteworthy and suggest that many can use Arm-based PCs for everyday computing, but they still indicate a gap in the platform. If one out of every 10 apps you use is not native to Arm, you may not even look at a PC with an Arm chip inside. I agree with Microsoft that emulated apps are better than ever, but they're still not native. And as mentioned above, there are some apps that don't work on Windows on Arm at all.

Copilot+ PC findings

Microsoft tested performance, battery life, and application capabilities of Copilot+ PCs throughout the year. One round of testing wrapped up in May 2024 and then another round concluded in September 2024 following the release of Intel and AMD-powered Copilot+ PCs. That later round of testing also allowed Microsoft to stack Copilot+ PCs against MacBooks running macOS Sequoia. Notably, the comparisons stack Copilot+ PCs against M3 MacBooks since M4 MacBooks did not ship until November 2024.

Below are all the claims listed by Microsoft:

Performance

  • Top Copilot+ PCs are up to 58% faster than MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs are up to 5 times faster than the most popular 5 year old Windows PCs still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs have up to 47% faster AI performance than MacBook Air with M3

Battery

  • Copilot+ PCs deliver up to 22 hours of local video playback
  • Copilot+ PCs deliver up to 15 hours of web browsing
  • Copilot+ PCs deliver up to 2.3x more battery in local video playback than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs deliver up to 3x more battery in web browsing than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs deliver up to 3x more battery in web browsing than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today

Apps

  • Over 93% of the total minutes that users spend in apps today are in apps compatible with Arm devices
  • 87% of the total app minutes that users spend in apps today have native Arm versions, providing the most efficient and performant app experience
  • Emulated apps on devices running the Snapdragon X Elite are over 2x faster than on previous generation Windows Arm devices running Windows 11 22H2

AMD processors

  • Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series are up to 38% faster than a MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series are up to 4.4 times faster than the most popular 5-year-old Windows PCs still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 deliver up to 18 hours of local video playback
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 deliver up to 11 hours of web browsing
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 deliver up to 2x more battery in local video playback than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 deliver up to 1.9x more battery in web browsing than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today

Intel processors

  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel© Core Ultra 200V have up to 20% faster Microsoft Office productivity than MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel© Core Ultra 200V are up to 2.7 times faster than the most popular 5-year-old Windows PCs still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel© Core Ultra 200V have up to 47% faster AI performance than MacBook Air with M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel© Core Ultra 200V deliver up to 21 hours of local video playback
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel© Core Ultra 200V deliver up to 14 hours of web browsing
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel© Core Ultra 200V deliver up to 2.3x more battery in local video playback than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel© Core Ultra 200V deliver up to 2.4x more battery in web browsing than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today

Qualcomm processors

  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are up to 58% faster than MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite are up to 5 times faster than the most popular 5 year old Windows PCs still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite have up to 44% faster AI performance than MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite deliver up to 22 hours of local video playback
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite deliver up to 15 hours of web browsing
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite deliver up to 2.3x more battery in local video playback than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite deliver up to 3x more battery in web browsing than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 10-core are up to 27% faster than a MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 10-core are up to 4 times faster than the most popular 5 year old Windows PCs still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 10-core have up to 42% faster AI performance than MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 10-core deliver up to 19 hours of local video playback
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 10-core deliver up to 15 hours of web browsing
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 10-core deliver up to 2.1x more battery in local video playback than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 10-core deliver up to 2.6x more battery in web browsing than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core are up to 18% faster than a MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core are up to 3.7 times faster than the most popular 5-year-old Windows PCs still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core have up to 46% faster AI performance than MacBook Air M3
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core deliver up to 21 hours of local video playback
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core deliver up to 16 hours of web browsing
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core deliver up to 2.4x more battery in local video playback than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
  • Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Plus 8-core deliver up to 2.8x more battery in web browsing than the most popular 5 year old Windows devices still in use today
Sean Endicott
Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_. 

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Sonivaldo Silva
    Microsoft is once again making the mistake of trying to convince consumers that Copilot+ PCs are better than Macs. That’s like comparing Nokia to the iPhone or Windows Phone to iOS. Most consumers don’t care about processing power; what matters to them is the experience the product delivers to justify their purchase. At the moment, there’s nothing in Windows 11 that justifies replacing a Mac or an old laptop with a Copilot+ PC.

    Let’s be honest: is the Windows Recall feature available to everyone? No, right? And Copilot offers a terrible experience because it opens in a web page instead of an app. Plus, everything Microsoft promises with AI can already be done using ChatGPT, DALL·E, and Sora on any device.

    Microsoft needs to stop and focus on something that truly attracts people glued to their phones to come back to Windows or makes them really want to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. For now, there’s no “killer feature” in Windows 11 that justifies this transition.

