Best Copilot+ PCs (2026)

TL;DR

• Best overall: Dell XPS 14 (2026) — Check price
• Best value: HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) — $795.99

A Copilot+ PC is a Windows 11 laptop whose NPU reaches at least 40 TOPS, enough to run Windows' on-device AI features. [src12, src17] In 2026 all three chip families qualify: Qualcomm's Snapdragon X (45 TOPS) and the newer Snapdragon X2 (up to 80 TOPS on the X2 Plus), Intel's Lunar Lake (48 TOPS) and Panther Lake (47 to 50 TOPS in the Dell XPS 14), and AMD's Ryzen AI chips. [src10, src26, src17, src5, src6] Windows Central's advice still holds: for most people the Copilot+ features are secondary to a laptop's design and performance, so the picks below follow the reviews of the laptops, not the AI features. [src17]

The picks follow the newest testing. The Dell XPS 14 (2026), an Intel Panther Lake laptop, is the best Windows laptop in both Tom's Guide's and Tom's Hardware's guides, updated in October 2026, and PCWorld rated its top configuration 4 out of 5. [src1, src2, src5] The HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) is Windows Central's best value Windows laptop; the Dell 14S is the battery-life pick of Tom's Guide and PCWorld; Windows Central still ranks the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 as its best 2-in-1 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 as its best Windows on Arm laptop. [src8, src1, src12, src16] Tom's Guide's best value AI laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11, brings Qualcomm's newer Snapdragon X2 Plus to the value tier. [src27, src26]

Several picks changed in this refresh. The Surface Laptop 7 was our top pick; Tom's Guide, which reviewed it in 2024, and Tom's Hardware now put the XPS 14 first, and Microsoft's Surface Laptop page sells only its Snapdragon X2 successor (checked 2026-10-11). [src18, src1, src2, src21] The previous value pick, the HP OmniBook X 14, is a 2024 model: Tom's Guide tested its Snapdragon X Elite version, while the Amazon listing we linked offered only a renewed Snapdragon X Plus unit and had no purchasable offer in our last three daily checks, through 2026-10-09. [src20] We dropped the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, Dell XPS 13 9345, Asus Vivobook S15, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13, HP EliteBook X G1a and Asus ProArt P16 (H7606), because none of the 2026 guides we read from Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, PCWorld or Windows Central picks them; Tom's Hardware's laptop for work is now the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition. [src2]

Top Pick: Dell XPS 14 (2026) — Check price

Tom's Guide calls the XPS 14 (2026) "the best Windows laptop for most" and the Windows laptop it recommends most often; Tom's Hardware makes it its best Windows laptop. Both guides were updated in October 2026. [src1, src2] Tom's Guide rated its review unit, a Core Ultra X7 358H with 32GB, 1TB and the 2880x1800 tandem OLED, 4.5 out of 5 for the redesign, the OLED panel, fast Panther Lake performance and "crazy-long" battery life; its complaints are the missing microSD slot and the smaller screen. [src3] Tom's Hardware (4 out of 5) says it "can recommend it again", praising the 3 lb chassis and the return of a physical function row, but its reviewer made more errors on the low-travel keyboard. [src4] PCWorld gave the 358H OLED model 4 out of 5 and lists its NPU at 50 TOPS; it liked the entry Core Ultra 5 325 LCD model less (3.5 out of 5), whose 47 TOPS NPU still qualifies but whose performance "fails to excite". [src5, src6]

Battery life depends on the screen. With the 1920x1200 LCD, Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware both measured 20 hours 41 minutes, and Tom's Hardware calls it the longest-running laptop it has seen on an x86 chip; the tandem OLED model lasted 12 hours 23 minutes in the same test. [src3, src4] Dell sells the XPS 14 as a Copilot+ PC and listed it from 1,849.99 USD on 2026-10-11 (Core Ultra 5 325, 16GB, 512GB, 1920x1200), or 2,489.99 USD with the 358H, 32GB and 1TB; Tom's Guide reviewed it when it started at 1,599 USD. [src7, src3]

Best Value: HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) — Check price

