Windows Copilot PCs come with special chips for next-gen AI features, but do these laptops live up to the hype? Here are a few reasons why they aren't ready for prime time.

Emulation Is Confusing

The only Copilot PCs available at launch are laptops with ARM-based chips. This chip is similar to what you'd find in a flagship mobile device and comes with a powerful NPU (neural processing unit) for AI. The long battery life of mobile devices combined with integrated AI—you had me at Windows Hello, right?

Not quite. These laptops run the Windows on ARM operating system, which means any software you use also needs to support ARM. Google Chrome and Adobe Lightroom have native apps, but for programs that don't, you'll have to use emulation to get them to load. This workaround is simply too fiddly and confusing for mainstream users, not to mention the performance issues it will likely cause.

By the way, this emulation layer is called Prism. With all the controversy over Windows Recall being a privacy nightmare, did Microsoft really have to give its emulator the same name as a program that hands your data over to the NSA? (We covered the PRISM surveillance program back in 2013 when the news was first released)

Gaming Feels Low-Tier

At first glance, what a Copilot PC can do with laptop gaming seems like magic. The AI chip provides Automatic Super Resolution (ASR), a feature comparable to Nvidia's DLSS and AMD's FSR. Microsoft's ASR uses AI to upscale games to higher resolutions on the fly while maintaining the frame rate.

Unfortunately, you can only call upon this magic if your game will even run. For now, most Steam games don't have native versions. Since they'll need emulation to work, many of your favorite titles will either chug along at poor frame rates or, sometimes, not at all. Get ready for Skyrim: Crash to Desktop Edition.

It's not all doom and gloom—Copilot PCs might shift the market toward full support for ARM gaming. There are also plans to ship traditional Intel/AMD processors that meet the NPU requirements. These timelines are hazy, though, and right now, it's not good enough for those who want a laptop as an all-in-one device.

Most VPN Services Don't Work (Yet)

Another big concern for now is that some VPN services don't work on Copilot PCs, and emulation doesn't fix things either. VPNs aren't just a niche thing anymore. According to Website Rating, there are now approximately a billion and a half VPN users worldwide. VPNs are essential for connecting to corporate networks, accessing university resources, avoiding censorship, and protecting personal privacy.

Lack of support for the most-used VPN apps is going to be a deal-breaker for those who plan to use their laptops for work or school. That being said, a few services, like SurfShark, already offer versions that do work, and three other major providers have all stated that they're currently developing native apps. But will the average person make a big purchase on promises of things to come?

The Copilot Key Will Annoy You

What's special about Copilot PCs is that their NPUs allow AI processing to be done on-device. To hammer this point home, Microsoft has decided to give each laptop a dedicated Copilot key. Accessing the AI features of Windows 11, Photoshop, or DaVinci Resolve Studio is just a button press away.

"Just what I need—an unfamiliar key to press accidentally," said no one. The Copilot key can't be remapped unless you use third-party programs, so imagine all the ways you'll bring up the AI when it's least expected. Maybe it'll pop up while you're on a video conference call, or it'll pull you out of full screen during a multiplayer game. The fun part is not knowing if, but when.

If you're having PTSD flashbacks to Clippy from MS Word, you're not alone.

Lack of Polish at Premium Prices

The question remains whether the average person is primarily interested in a laptop with AI or whether performance and battery life are still the key drivers of purchasing decisions. On the latter front, Copilot PCs can compete. Some benchmarks show its Snapdragon chip as being faster in multi-threaded performance than the MacBook Air's M3 processor. And some forum users are already raving about their new laptop's incredible battery life.

Except there's one big problem: a Windows Copilot PC starts at $999 and goes for up to $2,500. No one thinks of a laptop as a first-gen device, but that's what a Copilot PC is in many regards. For these prices, you might be safer with the polished UX of a MacBook Air or the performance of a regular Windows laptop.

Of course, Microsoft and laptop makers will overcome these hurdles in time. There hasn't been a major shakeup in the laptop space for a while, and Microsoft deserves some credit for taking a big gamble. A laptop with AI powers might end up occupying the perfect niche between nimble tablets and full-fledged desktops.

But if you're not an early adopter and want a fully polished experience from the start, you might want to sit this one out.