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NPU explained simply: what the AI chip in Copilot+ PCs and Macs does and whether you need one

An NPU (neural processing unit) is a special component in the processor that handles AI tasks directly on your device faster and more efficiently than the regular main processor; Apple calls it the Neural Engine. For the Copilot+ PC label, Microsoft requires an NPU capable of more than 40 trillion operations per second (40 TOPS), plus at least 16 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage (SSD or UFS). You only need the NPU for certain extra features such as Recall, webcam effects or live captions with translation in Windows, although according to Microsoft the captions only translate into English and Simplified Chinese, not into German; according to Microsoft, the Copilot app also runs on Windows 10 and ordinary Windows 11 PCs. For most people, the NPU is therefore not a reason to buy, especially as current laptop chips almost always include one anyway (as of October 2026).

Published 11 October 2026

In short

NPU: An NPU (neural processing unit) is a special component in the processor that handles AI tasks directly on the device faster and more efficiently than the regular main processor.^1,2,7,10; Example: During a video call on a Copilot+ laptop, the NPU uses Windows Studio Effects to blur your background, directly on the device and without a detour via the internet.; Also called: neural processing unit · AI accelerator · Neural Engine

What an NPU is

NPU stands for neural processing unit. It is a specialised part of the chip built for the kind of calculations AI programs need. Microsoft describes it as a chip for AI-intensive tasks such as real-time translation and image editing.

According to the German computer magazine c't, current laptop processors combine three computing units on one chip: the main processor (CPU), the graphics unit (GPU) and, by now, almost always an NPU as well. Apple says the advantages of its Neural Engine are that AI calculations put less strain on battery, memory and app responsiveness, and that data stays on the device.

Performance is measured in TOPS, trillions of operations per second. According to c't, Copilot+ PCs need at least 40 trillion simple integer calculations per second.

Copilot+ PC: what Microsoft requires and what you get

Copilot+ is a Microsoft label for Windows 11 computers. The requirements according to Microsoft: an NPU with more than 40 TOPS, at least 16 GB of memory, at least 256 GB of storage (SSD or UFS) and Windows 11 version 24H2 or newer. Eligible chips include Qualcomm Snapdragon X, AMD Ryzen AI 300 and Intel Core Ultra 200V.

Certain Windows features are available only on such devices. Microsoft lists, among others, Recall, which regularly saves screenshots so you can find things you have seen before, live captions with real-time translation, Cocreator in Paint and AI features in the Photos app. According to Microsoft, live caption translation works from more than 40 languages into English and from 27 languages into Simplified Chinese, but not into German.

The webcam effects (Windows Studio Effects) are a mixed picture: according to Microsoft, background effects such as a blurred background, standard eye contact, automatic framing and voice focus also run on suitable devices with a weaker NPU below 40 TOPS. Only further effects require a Copilot+ PC. According to Microsoft, Recall is a preview, switched off by default, and stores the screenshots encrypted on the device.

Some features are restricted in Europe. For Click to Do, which lets you act on content on your screen, Microsoft says that Ask Copilot, Bing visual search and drafting with Copilot in Word, among others, are not available in the European Economic Area.

Apple Neural Engine and Apple Intelligence

Apple has been building its own NPU, the Neural Engine, into its chips since 2017. According to Apple, it first appeared in the A11 chip of the iPhone X and powers features such as Face ID.

For Apple Intelligence, Apple's AI features, Apple lists the following requirements in September 2026, among others: iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, all iPhone 16 models and later, iPhone Air, and iPads and Macs with an M1 chip or later. A standard iPhone 15 is not on the list. Depending on the device, up to 8 GB of free storage is needed, and up to 14 GB on some newer models.

Important: not everything runs on the device. According to Apple, some features such as Siri AI or Image Playground use models on Apple's servers and have daily usage limits.

Do you need an AI PC?

Our assessment: for most people, the NPU is not a reason to buy. According to Microsoft, its Copilot app runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11, so it works without an NPU too.

The magazine c't is also sceptical about the benefit so far. It says there are still only a few Windows applications that use the NPU for attractive extra features. According to heise, a Dell manager said at the CES trade show in January that consumers do not buy because of AI. In June 2026, Microsoft also began opening AI features for developers to PCs without an NPU, provided they have an Nvidia graphics card from the RTX 3000 series onwards with at least 6 GB of video memory. According to c't, many graphics units built into laptop chips deliver well over 40 TOPS anyway.

An NPU makes sense if you really want to use the exclusive features, such as advanced webcam effects for frequent video calls or live captions translated into English. According to c't, it is mainly suited to AI tasks that run in the background for long periods, such as webcam image enhancement or continuous speech recognition. As current laptop chips almost always contain an NPU, you will often get one anyway when buying new.

If you want to run AI models entirely on your own computer, read our article on local AI models.

Sources

Created with AI assistance and editorially approved before publication.