Windows Central names the OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) its best value Windows laptop and rated it 4.5 out of 5: it "sets the standard for how to do a value Windows laptop right", with a slim 1.29 kg (2.84 lb) metal design, an OLED display in every configuration and battery life its reviewer stretched to two full days of work; its AI-laptop guide also makes it the best value AI laptop. [src8, src9, src28] PCWorld (4 out of 5) measured more than 25 hours of video playback, but found the Snapdragon X Plus X1P-42-100 "among the least capable" X Plus chips and the USB-C ports limited to 10Gbps, with no Thunderbolt. [src10] TechRadar (4 out of 5) got more than 16 hours and noted a 679 USD starting price at launch. [src11] Its 45 TOPS NPU makes it a Copilot+ PC. [src10] The Amazon listing we link (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB, 512GB) was offered at $873.00 by a marketplace seller on 2026-10-09; in April, Windows Central said its recommended Snapdragon X, 16GB, 256GB configuration usually sold for about 530 USD. [src8]

Best Battery Life: Dell 14S — Check price

Tom's Guide and PCWorld both name the Dell 14S their laptop for battery life. [src1, src12] Tom's Guide's review unit, a Core Ultra 7 355 with a 1920x1200 OLED touchscreen, ran 20 hours 41 minutes in its web-surfing test, tying the LCD XPS 14 as the longest-lasting Windows laptop it has tested; it rated the 14S 4 out of 5 and its main complaint is a dim display. [src13, src1] PCWorld's unit, in the same configuration, lasted nearly 36 hours of offline video playback, the longest runtime it has recorded from a laptop, but PCWorld rated it 3.5 out of 5 for dismal 3D performance, a display that isn't very bright and so-so performance for the money. [src14, src12] Dell lists the 14S as a Copilot+ PC; on 2026-10-11 it sold the reviewed Core Ultra 7 355, 16GB, 512GB OLED configuration for 1,379.99 USD and a Core Ultra 5 322 LCD model from 1,279.99 USD. [src15]

Best 2-in-1: Microsoft Surface Pro 11 — Check price

Windows Central picks the Surface Pro 11 as its best overall Windows laptop, with five stars, and as its best 2-in-1, for Snapdragon X performance on and off the charger, a bright HDR OLED option, a 12MP front camera and long battery life; it misses an anti-reflective finish and human presence detection. [src8, src16] The keyboard and pen are sold separately. [src17] Tom's Guide measured 15 hours 44 minutes in its web-surfing test and called it the cheapest Copilot+ PC it had reviewed, at 999 USD in 2024. [src20] Microsoft's Surface Pro page now sells the Snapdragon X2 12th Edition instead, with the 13-inch model from 1,199.99 USD (checked 2026-10-11); the reviews cited here tested the Surface Pro 11. [src22] We link the Amazon listing Windows Central uses for the Surface Pro 11 (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB, 512GB, OLED). [src16] The listing we linked before had become a bundle with an 11-in-1 hub (Amazon's title on 2026-10-11), so it no longer sold the reviewed tablet on its own.

Best Windows on Arm Laptop: Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch) — Check price

This was our top pick until this refresh. Windows Central still calls it "hands-down the best Windows on ARM laptop and Copilot+ PC you can buy right now" (February 2026) and, in April, "the best thin and light Windows laptop you can buy", with five stars, for its design, keyboard, haptic touchpad and battery life; its AI-laptop guide lists it as the best Snapdragon X AI laptop, "best for Copilot+". [src16, src8, src28] In Windows Central's own testing it ran for more than 18 hours in PCMark's application battery test. [src17] Tom's Guide (4 out of 5) called it "a true MacBook Air competitor" and measured 15 hours 44 minutes on the web; gagadget says it "offers the best Copilot+ experience". [src18, src19] Windows Central recommends the Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB, 1TB, 13.8-inch configuration, which is what our link points to, in its business edition with Windows 11 Pro. [src16] The catch is availability: Microsoft's Surface Laptop page now shows only the Snapdragon X2 8th Edition, from 1,299.99 USD for the 13.8-inch (checked 2026-10-11), and the Amazon listing we link had no purchasable new offer in our last three daily checks, through 2026-10-09. [src21] What reviewers said about the successor is under Important Caveats.

