Skip to content
Join

Technology·News & analysis

Microsoft quietly drops the Copilot+ PC brand

New Surface laptops meet every Copilot+ requirement but no longer carry the name, a sign Microsoft is moving on from its troubled 2024 AI PC label.

Dan KostBy Dan Kost aka Poseidan2 min readX
X
A presenter on stage in front of a large Copilot+PC branding screen at a Microsoft event
The Squeeze

Microsoft's Surface chief told Windows Central that its new Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch meet every Copilot+ PC requirement but don't carry the name.

Copilot+ PCs launched in May 2024 with a 40+ TOPS NPU requirement, but the brand was hurt when its headline Recall feature launched late and drew security criticism. No replacement brand has been announced. The new Surfaces use Snapdragon X2 Plus chips and go on sale October 13 starting at $1,149.99.

What to know

  1. Microsoft's new 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop aren't called Copilot+ PCs, even though they meet all of the old requirements, a Microsoft executive told Windows Central.
  2. Microsoft hasn't made a formal announcement or named a replacement brand.
  3. Copilot+ PCs launched in May 2024 with a 40+ TOPS NPU requirement; the brand was hurt by the delayed Recall feature.
  4. The new Surfaces use Snapdragon X2 Plus chips, start at $1,149.99 and $1,199, and go on sale October 13.

Microsoft is moving on from "Copilot+ PC." Surface chief Brett Ostrum told Windows Central that the company's new Surface PCs aren't called Copilot+ PCs, even though they meet all of the previous requirements.

A quiet exit

There was no announcement. Microsoft simply left the label off its newest Surface devices. Ostrum said Microsoft still promotes AI that runs both on the device and in the cloud. Qualcomm's Kedar Kondap also suggested future laptops will offer the same experiences without the Copilot+ name. No replacement brand has been announced.

Why the brand faded

Microsoft introduced Copilot+ PCs in May 2024 for laptops with a neural processing unit (NPU) of at least 40 TOPS, promising on-device AI features. The headline feature, Recall, drew criticism from security researchers and was delayed, so the first devices shipped without it. Windows Central reports other PC makers have been dropping the name for some time.

The new Surfaces

  • Surface Pro 12-inch: from $1,149.99
  • Surface Laptop 13-inch: from $1,199
  • Chip: Snapdragon X2 Plus with an 80 TOPS NPU
  • On sale: October 13, 2026, in select markets

Microsoft claims up to 95% faster AI performance on the NPU than the previous generation. Both start well above the previous models' launch prices of $799 (Pro) and $899 (Laptop), according to Tom's Hardware.

What's next

The AI features aren't going anywhere, just the sticker. Watch for whether Microsoft introduces a new name for AI-ready Windows PCs. More: Microsoft news.

Key facts

Brand dropped
Copilot+ PC, introduced May 2024
Original requirement
NPU with 40+ TOPS
Replacement brand
None announced
New Surface chip
Snapdragon X2 Plus, 80 TOPS NPU
Prices
Surface Pro 12-inch $1,149.99; Surface Laptop 13-inch $1,199

Got questions?

Quick answers, plain words

What is a Copilot+ PC?

A category of Windows PCs Microsoft introduced in May 2024 for machines with a neural processor (NPU) of 40+ TOPS, enabling on-device AI features such as Recall and Live Captions translation.

Why is Microsoft dropping the Copilot+ PC name?

Microsoft hasn't said. Windows Central points to Recall's troubled launch and the brand's weak reputation.

Will Copilot+ PCs still get AI features?

Microsoft hasn't addressed existing devices. Windows Central reports the new Surfaces still support all Copilot+ features; only the marketing name is gone.

Is Microsoft replacing the brand?

No new name has been announced.

When do the new Surface PCs come out?

The Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch go on sale October 13, 2026, in select markets.

SourcesWindows Central, Windows
Topics and tagsMicrosoft, microsoft, copilot, laptops
Microsoft#microsoft#copilot#laptops#ai pcs

Get the next one in your inbox.

AI, tech and robots in five minutes. Free, every morning.

Related guide

Guide, 7 minHow to understand the new Microsoft Copilot: Home, Code, Autopilot and billingA plain guide to Microsoft's reshaped Copilot lineup: what Home, Code and Autopilot are, where usage-based billing applies, and what to...

Related stories

More in brief