Best AI PCs in 2024

AI is the big thing for all things technology right now, and computers are no different. Windows 11 version 24H2 added a ton of AI features under the Copilot+ branding, and when you look at the various apps, AI is getting more and more important for day-to-day workloads. That’s why thee days it’s important to have a capable AI PC.

Most AI PCs are centered around the NPU, which is a dedicated processor for AI tasks, and laptops are starting to appear with very powerful NPUs now in 2024. But you can also look at a graphics card like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 and see how it’s an incredibly powerful tool for certain AI workloads, too, so it depends on your needs. So let’s take a closer look at some of the best AI PCs out there right now.

The AI PCs you should buy in 2024

The Dell XPS 13 is the quintessential premium laptop, and for 2024 Dell has delivered a double dose of amazing with this laptop. First, it released a model with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chipset, and then we got a version with Intel’s Lunar Lake processors, both excellent in their own ways. We reviewed both models and absolutely loved them both.

Whichever model you get, you’re looking at fantastic performance overall. The Snapdragon model does perform a bit better on native workloads, but it loses in some areas because of emulation, specifically in gaming and more demanding apps that don’t support Arm natively yet. Regardless, both models have a very capable NPU that can enable Copilot+ features (though the Intel model will be getting them a bit later) and be used in apps that support AI features accelerated by the NPU, such as DaVinci Resolve.

Turning to the display, things are similar between the two models. The 13.4-inch panel comes in three configurations, including a base Full HD+ IPS model with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Quad HD+ upgrade (also at 120Hz), or a 2.8K Tandem OLED panel that has the most vibrant and lifelike colors, but misses out on the higher refresh rate. All of these options are amazing in their own right, and having the choice is very welcome.

Design-wise, the Dell XPS 13 remains one of the most futuristic-looking laptops out there, despite using the same design for the past couple of years. The seamless touchpad, edge-to-edge keyboard, and touch-based function keys all make this feel like a laptop from the future. Y

When it comes to AI PCs, Qualcomm is leading the charge with the Snapdragon X series chips, and a few laptops are already out with this chip. Among them, Microsoft’s own Surface Laptop 7 is one of the very best.

This laptop is powered by either the Snapdragon X Plus or Snapdragon X Elite chips, both of which are very powerful, matching or outperforming Intel and AMD in native workloads. However, it does so while being incredibly efficient, so battery life is far better than anything you’ll get from an equivalent PC with a different brand of processor.

The highlight, of course, is the NPU, which delivers 45 TOPS of AI performance, making this the first chip to support Copilot+. Right now, Copilot+ isn’t all that useful, but that powerful NPU is still going to be useful in some AI workloads, like some of the tools in DaVinci Resolve.

Beyond just the chip, the Surface Laptop 7 is also fantastic news because it finally refreshes the Surface Laptop line with a new, sleeker design, with smaller bezels, a less reflective screen, and a brighter panel at that. In fact, the display also has a 120Hz refresh rate now, which was a long overdue upgrade.

This is an excellent laptop all around, and in fact, our Editor-in-Chief Rich Woods said “it might just be the best laptop out right now” in his review. You don’t need to look any further.

The HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) is not only one of the best AI PCs available currently but also one of the best laptops, period. Between its sleek convertible form factor, beautiful OLED display, and powerful Core Ultra 7 processor, HP delivers the total package with this one.

This laptop ships with either the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H or the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H. Both CPUs have an integrated AI Boost NPU and Arc GPU. Now, these processors aren’t quite as good as the Snapdragon X series for AI performance, but they do get your foot in the door, and overall performance is on par with what Qualcomm offers. We benchmarked it against last year’s in our review, and we saw a notable improvement. The 16-inch version also has the option to add a dedicated Nvidia 4050 Laptop GPU. But its merits go well beyond its performance.

The HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) also provides a stellar use experience. This laptop is both lightweight and portable, and its convertible 2-in-1 form factor allows it to be used as a tablet. The 2.8K@120Hz OLED touch display is vibrant and accurate, making it great for watching media. And we got a decent six to seven hours of battery life when using it for everyday tasks.

The keyboard and touchpad both feel great. The 4K webcam is the icing on the cake. It may not be the cheapest option in the AI PC space, but for those looking for a premium laptop, it is well worth the price of admission.

When you think of business laptops, Lenovo’s ThinkPad brand is probably the first thing that springs to mind, and for good reason. These are iconic laptops, and Lenovo has modernized the formula to near perfection with the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. In fact, in our review, we said that the “ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is perfect for mobile professionals”.

This is a classic-looking laptop that’s modernized with all the right ways thanks to the Snapdragon X Elite chipset, which offers great performance for all kinds of day-to-day tasks. It’s not the fastest Snapdragon X Elite variant, but it’s still more capable than the vast majority of the competition, and it has the same great NPU that can handle AI workloads and Copilot+. Plus, it’s a very efficient chip that excels at battery life.

Display-wise, the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 has a good range of options. The 14-inch display has a 16:10 aspect ratio, and the base model is a Full HD+ IPS panel, with the option to add touch support if you have the need for it. The real upgrade, though, is the 2.8K OLED panel, which also comes with a super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. This will give you a truly premium experience, but it’s not a necessary upgrade for a business use case.

Finally, of course, we have the classic ThinkPad design, which is very divisive. If you love ThinkPads, you’re probably going to love how this looks, with its black chassis and red accents. If you don’t you may find it a little too old school. Still, it’s a thin and relatively lightweight laptop for travel, and it doesn’t sacrifice ports, offering USB4, USB Type-A, and HDMI. It’s hard to complain about what’s on offer here.

Overall, this is simply a fantastic business laptop, and a great way to get you started with tasks that use AI.

