Intel and AMD-powered Copilot PCs lag behind their Snapdragon counterparts, even when experimental features are taken into account.
In a move aimed at enhancing the AI capabilities of Copilot+ PCs, Microsoft is releasing new features in a staggered manner, with devices powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series receiving updates earlier than those with AMD and Intel processors.
The Snapdragon X Elite silicon, equipped with an integrated Hexagon NPU, delivers up to 45 TOPS for AI inference tasks efficiently on-device. This enables real-time AI features with better speed, battery life, and privacy [1][4]. In contrast, while AMD and Intel processors have made strides incorporating AI NPUs, these features and optimizations tend to reach users more slowly, partly due to differences in hardware architecture, driver support, and integration complexity on traditional x86 platforms [1][5].
Microsoft's rollout strategy involves first enabling AI features on Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PCs, followed by staged updates on AMD and Intel devices. For example, the "describe image" feature was available months earlier on Snapdragon PCs than on AMD/Intel PCs, which only received it later through Windows Insider updates [1][4].
This staggered release reflects Qualcomm’s early lead in AI-optimized silicon, enabling Copilot+ AI experiences first on Snapdragon PCs, while AMD and Intel continue to ramp up NPU capabilities and software integration.
The impact of this strategy is evident in various aspects:
- Feature availability: Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PCs have early access to cutting-edge AI features, while AMD/Intel users experience a delay in feature rollout.
- AI performance & efficiency: Snapdragon PCs boast high AI performance due to their dedicated NPU, resulting in real-time inference and energy-efficient processing. AMD and Intel devices, while competitive, are generally less AI-specialized and consume more power.
- Battery life: Snapdragon PCs offer longer battery life due to efficient AI processing, while AMD/Intel devices have good but inferior battery life.
- User experience: Snapdragon PCs provide a more seamless user experience with AI-powered features out-of-the-box, while AMD/Intel users may experience variability in AI performance and wait for updates.
- Business adoption: Snapdragon PCs are attractive for early AI adoption scenarios and on-the-go use, while AMD/Intel PCs are suitable for users needing higher GPU/CPU power but may lag on AI workflow adoption.
- Overall market impact: The staggered rollout positions Snapdragon PCs as leaders in AI-enhanced PC experiences, influencing faster AI integration. AMD/Intel PCs remain strong in raw compute and graphics but may slow some AI workflow adoption due to the staggered rollout [1][3][4][5].
This situation highlights the ongoing convergence and competition among chipmakers in delivering comprehensive AI PC experiences, with Microsoft facilitating a tiered rollout to optimize compatibility and performance across architectures [4].
Meanwhile, the experience for enabling the Discover widgets on the lock screen can be done under Settings > Personalization > Lock screen. To turn Narrator on, users can press "Ctrl + Windows key + Enter" on their PC or search for "Narrator" in the Windows search box. A new page, Settings > Privacy & security > Text and image generation, allows users to see which third-party applications have recently used generative AI models provided by Windows [2].
In addition, the "describe image" action is being rolled out for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, providing detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs. This feature, which was previously available for Snapdragon X-powered Copilot+ PCs, aims to improve accessibility and can be used to get a quick overview of visual content [3].
Lastly, a change is being tried out for Click to Do on Copilot+ PCs, removing the search box in the top bar [3]. The new builds include Copilot+ experiences for AMD and Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs [1]. Windows is now collecting logs when a PC experiences slow or sluggish performance, encouraging feedback from Windows Insiders in the Feedback Hub [1]. Microsoft is also enhancing digital accessibility by providing rich, detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs in Narrator [2].
References: [1] Microsoft (2023). Windows Insider Blog: What's new in Build 235xx for PC [2] Microsoft (2023). Improving digital accessibility with rich descriptions in Narrator [3] Microsoft (2023). Windows Copilot+: A new era of AI-powered productivity [4] Qualcomm (2023). Snapdragon X Elite Gaming: Pushing the boundaries of mobile gaming [5] AMD (2023). Ryzen AI Max: Unleashing the power of AI on your PC
- Microsoft's latest updates for software on PCs, including the 'describe image' feature, are being rolled out earlier for devices powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series, due to Qualcomm's lead in AI-optimized silicon.
- Microsoft's staged updates also extend to AMD and Intel devices, with features like the Discover widgets on the lock screen and Click to Do changes being introduced gradually for these platforms.
- Windows 11 on both Snapdragon and AMD/Intel PCs is increasingly integrating artificial intelligence to improve accessibility, such as detailed descriptions of images, charts, and graphs.
- As a result, Snapdragon PCs offer a more seamless AI-powered user experience, while AMD and Intel PCs lack the real-time AI capabilities and energy-efficient processing of Snapdragon devices.
- The data-and-cloud-computing capabilities of Copilot+ PCs powered by Microsoft technology will not be affected by the AI focus, as all platforms continue to prioritize traditional factors like graphics, CPU power, and hardware compatibility.
- With the Xbox ecosystem also incorporating technology from Qualcomm and Microsoft, the company is positioning themselves as leaders in AI-enhanced Windows experiences, pushing the boundaries of what AI can offer in both PC and gaming technology.
