At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

There’s nothing better than gaming with a group of friends, especially in the sweltering heat of Toronto’s late summer. That’s where the Intel-sponsored Gaming Garage at the CNE makes an ideal spot for anyone looking to beat the summer heat for the second year in a row! The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), affectionately known as “The Ex” to locals, is once again hosting Intel’s CNE Gaming Garage. This year, it’s bigger, better, and more immersive than ever.

Now in its second year, the Intel-sponsored Gaming Garage has expanded from a modest 6,400 square feet to a sprawling 9,800 square feet of pure gaming excitement. It’s a testament to the success of last year’s debut and the growing appetite for interactive tech experiences at one of Canada’s largest annual fairs.

Intel’s Marketing Director for the Americas, Asma Aziz, explains: “Intel’s involvement in the CNE Gaming Garage is about showcasing the power of our technology, from the hardware to what it enables as a platform. Gamers will have the chance to see how the latest Intel processors, graphics cards, and other high-performance components ensure a seamless, immersive gaming experience, forming the backbone of the gaming setups and premium PCs available in the Gaming Garage.”

The Gaming Garage is packed with the latest Intel-powered gaming rigs, lifestyle PCs and AI-enhanced machines from a who’s who of tech giants. Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, iBUYPOWER, MSI, Lenovo and Samsung have all brought their A-game, giving visitors the chance to get their hands on hardware many have only dreamed of.

But perhaps most exciting of all is the massive 2,100-square-foot free-play area at the heart of Intel’s CNE Gaming Garage. Here, visitors can sit down and immerse themselves in their favourite titles, all running on systems that would thrill even the most hardcore PC gamer, and it’s all powered by Intel. It’s the perfect respite for parents needing a break from the carnival atmosphere or for kids wanting to show off their skills on machines that don’t require a pocketful of change—bringing back memories for those who recall the joys of arcades.

Speaking of arcades, for those who prefer their gaming with a side of nostalgia, the GOES Retro Arcade is back. It offers a trip down memory lane with classic consoles and, for the more adventurous, Virtual Reality stations that promise to transport players to whole new worlds. It’s a range of gaming that goes beyond the typical PC experience, and Intel’s CNE Gaming Garage manages to pack it all into one place, ready for families and friends to enjoy.

As if that were not enough, Intel has you covered for those who love competitive play as well. Esports takes center stage—literally—on a 54-foot-wide main stage that dominates the space. This year, over $25,000 in prize money is up for grabs across three tournaments, including the new CNE Master Clash featuring TEKKEN 8. It’s a national throwdown that’s seen preliminary bouts in Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Montreal, with the finals set to electrify the CNE crowd on August 25th.

TEKKEN 8 isn’t the only game being showcased. The CNE Gaming Garage powered by Intel will also host The CNE Showdown. Sixteen teams will compete for a chance at part of the $8500 prize pool. You can sign up for the The CNE Showdown: League of Legends brought to you by Alienware and The CNE Showdown: VALORANT hosted by ASUS ROG at their respective links.

The CNE Gaming Garage is designed to appeal to people of all ages. New for 2024 is a dedicated 1,500-square-foot Kids Zone featuring child-friendly games on Intel-powered laptops and a variety of tech-focused activities. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., it provides a much-needed digital playground for tech-savvy tykes. This is the perfect way to introduce your kids to the joys of PC gaming without concerns about games being too adult or worries about the internet and its many issues.

For those more interested in the creative side of gaming, the Student & Indie Game Showcase offers a glimpse into the future of the industry. Local student developers and independent creators will be showcasing their latest projects, giving attendees a chance to play tomorrow’s hits today. It’s a heartening display of grassroots innovation that stands in stark contrast to the polished AAA titles running on nearby machines.

For those who love tech beyond PCs and gaming, the annual FIRST Robotics competition returns to Intel’s CNE Gaming Garage for the Robots@CNE weekend with this year’s game, CRESCENDO. Teams work together to collect note rings, amplify their speakers, and harmonize by hanging on an elevated chain to score points. It sounds like an exciting showcase—who can say no to robots?

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Gaming Garage is its “try before you buy” concept, which goes well beyond what you’d find at a typical store. Attendees who get excited about a particular setup can purchase it on the spot from Canada Computers and Best Buy booths conveniently located within the Garage. It’s a savvy move that transforms the space from a mere exhibition into a potential launching pad for back-to-school shopping or holiday wish lists.

As the CNE prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors from August 16 to September 2, the CNE Gaming Garage powered by Intel stands as an oasis of digital entertainment amidst a sea of traditional fair attractions. It’s a bold statement about the evolving nature of public events and the increasing integration of technology into our leisure activities. This is an opportunity to explore gaming in a safe, controlled environment and see first-hand “Why Intel?” when it comes to gaming laptops, PCs and more.

To celebrate Intel’s second year at the CNE Gaming Garage, we’re teaming up with them to give away five pairs of tickets to the CNE in Toronto so you can check out the Intel Gaming Garage for yourself. Head over to Gleam via this link for multiple ways to enter, and don’t forget to come back every day for daily entries! Tickets include one day’s admission to the CNE between 16th August and 2nd September, including all-day ride passes! Good luck to all!

As summer winds down and the back-to-school season looms, the CNE Gaming Garage offers one last hurrah for tech enthusiasts, young and old. Whether you’re there to compete, play, shop or simply marvel at the wonders of modern computing, Intel’s digital playground promises to be a highlight of this year’s CNE. Just remember to save some energy for the midway—after all, you can’t spend the whole day gaming. Or can you?

Never in my life did I think I would see affordable laptops get so good. And they get even cheaper when discounts hit! Take this ASUS VivoBook 14 as an example. This laptop is already cheap at $430, but you can get it for only $220 right now. That’s about a 48% discount!

Get the ASUS VivoBook 14 for a mere $220

This offer is available from Best Buy, and it only applies to the Quiet Blue color model. It is listed as part of a 48-hour flash sale, which ends this Saturday.

I am just amazed at what you can get these days for a measly $220. This is a Windows laptop with some pretty nice specs. It comes with a 12th-generation Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, which is more than good enough for casual users, and can even handle some light gaming.

Other specs are pretty nice, too. It has a 128GB SSD, which isn’t much, but you could always take all the money you saved and get an external SSD, or rely more on cloud services. The 14-inch screen has an LED panel with a Full HD 1,080p resolution. It even comes with Wi-Fi 6E support. It could be an excellent laptop for the kids, or a casual user.

Again, this is a 48-hour flash sale, so you have to make up your mind quickly, before the deal ends. You have until tomorrow. Heck, it is such a good deal I am considering getting one, myself.

Are you looking for a laptop that can handle your gaming, creative, and all other tasks? These usually come with higher-end specs, which naturally makes them more expensive. Here at Android Authority, we’re always searching high and low for the hottest deals, and today, we have a couple of great laptop discounts for you.

You can save $330 on the HP Victus 15 gaming laptop, bringing the price down to just $550. If you want something more powerful, there’s also a $300 discount on the ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED, slashing the cost to $1,200.

Get the HP Victus 15 for $550

Get the ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED for $550

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

Tech, and laptops in particular, often revolves around trends. Every couple of years, you get something new that every manufacturer tries to adopt, and if it catches on, it just becomes a standard from then on out. Right now, that's Copilot+ and AI, but it's been many things throughout the years.

Computers and electronics have been getting increasingly harder to repair and upgrade over the past decade or so, and that's especially true of tablets. But Microsoft has been bucking that trend for a while now, with every Surface Pro since the Surface Pro 7+ in early 2021 giving you the ability to easily remove the SSD so you can install a new one.

Never in my life did I think I would see affordable laptops get so good. And they get even cheaper when discounts hit! Take this ASUS VivoBook 14 as an example. This laptop is already cheap at $430, but you can get it for only $220 right now. That’s about a 48% discount!

Get the ASUS VivoBook 14 for a mere $220

This offer is available from Best Buy, and it only applies to the Quiet Blue color model. It is listed as part of a 48-hour flash sale, which ends this Saturday.

I am just amazed at what you can get these days for a measly $220. This is a Windows laptop with some pretty nice specs. It comes with a 12th-generation Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM, which is more than good enough for casual users, and can even handle some light gaming.

