What you need to know
- Several Copilot+ PCs launched today, including the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7.
- Very few reviews have been published of Copilot+ PCs, which is out of the ordinary for launches like this.
- The delay is because of Microsoft having to postpone Windows Recall, which led the tech giant to ask PC manufacturers to hold off on shipping review units.
- There are some reviews of the ASUS VivoBook S 15 out and first impressions of the new Surface PCs are trickling out as well.
Today is Copilot+ PC launch day, so where is the deluge of reviews that usually appear when new flagship PCs launch? It turns out we'll all have to wait for most Copilot+ PC reviews because of a delay requested by Microsoft. Since Microsoft had to postpone its Windows Recall feature, the company asked PC manufacturers to hold review units until June 18, 2024. As a result, most media outlets did not receive review devices until today.
There are some reviews out already, including our ASUS VivoBook S 15 review, but we'll all have to wait a bit to see the big-name PCs, such as the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, get reviewed.
"For those wondering where all the Copilot+ PC reviews are, after the Recall debacle last week MS told OEMs to hold review units until June 18 so it could put together a new ZDP that removes Recall / adds fixes. So most media outlets are only just getting review devices today," explained our Senior Editor Zac Bowden on X (formerly Twitter).
For those wondering where all the Copilot+ PC reviews are, after the Recall debacle last week MS told OEMs to hold review units until June 18 so it could put together a new ZDP that removes Recall / adds fixes. So most media outlets are only just getting review devices today.June 18, 2024
It's not just us at Windows Central who had to wait for new Surface hardware to ship. Tom Warren from The Verge echoed the same message sent out by Bowden:
"If you’re wondering where all the Copilot+ PC reviews are, Microsoft hasn’t seeded Surface devices for reviews because of the last minute Recall changes. My Surface Laptop just arrived, and Microsoft has made the packaging minimalist this time around."
As far as I can tell, there are no Surface Pro 11 or Surface Laptop 7 reviews from traditional media outlets at this time. Even though Surface hardware has shipped to reviewers, we likely won't see reviews immediately. Writing a thorough review takes time. You can't just unbox a device, play around for a few minutes, and create a quality review. I suspect we'll see media outlets race to perform the required testing and spend the needed time with the Surface PCs to make proper judgements. I also predict several unboxing videos and "early hands-on reviews" in the near future.
ASUS VivoBook S 15 reviews
If you're more interested in the Snapdragon X Elite than any particular PC that will run on the chip, you're in luck. The ASUS VivoBook S 15 did ship to reviewers ahead of time, including us at Windows Central. Bowden already has a full ASUS VivoBook S 15 review, much of which focuses on the Snapdragon X Elite chip (there is not a version of the VivoBook S 15 that has a Snapdragon X Plus).
"So, does the Snapdragon X Elite live up to the hype? In short, it absolutely does. This chip is a beast, outputting incredible performance that you can feel in almost every task," said Bowden. "Whether browsing the web with lots of tabs, multitasking through lots of open apps, rendering video and audio, hosting a podcast, or even some gaming, The Snapdragon X Elite can do it all."
Well known YouTuber and gadget expert Dave2D has a review of the ASUS VivoBook S 15 as well. Dave2D is quite complimentary of the PC and the Snapdragon X Elite inside. I recommend watching all of Dave2D's review, but here's a quick tease from his intro:
"Turns out it's awesome, like straight awesome. Really good performance, even when emulating x86, awesome battery life, crazy good battery life, and the pricing is surprisingly good... cheaper than MacBook Air."
Matthew Moniz also has a review of the ASUS VivoBook S 15 on YouTube. Moniz spends much of his reviewing discussing x86 emulation and how the Windows on Arm ecosystem isn't ready for gaming yet. He does, however, say "you're gonna love" the VivoBook S 15 is you plan to use the laptop for web browsing, Office, Photoshop, and other Arm-optimized apps.
With Copilot+ PCs in the hands of reviewers, we'll start to get a better idea of how they perform in the real world. Unfortunately for those eager to see the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus in action, reviews may take a bit to roll out.
