Microsoft Touts AI-Capable Surface Notebooks 58% Faster Than M3 MacBook Air: 'We Have Essentially The Best Specs,' Says Satya Nadella

Microsoft Corporation MSFT CEO Satya Nadella spoke about the company’s new AI-powered PCs, designed to outperform Apple Inc.’s AAPL MacBooks.

What Happened: The new Copilot+ PCs, which are equipped with Qualcomm chips have been completely re-engineered for AI. The AI capabilities of these new devices are made possible by new chips and AI software that can perform tasks without an internet connection. This is a significant shift from traditional cloud-based AI processing, reported The Wall Street Journal.

These AI PCs are equipped with a neural processing unit or NPU in addition to the CPU and GPU. The NPU is essential for running AI applications and is a new addition to the Copilot+ PCs.

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Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X series chips, based on ARM architecture, are optimized for Windows and offer impressive battery life. Nadella believes that these ARM-based chips make the Copilot+ PCs a strong competitor to Apple’s MacBooks.

“We finally feel we have a very competitive product between Surface Pro and the Surface laptops. We have essentially the best specs when it comes to ARM-based silicon and performance or the NPU performance,” Nadella stated. Microsoft also says that the new Surfaces are 58% faster than the MacBook Air with M3 and have a 20% longer battery life.

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Why It Matters: In 2020, Apple initiated using their proprietary custom-designed chips in Mac computers, replacing those manufactured by Intel Corporation. Apple’s custom chips are Arm-based and closely resemble the A-series chips used in iPhones and iPads, distinguishing them significantly from the Intel chips previously used in Macs.

The transition was completed in 2023 when the technology behemoth unveiled a new Mac Pro with Apple silicon. Currently, none of Apple’s Macs incorporate Intel chips, signifying the complete elimination of Intel chip technology from their product lineup

Last month, it was reported that Apple is gearing up to revamp its entire Mac lineup with a new set of in-house processors specifically crafted to showcase AI capabilities.

Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.