Copilot+ PCs Explained in Plain English: Snapdragon X Elite vs X Plus vs Intel Core Ultra (2025)

If you’ve been laptop shopping in 2025, you’ve probably seen the term “Copilot+ PC” everywhere. It’s Microsoft’s way of labelling the newest generation of Windows laptops designed to run AI features directly on your device, no constant internet connection needed.

The main players in this space are Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips, along with Intel’s Core Ultra series. Each takes a different approach to performance, battery life, and AI power.

This article breaks down what all this means, using plain English. We’ll cover what a Copilot+ PC actually is, how these chips differ, and which might be best for you — without drowning you in tech jargon.

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What is a Copilot+ PC?

A Copilot+ PC is Microsoft’s label for a new category of Windows laptops built to handle AI-powered tools at full speed. This isn’t just marketing fluff, to earn the name, a laptop must meet certain requirements:

• Built-in AI acceleration via an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS).
• Optimised for Windows 11’s Copilot features, including real-time language translation, image generation, and on-device search.
• Long battery life and instant-on performance to compete with tablets and smartphones.

The NPU is the big change here. Think of it as a specialist brain inside your laptop, designed to run AI tasks much more efficiently than the CPU or GPU. That means smoother AI-powered photo editing, voice transcription, or even background blur in video calls, all without slowing down your other work or draining your battery.

AI-focused hardware is quickly becoming the norm, just like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth once did. In a few years, laptops without a strong NPU might feel as outdated as a phone without a camera.

The Contenders at a Glance

Snapdragon X Elite: Qualcomm’s top-tier ARM-based processor. It’s designed for maximum performance and efficiency, with up to 12 high-performance cores and the fastest NPU in the Windows world right now. Expect excellent battery life, near-silent cooling, and instant wake from sleep.

Snapdragon X Plus: The “lighter” version of the X Elite. Fewer cores (up to 10) and slightly lower clock speeds mean it’s more affordable while still offering strong AI and battery performance. Ideal for students, mobile creatives, or anyone who values portability over raw power.

Intel Core Ultra: Intel’s latest hybrid CPU family. It mixes performance and efficiency cores, includes its own NPU, and crucially offers the best backwards compatibility for Windows apps. If you rely on older software or peripherals, Core Ultra is the safest choice, though battery life may not match Qualcomm’s chips.

Snapdragon X Elite – The Flagship ARM Chip

Think of the Snapdragon X Elite as the Ferrari of ARM-based Windows laptops in 2025. It’s designed for people who need maximum speed, efficiency, and AI performance all in one package.

Core specs in plain English: This chip packs multiple high-performance cores, handles demanding tasks with ease, and has a powerful AI engine (NPU) built right in.

Real-world benefits: You can get fanless or ultra-quiet laptops, marathon battery life, and a smooth instant-on feel, much like a modern smartphone or MacBook.

Best for: Creators working with large video or design files, heavy multitaskers juggling lots of apps, and anyone who wants MacBook-level battery life but prefers Windows.

Search Snapdragon X Elite laptop on Amazon

Snapdragon X Plus – The “Balanced” ARM Chip

If the X Elite is the Ferrari, the X Plus is a high-end hybrid—fast, efficient, but more budget-friendly.

How it compares to the Elite: It has fewer cores and slightly less raw performance, but still delivers excellent Copilot+ AI features and smooth multitasking.

Real-world benefits: Laptops powered by X Plus are often more affordable, lighter, and still deliver fantastic battery life.

Best for: Students, remote workers, everyday professionals, and light content creators who want a modern, AI-ready Windows machine without paying top-tier prices.

Search Snapdragon X Plus laptop on Amazon

Intel Core Ultra – The Familiar Face

While ARM-based chips are making waves, Intel isn’t going anywhere—and the Core Ultra lineup proves it.

Core advantage: These chips use the x86 architecture, which means full compatibility with older Windows software—no emulation required.

AI readiness: Intel has added NPUs for AI features, though Snapdragon’s tend to score higher in AI-specific benchmarks.

Power trade-off: They generally use more power than ARM chips, which can mean shorter battery life and more fan noise.

Best for: Users who rely on older apps, need high-performance gaming, or want to stick with the familiar Intel ecosystem.

Search Intel Core Ultra  laptop on Amazon

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

To make the differences easier to digest, here’s a quick side-by-side look at how Snapdragon X Elite, Snapdragon X Plus, and Intel Core Ultra stack up. This snapshot covers the core specs that matter most — from architecture and AI muscle to battery life, software compatibility, and price range — so you can see at a glance where each option shines.

Feature	Snapdragon X Elite	Snapdragon X Plus	Intel Core Ultra (2025)
CPU Architecture	ARM-based	ARM-based	x86-based
AI NPU Power	45 TOPS	45 TOPS	10 TOPS (approx.)
Battery Life	18–20 hours	16–18 hours	8–12 hours
App Compatibility	Native ARM apps + emulation for x86 (much improved)	Same as Elite, slightly fewer performance cores	Native x86 apps, full legacy software support
Price Range	£1,500–£2,000+	£1,200–£1,600	£900–£2,000+

Real-World Use Cases

Video Editing

• Snapdragon X Elite: Handles 4K video editing in DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro’s ARM-optimised version with surprising smoothness. Long battery life means editing sessions without reaching for a charger.
• Snapdragon X Plus: Good for lighter editing or Full HD projects. Less suited for heavy 4K workflows, but efficient for mobile creators.
• Intel Core Ultra: Still strong for traditional editing tools and plug-ins that aren’t ARM-ready, especially with GPU acceleration.

Office Work & Multitasking

• Snapdragon X Elite & X Plus: Snappy performance with Office apps, web browsing, and multitasking, even with dozens of tabs.
• Intel Core Ultra: Equally capable but shorter battery life if you’re away from the desk all day.

AI Tools in Windows 11

• Snapdragon X Elite & X Plus: 45 TOPS NPUs make Copilot+ features like live transcription, AI image generation, and Recall run locally, without cloud delay.
• Intel Core Ultra: Can run AI tasks but relies more on CPU/GPU; heavier workloads may need the cloud.

Gaming

• Snapdragon X Elite & X Plus: Best for ARM-optimised or cloud-based gaming. Emulated x86 titles can run, but not as smoothly for high-end games.
• Intel Core Ultra: Native support for most PC games; better choice for serious gaming.

Portability Needs

• Snapdragon X Elite: Premium build and ultra-long battery for mobile pros.
• Snapdragon X Plus: Lighter, more affordable portable option for students and casual creators.
• Intel Core Ultra: Good performance, but bulkier designs and shorter battery limit its “all-day” portability.

Which One Should You Choose?

• On-the-go professional → Snapdragon X Elite
  Perfect for creators, designers, and consultants who need maximum power in an ultra-portable, all-day device.
• Student / everyday user → Snapdragon X Plus
  Affordable, efficient, and still capable of AI-powered workflows, note-taking, and study tasks.
• Gamer / legacy software user → Intel Core Ultra
  The safer bet for gaming and older apps that don’t run natively on ARM.

The 2025 Copilot+ PC generation marks a turning point. AI-focused hardware isn’t a niche—it’s the new normal. Snapdragon’s ARM-based chips are pushing battery life and AI acceleration to new heights, while Intel’s Core Ultra remains the champion of compatibility and gaming.

Your choice comes down to two big questions:

1. Do you value battery life and AI power over legacy app performance?
2. Are most of your tools already ARM-ready?

Future-proofing tip: Buy for what you use now, but keep app compatibility in mind, switching platforms later can be a bigger headache than you expect.