Other specs are pretty nice, too. It has a 128GB SSD, which isn’t much, but you could always take all the money you saved and get an external SSD, or rely more on cloud services. The 14-inch screen has an LED panel with a Full HD 1,080p resolution. It even comes with Wi-Fi 6E support. It could be an excellent laptop for the kids, or a casual user.

Again, this is a 48-hour flash sale, so you have to make up your mind quickly, before the deal ends. You have until tomorrow. Heck, it is such a good deal I am considering getting one, myself.

Are you looking for a laptop that can handle your gaming, creative, and all other tasks? These usually come with higher-end specs, which naturally makes them more expensive. Here at Android Authority, we’re always searching high and low for the hottest deals, and today, we have a couple of great laptop discounts for you.

You can save $330 on the HP Victus 15 gaming laptop, bringing the price down to just $550. If you want something more powerful, there’s also a $300 discount on the ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED, slashing the cost to $1,200.

Get the HP Victus 15 for $550

Get the ASUS Vivobook Pro 15 OLED for $550

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

Being able to connect your phone to your desktop PC or modern laptop to field messages or even make calls can be a huge boon to productivity, and there are plenty of ways of going about it. While iMessage works seamlessly across Macs and iPhones, getting iOS messages on Windows has been a bit trickier in the past. Fortunately, with apps like Microsoft's Phone Link and Intel Unison, it is easily doable with just a few steps involved in the setup process. You can also use third-party messenger apps like Telegram, Signal, or WhatsApp.

Buying a great new laptop can be an exhilarating feeling, but it can also be a daunting task. Whether you're shopping for a new work partner, gaming laptop, or something in between, there's a never-ending sea of options to browse through. But getting the perfect laptop for your needs can be difficult, especially if you're only going by the manufacturer's claims. We've reviewed most of the laptops in this list (and many others that didn't make the cut), and we have a great idea of what's good and what's not worth your time.

I was very excited when my Surface Laptop pre-order arrived two days ago, as I’ve been itching to try out these Arm-based, Snapdragon X-powered, Copilot Plus PCs (or whatever you want to call them) since the chipset was first announced in late 2023. Taking the battery-friendly, AI-ready, and ultra-connected benefits of the best smartphones and pairing it with performance that rivals best-in-class laptops sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately, after just 48 hours with the new Surface Laptop, I’m starting to feel that might be accurate.

I should caveat this by stating that the office use element of the Copilot Plus PC experience is perfectly fine, great even. It’s flawlessly powering through writing this article with me, and the battery stats state that I’ve enjoyed two hours and 36 minutes of screen-on time since its last charge, and I still have 76% to go. The battery life on this thing seems pretty rock solid, so at least that’s one promise ticked off the list.

That said, several hiccups in the past 48 hours are undoubtedly pivoting my eventual review in a more negative direction. Namely, app emulation is hit-and-miss, and I don’t really see what all the AI fuss is about, given that Recall is on hiatus until later in the year.

Battery life is great for office workloads, but everything else is less convincing.

But before we get to that, let’s wrestle with this whole running Windows on Arm malarky. Yes, the battery-life benefits seem to be there (though more testing will tell), and the performance of native Arm applications is sublime if you can find them. And that’s the problem: I’m relying a whole lot on Microsoft’s Prism emulator layer to run x64 applications that aren’t yet natively built for Arm processors. Honestly, I’m surprised by how few of the apps I use on a daily basis don’t have native versions. Libre Office, Lightroom Classic, Discord, Asana, and any Steam game (of course) all rely on emulation. I knew my more niche apps from smaller developers, including Feishin and Jellyfin for media, would rely on emulation, but it’s surprising that so few big projects aren’t onboard by this stage. It’s not like Windows on Arm is new.

As for native support, I’ve used Photoshop, Slack, Spotify, Zoom, and the big three web browsers. The latter is where Microsoft gets its “90% of user minutes are running on Arm native” nonsense, but they all run great. Still, I’ve suffered a number of black screen glitches when running GPU-heavy pages in Edge with an external monitor that doesn’t appear with Firefox. Even native apps aren’t immune from issues, it seems.

Let’s be generous and say I have a 50/50 split of Arm and x64 apps installed. The problem remains that emulation performance feels so hit-and-miss. For instance, Lightroom Classic (just update it already, Adobe!) runs flawlessly when editing photos, but exporting JPEGs can bring it and other applications to their knees. On the other hand, Asana and Discord run like an egg and spoon race — stopping, starting, pausing, and loading. This is where Prism’s performance is a letdown; UI elements can temporarily freeze, sometimes system-wide, and I’ve even had music playback cut out for a split second. These issues don’t crop up very often, but when they do, you’re instantly reminded you’re not receiving the best Windows experience out there.

But that’s not the cardinal sin. No, the fact that most VPN apps don’t work because they don’t yet have native Arm versions might be an absolute deal breaker for some. I often need a VPN to check out regional website versions, and thankfully, I can still do that in my browser. However, many others have steeper requirements, including those in the enterprise space. Thankfully, VPNs are the only apps I’ve encountered that outright refuse to work.

Now, I’d cut Microsoft and developers some slack if Windows on Arm was a brand-new initiative, but Windows on Arm and Microsoft’s emulator have been around for seven freakin’ years, and we’ve had commercial products for six of them. How are we still discussing app development and emulation problems that Apple has eliminated in about half that time? It’s borderline ridiculous.

Windows has been emulating Arm for seven years, and it's still far from perfect.

OK, enough of the emulator bashing — the Snapdragon X Elite is powerful enough to brute-force its way through (most) of the minor issues. Let’s talk AI — it’s the key marketing material with these Copilot Plus PCs, after all. So what’s the Plus fuss all about? It’s a bit hard to tell. Windows Recall felt like the flagship feature, but that’s put on ice while Microsoft irons out some very warranted privacy concerns.

Without Recall, Copilot takes center stage as the most obvious user-facing AI feature, but the experience feels much the same as on regular PCs. Yes, the dedicated Copilot button to bring up a web app window is a nice touch (if you use AI a lot), but I still don’t trust Copilot (or any other text generator) for anything above mundane questions or reformatting the odd paragraph. With Copilot icons plastered across the toolbar and Edge browser, I’ve probably pressed the physical key three or four times in a couple of days. It hardly seems worth sacrificing good old right ctrl for.

Other AI features are onboard, but they’re more niche. I haven’t yet found a use for the admittedly impressive Live Captions feature (yet), and asking Cocreator to draw anything with people in it is often horrifying. Still, I found Studio Effects more useful for a couple of Discord calls. Eye Contact looks a bit creepy, but auto-framing and the bokeh portrait feature work very well. That said, pretty much all conferencing apps have background options baked in without needing an NPU, so it hardly feels new and exciting.

The other AI feature I encountered was purely by accident. While benchmarking some AAA games, I noticed a popup in a couple of titles informing me that AI Super Resolution was activated. If you can live with a measly 1,152 x 768 resolution, AI upscaling pushes several games from sub-30fps to a much more comfortable 50-60fps. Snapdragon X’s ability to play AAA PC games is, surprisingly, not terrible and is probably the best showcase of the built-in NPU elevating the user experience meaningfully. Again, though, the list of supported titles is far from comprehensive, and the settings menu to manually configure .exes is tucked away well out of reach.

Hopefully, Copilot Plus PCs kickstart more meaningful app development for Arm.

And I think that sums up my whole experience with this Copilit Plus PC so far — it doesn’t feel finished. Are incomplete AI features and unpolished emulation acceptable trade-offs for better-than-average battery life? I’m not so sure at prices well over $1,000. I have a feeling that’s my eventual review summed up right there.

Still, perhaps we’re at the tipping point in this chicken-and-egg scenario: more powerful and interesting laptops mean that developers pay attention, kickstarting more native Arm builds, and the whole ecosystem quickly improves. Here’s hoping, but that’s no consolation for the bitter taste of disappointment I’m currently experiencing. The last two days don’t feel all that different from the last seven years of trying to justify the compromises.

With mobile smarts ramped up to suit a powerhouse PC form factor, Snapdragon X processors are an interesting prospect for mobile and laptop aficionados alike. I’m lucky enough to have my hands on the new Microsoft Surface Laptop, complete with the Snapdragon X Elite (1xE80100) onboard, and I couldn’t resist seeing if this chip could handle a little bit of AAA gaming (off the clock, of course, boss).