Snapdragon X2 Value: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 — Check price

Tom's Guide makes the IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 its best value AI laptop and its best Windows laptop for productivity, and rated it 4 out of 5: for 849.99 USD, the base Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB, 512GB model it reviewed delivered fast performance, a sharp touchscreen, plenty of ports and 15 hours 24 minutes of battery life, against crackly speakers and a grainy webcam. [src27, src1, src25] PCWorld (4 out of 5) saw more than 20 hours of battery life from the 15.3-inch model and lists its NPU at up to 80 TOPS; there is no Thunderbolt. [src26] Next to the OmniBook 5 14 it is a larger 15.3-inch laptop with an LCD rather than OLED screen and a newer, faster chip. [src25, src26, src10] Our link is an Amazon listing of a Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB, 512GB unit with a 15.3-inch WQXGA IPS panel rather than the 1920x1200 screen the reviews tested; it was in stock at $999.99 on 2026-10-11.

Lightest: Asus Zenbook A14 — Check price

Windows Central's runner-up Windows on Arm laptop and, in 2025, its pick for the thinnest and lightest Copilot+ PC: under 1 kg thanks to a "Ceraluminum" chassis, with a 14-inch 1920x1200 OLED display and battery life that reliably reached 12 hours of regular use. Its drawbacks are a slippery keyboard and the limits of the base Snapdragon X chip. [src16, src17] Windows Central said in February 2026 that it was almost always on sale, often for less than 700 USD; our Amazon listing has no observed price. [src16]

Convertible: HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 (2024) — Check price

Windows Central's best convertible laptop and best convertible Copilot+ PC: a 14-inch 2-in-1 with a 2880x1800 120Hz OLED touchscreen, an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) chip with a 48 TOPS NPU and what it calls a best-in-class keyboard and haptic touchpad; against it are the price and the software HP preinstalls. [src8, src17] Windows Central's recommended configuration is a Core Ultra 7 256V with 16GB and 1TB, which it says is often available for about 1,000 USD. [src8] The Amazon listing we link is a Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB, 1TB business configuration, offered at $1,819.99 by a marketplace seller on 2026-10-09.

AMD Pick: HP OmniBook Ultra 14 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 375) — No longer sold by HP (checked 2026-10-11)

Tom's Hardware keeps the AMD OmniBook Ultra on its October 2026 best-laptops list: a Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 with strong productivity performance, Thunderbolt 4 ports (rare on AMD) and 12 hours 52 minutes in its battery test, at 3.47 lb; the knocks are a lot of bloatware and a fussy USB-A port. [src2] HP no longer sells this AMD model: its OmniBook Ultra page now lists only Intel and Snapdragon X2 models, and the HP page we linked before opens HP's general laptop store (checked 2026-10-11), so we no longer link a store for it. A Snapdragon X2 Elite laptop sold under the same name is covered under Important Caveats.

Head-to-Head Comparisons

Dell XPS 14 (2026) vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch)

Intel Panther Lake against Snapdragon X. In Tom's Guide's web-surfing test the XPS 14 with the LCD ran 20 hours 41 minutes and the Surface Laptop 7 15 hours 44 minutes. [src3, src18] The XPS 14 runs on an x86 chip, so Windows apps run natively; Windows Central advises Intel or AMD to anyone worried about Arm emulation or apps that won't run on Snapdragon. [src4, src17] Windows Central rates the Surface's keyboard and haptic touchpad among the best it has used, while Tom's Hardware found the XPS 14's low-travel keyboard error-prone. [src16, src4] Dell sells the XPS 14 today; Microsoft has replaced the Surface Laptop 7 with its 8th Edition (checked 2026-10-11). [src7, src21]

Pick the Dell XPS 14 (2026) if: you want the most recent top-rated laptop, native x86 compatibility or the longest battery life (with the LCD).
Pick the Surface Laptop 7 if: you can still find one new and prefer its keyboard and touchpad and Snapdragon efficiency.

HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) vs Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11

Two Snapdragon value picks. The OmniBook is a 14-inch, 2.84 lb laptop with an OLED screen and an older-generation Snapdragon X or X Plus chip, which PCWorld ran for more than 25 hours of video. [src9, src10] As reviewed, the IdeaPad is a 15.3-inch, 3.1 lb laptop with a 1920x1200 LCD, a wider choice of ports and the newer Snapdragon X2 Plus with an NPU of up to 80 TOPS, for which PCWorld saw more than 20 hours. [src25, src26] Tom's Guide reviewed the IdeaPad at 849.99 USD; the WQXGA IdeaPad unit we link was $999.99 at Amazon on 2026-10-11, and the OmniBook listing we link was offered at $873.00 by a marketplace seller on 2026-10-09. [src25]

Pick the HP OmniBook 5 14 if: you want an OLED screen and the lightest, longest-lasting of the value picks.
Pick the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 if: you want a bigger screen, more ports and the newer, faster chip.

Dell 14S vs Dell XPS 14 (2026)

Both run Intel Panther Lake, and in Tom's Guide's test the 14S with its OLED screen matched the LCD XPS 14's 20 hours 41 minutes. [src13, src3] Tom's Guide rated the XPS 14 4.5 and the 14S 4 out of 5, and says the 14S "does a solid impression of the XPS 14 at a more affordable price". [src3, src13, src1] On 2026-10-11 Dell sold the reviewed 14S configuration for 1,379.99 USD and the XPS 14 from 1,849.99 USD. [src15, src7]

Pick the Dell 14S if: you want the longest battery life with an OLED screen for less.
Pick the Dell XPS 14 (2026) if: you want the better-reviewed laptop, the faster Core Ultra X7 358H option or the tandem OLED.

Snapdragon (Arm) vs Intel Panther Lake

On battery life, the Panther Lake laptops on this card now match or beat the Snapdragon ones. In Tom's Guide's web test the XPS 14 (LCD) and the Dell 14S both reached 20 hours 41 minutes, against 15 hours 24 minutes for the Snapdragon X2 Plus IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 and 15 hours 44 minutes for the Snapdragon X Surface Laptop 7. [src1, src25, src18] In PCWorld's video test the Intel Dell 14S (nearly 36 hours) outlasted the Snapdragon HP OmniBook 5 14 (more than 25 hours). [src14, src10] The difference left is compatibility: Windows Central suggests Intel or AMD to anyone who doesn't want to deal with Arm emulation or apps that won't run at all on Snapdragon. [src17]

Pick Snapdragon if: your apps run on Windows on Arm and you want the value picks, the OmniBook 5 14 or the IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11.
Pick Intel Panther Lake if: you rely on x86-only or specialized software, or want the longest-running laptops reviewed here.

Decision Logic

Default recommendation (unknown requirements)

→ Dell XPS 14 (2026) — the best Windows laptop in Tom's Guide's and Tom's Hardware's October 2026 guides. Choose the 1920x1200 LCD for battery life (20h41m) or the Core Ultra X7 358H with the tandem OLED for speed and the screen. [src1, src2, src3, src4]

If budget is under $900

→ HP OmniBook 5 14 (G1q) for a 14-inch OLED Snapdragon laptop with Windows Central's best-value verdict, or the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11 for a 15.3-inch screen and the newer Snapdragon X2 Plus if you can find the 1920x1200 configuration Tom's Guide reviewed at 849.99 USD; the WQXGA unit we link was $999.99 at Amazon on 2026-10-11, over this budget. [src8, src9, src25, src27]

If battery life matters most

→ Dell 14S (20h41m in Tom's Guide's web test, nearly 36 hours of video in PCWorld's), or the Dell XPS 14 (2026) with the LCD for the same web result in the higher-rated laptop. [src13, src14, src3]

If you want a tablet you can type on

→ Microsoft Surface Pro 11 — Windows Central's best 2-in-1. Budget for the keyboard and pen, which are sold separately, and note that Microsoft now sells the Snapdragon X2 12th Edition instead (13-inch from 1,199.99 USD, checked 2026-10-11). [src8, src16, src17, src22]

If you want a convertible with x86 compatibility

→ HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 (2024) — Windows Central's best convertible, with an Intel Lunar Lake chip and a 48 TOPS NPU. [src8, src17]

