After sitting on the fences for years, Microsoft is finally ready for a fistfight with Apple’s latest range of ARM-based MacBooks. Revealed to the world at an event with massive fanfare, Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs are designed from the get-go to be all about generative AI.
Utilising the power of the latest ARM chips from Qualcomm, Microsoft and its OEM partners have introduced a new range of laptops that could give Apple’s latest MacBook Air models some tough competition.
Before you start Googling, Microsoft has been trying to make ARM-based Windows PCs for years and so far, the results have been uninspiring. They were usually limited in their performance potential, ran a handicapped version of Windows and offered in general a relatively terrible user experience. With the Copilot+ PCs though, Microsoft’s laptop division has found its direction for building a future where it may have the potential to outperform Apple’s MacBook range, the latter currently setting a benchmark.
With Apple rumoured to go all in on the generative AI trend later this year, will the AI PC segment gather momentum? Microsoft or Apple – which side is going to win in a direct Copilot+ PCs vs Apple MacBook Air comparison?
Let’s find out.
Copilot+ PCs vs Apple MacBook Air: An overview
Before we begin, let’s try to understand what Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC is all about.
What exactly is Copilot+ PC?
Copilot+ PC is essentially a new set of guidelines devised by Microsoft that aim to define the future of ARM-based laptops and tablets. For those in the unknown, ARM is an architecture used to design highly power-efficient and capable chipsets that favour mobile devices. ARM chips dictate the smartphone, tablet, TVs and every other category of electronics that need efficient computing. Apple’s latest M3 and M4 chips are also based on ARM architectures, which eventually deliver on the promise of efficient yet capable computing.
With Copilot+ PC, Microsoft wants to directly engage in a head-on battle with Apple’s MacBook lineup, offering a vast range of efficient Windows PCs.
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With Copilot+ PCs, there are certain key requirements that every manufacturer has to keep in mind.
– Copilot+ PCs are built on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite platforms that promise over 40 TOPS of computing. Unlike Apple’s M3 and M4 chips, these Snapdragon chips feature all performance cores instead of a combination of performance and efficiency cores.
– Copilot+ PCs promise up to all-day battery life, which is mostly on par with Apple’s claimed stamina on its MacBook Air and Pro ranges.
– If the ‘Copilot’ tag hasn’t made it obvious, Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs will be all about generative AI features. Built on the GPT-4 model, the Copilot assistant will be an integral part of these PCs and will empower most of the novel features like Recall, Cocreator, Live Captions and more.
– These PCs will run on the ARM version of Windows 11, a platform that is claimed to be optimised for most of the professional software suites.
How Copilot+ PCs differ from Apple’s MacBook Air: Specifications, features
Processors
When it comes to processors, Microsoft is leaning towards tuning its AI PC for performance instead of Apple’s way of considering power efficiency. The Copilot+ PCs will initially be based on the Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite chipsets that only feature high-performance cores. On paper, this should guarantee superior real-time processing performance over Apple’s power-efficiency-focused M3 and M4 chips.
Hence, in terms of raw performance, Microsoft leads from the first round.
Winner: Microsoft Copilot+ PCs
OS
While Copliot+ PCs have technically faster processors, it all depends on how the operating system manages the performance on board. Windows 11 has evolved over the years with regards to efficient processing performance and with rumours of a Windows 12 on the horizon, things could only improve. With a blistering fast processor under the hood, the ARM version of Windows 11 should be able to deliver comparable performance with the x84-based Windows 11 tuned for Intel and AMD processors, IF Microsoft manages to tune it all well and developers embrace this platform.
Since that ‘IF’ exists, the advantage in this round goes to Apple’s macOS – a platform that has been tuned for efficient performance for years. Unlike Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs, Apple makes both the hardware and software, thereby letting it develop a cohesive ecosystem from scratch. This allows Apple to extract all the possible performance from its chips while running it on low power mode. Apple’s MacBook Air delivers exceptional performance for beginners and creators despite being an entry-level offering.
Winner: Apple MacBook Air
AI features
Presently, Microsoft has an active array of AI-based features that the Copilot+ PCs can take advantage of. Apps like Cocreator can take advantage of the onboard NPUs to render Gen-AI images faster and come up with more accurate live captions. The extra performance headroom should also accommodate additional features that are planned for future updates.
On Apple’s turf, the hardware is present to support advanced generative AI features. However, Apple is expected to announce several Gen-AI features for macOS at the upcoming WWDC event and rumours suggest that it might partner with either OpenAI or Google to rely on one of their AI models. The underlying AI model should help Apple bring several advanced editing and convenience features to the Mac.
Until Apple makes its revelations, this round is mostly a draw.
Winner: Tie
Pricing
Pricing is where it all boils down to. The Surface Laptop and Surface Pro tablet, which are Microsoft’s implementation of Copilot+ PCs, start from USD 999 (approximately HKD 7,797). Microsoft’s OEM partners, which include Dell, Lenovo, Asus and HP are quoting slightly higher prices for their AI Copilot+ PC-spec models.
Also, keep in mind that Microsoft’s Surface products are usually pricier in Hong Kong than in the US.
On the other hand, Apple’s MacBook Air range starts at HKD 7,799 for the 13-inch Air with the M2 chip and HKD 8,999 for the 13-inch variant with the M3 chip. The 15-inch variant with the M3 chip starts at HKD 10,499.
Hence, when it comes to pricing, Apple seems to have a slight advantage with its MacBook Air range as compared to the Copilot+ PCs.
Winner: Apple MacBook Air
Microsoft Copilot+ PCs vs Apple MacBook Air: Our verdict
Winner: Apple MacBook Air
Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs are a great start for pushing a fragmented platform like Windows 11 towards a unified AI-driven future. The vast number of optimisations and the idea of controlling the key specifications could finally help Microsoft break into the smart PC segment that Apple has dominated for years.
However, Apple’s MacBook range, especially the MacBook Air, is in a league of its own owing to Apple’s first-mover advantage. Along with a highly optimised macOS and Apple’s superior control over the ecosystem, the MacBook Air delivers unmatched performance despite lacking brute force. That alone makes it the recommended platform for creators and professionals willing to switch to a next-gen AI PC. The arrival of advanced Gen-AI features later this year should give the MacBook range an unprecedented advantage over its rivals.
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(Hero and Featured Image Credits: Courtesy Daniel Korpai via Unsplash)