As a parent of two, my Steam library needed a little dusting off, but it’s not like Qualcomm is positioning the Snapdragon X platform at hardcore gamers anyway. Its Adreno X1 GPU is still an integrated component, after all, with a lowly 3.8TFLOPS of compute on this model that puts it well behind discrete mobile cards, let alone beefy desktop GPUs. Instead, Copilot Plus PCs are marketed for their AI smarts and battery life. Still, between modern classics including GTA V, Hitman 3, Crysis Remastered, and The Witcher 3, I feel like I have a reasonable sample of games you might be tempted to boot up on the go. Let’s find out if they can actually run.

Before we jump into the benchmark results, there are some important things to note. First, all of these games (and, in fact, anything you run through Steam or other launchers) are currently compiled for x64 processors (see AMD and Intel), not Arm (see Snapdragon X). That means Windows secretly spins up its Prism emulation layer to get these games running, which incurs a performance penalty. How much? We’ll just have to see.

Secondly, I spotted that some of these games ran with Windows’ “Automatic Super Resolution” (Auto SR) enabled by default. This new feature is exclusive to Copilot Plus PCs, leveraging their NPU capabilities to upscale low-resolution rendering for better performance. We’ll discuss this a bit more later on, but the key thing to note is that it lowers the output resolution on the Surface Laptop I’m using to just 1,152 x 768.

Snapdragon X Elite gaming benchmarks

My expectations for the Adreno X1 GPU are firmly in check, so I started by setting all these games to medium graphics settings. GTA V and Witcher 3 have SSAO enabled, but I declined anti-aliasing and ray tracing in every game where possible in favor of extra frames. The results below track the minimum and average frame rates across these game’s benchmark apps (and a fairly brisk run around some enemies in The Witcher 3). First, let’s run the tests at the Surface Laptop’s native 2,496 x 1,664 resolution (or as close as possible in the case of the Crysis benchmark).

As you might have expected, the results are not great even with medium settings. Crysis hobbles the Adreno X1 at this resolution, with an average FPS of just 19. Grim. Hitman is barely any better, with low average and minimum frame rates that make it a choppy mess to play. The Witcher 3 is slightly more playable but dips below 30fps far too regularly to be enjoyable. Likewise, GTA V has a much higher average frame rate, but the game grinds to a slideshow when heavy physics is employed. Clear, AMD and NVIDIA aren’t going to lose any sleep over the Snapdragon X Elite.

Auto SR is a Copilot Plus PC's secret weapon to run AAA games on low-power graphics.

At native resolutions, frame rates are a pretty dismal sub-30fps affair that’s headache-inducing to play for more than a few minutes. However, Copilot Plus PCs have a trick up their sleeve — Auto SR. This runs at a very low resolution, making it a bit backward compared to rival technologies that are regularly employed to output 4K. Obviously, a low resolution will run much better than the native display pixel count, so I ran all the games again at 1,152 x 768 (or 720p if that wasn’t a supported option) and then re-ran them with this AI-powered super-resolution scaling technology enabled.

So can the Snapdragon X Elite run Crysis? Unfortunately, Windows’ super-resolution feature doesn’t support Crysis, so there’s no benefit to be had here, much to my immeasurable disappointment. Still, it technically runs, and at an OK 41fps average at 720p, which is no doubt faster than when I played the original on my beloved ATi X1950 Pro. You’ll have to settle for low settings if you want something approaching a silky smooth frame rate, but the game runs passably on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite even without Auto SR support. Not terrible.

Of course, the other games in our list benefited from dropping the resolution back too, hitting frame rates above 30fps and in some instances closer to 60fps. Still, flicking the AI Auto SR switch yields even more frames. Well, at least most of the time.

Auto SR can provide a substantial boost to both minimum and average FPS.

GTA V sees the smallest change to its average frame rate, which sits well above 60fps anyway. However, minimum fps leap up by 46%, making for a smoother ride, but it’s still hampered by CPU-dependent scenes. Conversely, the more GPU-intensive Witcher 3 sees little change to its minimum fps but a 30% boost to its average frame rate, taking it up to the comfortable 60fps mark. Hitman 3 is more of a mixed bag. The Dubai benchmark sees a whopping 60%-odd gain to its minimum and average fps by turning to this AI upscaling technology, which again makes the game far more playable than by just dropping the resolution alone.

Now, I ran both Hitman tests because Dartmoor is incredibly physics-heavy, stressing any decent CPU and applying even more pressure when running under emulation here. This explains the super low minimum fps results we see regardless of whether super-resolution is enabled or not. So, Auto SR clearly helps out in GPU-bound instances, but it can’t improve frame rates for CPU-bound scenes. Still, Hitman runs pretty well in real gameplay when using AI upscaling.

AI Super Resolution to the rescue?

Windows’ not much talked-about Automatic Super-Resolution feature is a bit of a silver bullet for Copilot Plus PCs — and their Snapdragon X chips inside. Flip the switch, and these laptops feel like much more capable gamers than they first appear. While obviously still not able to deliver truly high-end graphics options, frame rates, or native resolutions, it’s a brilliant addition for sneaking in a game on the go. Leaping from sub-30 to 45-60fps makes a world of difference to playability and turns your sensible work laptop into something a little more fun.

So how does it work? According to Microsoft, “Auto SR functions by automatically lowering the game’s rendering resolution to increase framerate, then employs sophisticated AI technology to provide enhanced high-definition visuals.” With that in mind, it helps to think of this as NVIDIA’s DLSS or AMD’s FSR in reverse. It’s more like a cross between variable rate shading and AI-enhanced super resolutions details.

See, Windows Auto SR doesn’t upscale a game to match a high-resolution display. In fact, you have to settle for a resolution that’s far below typical modern gaming targets of 1440p and 4K. There’s no getting around the fact that 1,152 x 768 doesn’t look particularly sharp, even on the Surface Pro’s modest 15-inch screen. Aliasing artifacts are abundant and you’ll have to give up some of those valuable frames you just clawed back if you want rid of them.

Auto SR is the inverse of NVIDIA's DLSS. It runs at a low resolution and bumps down even lower to improve fps.

Instead, what I believe is happening is that the rendering resolution is sometimes even lower than 1,152 x 768. AI is used to scale up these frames so you can’t see the difference, which explains why this technique is quite good at improving minimum fps values in GPU-bound games. I suspect the overall low resolution is ultimately a limitation of the 45TOPS of NPU power found in Copilot Plus PCs. NVIDIA’s DLSS, for instance, runs on much more powerful hardware to reach 4K. To Microsoft’s credit, I really couldn’t tell if or when this was happening. Every still I captured looked the same with AI on or off and it’s even harder to make out any changes that happen during motion.

That said, Auto SR exacerbates jankiness when frame rates fall very low. This was readily apparent in the Dartmoor benchmark; several runs temporarily slipped into a Matrix-style Deja Vu. Despite the higher frame rates, I’m not convinced any of these titles felt buttery smooth with Auto SR enabled. It also makes text distort into drunken fonts, which can give the appearance of a goofy SNES emulator upscaler.

The Witcher 3 - Auto SR On The Witcher 3 - Auto SR Off

Still, running graphics upscaling on a chip’s dedicated NPU (necessary to be classed as a Copilot Plus PC) is an inspired idea, as it doesn’t steal many, if any resources from the GPU. In this instance, Auto SR leverages Qualcomm’s Hexagon NPU that sits alongside the Adreno X1 GPU inside the Snapdragon X chipset, but this technique should work on future AMD and Intel PCs with integrated NPUs too. To be honest, I’m surprised we haven’t seen something similar in the Android gaming space, given the hardware is already there and pixel requirements are much lower.

You can find a list of Auto SR compatible titles at this link, which includes newer titles like Cyberpunk and The Last of Us. I can’t be sure these demanding titles will run quite as well without testing them, but they should still see some benefit. Unfortunately, not every game supports or even works well with Automatic Super-Resolution enabled. GTA V, for example, ships with super-resolution off by default, and while enabling it drastically improves the frame rate, menus and UI elements flicker and sometimes black box completely. On the other hand, Crysis Remastered and many other games don’t support the feature at all, so this certainly isn’t the cure-all for gaming on Arm-based PCs. The experience is not completely ready for prime time, much like Windows Recall.

