If you want AI features in Windows
Copilot+ PCs are Windows laptops with an NPU rated at 40 TOPS or more. That unlocks Windows features that run on the laptop itself, such as live captions with translation and improved search. Qualcomm Snapdragon X and X2, Intel Core Ultra 200V and Series 3, and AMD Ryzen AI 300-series and newer chips meet that bar; earlier "AI" chips from 2023 and 2024 do not. Among qualifying laptops, choose the one you would otherwise want: screen, keyboard, battery life and 16 GB of memory or more.
If you want to run AI models on the laptop
Here the NPU matters far less than memory. Look for one of three designs:
- A dedicated NVIDIA graphics card with as much video memory as you can afford. 8 GB runs models up to about 9 billion parameters well; 16 to 24 GB opens up much larger ones.
- An Apple MacBook Pro with a Pro or Max chip, which share large, fast unified memory between processor and graphics.
- An AMD Ryzen AI Max laptop (the chip family called Strix Halo), available with up to 128 GB of fast unified memory.
Whatever you choose, memory is soldered in almost every thin laptop. Buy the amount you will need for the life of the machine.
Our best AI laptops guide picks five, from a 24 GB MacBook Air for everyday AI to 128 GB machines that run 120B-class models, with estimated speeds for each.