AI-powered Windows laptops do the hard work for you: Our hands-on review

In the past few months, a handful of new laptops from brands like Asus, Dell and Lenovo have all released one cool new feature: An AI-powered suite of tools crafted by Microsoft. This new tech makes almost any everyday task faster and smarter — whether it comes to tracking down files, shooting off a text message, gathering research, editing photos, managing a schedule, summarizing long emails, translating between languages, creating transcriptions and summaries of audio recordings, or surfing the web. 

Is a Copilot+ PC laptop actually worth it? I tested the Asus Vivobook S15 CoPilot+ PC, Asus Zenbook S 16 and HP Omnibook X AI laptops. All three are ideal laptops for everyday use, but for that extra level of durability, the new Zenbook S 16 is the way to go. It also offers a 16-inch display, is lightweight (3.31 pounds), thin (0.43 inches), offers a beautiful aesthetic, supports Wi-Fi 7 — and it’s water resistant, too.

Asus Vivobook S15 Copilot+ PC laptop: At a glance

Operating system: Windows 11 Home | Display size: 15.6 inches | Display type: OLED | Display resolution: 3K (2,880 x 1,620 pixels) | Refresh rate: 120Hz | Max. brightness: 600 nits | Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X1 Elite | GPU: Qualcomm Adreno | AI engine: Qualcomm AI | Neural engine: Qualcom Hexagon NPU 45TOPs | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Battery life: Up to 18 hours | Webcam: Full HD with Windows Hello support | Ports: 2x USB 4, 2x USB 3.2 Type-A Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x Audio jack, 1x microSD card slot | Speakers: Harman/Kardon with Dolby Atmos support | Dimensions: 13.88 x 8.93 x 0.58 inches | Weight: 3.13 pounds

The Asus Vivobook S15 Copilot+ PC was one of the first laptops to integrate Microsoft’s Copilot AI tools and features. Just tap the Copilot button and get instant access to AI-powered answers and functions.

The Vivobook S15 Copilot+ PC offers cutting-edge hardware specs and the latest AI, but the price point is actually on the low side for what it offers — starting at just $1,170 on Amazon. This computer is incredibly thin (0.58 inches) and lightweight (3.13 pounds), so it’s easy to transport. The 15.6 inch OLED display offers plenty of on-screen real estate and the ability to showcase more than 1.07 billion colors with a 100% DCI-P3 color gamut.

These laptops provide all-day battery life, plenty of RAM, and advanced built in speaker systems with Dolby Atmos support. They also include professional-quality microphones and a high-resolution webcam, which is great for video calls.

Asus Zenbook S 16 Copilot+ PC laptop: At a glance

Operating system: Windows 11 Home | Display size: 16 inches | Display type: OLED | Display resolution: 3K (2,880 x 1,800 pixels) | Refresh rate: 120Hz | Max. brightness: 500 nits | Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | GPU: AMD Radeon 880M | AI engine: AMD Ryzen AI | Neural engine: AMD XDNA (up to 50 TOPS) | RAM: 24GB | Storage: 1TB | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 | Battery life: Up to 10 hours | Webcam: 1080p | Ports: 1x USB Type-A, 2x USB Type-C, HDMI 2.1, SD 4.0 memory card slip, 3.5 millimeter audio jack | Speakers: 6x Harman/Kardon with Dolby Atmos support | Dimensions: 13.92 x 9.57 x 0.43 inches | Weight: 3.13 pounds 

For students, content creators, remote workers or just average computer users, the Zenbook S16 is literally the perfect Windows laptop. It’s durable, water-resistant, offers a sleek design, runs very quietly, and offers the latest Copilot AI functionality. 

You also get a beautiful 16-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, six speakers, a powerful microphone array, a 1080p resolution webcam, quick-charging capabilities and up to a 10-hour battery life.