Equally, I’m not entirely convinced by the decision to have this enabled by default for some games. It deprives gamers of balancing resolution and graphics settings themselves. The fact that the setting is hidden away in the new “Display > Graphics” menu also means yet another panel for gamers to faff with before they can just get playing. Though Windows does display a nice prompt to let you know Auto SR is working when you boot up the game.

Still, who can turn their nose up at free extra frames? Auto SR can’t disguise Snapdragon X as a serious rival to a proper gaming laptop, but it does mean that Copilot Plus PCs can dabble in a little light gaming without framerates that’ll tank your W/L ratio.

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

It's easy to get excited about all the new portable devices, but there's always the lingering fear of what they're like to repair. Sure, that shiny new tablet or laptop looks good now, but when something goes kaput in the near future, can you fix it yourself? If you can't, can your local repair store do it? Or do you have to give up and ship it to the manufacturer? If reparability is important to you, you'll be pleased to know that the new Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 both scored highly on iFixit.

In May, Microsoft took the wraps off a new program called Copilot Plus PC. This is a new identifier for laptops that meet certain criteria that allow them to support special on-device AI features. Among these criteria are a minimum of 16GB of RAM, 256GB of onboard storage, and a dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS).

Out of the gate, Microsoft’s own Surface Laptop (7th-gen) and Surface Pro (11th-gen) will be Copilot Plus PCs. These machines run on the Snapdragon X Elite processor, a new Windows on Arm SoC designed to be powerful, battery-efficient, and AI-first. Along with the two Surface machines, there are many more laptops running Qualcomm silicon from half a dozen other OEMs.

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

The latest announcement of Snapdragon X-powered laptops has created a triangular contest in the Windows CPU space. While Intel is still the market leader, the Santa Clara-based company has been facing heat from AMD and Qualcomm lately. Among these two, Qualcomm poses a greater threat to Intel.

While we've been expecting the availability of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor to be around the middle of this year, Lenovo has announced two new 'AI-powered' notebooks for the Windows on Arm platform. Announced is the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Gen 14 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 both feature Qualcomm's latest 12-core Snapdragon X Elite processor, ushering in a new era for Microsoft's Windows on Arm platform. Lenovo aims to target content creators and business professionals with these new models.

Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Elite processor looks set to try to change the adoption of the Windows-on-Arm devices, with a critical focus on providing AI capability on device, which promises up to 45 TOPs of performance solely from the Hexagon NPU. Powered by the Oryon CPU cores, the Snapdragon X Elite is designed to deliver exceptional performance and efficiency, achieving up to 3.8GHz in all-core turbo in intensive workloads. The processor also includes the latest Hexagon NPU, offering 45 TOPS of performance for INT8 tasks, making it well-suited for handling complex AI tasks on devices such as Generative AI. 

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Gen 14 Notebook for Windows on Arm

Starting with the slimmer of the two models, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is primarily tailored for creators. It is designed to be thin, lightweight, and portable and has a 70 Wh battery, making it ideal for creators on the go. The device is powered by the latest Snapdragon X Elite processor, featuring Qualcomm's integrated Hegaxon NPU designed to power GenAI-based text-to-image capabilities, sophisticated photo and video editing tools, and intelligent text creation and editing feedback.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Gen 14 is just 12.9 mm thick.

For connectivity, it only uses Type-C, with three USB 4 Type-C ports for the fastest 40 Gbps-capable devices. It also has a single audio jack with an HDMI 2.1 video output. Built into the top bezel is a 1080 webcam with four microphones, and it also supports IP MIPI with an integrated privacy shutter. Additional features include Dolby Atmos audio, while it also comes with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity incorporated within the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor. It weighs just 1.28 kg, with a slim 12.9 mm profile, making the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x perfectly light for users on the go.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 notebook

On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s is optimized primarily for business users. It is designed to deliver optimal performance and efficiency with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite 12-core processor. As with the Yoga Slim 7x, the ThinkPad T14s uses the integrated Qualcomm Adreno GPU for graphics capabilities, and it powers the 14" display, which can come in 1920 x 1200 IPS or 2.8K with an OLED panel. The on-device Hexagon NPU primarily handles AI inferencing tasks on chips and ensures seamless integration with Microsoft 365 applications. This model is designed to provide robust device management, enhanced collaborations on the go, and integrated chip-to-cloud security for professional environments.

On the connectivity front, it has dual USB 3.2 G2 Type-A ports and two USB 4 Type-C ports for the fastest 40 Gbps-capable devices. It also has a single audio jack with an HDMI 2.1 video output. Built into the top bezel is a 1080 webcam with dual microphones, and it also supports IP MIPI with an integrated privacy shutter. Additional features include a fingerprint reader within the power button and dTPM. Lenovo uses the integrated Wi-Fi 7 within the Snapdragon X Elite for wireless connectivity, providing Bluetooth 5.3 support.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x 14 Gen 9 and ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 can support up to 1TB of PCIe 4.0 x4 storage, while memory capability depends on the model. The Yoga 7x 14 Gen 9, a slimmer model, is limited to 32 GB of LPDDR5X-8448 memory in a dual-channel configuration. At the same time, the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 can accommodate up to 64 GB of slightly faster LPDDR5X-8533 memory.

Additionally, Lenovo offers deployment services through its Lenovo TruScale platform to support the efficient management of next-generation AI PC devices such as these models. These services include customizable security features, tailored deployment processes, enhanced control over the deployment process, and services designed to align with specific business objectives.

Both the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 will be available starting June 2024, with the Yoga Slim 7x starting at $1,199 and the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 priced starting at $1,699.

Gallery: Lenovo Unveils Yoga Slim 7x and ThinkPad T14 Gen 6 Powered By Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

While still quite uncommon, we've seen the rise of dual-screen laptops over the past couple of years, with Lenovo first introducing the world to its Yoga Book 9i, and then a year or so later we got a copycat from Asus with its Zenbook Duo. Of course, these types of devices aren't for everyone, but there's defintently some compelling reasons why having a second screen on a laptop can be a good idea.

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

After months of anticipation and speculation, we are nearing the arrival of Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptops. Samsung recently launched its Galaxy Book 4 series of laptops, and it seems like the company is gearing up to add a couple of new Snapdragon-powered models to the lineup.

A WinFuture report offers a first look at Samsung’s upcoming laptop models, revealing key specifications and high-resolution images of the upcoming devices.

The tech world is on high alert as Qualcomm’s highly anticipated Snapdragon X Elite chips are nearing their market debut. ASUS recently announced a launch event for its brand-new AI PCs, which are expected to feature the new chips. However, its Vietnamese store site appears to have prematurely leaked details of the upcoming device.

The ASUS 2024 Vivobook Go is an ultra-affordable laptop option for the everyday use of students and professionals, especially if you’re often on the go. It’s particularly cheap today, with a 25% Amazon discount dropping the price to just $172.30.

ASUS 2024 Vivobook Go for $172.30 ($58 off)

The laptop buzzword of 2024 is "AI PC" — notebooks that have neural processing units (NPUs) for AI-related tasks. But while it's smart to be aware of those systems, there are far more important things to consider beyond AI-savviness. It turns out buying a computer in 2024 isn't really that much different than in recent years: You'll still want to find a system that balances power, weight and screen size with your computing needs.

Out of the 14 notebooks we've reviewed in 2024, we consider Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air M3 to be the best laptop for most people. It's powerful enough to handle most tasks (even light video editing); it has a great screen and built-in speakers; and its battery could last around 20 hours (depending on what you're doing, of course). The MacBook Air M3 is also one of the lightest and thinnest systems we've reviewed, and it's dead silent, thanks to a fanless design.

As for Windows laptops and Chromebooks, the recommendations are a bit more nuanced and varied. While the aforementioned AI features may dominate the news, the more traditional choices – between Intel and AMD CPUs, and whether or not you want a dedicated graphics chip, or GPU – still stand. And unlike Macs, your options include systems with touchscreens, 2-in-1 convertible tablets and more. To that end, we have plenty of recently tested and recommended models from brands including HP, Dell, ASUS and more in this guide.