While NPUs are the big thing everyone talks about with AI, the truth is, GPUs are actually incredibly capable when it comes to AI tasks, and many times more so than an NPU. So if you have very demanding AI workloads, such as training models, a gaming laptop such as the Acer Predator Helios 16 may just be the right fit.

This laptop is powered by a 14th-generation Intel Core i9-14900HX processor and it’s incredibly fast, especially considering you can also get up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU, which is where the real magic is. This GPU is fantastic for running the latest games, but it’s also one of the very best for demanding AI workloads, and Nvidia ahs leveraged that in many ways. Of course, in gaming, you have DLSS, but there’s also things like Nvidia’s RTX Chat app. One simple thing that a GPU is great for is the AI Denoise filter in Adobe Lightroom. You’ll get great results so much more quickly. In our review, we called it “one of the most powerful and one of the best laptops of the year”.

In addition to the excellent performance, the Acer Predator Helios 16 also has a fantastic screen. This 16-inch panel comes in a very sharp Quad HD+ resolution and an ultra-smooth 240Hz refresh rate, on top of having fantastic color reproduction. It’s just a great screen for gaming or even watching movies.

The downside of buying a gaming laptop is that it’s heavy and bulky. This is a pretty big laptop, and it’s not one you’re going to be carrying with you very frequently. The upside is that the space comes with a lot of ports, including dual Tunderbolt 4 ports, three USB Type-A ports, HDMI, and Ethernet, plus a few extras like a microSD card slot and a headphone jack. ANd if you like RGB lighting, there’s quite a bit of it here, too.

All in all, the Acer Predator Helios 16 is an excellent gaming laptop, and if you need to work with AI, this powerful GPU is going to go the distance without a problem.

Creative professionals need a bit more performance than the average user, and the Dell XPS 16 is happy to provide. This laptop is powered by Intel Core Ultra processors up to a Core Ultra 9 185H, offering fantastic performance for demadning workloads, including AI thanks to the built-in NPU. If the CPU isn’t enough, the laptop also includes up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU to enhance these workloads, while also enabling some high-end gaming. All that is paired with up to 64GB of RAM and a 4TB SSD, so you have top-tier specs across the board.

Dell also didn’t skimp on the display. The 16.3-inch screen comes in a base model featuring an IPS Full HD+ panel, but if you want the best quality around, you can upgrade to the 4K OLED panel that’s one of the best the market has to offer.

On the design front, the XPS 16 is also unique in that it takes a more futuristic approach to its looks. There’s no touchpad on this laptop, or at least not one that you can see, since it blends perfectly into the chassis for a completely smooth and sleek look. The function keys are also replaced by touch-based keys that light up, making it look even cleaner. For ports, the XPS 16 mostly relies on USB Type-C and Thunderbolt, though an adapter is included for USB Type-A and HDMI.

This is one of the very best laptops around. In our review, Rich Woods called the XPS 16 the MacBook Pro of Windows, and that’s pretty high praise.

The Dell Inspiron 14 Plus (2024) is a well-rounded productivity laptop machine that combines performance, design, and AI features into a sleek, portable package. It not only has a powerful Intel Core Ultra 7 processor but also a great set of specs. The laptop has a decently slim profile, a nice icy blue color, and a backlit keyboard. It also has a 14-inch WVA display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 2.2K or 2.8K resolution, depending on the version. The screen looks decent but has an underwhelming max brightness of 300 nits.

That’s why this laptop is better suited for handling everyday productivity tasks. Most of what you’re paying for is its powerful and efficient Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU. This processor is great for mixed use, as it has an integrated Arc GPU to handle high-end graphics and an integrated AI Boost NPU to accelerate image processing and voice assistants. This CPU has decent power efficiency, too, so we expect its battery life to be quite impressive once we have a chance to actually test it.

Although the final verdict will come once we actually go hands-on with this not-yet-released laptop, it already looks like one of the most promising mid-range laptops in its price range. This is especially true if you highly value AI functionality.

If you’d rather have a tablet than a typical Windows laptop, then the Surface Pro 11 is undoubtedly the best option on the market right now. It may not be perfect, but it does a lot of right, making it an easy recommendation.

Of course, it all starts with the Snapdragon X series of processors, which deliver the all-too-familiar performance and efficiency combo you can’t get anywhere else. Due to the smaller battery, you’re not going to get the same excellent battery life as you might get on larger laptops, but this is still a very performant device that lasts much longer than its Intel-based predecessors. It’s super impressive.

Microsoft also finally improved the coating on the display to make it less reflective, and perhaps even more important, it now gives you an OLED option. You do have to pay extra, but that OLED panel really pays off with stunning colors and true blacks that the IPS version just can’t offer. Both versions are similar in terms of resolution and refresh rate, though.

Because it’s a tablet, the Surface Pro 11 is also the most portable of all these PCs. It’s just 9.3mm thin it weighs under two pounds, making it very easy to carry around. It does have fewer ports, too, but it’s still got two USB-C ports and a Surface Connect port for charging.

This is the best Windows tablet on the market, hands down, and if you care about AI, this makes total sense.

The best AI PCs: the bottom line

With AI taking the world by storm, the market for AI PCs has grown exponentially in 2024, and especially with the introduction of Copilot+ PCs and the Snapdragon X series, it looks like it’s only going to get better. Right now, our top pick has to go to the Dell XPS 13 because it’s an absolutely terrific laptop, and it comes in two flavors, both equally great in different ways, so you can choose what you prefer without settling for a worse design.

Of course, the AI PC market is only going to keep growing with new processors like AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 series and Intel’s Lunar Lake lineup. This list is going to keep evolving over time, so be sure to keep checking back.