Microsoft and Qualcomm’s Copilot+ initiative introduced an array of brand-new AI PCs earlier this year, each powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X series of ARM64 chips. While Intel and AMD are expected to enter the Copilot+ arena eventually, Snapdragon X is currently the only way to land the extra AI features baked right into Windows 11.
If you’re a student heading back to school, Copilot+ PCs like the HP OmniBook X 14 I’m highlighting here are easy to recommend for a few reasons. The AI features, like Live Caption translations, advanced Windows Studio Effects, automatic Super Resolution, local AI image creation, and more, will come in handy day in and day out while studying, conferencing, and even enjoying some light gaming.
The real benefit to Copilot+, however, is the efficiency and performance. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-78) chip inside will easily tackle any of an average student’s regular workload, and you won’t notice a dip in performance when the laptop is unplugged. You can also expect true all-day battery life thanks to ARM’s efficiency, which is a huge bonus for students moving between classes, lectures, halls, and dorms.
HP is running a promotion on the OmniBook X 14, but Best Buy actually has the better deal that doubles up storage space for the same price. A model with the X Elite chip, NPU with 45 TOPS, 16GB of LPDRR5x RAM, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and a 14-inch touch display at a 2240×1400 (2.2K) resolution is down to $900 at Best Buy. That’s $300 off the regular price, and it’s currently the cheapest Copilot+ PC you’ll find.
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Why are Copilot+ PCs ideal for students?
Microsoft, Qualcomm, and a host of major PC manufacturers teamed up to bring us Copilot+ PCs earlier this year. Windows Central Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino called the mashup of ARM64 and AI a “Great Reset” in the PC industry, and HP’s OmniBook X is part of the initiative.
Copilot+ is the term used to denote advanced AI features baked into Windows 11 as well as the PCs that can run them. As it stands now, only laptops with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite or X Plus chips make the cut. That is, however, bound to change in the future with AMD and Intel launching new chips with a stronger Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for local AI acceleration.
The OmniBook X gets access to Copilot+ AI features, which can help with live translation and captioning, writing, reading, local AI image and text creation, camera effects, Super Resolution performance boost in gaming, and more. All of the best Copilot+ PCs can handle this work, and students can take immediate advantage to boost their productivity when they head back to school.
Even if the AI PC aspect of the laptop isn’t particularly exciting, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite System-on-Chip (SoC) promises awesome efficiency and performance. I can only wish that I’d had a laptop with the power and battery life offered by the OmniBook X when I was in school; alas, I had an old HP Pavilion that could barely make it through a couple of classes.
Standout features include a 5MP front-facing webcam, a superb keyboard and touchpad, Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 for reliable and fast wireless internet, and a total weight of less than three pounds.
A strong alternative to Apple’s MacBook
While we’ve gone hands-on with the OmniBook X, we haven’t yet had one in for first-hand testing. However, the ASUS VivoBook S 15 we reviewed has the same X Elite chip inside. Here’s what Windows Central Senior Editor Zac Bowden has to say:
“In almost all our tests, the Snapdragon X Elite trades blows with the Apple M3, and beats Intel’s high-end Core i7 and Core i9 chips in certain laptops. Our Geekbench results saw the ASUS VivoBook S 15 earn a score of 2,447 in single-core and 14,248 in multi-core, just about in line with what Qualcomm promised these chips would deliver.”
HP says the OmniBook X can run for up to 26 hours on a charge, though that number is inflated. Even if you knock 10 hours off that estimate (which is surely a bit harsh), you’re still looking at a full day of classes as well as hours of study. And considering there’s no noticeable slowdown between AC and DC power, the OmniBook X won’t get in the way of deadlines and quick turnarounds. That number gets even more impressive when you consider the 14-inch touch display’s boosted 2240×1400 (2.2K) resolution.
The discounted model I’m highlighting is also on sale at HP, though at the official retailer, you’ll pay the same $900 for a unit with a 512GB SSD. Best Buy is the place to shop, offering the OmniBook X with twice as much storage space for the same $900 price.