Table of contents

• Best laptop for 2024: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M3

• Best Windows laptop: Dell XPS 13

• Best gaming laptop: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

• Best Chromebook: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5

• Best budget laptop: HP Pavilion Aero

• Best high-end laptop: Apple MacBook Pro M3

• Best convertible laptop: HP Spectre x360 14

• How we test laptops

• What to consider before buying a laptop

• Other laptops we tested that didn't make the cut

• FAQs

• Best laptops compared

How we test laptops

Engadget has been reviewing laptops for two decades, and while the definition of what a portable PC is has changed considerably since, our obsession with testing their limits and serving up informative buying advice remains the same. Be it a hybrid tablet like Microsoft's Surface machines, a rotating 2-in-1 convertible like HP's Spectre x360s or a plain old clamshell notebook, our review process follows similar beats. How does it look and feel? How fast is it? Whether it’s a Windows device, a MacBook or a Chromebook, we aim to answer the most important question: Is it actually worth your hard-earned cash?

What to consider before buying a laptop

Price

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a new laptop these days, depending on the configuration. If you're looking for more of a workhorse, that could cost you well over $2,000 for additional RAM, storage, as well as a beefier GPU and CPU. But you can also find some good deals under $1,000 if you're willing to overlook build quality (or buy a refurbished or previous generation machine, which we highly recommend). Systems with AMD chips tend to come in cheaper than their Intel counterparts, but the bulk of their cost will come down to other components like RAM and storage.

I’ve included our favorite affordable model in this best laptop buying guide, but we have a list of the best budget laptops that you can check out as well.

Operating system: Apple, Windows or Chrome OS

There's a good chance you've already committed to an operating system, but my advice is to be as flexible as possible. These days, most major software is compatible with both Macs and PCs. (Of course, it's another story if you've become dependent on an Apple-only app like Final Cut Pro.) Web-based apps, naturally, will work on any platform with an internet browser.

If you're an Apple-loyalist, there aren't many reasons to consider Windows laptops (unless you want a secondary gaming machine). But for Windows users, macOS is becoming more tempting every year. Apple's MacBooks, powered by its M-series Silicon chips, are among the fastest and most efficient laptops we've ever seen. They're incredibly well-built and have tremendous battery life to boot. MacOS itself is also an easy platform to learn, especially if you're used to iOS and iPadOS.

That brings up another point: iPhone users may want to consider Macs because of the seamless integration with Apple's other platforms. You can't respond to iMessage conversations easily or hop into FaceTime chats on Windows PCs, but doing so is simple on Macs. (Microsoft's Phone Link app lets you send iOS users individual texts, but not media or group chats.) Android users, meanwhile, may be better off with Windows, as Phone Link can make calls, synchronize all your texts and also access your phone's photos.

As for whether you’ll want a PC with a dedicated Copilot AI button on the keyboard, that depends on how often you see yourself using Microsoft’s generative tools. Given we’re only just seeing the first slate of AI PCs, it would be wiser to wait out the hype and see what improvements might come over time.

And what about ChromeOS? Chromebooks are a smart and (typically) inexpensive way to browse the web and hop on a few video chats, but they're not the best choice as your primary computer. There aren't many apps or games that work offline, and they also don't work with powerful software suites like Adobe's (you can use the stripped-down Adobe Express and Photoshop online tools, though). Chromebooks are great secondary machines to use alongside a more powerful Mac or PC, and they're popular in schools because they're cheap and easy for IT workers to manage. And if all you need is web access, or a notebook for a kid, a Chromebook might be enough.

Connectivity

These days, most laptops ship with a few USB-C ports, which can handle both charging and speedy data transfers. Apple's MacBooks also include a separate connection for MagSafe power, and you'll find custom power connections on some PCs like Microsoft's Surface. Older USB Type-A connections are less common now, but they still pop up in systems like HP's Spectre x360 14, as well as many models from ASUS.

If you're a fan of wired headphones, it's worth keeping a close eye on headphone jack availability. Many ultra-slim laptops, like Dell's XPS 13, don’t have the 3.5mm socket entirely. They usually include a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, but that's a clunky solution, and it also takes up a USB port. Sure, most people use wireless earbuds and cans today, but it's still helpful to have a wired one around for when those devices run out of juice.

Most laptops in 2024 offer Wi-Fi 6 or 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 or later, which should mean faster and more stable connections if you have compatible routers and devices. While Wi-Fi 7 routers have started appearing, that spec hasn't made its way into laptops yet. As for cellular coverage, there are notebooks like the Surface Pro 9 and Samsung Galaxy Book models that offer integrated 5G. But from our testing, that feature may not be worth the cost of a separate data plan. Instead, you could tether to your smartphone or invest in a wireless hotspot that can keep multiple devices online.

Display size and weight

So how portable do you want your laptop to be? That's the ultimate question you need to ask when choosing between various screen sizes. 13-inch machines have become a solid starting point for most shoppers — it's enough real estate for the majority of tasks like emailing and writing, and it also helps keep machines relatively light (typically between two to three pounds). Thanks to manufacturing advancements, these dainty machines sometimes even come with larger screens (the smaller MacBook Air actually has a 13.6-inch display).

If you have trouble seeing fine text, we’d recommend going for a display larger than 13 inches. ASUS’s Zephyrus G14 is a solid 14-inch option for gamers, and we’re also seeing more productivity-focused machines aim for that size, like the XPS 14 and MacBook Pro. While 14-inch notebooks are a bit heavier than 13-inch models, coming in between three to four pounds, their screens are noticeably roomier.

For artists, or anyone else who needs a large canvas, a 15-inch laptop may make the most sense. They typically weigh between 3.5 and 4.5 pounds, but that extra heft may be worth it to fit wider video editing timelines or Photoshop windows. And, as you'd expect, you'll also pay a bit more for a 15-inch notebook compared to smaller ones (the 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299, while the smaller model goes for $999). PC makers are also replacing 15-inch systems with 16-inch versions, which will give you even more space to work.

You can still find laptops with 17-inch or 18-inch screens, but those are typically gaming systems or souped-up workstations. They're not meant for mere computing mortals.

Battery life

A laptop's battery life depends on several factors: The power draw from the screen and other hardware, the optimizations used to avoid unnecessary power drain, and, of course, the size of the actual battery. One of our favorite systems, the Dell XPS 13, lasted 13 hours and 15 minutes in the PCMark 10 battery benchmark. In real-world testing, I was able to use it for a day and a half without needing a recharge. The MacBook Air 13-inch, meanwhile, lasted 20 hours in our benchmark and kept running for more than two work days of my typical workflow. In general, you should expect a modern laptop to last at least eight hours.

If battery life is your absolute priority, I'd strongly suggest looking at Macs over Windows PCs. Apple's M-series chips are essentially mobile hardware, with all of the power efficiency you'd expect from something originally designed for phones. Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon chips could help Windows PCs compete with Apple’s astonishing battery life, but we’ve yet to see those in action. Chromebooks also typically get decent battery life (as long as you don’t overstuff them with power-draining tabs).

Refresh rate

A laptop's refresh rate refers to the amount of times its screen is cycled every second. Modern displays like LCDs and OLEDs support 60Hz refresh rates at a minimum, but we're seeing more devices offering 120Hz, 240Hz and beyond. The higher the number, the faster the screen is refreshed, which ultimately leads to a smoother experience while mousing around or scrolling through web pages. (If you want to get a sense of what a slow refresh rate looks like, just grab an e-reader like the Kindle and try to flip between book pages.)

While high refresh rates used to be reserved for gaming laptops, nowadays we're seeing more mainstream machines like the XPS 13 offer 120Hz (or variable rates that move between 60Hz and 120Hz). If there's one knock against the MacBook Air, it's that it's still stuck at 60Hz.

CPU

If you’re buying a new laptop, you’ll want to make sure it’s got the latest CPUs. For Windows PCs, that’s either Intel’s Core Ultra chips for thin-and-light machines or the 14th-gen HX chips for beefier systems. The Core Ultra series have NPUs for handling AI tasks, while the HX hardware does not – they’re based on Intel’s previous chip architecture, and they’re more focused on delivering raw horsepower. Intel's older 13th-gen and 12th-gen laptop chips also don't have NPUs, so keep that in mind if you're looking at used systems.

