Best AI PC features to look for in 2026: A beginner’s guide

If you’ve been following the buzz around AI PCs, you’ve probably heard big promises: smarter software, faster performance, and computers that understand what you need with far less effort. But what makes an AI PC different from a regular computer—and which features really matter in 2026?

Whether you’re an early adopter, a productivity‑focused power user, or simply curious about smarter operating systems, here’s what defines an AI PC and how to choose the right one.

What is an AI computer and why 2026 is the moment

An AI PC is a computer built from the ground up to run artificial intelligence features directly on the device—not just in the cloud. Instead of relying heavily on the cloud, AI PCs blend hardware, software, and operating system intelligence to deliver incredible speed, all-day battery life¹, and built-in AI experiences.

Most Windows PCs now ship with Windows 11, which has built-in AI-powered features to make it the best version of Windows yet. Experience real‑time help, smarter search, and intelligent automation across the system.

Think of it this way:

• A traditional PC follows your commands
• An AI PC anticipates your needs.

And no—AI is not here to replace you. AI is here to assist you by helping to remove friction, so everyday tasks feel smoother, faster, and more intuitive.

AI Built directly into the operating system

The power of AI is built into Windows 11 and accessible from your fingertips. An AI operating system (AI OS) understands your context—what you’re writing, searching, or juggling across apps. For example:

• Copilot on Windows: Your built-in AI companion helps you find, create, summarize, and analyze content with ease. Speak, see, create with Copilot on Windows.
• Recall: Search your digital memory by describing how you remember something. Instantly locate documents, emails, or web pages without needing exact filenames.
• Live Captions with Translations:² Translate live or recorded audio from over 40 languages into English captions across any app, even offline.
• Windows Studio Effects: Enhance video calls with intelligent lighting, gaze correction, and voice clarity.
• Photos: AI tools help you edit and enhance images effortlessly, ensuring your content looks its best.

An AI assistant that lowers the learning curve

If you're new to AI tools, good news: AI PCs now include an AI assistant that’s available across your entire PC. Meet Copilot in Windows, your AI assistant.

No more switching to a website. No more copy‑pasting content back and forth. Copilot works across your PC context (files, apps, and settings) so you can draft, plan, or recap without switching tools.

Just open Copilot and speak directly with it or type in your questions, for example:

• “Hey Copilot, help me plan a last-minute family ski vacation over Christmas break at a resort with the best snow conditions this season.”
• "Recap Tuesday's Teams meeting.”
• "Explain the magic behind making sour dough bread.”

Copilot is conversational, visual, and voice-ready.

Hardware designed for AI: Meet the NPU

AI PCs are powered by a turbocharged neural processing unit (NPU)—a specialized computer chip powering Windows AI features to enrich your everyday life. The NPU performs more than 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). With the NPU built for secure, on-device AI processing, you can count on your AI PC to help you work, create, and communicate more effectively.

This matters because:

• AI tasks, like real-time translation, image generation, and intelligent search, run locally instead of requiring the cloud
• Responses feel faster and smoother
• Your battery lasts longer
• Your data stays on your device, improving privacy

Local AI experiences that work offline

While older PCs send your data to distant servers to be processed, an AI PC does the heavy lifting right on your device. Local AI means important tasks still work offline. On‑device writing help, image editing, and system intelligence continue even without Wi‑Fi—so travel, patchy home internet, or campus dead zones don’t block you. Processing stays on your PC, which improves privacy and removes “internet lag,” so captioning a video or summarizing a PDF happens almost instantly.

Security, privacy, and clear data boundaries

In the era of AI, you don’t have to choose between having inspiring technology and security peace of mind. You can have both. AI PCs feature the highest standard of Windows 11 security, giving you layers of security measures to help keep your digital life in safe hands—yours. From the moment you turn on your AI PC, Windows 11 defends against potential risks to help make sure your credentials, photos, and files don’t fall into the wrong hands.

One of the powerful security measures is Microsoft Pluton security processor, the ultimate security built into the CPU³. Microsoft Pluton safeguards sensitive information, such as passwords, online account credentials, and personal data.

Additional security features include:

• TPM 2.0: A secure hardware vault that protects sensitive information like encryption keys, helping keep your data safe even if someone gains physical access to your device.
• Windows Hello: Biometric recognition—such as your face or fingerprint—to let you sign in quickly and securely without relying on passwords.
• Enhanced Sign‑in Security: An extra layer of protection by using hardware‑based safeguards that help block spoofing and unauthorized access during the sign‑in process.

What are Copilot+ PCs?

Copilot+ PCs are a class of AI PCs, laptops, and 2-in-1 PCs that deliver unmatched speed, turbocharged performance, all day battery life, and advanced AI features to help accelerate your productivity and creativity. Uniquely designed for secure AI performance, Copilot+ PCs help safeguard your most sensitive information.

A Copilot+ PC has the following hardware requirements:

• NPUs: Specialized chips capable of at least 40 TOPS, enabling AI tasks like real-time translation, image generation, and intelligent search to run locally.
• ARM-based processors: Many Copilot+ PCs are powered by Snapdragon® X Elite Plus processors, though support is expanding to Intel Core Ultra 200V series and AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processors.
• Minimum specs: 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, and Windows 11 version 24H2 or newer.

Copilot+ PCs are designed to support AI innovations of today and for tomorrow. Count on Copilot+ PCs to deliver the seamless integration of speed, security, and intelligence—from the professional who needs instant summaries to the student managing complex notes and online learning and to the creative using resource-intensive tools for video, images, and design work.

AI that solves real problems

When evaluating AI PCs, like Copilot+ PCs, the most meaningful capabilities to consider are the ones that support everyday work. For example, AI can help you:

• Turn a rough draft into something you’re proud to submit.
• Quickly find that document or message you know you worked on last week, without digging through endless folders.
• Brighten up a poorly lit photo for your presentation—no fancy editing software or design skills required.
• Keep your class notes, assignments, and files organized automatically, so you don't lose track of the important stuff.

AI PCs focus on delivering clear, useful benefits in specific moments, prioritizing helpfulness and simplicity over feature overload.

How to choose the right AI PC in 2026

To find the right AI PC, look for integrated AI architecture and select a device with a dedicated NPU to ensure peak local performance. Choosing a Copilot+ PC provides the most future-proof experience, offering native AI tools that are more efficient than third-party software. Ultimately, choose a Windows PC that streamlines your specific workflow through seamless, built-in AI capabilities.