Photo: Apple
Microsoft’s upcoming “AI PCs” might finally rival the performance of Apple’s latest MacBook Air. The new Arm-based Windows laptops, due for unveiling at a special event on May 20th, will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite processors.
Reportedly, the new Qualcomm CPU is faster than the M3 MacBook Air in CPU tasks, AI acceleration, and app emulation.
New Arm-based Windows AI PCs could finally beat MacBook Air’s performance
After switching to Apple silicon in late 2020, MacBooks have delivered significantly better performance and efficiency than Windows laptops. The gap has only grown further since then.
In contrast, Microsoft has been claiming for years that its Arm-based Windows laptops will rival the performance of the latest MacBook Air but had little to show for it. This was primarily due to the Qualcomm Snapdragon CPU not delivering the expected performance.
Microsoft’s upcoming new Snapdragon X Elite-powered “AI PCs,” scheduled for a May 20th launch, might change this. The Verge claims the company is upbeat about the new CPU’s performance. It will have several demos showing its newest laptops beating the M3 MacBook Air in CPU, AI acceleration, and app emulations.
Apparently, the new PCs will provide faster app emulation than Rosetta 2. This should enable Windows apps designed for 64-bit CPUs to offer the same level of performance when running on Arm-based Windows laptops.
Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 might also use Snapdragon X Elite CPU
Microsoft will reportedly switch to the Snapdragon X Elite CPU in its upcoming Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 as well. The company has already unveiled the business variant of the two devices, which feature Intel Core Ultra processors. However, the consumer models will use a Qualcomm CPU.
Performance is just one of the many aspects of a laptop. The upcoming Snapdragon X Elite-powered Windows PCs might beat the M3 MacBook Air in some tasks. But it remains to be seen whether these devices will have a sleek design and long battery life as Apple’s offering.