You'll also see AMD's Ryzen 8000 chips in plenty of new systems like the ASUS Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14. Those CPUs mainly target gaming laptops and high performance systems, while you'll still find AMD"s older Ryzen 7000 chips in ultraportables. AMD's main advantage is that its chips also include Radeon graphics, which are far more capable than Intel's Arc hardware (though those are getting better).

As for Apple's laptops, you'll be choosing between the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Ultra, each of which is progressively more powerful. Apple is also keeping its older M2 chip around for the $999 MacBook Air, which is still a solid performer for the price.

GPU

A GPU, or graphics processing unit, is the component that communicates directly with a laptop's display. Laptop CPUs all have some form of integrated GPU: Intel has either its standard graphics or beefier Arc hardware, while AMD's chips include fast Radeon mobile graphics. If you want to play demanding games or need some extra power for rendering video or 3D models, you can configure a laptop with a dedicated GPU like NVIDIA's RTX 40-series hardware or AMD's Radeon RX 7000. Just be sure to leave room in your budget if you want a powerful GPU, as they typically add $300 or more to the cost of a laptop.

Apple's M-series chips, meanwhile, have GPU cores that can perform as well as NVIDIA’s and AMD's lower-end dedicated GPUs. That's quite the accomplishment for systems like this (especially the MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro), and it's another reason we highly recommend Apple's notebooks.

AI PCs and NPUs

We knew 2024 was going to be an intriguing year for notebooks based on Intel and AMD's latest chips. Intel unveiled its "Core Ultra" CPUs in December, its first to include an NPU for AI work. AMD also announced its Ryzen 8040 AI mobile chips that month (and it couldn't help but say they were faster than Intel's new hardware). At the moment, NPUs in laptops unlock MIcrosoft's Windows Studio Effects during video chats, and can also power some editing tools from Adobe and other companies.

While those capabilities aren't exactly Earth-shattering, it might be worth investing in an NPU-equipped system now so you're ready for future AI-driven features. For example, Microsoft will reportedly let its Copilot AI run locally on PCs with NPUs, which would be dramatically faster than sending all of its queries to the cloud. There's also been plenty of buzz around Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon laptop chips, which could potentially be just as fast as Apple's M-series processors.

See Also:

• Best Gaming Laptops for 2024

• Best Cheap Windows Laptops

• Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2024

• Best Chromebooks

• Best Laptops for College Students

Other laptops we tested that didn't make the cut

Apple 15-inch MacBook Air M3

This Apple laptop is just a larger version of the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air. It's still quite portable at 3.3 pounds, and some will appreciating having just a tad more screen real estate all the time. Configuration options are the same as well; you can spec out the 15-inch Air with up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. But considering it starts off $200 more than the smaller model, it's primarily best for those who absolutely need a larger screen and are willing to pay for it.

ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED

Aside from its lovely OLED screen, the ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED doesn't stand out from the crowded laptop field in any way. It just looks dull and boring, especially compared to the strikingly beautiful ASUS Zephyrus G14, which also came out this year. While you can probably find the ZenBook 14 for a decent price, I'd recommend holding out for something with a bit more personality (and with a less wobbly screen hinge).

Razer Blade 14

The Razer Blade has almost everything you'd want in a 14-inch gaming notebook, but it's far pricier than the Zephyrus G14 on this list, and it doesn’t even have an SD card reader. It would be a solid competitor once its price falls a bit, and it's certainly a great option if you just have to have a jet-black laptop.

Framework Laptop 16

Framework gave its modularity magic to the Laptop 16, delivering a gaming notebook where almost every single component is user replaceable. But you'll have to pay a pretty penny to snag it with upgraded hardware, and its optional Radeon 7700S GPU was surprisingly slow.

FAQs

What is the average battery life of a laptop per charge?

It’s hard to come up with an average battery life for laptops, since that will ultimately depend on what you’re doing with them. An ultraportable like the MacBook Air that sips power can last around 20 hours in our battery benchmark, and around two full work days of real-world usage. But a gaming laptop may last only a few hours if you’re actively playing something while on battery. At this point, Macs are delivering far better battery life than PCs, thanks to Apple’s Silicon chips.

What is the best storage capacity for a laptop?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to laptop storage. You’ll typically find configurations between 256GB and 1TB SSDs (solid state drives) on most laptops, and I’d recommend most people get at least 512GB. That’ll be enough space for large apps, music and video files without stressing your system too much. If you’re a media hoarder, or want to play a ton of games, then it’s definitely worth getting a 1TB SSD.

If you’ll mainly be streaming your shows and music, and would rather invest in RAM or other hardware, then 256GB of storage would be serviceable. I’d recommend staying away from any machine with 128GB of storage though. Most of that will be taken up by the operating system, and you’ll likely run into issues cramming in large apps after a few months.

We recommend springing for extra built-in storage or investing in a portable SSD for backing up your most important files. It's also worth noting that Chromebooks tend to come with less built-in storage — 32GB, 64GB or 128GB — since ChromeOS encourages users to save their files in the cloud rather than on the device.

What's a good price range for a decent laptop in 2024?

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a typical 13-inch laptop today. As I explained above, you'll pay more if you want to stuff in more RAM or GPU hardware. But you can also find deals below $1,000 if you look for refurbished or older-generation models.

What’s the difference between macOS and Windows? Which is better?

Simply put, macOS is the operating system powering all of Apple's notebooks and desktops, while Windows powers the vast majority of PCs. You'll also find Chromebooks running Google's ChromeOS, but those are basically just web browsers running on top of Linux.

Debating the differences between Windows and Macs is something PC nerds have been doing since the '80s, so we won't be declaring a winner here. There are some small, negligible distinctions, like using a Command versus a Control key, how file explorers work and concerns about viruses and security. For the most part, those are minor issues or have become moot thanks to better built-in security.

But if you care more about playing the newest games, you'll want to have a Windows system. If you're more focused on creative apps, like Photoshop, Premiere and Final Cut Pro, then macOS may be a better fit (especially if you're running an iPhone).

What are the best laptop brands?

There is no single "best" laptop brand, but judging from this guide alone, we're generally impressed by notebooks from Apple, Dell and ASUS. They all produce fast, reliable and sturdy machines. HP also makes some eye-catching devices if you want an option that’s the most aesthetic. Those four brands, along with Lenovo and Acer, dominate laptop sales worldwide. We'd avoid systems from any retail store brands, or companies that don't have a major presence in the US.

Best laptops compared

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.

The laptop buzzword of 2024 is "AI PC" — notebooks that have neural processing units (NPUs) for AI-related tasks. But while it's smart to be aware of those systems, there are far more important things to consider beyond AI-savviness. It turns out buying a computer in 2024 isn't really that much different than in recent years: You'll still want to find a system that balances power, weight and screen size with your computing needs.

Out of the 14 notebooks we've reviewed in 2024, we consider Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air M3 to be the best laptop for most people. It's powerful enough to handle most tasks (even light video editing); it has a great screen and built-in speakers; and its battery could last around 20 hours (depending on what you're doing, of course). The MacBook Air M3 is also one of the lightest and thinnest systems we've reviewed, and it's dead silent, thanks to a fanless design.

As for Windows laptops and Chromebooks, the recommendations are a bit more nuanced and varied. While the aforementioned AI features may dominate the news, the more traditional choices – between Intel and AMD CPUs, and whether or not you want a dedicated graphics chip, or GPU – still stand. And unlike Macs, your options include systems with touchscreens, 2-in-1 convertible tablets and more. To that end, we have plenty of recently tested and recommended models from brands including HP, Dell, ASUS and more in this guide.

Table of contents

• Best laptop for 2024: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M3

• Best Windows laptop: Dell XPS 13

• Best gaming laptop: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

• Best Chromebook: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5

• Best budget laptop: HP Pavilion Aero

• Best high-end laptop: Apple MacBook Pro M3

• Best convertible laptop: HP Spectre x360 14

• How we test laptops

• What to consider before buying a laptop

• Other laptops we tested that didn't make the cut

• FAQs

• Best laptops compared

How we test laptops

Engadget has been reviewing laptops for two decades, and while the definition of what a portable PC is has changed considerably since, our obsession with testing their limits and serving up informative buying advice remains the same. Be it a hybrid tablet like Microsoft's Surface machines, a rotating 2-in-1 convertible like HP's Spectre x360s or a plain old clamshell notebook, our review process follows similar beats. How does it look and feel? How fast is it? Whether it’s a Windows device, a MacBook or a Chromebook, we aim to answer the most important question: Is it actually worth your hard-earned cash?