Between the CPU, GPU and NPU, the Zenbook S16 offers enough processing power to handle virtually any task — from school-related work, online learning and research, to advanced gaming or content creation. And it looks pretty sweet, too. In fact, this is the first laptop to be made using a material called Ceraluminum. This is an extremely durable fusion of ceramic and aluminum that until now has been widely used in the aerospace industry because of its strength, scratch resistance, lightness, temperature resistance and tactile feel. You also get a backlit keyboard with the new Copilot key for activating the AI assistant. An extra-large touchpad that makes interacting with the laptop extremely comfortable.

Of course, the computer comes with all of the latest Windows and Asus security and privacy tools already baked into the laptop and operating system. Beyond just the design, it’s the Copilot AI functionality that makes this laptop particularly useful and downright fun to use.

HP Omnibook X AI: At a glance

Operating system: Windows 11 Home | Display size: 14 inch touchscreen| Display type: LED ISP | Display resolution: 2.2K (2,240 x 1,400 pixels) | Max. brightness: 300 nits | Processor: Snapdragon X Elite (3.7 GHz, 12 cores) | GPU: Qualcomm Adreno | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB | Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E (or Wi-Fi 7), Bluetooth 5.4 | Battery life: Up to 26 hours | Webcam: 5MP | Ports: 2x USB Type-C, 1x headphone/mic jack, 1x USB Type-A | Speakers: Dual speakers (stereo) | Dimensions: 12.32 x 8.8 x 0.56 inches | Weight: 2.97 pounds

Many of the newest Windows Copilot+ PC laptops have a few things in common, including they’re thin and lightweight. They also have a Copilot key integrated into the keyboard which provides quick access to a variety of AI-driven functions.

The Omnibook X AI features a touchscreen display, a good size touchpad and a backlit keyboard that’s comfortable to type on. Its dedicated NPU ensures excellent performance when taking advantage of Copilot AI functions. The laptop’s battery life is up to 26 hours, which is extremely impressive. Plus, using the quick charge feature, you can go from 0% to 50% battery life in about 30 minutes.

Packed into a laptop that weighs under three pounds is the computing power you need to handle your everyday personal, school or work-related computing tasks, plus easy access to the AI-driven functions which are continuously being expanded and improved by Microsoft. 

Once you press the Copilot key, you can quickly locate and access any files stored on the computer or in your OneDrive account, simply by describing it. You don’t need to remember a specific file name. You can also have the Copilot digital assistant help you compose text, proofread text you’ve written, transcribe and summarize audio recordings, translate content between languages, help you edit photos, create original artwork using text-based prompts, and much more.

The core configuration of the Omnibook X AI will meet the computing needs of most users, but if you purchase the computer directly from HP’s website you can custom configure it by upgrading its processor and storage. While not water resistant, like the Asus Zenbook S16, this laptop does offer a longer battery life and is highly customizable. 

What is Microsoft Copilot+ PC and what does it actually do?

Start with the new Copilot key to quickly activate the AI tool.

CoPilot+ PC laptops are among the fastest Windows laptops out there right now. Their architecture includes a CPU, GPU and NPU that work together. Use your voice or your keyboard to find anything on your computer more quickly. You might say, “Find the file with my 2024 personal budget.” 

The Recall tool can sort through thousands of emails, files, folders, photos and documents to locate what you’re looking for incredibly quickly. You don’t need to remember a specific file name. You can search using a keyword, date or description that’s related to the file, photo or stored content you’re seeking, whether it’s in your laptop or OneDrive cloud account.

The AI also can help you create artwork using a tool called Cocreator (in Paint). Describe what you want using text or image prompts. And AI-fueled photo editing tool can generate professional-level results in minutes. This includes removing objects or backgrounds from images in seconds. Using the Restyle tool, you can say a sentence like, “Make the colors sharper,” and boom, it happens

Copilot can also make composing, editing and summarizing text simple. You’re not just limited to your native language either. Text can be translated into more than 40 languages, while videos can display real-time captions in any of more than 40 languages. One handy feature is that you can record conversations, classes or meetings and have Copilot transcribe and then summarize those audio recordings quickly and with a high level of accuracy.