    Oh, but someone might say: “It’s better for gaming!” That doesn’t matter, because there are already dedicated consoles for that. According to studies by Newzoo and Ubisoft, most gamers prefer playing on consoles or smartphones rather than PCs. Moreover, Windows 11 ARM is clearly losing to Macs with Apple Silicon in terms of game optimization.
    Reply
  • Laura Knotek
    Sonivaldo Silva said:
    Microsoft is once again making the mistake of trying to convince consumers that Copilot+ PCs are better than Macs. That’s like comparing Nokia to the iPhone or Windows Phone to iOS. Most consumers don’t care about processing power; what matters to them is the experience the product delivers to justify their purchase. At the moment, there’s nothing in Windows 11 that justifies replacing a Mac or an old laptop with a Copilot+ PC.

    Let’s be honest: is the Windows Recall feature available to everyone? No, right? And Copilot offers a terrible experience because it opens in a web page instead of an app. Plus, everything Microsoft promises with AI can already be done using ChatGPT, DALL·E, and Sora on any device.

    Microsoft needs to stop and focus on something that truly attracts people glued to their phones to come back to Windows or makes them really want to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. For now, there’s no “killer feature” in Windows 11 that justifies this transition.

    Oh, but someone might say: “It’s better for gaming!” That doesn’t matter, because there are already dedicated consoles for that. According to studies by Newzoo and Ubisoft, most gamers prefer playing on consoles or smartphones rather than PCs. Moreover, Windows 11 ARM is clearly losing to Macs with Apple Silicon in terms of game optimization.
    The most popular device used to play games is the smartphone, followed by the PC. https://www.statista.com/statistics/533047/leading-devices-play-games/
    Reply
  • naddy69
    The fact is, for most people a Windows PC is what you use at work. Consumers generally want nothing to do with Windows PCs when they get home (or stop working when they are working from home). They have a phone and maybe an iPad. That's all most people need.

    Windows PCs are still too clunky, too difficult and generally just not fun to use for most people.

    "Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are up to 58% faster than MacBook Air M3".

    Still cherry picking test results? Why is the comparison to the Air? It has 8 CPUs. Of COURSE systems with Snapdragon X Elite processors are 50% faster. They have 12 (50% more!) CPUs. Where is the comparison to the M4 MacBook Pro?

    Pathetic.
    Reply
  • Sonivaldo Silva
    Laura Knotek said:
    The most popular device used to play games is the smartphone, followed by the PC. https://www.statista.com/statistics/533047/leading-devices-play-games/

    The research or study I’m basing my comments on is prior to the most recent one you shared here, but this doesn’t change the fact that, in previous years, consoles were ahead of PCs. The growth pointed out by Statista for PCs in 2024 is a reflection of hybrid devices, which contributed to the increase, while the drop in console sales is partly due to the price hikes by Sony and Microsoft. Let’s see if this trend continues in 2025 with the release of GTA6, which could boost console sales. Additionally, the Newzoo study I’m referencing focuses more on player habits than sales and also revealed that more than half of gamers play on more than one platform. When it comes to choosing only one system to play on, the PC comes in last with 8%, while smartphones and consoles are the first and second, with 35% and 9%, respectively, according to Newzoo.
    Reply
  • ad47uk
    naddy69 said:
    The fact is, for most people a Windows PC is what you use at work. Consumers generally want nothing to do with Windows PCs when they get home (or stop working when they are working from home). They have a phone and maybe an iPad. That's all most people need.

    Windows PCs are still too clunky, too difficult and generally just not fun to use for most people.

    "Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon X Elite processors are up to 58% faster than MacBook Air M3".

    Still cherry picking test results? Why is the comparison to the Air? It has 8 CPUs. Of COURSE systems with Snapdragon X Elite processors are 50% faster. They have 12 (50% more!) CPUs. Where is the comparison to the M4 MacBook Pro?

    Pathetic.
    I changed to Mac last year, after years of using Windows, macOS, while it does have its faults, they are nowhere near what windows have.
    Ai is not pushed onto me like it is with Windows, it has one toggle, off or on.

    Windows is clunky and I never really seen it as such before, but after using MacOs, I now do.
    Reply
  • dkstrauss
    Why doesn't anyone discuss driver support (lack of) with these Windows ARM devices. For example, there is no driver support for ANY standalone scanner, and the scanner support for multifunction printers is primitive at best. A lot of finger point here - with Microsoft telling me to contact the vendor for drivers, and the vendors just saying "NO." I blame this SOLELY on Microsoft because they are the ones foisting the future on us without supporting our devices.

    I traded my M1 Max MacBook Pro for the Surface Pro 11 Elite/5g - and that Apple ARM laptop supported my Canon ImageFromula R40; Raven Scanner (now abandoned by Raven); and my wife's old ScanSnap scanner - but no dice with the SP11.

    I LOVE the SP11 form factor and combination of laptop with a tablet (even though it is far from an iPad Pro as a tablet, it is still adequate) but it has been more than six months since the SP11 was released and it looks like Microsoft has accomplished what it really wanted - getting Intel/AMD off their collective a***** to release CoPilot+ laptop processors, and leaving the QC experimenters behind.
    Reply