What to consider before buying a laptop

Price

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a new laptop these days, depending on the configuration. If you're looking for more of a workhorse, that could cost you well over $2,000 for additional RAM, storage, as well as a beefier GPU and CPU. But you can also find some good deals under $1,000 if you're willing to overlook build quality (or buy a refurbished or previous generation machine, which we highly recommend). Systems with AMD chips tend to come in cheaper than their Intel counterparts, but the bulk of their cost will come down to other components like RAM and storage.

I’ve included our favorite affordable model in this best laptop buying guide, but we have a list of the best budget laptops that you can check out as well.

Operating system: Apple, Windows or Chrome OS

There's a good chance you've already committed to an operating system, but my advice is to be as flexible as possible. These days, most major software is compatible with both Macs and PCs. (Of course, it's another story if you've become dependent on an Apple-only app like Final Cut Pro.) Web-based apps, naturally, will work on any platform with an internet browser.

If you're an Apple-loyalist, there aren't many reasons to consider Windows laptops (unless you want a secondary gaming machine). But for Windows users, macOS is becoming more tempting every year. Apple's MacBooks, powered by its M-series Silicon chips, are among the fastest and most efficient laptops we've ever seen. They're incredibly well-built and have tremendous battery life to boot. MacOS itself is also an easy platform to learn, especially if you're used to iOS and iPadOS.

That brings up another point: iPhone users may want to consider Macs because of the seamless integration with Apple's other platforms. You can't respond to iMessage conversations easily or hop into FaceTime chats on Windows PCs, but doing so is simple on Macs. (Microsoft's Phone Link app lets you send iOS users individual texts, but not media or group chats.) Android users, meanwhile, may be better off with Windows, as Phone Link can make calls, synchronize all your texts and also access your phone's photos.

As for whether you’ll want a PC with a dedicated Copilot AI button on the keyboard, that depends on how often you see yourself using Microsoft’s generative tools. Given we’re only just seeing the first slate of AI PCs, it would be wiser to wait out the hype and see what improvements might come over time.

And what about ChromeOS? Chromebooks are a smart and (typically) inexpensive way to browse the web and hop on a few video chats, but they're not the best choice as your primary computer. There aren't many apps or games that work offline, and they also don't work with powerful software suites like Adobe's (you can use the stripped-down Adobe Express and Photoshop online tools, though). Chromebooks are great secondary machines to use alongside a more powerful Mac or PC, and they're popular in schools because they're cheap and easy for IT workers to manage. And if all you need is web access, or a notebook for a kid, a Chromebook might be enough.

Connectivity

These days, most laptops ship with a few USB-C ports, which can handle both charging and speedy data transfers. Apple's MacBooks also include a separate connection for MagSafe power, and you'll find custom power connections on some PCs like Microsoft's Surface. Older USB Type-A connections are less common now, but they still pop up in systems like HP's Spectre x360 14, as well as many models from ASUS.

If you're a fan of wired headphones, it's worth keeping a close eye on headphone jack availability. Many ultra-slim laptops, like Dell's XPS 13, don’t have the 3.5mm socket entirely. They usually include a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, but that's a clunky solution, and it also takes up a USB port. Sure, most people use wireless earbuds and cans today, but it's still helpful to have a wired one around for when those devices run out of juice.

Most laptops in 2024 offer Wi-Fi 6 or 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 or later, which should mean faster and more stable connections if you have compatible routers and devices. While Wi-Fi 7 routers have started appearing, that spec hasn't made its way into laptops yet. As for cellular coverage, there are notebooks like the Surface Pro 9 and Samsung Galaxy Book models that offer integrated 5G. But from our testing, that feature may not be worth the cost of a separate data plan. Instead, you could tether to your smartphone or invest in a wireless hotspot that can keep multiple devices online.

Display size and weight

So how portable do you want your laptop to be? That's the ultimate question you need to ask when choosing between various screen sizes. 13-inch machines have become a solid starting point for most shoppers — it's enough real estate for the majority of tasks like emailing and writing, and it also helps keep machines relatively light (typically between two to three pounds). Thanks to manufacturing advancements, these dainty machines sometimes even come with larger screens (the smaller MacBook Air actually has a 13.6-inch display).

If you have trouble seeing fine text, we’d recommend going for a display larger than 13 inches. ASUS’s Zephyrus G14 is a solid 14-inch option for gamers, and we’re also seeing more productivity-focused machines aim for that size, like the XPS 14 and MacBook Pro. While 14-inch notebooks are a bit heavier than 13-inch models, coming in between three to four pounds, their screens are noticeably roomier.

For artists, or anyone else who needs a large canvas, a 15-inch laptop may make the most sense. They typically weigh between 3.5 and 4.5 pounds, but that extra heft may be worth it to fit wider video editing timelines or Photoshop windows. And, as you'd expect, you'll also pay a bit more for a 15-inch notebook compared to smaller ones (the 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299, while the smaller model goes for $999). PC makers are also replacing 15-inch systems with 16-inch versions, which will give you even more space to work.

You can still find laptops with 17-inch or 18-inch screens, but those are typically gaming systems or souped-up workstations. They're not meant for mere computing mortals.

Battery life

A laptop's battery life depends on several factors: The power draw from the screen and other hardware, the optimizations used to avoid unnecessary power drain, and, of course, the size of the actual battery. One of our favorite systems, the Dell XPS 13, lasted 13 hours and 15 minutes in the PCMark 10 battery benchmark. In real-world testing, I was able to use it for a day and a half without needing a recharge. The MacBook Air 13-inch, meanwhile, lasted 20 hours in our benchmark and kept running for more than two work days of my typical workflow. In general, you should expect a modern laptop to last at least eight hours.

If battery life is your absolute priority, I'd strongly suggest looking at Macs over Windows PCs. Apple's M-series chips are essentially mobile hardware, with all of the power efficiency you'd expect from something originally designed for phones. Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon chips could help Windows PCs compete with Apple’s astonishing battery life, but we’ve yet to see those in action. Chromebooks also typically get decent battery life (as long as you don’t overstuff them with power-draining tabs).

Refresh rate

A laptop's refresh rate refers to the amount of times its screen is cycled every second. Modern displays like LCDs and OLEDs support 60Hz refresh rates at a minimum, but we're seeing more devices offering 120Hz, 240Hz and beyond. The higher the number, the faster the screen is refreshed, which ultimately leads to a smoother experience while mousing around or scrolling through web pages. (If you want to get a sense of what a slow refresh rate looks like, just grab an e-reader like the Kindle and try to flip between book pages.)

While high refresh rates used to be reserved for gaming laptops, nowadays we're seeing more mainstream machines like the XPS 13 offer 120Hz (or variable rates that move between 60Hz and 120Hz). If there's one knock against the MacBook Air, it's that it's still stuck at 60Hz.

CPU

If you’re buying a new laptop, you’ll want to make sure it’s got the latest CPUs. For Windows PCs, that’s either Intel’s Core Ultra chips for thin-and-light machines or the 14th-gen HX chips for beefier systems. The Core Ultra series have NPUs for handling AI tasks, while the HX hardware does not – they’re based on Intel’s previous chip architecture, and they’re more focused on delivering raw horsepower. Intel's older 13th-gen and 12th-gen laptop chips also don't have NPUs, so keep that in mind if you're looking at used systems.

You'll also see AMD's Ryzen 8000 chips in plenty of new systems like the ASUS Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14. Those CPUs mainly target gaming laptops and high performance systems, while you'll still find AMD"s older Ryzen 7000 chips in ultraportables. AMD's main advantage is that its chips also include Radeon graphics, which are far more capable than Intel's Arc hardware (though those are getting better).

As for Apple's laptops, you'll be choosing between the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Ultra, each of which is progressively more powerful. Apple is also keeping its older M2 chip around for the $999 MacBook Air, which is still a solid performer for the price.