If you depend on x86-only or specialized Windows software

→ Pick one of the Intel or AMD laptops: Dell XPS 14 (2026), Dell 14S, HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14, or the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 (AMD, with Thunderbolt 4) if you find one, since HP no longer sells it (checked 2026-10-11). Windows Central recommends Intel or AMD if Arm emulation or unsupported apps worry you. [src17, src2, src13]

If you want the lightest laptop

→ Asus Zenbook A14 — under 1 kg, Windows Central's runner-up Windows on Arm laptop. [src16]

If you want a Snapdragon laptop with Surface design

→ Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch), if you can find one new: Windows Central rates it the best Windows on Arm laptop, but Microsoft now sells only the 8th Edition and our Amazon listing had no purchasable offer in our last three daily checks, through 2026-10-09. [src16, src21]

• Intel caught up on battery life: Panther Lake laptops now post the longest runtimes on this card: 20h41m for the LCD Dell XPS 14 and for the Dell 14S in Tom's Guide's web test, and nearly 36 hours of video for the 14S in PCWorld's. Tom's Hardware calls the XPS 14 the longest-running laptop it has seen on an x86 chip. [src3, src4, src13, src14]
• Snapdragon X2 arrived: Qualcomm's newer X2 chips reached mid-priced laptops such as the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x Gen 11, whose X2 Plus has an NPU of up to 80 TOPS, and Microsoft moved the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro to X2 chips. [src26, src21, src22]
• The 40 TOPS bar is now easy to clear: Snapdragon X (45 TOPS), Snapdragon X2 Plus (up to 80), Intel Lunar Lake (48) and Panther Lake (47 to 50 in the XPS 14) all qualify; PCWorld and Windows Central both put the Copilot+ requirement at 40 TOPS. [src10, src26, src17, src5, src6, src12]
• Prices went up: Windows Central expects laptop prices to keep rising with NAND and DRAM shortages, and Tom's Hardware ties the XPS 14's starting price to the memory crisis. TechRadar reported the Snapdragon X2 Surface Laptop 13.8-inch launched at 1,599 USD; Dell listed the XPS 14 from 1,849.99 USD on 2026-10-11, against 1,599 USD when Tom's Guide reviewed it. [src8, src2, src24, src7, src3]
• Copilot+ features are a bonus, not the reason to buy: Windows Central expects Live Captions, Studio Effects, Cocreator and Recall to be secondary to design and performance for most people. [src17]

• Prices on this card carry the date we saw them. Several Amazon offers came from marketplace sellers rather than Amazon itself; check the seller and warranty before buying. The picks table above shows today's price and availability.
• Configuration matters. PCWorld rated the Dell XPS 14 with the Core Ultra X7 358H and OLED 4 out of 5, but the entry Core Ultra 5 325 model 3.5, and the tandem OLED cuts web battery life from 20h41m to 12h23m in Tom's Guide's test. [src5, src6, src3]
• Battery tests differ between outlets: Tom's Guide browses the web at 150 nits, Tom's Hardware mixes browsing, video streaming and OpenGL tests at 150 nits, and PCWorld plays video, so PCWorld's numbers run longer (nearly 23 hours for the LCD XPS 14 against 20h41m in Tom's Guide's test). Compare laptops within one outlet. [src3, src4, src6]
• Windows on Arm still has gaps. Windows Central suggests Intel or AMD if Arm emulation or specialized apps worry you, and Tom's Guide found app-support issues on a 2026 Snapdragon X2 Elite laptop. [src17, src1]
• The Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 have been replaced by Microsoft's Snapdragon X2 12th and 8th Editions (checked 2026-10-11); the reviews cited for them tested the earlier models. [src21, src22] The reviews we could read of the new Surface Laptop are cool on price: PCWorld called the Intel-based Surface Laptop 8 for Business "extraordinarily overpriced", and TechRadar reported the Snapdragon 13.8-inch model launched at 1,599 USD in June. [src23, src24]
• Two different laptops carry the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 name: the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 model Tom's Hardware recommends, which HP no longer sells (checked 2026-10-11), and a Snapdragon X2 Elite model that Tom's Guide rated 3.5 out of 5 and found far too expensive at full price. This card means the AMD one. [src2, src1]