During video calls, the Windows Studio Effects tools use AI to adjust lighting and sound, add an on-screen teleprompter feature, enhance voice clarity and allow special effects, backgrounds, blurs and filters to be used in real time.

In addition to Windows, the AI tech is also embedded into some of the biggest apps you probably use every day, including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, OneNote, Chrome, Spotify, Zoom, WhatsApp, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Blender, CapCut, LiquidText, Affinity Suite and DaVinci Resolve. We’ll be seeing more major app releases supporting AI later this year.

How Copilot+ PC performs on the Asus laptops

The Asus Vivobook S15 Copilot+ PC and Asus Zenbook S 16 offer all of the computing power someone could want. They provide a traditional laptop design (so there’s no touchscreen, stylus support or two-in-one functionality). These laptops come bundled with Windows 11 Home and have the convenient Copilot key located to the right of the spacebar. The HP Omnibook X AI, however, offers a 14 inch touchscreen display.

The backlit keyboard on both Asus laptops is larger than most, which makes typing easier. In the Vivobook S15, Asus even threw in a numeric keypad on the right and a dozen function keys along the top of the keyboard. Like any of the new Copilot+ PC laptops, the AI tools are available whenever you need them.

In the preinstalled Photos app, there’s now an AI icon. This launches the Restyle Image feature. Simply type how you’d like your photo to look. The Creativity slider then helps you adjust the intensity of the edit tool or style. While the slider goes from 1 to 100, anything over 10 often has too much of an impact on the photo. This is also the case when selecting any of the style presets, like Fantasy, Anime, Surrealism or Watercolor.

As I was tinkering with the AI photo editing features on both laptops, I discovered that they work better on some photos than others. Several of the Style presets, like Renaissance, transformed the subject of a photo into something else entirely.

Meanwhile, launching Copilot and selecting the Notebook option is an easy way to access the AI tool for composing content. Enter a few sentences describing the content you want to compose and the style you want it written in. 

The AI-powered suite is all about saving time. If you stumble onto a webpage with a lot of text, Copilot can summarize it in seconds. That said, the summaries are not always 100% accurate or even relevant, so for now at least, you can’t fully rely on what’s generated for you. 

Clearly, we’re still in the early days of using AI in everyday computing. But it’s easy to see the potential for where this technology is headed.

Is a Copilot+ PC worth it?

For some people, sure. What you can do today using Copilot is a giant leap forward when it comes to managing some everyday tasks and keeping the information you need at your fingertips. 

Plus, as your computer gets to know your habits and preferences, it’ll automatically handle certain tasks, like scheduling, for you, while helping you communicate more effectively using email, text messaging and video calling. That said, when I asked the laptops to compose text based on specific prompts, they consistently did an impressive job.

For example, after I activated Copilot on the HP Omnibook X AI laptop, I entered the prompt, “Write a 200 word poem, in the style of Dr. Suess, about the wonders of using a Copilot+ PC laptop.” Here’s what it generated in mere seconds:

In a land full of gadgets, both big and small, There’s one that stands out, the best of them all. It’s sleek and it’s shiny, it’s fast and it’s bright, It’s the Copilot+ laptop, a true tech delight.

With a click and a clack, it springs into life, No more tech troubles, no more tech strife. It helps you with work, it helps you with play, It’s your trusty companion, both night and day.

Need to write a report or craft a fine letter? Copilot+ is here, making everything better. With a screen so clear and a keyboard so neat, Every task you perform is a wonderful feat.

It’s smart and it’s savvy, it’s always on cue, Helping you find what you need to do. From emails to spreadsheets, from coding to art, Copilot+ is there, playing its part.

So here’s to the laptop that’s truly the best, With Copilot+ you’ll always be blessed. In the world of tech wonders, it’s second to none, With Copilot+ by your side, life’s always fun!

Even if you don’t plan on using the latest AI tools right away, they’ll be available down the road. 

Are CoPilot AI tools private and secure?