GPU

A GPU, or graphics processing unit, is the component that communicates directly with a laptop's display. Laptop CPUs all have some form of integrated GPU: Intel has either its standard graphics or beefier Arc hardware, while AMD's chips include fast Radeon mobile graphics. If you want to play demanding games or need some extra power for rendering video or 3D models, you can configure a laptop with a dedicated GPU like NVIDIA's RTX 40-series hardware or AMD's Radeon RX 7000. Just be sure to leave room in your budget if you want a powerful GPU, as they typically add $300 or more to the cost of a laptop.

Apple's M-series chips, meanwhile, have GPU cores that can perform as well as NVIDIA’s and AMD's lower-end dedicated GPUs. That's quite the accomplishment for systems like this (especially the MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro), and it's another reason we highly recommend Apple's notebooks.

AI PCs and NPUs

We knew 2024 was going to be an intriguing year for notebooks based on Intel and AMD's latest chips. Intel unveiled its "Core Ultra" CPUs in December, its first to include an NPU for AI work. AMD also announced its Ryzen 8040 AI mobile chips that month (and it couldn't help but say they were faster than Intel's new hardware). At the moment, NPUs in laptops unlock MIcrosoft's Windows Studio Effects during video chats, and can also power some editing tools from Adobe and other companies.

While those capabilities aren't exactly Earth-shattering, it might be worth investing in an NPU-equipped system now so you're ready for future AI-driven features. For example, Microsoft will reportedly let its Copilot AI run locally on PCs with NPUs, which would be dramatically faster than sending all of its queries to the cloud. There's also been plenty of buzz around Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon laptop chips, which could potentially be just as fast as Apple's M-series processors.

See Also:

• Best Gaming Laptops for 2024

• Best Cheap Windows Laptops

• Best 2-in-1 Laptops for 2024

• Best Chromebooks

• Best Laptops for College Students

Other laptops we tested that didn't make the cut

Apple 15-inch MacBook Air M3

This Apple laptop is just a larger version of the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air. It's still quite portable at 3.3 pounds, and some will appreciating having just a tad more screen real estate all the time. Configuration options are the same as well; you can spec out the 15-inch Air with up to 24GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. But considering it starts off $200 more than the smaller model, it's primarily best for those who absolutely need a larger screen and are willing to pay for it.

ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED

Aside from its lovely OLED screen, the ASUS ZenBook 14 OLED doesn't stand out from the crowded laptop field in any way. It just looks dull and boring, especially compared to the strikingly beautiful ASUS Zephyrus G14, which also came out this year. While you can probably find the ZenBook 14 for a decent price, I'd recommend holding out for something with a bit more personality (and with a less wobbly screen hinge).

Razer Blade 14

The Razer Blade has almost everything you'd want in a 14-inch gaming notebook, but it's far pricier than the Zephyrus G14 on this list, and it doesn’t even have an SD card reader. It would be a solid competitor once its price falls a bit, and it's certainly a great option if you just have to have a jet-black laptop.

Framework Laptop 16

Framework gave its modularity magic to the Laptop 16, delivering a gaming notebook where almost every single component is user replaceable. But you'll have to pay a pretty penny to snag it with upgraded hardware, and its optional Radeon 7700S GPU was surprisingly slow.

FAQs

What is the average battery life of a laptop per charge?

It’s hard to come up with an average battery life for laptops, since that will ultimately depend on what you’re doing with them. An ultraportable like the MacBook Air that sips power can last around 20 hours in our battery benchmark, and around two full work days of real-world usage. But a gaming laptop may last only a few hours if you’re actively playing something while on battery. At this point, Macs are delivering far better battery life than PCs, thanks to Apple’s Silicon chips.

What is the best storage capacity for a laptop?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to laptop storage. You’ll typically find configurations between 256GB and 1TB SSDs (solid state drives) on most laptops, and I’d recommend most people get at least 512GB. That’ll be enough space for large apps, music and video files without stressing your system too much. If you’re a media hoarder, or want to play a ton of games, then it’s definitely worth getting a 1TB SSD.

If you’ll mainly be streaming your shows and music, and would rather invest in RAM or other hardware, then 256GB of storage would be serviceable. I’d recommend staying away from any machine with 128GB of storage though. Most of that will be taken up by the operating system, and you’ll likely run into issues cramming in large apps after a few months.

We recommend springing for extra built-in storage or investing in a portable SSD for backing up your most important files. It's also worth noting that Chromebooks tend to come with less built-in storage — 32GB, 64GB or 128GB — since ChromeOS encourages users to save their files in the cloud rather than on the device.

What's a good price range for a decent laptop in 2024?

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a typical 13-inch laptop today. As I explained above, you'll pay more if you want to stuff in more RAM or GPU hardware. But you can also find deals below $1,000 if you look for refurbished or older-generation models.

What’s the difference between macOS and Windows? Which is better?

Simply put, macOS is the operating system powering all of Apple's notebooks and desktops, while Windows powers the vast majority of PCs. You'll also find Chromebooks running Google's ChromeOS, but those are basically just web browsers running on top of Linux.

Debating the differences between Windows and Macs is something PC nerds have been doing since the '80s, so we won't be declaring a winner here. There are some small, negligible distinctions, like using a Command versus a Control key, how file explorers work and concerns about viruses and security. For the most part, those are minor issues or have become moot thanks to better built-in security.

But if you care more about playing the newest games, you'll want to have a Windows system. If you're more focused on creative apps, like Photoshop, Premiere and Final Cut Pro, then macOS may be a better fit (especially if you're running an iPhone).

What are the best laptop brands?

There is no single "best" laptop brand, but judging from this guide alone, we're generally impressed by notebooks from Apple, Dell and ASUS. They all produce fast, reliable and sturdy machines. HP also makes some eye-catching devices if you want an option that’s the most aesthetic. Those four brands, along with Lenovo and Acer, dominate laptop sales worldwide. We'd avoid systems from any retail store brands, or companies that don't have a major presence in the US.

Best laptops compared

At CES 2024, Qualcomm showcased the cutting-edge Qualcomm X Elite prototype laptop, with senior product marketing manager at Qualcomm. Watch all my videos from CES 2024 here. Although the commercial release of devices equipped with this technology is anticipated later in the year, the live demonstration sought to underscore its remarkable performance superiority over Apple devices. The X Elite was presented as a formidable contender, with a special focus on its capabilities for running generative AI applications offline, a noteworthy feature that sets it apart in the tech landscape. During the demonstration, Olavario introduced a chat application called Llama, showcasing its impressive speed and efficiency as it processed user queries offline using a 7 billion parameter model. While comparisons with GPT-3 were made, the emphasis was on the X Elite’s optimization for on-device operations, making it a unique offering in terms of power efficiency and speed. The presenter went on to address the concerns about the differentiation between AI-generated and human-generated content, acknowledging the importance of continually evolving AI models to generate distinctive and personalized outputs. The discussion also delved into the advantages of running AI models on devices, particularly privacy and the ability to keep user data localized. The potential for pre-loading models on X Elite devices was explored, hinting at the prospect of expediting updates and optimizations. This capability, as demonstrated, could potentially eliminate the need for expensive cloud-based solutions and provide a more cost-effective alternative. A forward-looking perspective was presented, envisioning a future where AI would automate various tasks. This included the intriguing possibility of the X Elite handling tasks such as file compression, utilizing Crazy Fast 5G for quicker uploads, and autonomously crafting video descriptions and selecting thumbnails for YouTube videos. The idea of open-sourcing AI models was also discussed, suggesting a collaborative approach to optimization and future developments in AI technology. The presentation extended beyond chat applications to showcase stable diffusion for image generation, further highlighting the device’s creative potential. The rapid generation of diverse images, from a tiger on the moon to a red cat, illustrated the X Elite’s versatility and proficiency in handling a variety of tasks. Additionally, the conversation touched upon the adaptability of AI workloads on Qualcomm chips, emphasizing the flexibility to run models on NPUs, CPUs, or GPUs. The discussion concluded with a glimpse into Qualcomm’s role in the automotive sector, showcasing the Snapdragon concept car at the CES 2024 automotive area. The concept car serves as a tangible representation of the possibilities unlocked by Snapdragon technology in the automotive industry, showcasing its potential applications beyond personal computing devices. Description by Chatgpt.