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

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella has announced the launch of the company’s new AI-powered PCs, which are designed to outperform Apple Inc.’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) MacBooks.

What Happened:

The newly introduced Copilot+ PCs, equipped with Qualcomm chips, have been entirely redesigned to harness AI capabilities. These enhancements include new chips and AI software that enable tasks to be performed without an internet connection, a significant departure from traditional cloud-based AI processing, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

These AI PCs feature a neural processing unit (NPU) in addition to the CPU and GPU. The NPU is crucial for running AI applications, marking its debut in the Copilot+ PCs.

Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X series chips, built on ARM architecture and optimized for Windows, promise impressive battery life. Nadella asserts that these ARM-based chips position the Copilot+ PCs as formidable competitors 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 claims the new Surface models are 58% faster than the MacBook Air with M3 and boast 20% longer battery life.

Why It Matters:

In 2020, Apple began using its proprietary custom-designed chips in Mac computers, moving away from Intel Corporation chips. Apple's custom ARM-based chips, similar to the A-series chips used in iPhones and iPads, marked a significant shift from Intel technology.

The transition was completed in 2023 with the introduction of a new Mac Pro featuring Apple silicon. Currently, all of Apple’s Macs use in-house chips, completely phasing out Intel technology.

Recently, Apple announced plans to revamp its entire Mac lineup with new processors designed to enhance AI capabilities.