According to Microsoft, Copilot+ PC laptops were designed with privacy and security in mind. Sensitive data is protected by industry-leading security and compliance controls. In fact, Copilot works with other Microsoft tools to help strengthen your online security. However, you may need to tweak your laptop’s data permissions and policies to get the most protection from the integrated security tools and features.

The Microsoft website states, “Microsoft doesn’t retain prompts or responses when using Copilot. Prompts and responses are maintained for a short caching period for runtime purposes. After the browser is closed, the chat topic is reset, or the session times out, Microsoft discards prompts and responses. Chat data sent to and from Copilot with commercial data protection is encrypted in transit using a Transport Layer Security protocol (TLS 1.2+) and at rest using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-128). Microsoft has no ‘eyes-on’ access to it. Because Microsoft doesn’t retain prompts and responses, those prompts and responses can’t be used as part of a training set for the underlying large language model.”

One important thing to consider when using CoPilot to generate original content is that this AI tool creates content based on language patterns found throughout the internet. Thus, results can be very similar to existing internet content. In addition, Copilot may generate the same or very similar content for multiple people who are using Copilot in the same way and with the same prompts.

Thanks to Microsoft’s Copilot Copyright Commitment, if you are challenged on copyright grounds for content created using Copilot, Microsoft will assume responsibility for the potential legal risks involved. Microsoft has incorporated filters and other technologies into its AI-driven tools that greatly reduce the likelihood that Copilot will return infringing content. These technologies build on and complement Microsoft’s work to protect digital safety, security, and privacy. 

Which laptops offer Copilot+ PC?

Computers from Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Microsoft and Samsung are all offering this AI-powered suite. Many of these laptops support the latest Wi-Fi 7 protocol for super-fast internet connectivity. They’re also thinner, lighter and faster than most traditional Windows laptops. Most weigh less than 3.5 pounds and are powered using one of the new Qualcomm Snapdragon X series or AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX processors.

Here are the latest laptops that are Copilot+ PC computers:

• Asus Vivobook S15 ($1,170 and up) – Features a 15.6-inch 3K OLED resolution display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 100% DCI-P3 color gamut
• Asus Zenbook S16 ($1,400 and up) – Provides a beautiful, thin and lightweight design, a stunning 16-inch OLED display, six speakers, and all of the latest Microsoft AI tools.
• Dell Inspiron 14 Plus ($1,100 and up) – Offers up to a 21-hour battery life and a 14-inch QHD+ display.
• Dell XPS 13 ($1,100 and up) – Offers a 13.4-inch FHD+ display.
• Dell Latitude 7455 ($1,670 and up) – You get a 14-inch display, Windows 11 Pro and up to a 14 hour battery life.
• HP Omnibook X AI 14 ($1,200 and up) – Enjoy up to a 26-hour battery life and a 14-inch, 2.2K resolution touchscreen.
• HP Elitebook Ultra 14 G1Q ($1,300 and up) – A 12 hour battery life and 14-inch display are some of this laptop’s highlights.
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x ($1,199 and up) – You get a 14-inch, 3K OLED display offering a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits.
• Lenovo T14s Gen 6 ($1,200 and up) – Comes with Windows 11 Pro, a 14-inch display and up to a 24 hour battery life.
• Microsoft Surface Laptop ($1,000 and up) – Experience up to a 20-hour battery life and a 13.8-inch or 15-inch HDR touchscreen.
• Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition ($1,000 and up) – Two-in-one laptop with a detachable keyboard, up to 14-hour battery life and a 13-inch OLED (or LCD HDR) display.
• Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Edge ($1,350 and up) – Includes a 14-inch or 16-inch AMOLED 2x display and between a 18- and 22-hour battery life.

Jason R. Rich

Jason R. Rich (www.JasonRich.com) is an internationally recognized consumer technology expert with more than 30 years’ writing experience. He’s also an accomplished author and photographer. Two of his most recently published books, “iPhone 16 Pro Max Digital Photography” ($19.99) and
The Remote Worker’s Handbook: How to Effectively Work From Anywhere” ($24.99, Entrepreneur Books) are now available from Amazon and wherever books are sold.