As we reflect on the innovation and advancements of 2024, we are optimistic about the future and the potential that lies ahead in 2025 and beyond for computing and the Windows PC.
2024 will be remembered as a transformative year when many experienced the unique benefits of AI in practical application, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on a Windows PC at work, at school and at home. Whether it’s quick access to Copilot direct from your keyboard with the Copilot key, summarizing a meeting with Copilot in Teams, creating a document with just a few words with Copilot in Microsoft 365, or simplifying search with Improved Windows Search1, AI is revolutionizing how we use PCs today and in the future. And the best, most secure and most performant way to realize the benefits of AI today, and into the future, is with a new Windows 11 PC.
Building on Windows 11, our most secure version of Windows, we introduced a new category of PCs – the Copilot+ PC. These PCs are the fastest, most intelligent and most secure Windows PCs ever built. With this introduction, we marked a significant milestone in our journey, extending the power of AI from the cloud to your PC, delivering exciting innovation for our customers and the industry. This AI-enabled PC milestone has been met with customer enthusiasm and is expected to continue in 2025.
Our collaborative efforts with the biggest names in computing are instrumental in driving this momentum and forward progress, reimagining how we create, produce and reduce our task load. These highly performant and secure Windows 11 PCs have set new benchmarks for speed, intelligence and security, all with incredible battery life that exceeds what is on the market today. In fact, Copilot+ PCs are up to five times faster than the most popular 5-year-old Windows PCs still in use today and top models are up to 58% faster than a MacBook Air with M32.
“Microsoft and Qualcomm Technologies share the same vision of empowering users with powerful, seamless AI experiences, marking a significant step forward in the PC industry. The advancement of Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon® X Series processors set a new standard in performance and security, providing customers with unparalleled experiences and capabilities.”
Don McGuire, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Qualcomm Incorporated.
The growth of the new PC category began with the introduction of Copilot+ PCs powered by Snapdragon and, as announced at IFA, expanded to include AMD Ryzen AI and Intel Core Ultra processors this holiday, offering choice for our customers, and pushing the bounds of what’s possible with performance and battery life. We are excited about the continued innovation in the Copilot+ PC category today and in the coming months.
As AI-enabled technology continues to evolve and enhance experiences and productivity, one thing remains constant – the need for a secure and performant Windows 11 PC to fully experience all that AI enables. With an ever-growing set of features now available first in preview for our Windows Insider Community, we are mindful of the responsibility we have to protect our customers and their data. Security is at the heart of everything we do at Microsoft. From the Secured-core PCs, which provide reinforced protection against firmware attacks, to the Pluton security processor, which offers a unique level of chip-to-cloud security, and with Windows 11, Copilot+ PCs are the most secure PCs available today. And they ship with a growing list of security features that are enabled by default, designed to significantly reduce the potential of sophisticated cyber-attacks, protecting your data at all times. Ensuring security from silicon to the cloud, we are committed to providing a seamless and secure experience for all our users.
“At AMD, we’re excited to lead the way in this transformative era of computing, partnering with Microsoft to bring AI to every person, at home and at work. With Windows 11 and the new Copilot+ PC category, we’re delivering unmatched performance, security and responsible AI. Together, we’re empowering customers and partners to achieve more while ensuring the highest standards for privacy, compliance and enterprise security. The future is full of opportunity, and we’re just getting started.”
Jack Huynh, SVP & GM, Computing and Graphics Group, AMD
Move forward with Windows 11
All of the innovation arriving on new Windows 11 PCs is coming at an important time. We recently confirmed that after providing 10 years of updates and support, Windows 10 will reach the end of its lifecycle on Oct. 14, 2025. After this date, Windows 10 PCs will no longer receive security or feature updates, and our focus is on helping customers stay protected by moving to modern new PCs running Windows 11. Whether the current PC needs a refresh, or it has security vulnerabilities that require the latest hardware-backed protection, now is the time to move forward with a new Windows 11 PC.
“By integrating NVIDIA’s advanced GeForce RTX GPU technologies with the power of the Windows 11 platform, we are enhancing graphics, AI capabilities and overall performance. Collaborations like these let us bring the latest technologies and cutting-edge experiences to our customers. We look forward to sharing the next wave of innovations in accelerated computing through the course of CES, starting with today’s keynote.”
Jeff Fisher, Senior Vice President of GeForce at NVIDIA
According to IDC, nearly 80% of businesses are planning to refresh their PC portfolio by the end of 2025, and 70% of consumers will refresh their PCs in the next two years3, emphasizing the increasing demand for secure, advanced AI-enabled hardware that Windows 11 PCs provide. And, with new apps added every day, developers are harnessing the power of AI to bring innovative experiences to Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs, such as ChatGPT and our native Copilot app. Windows 11 app experiences will continue to evolve, providing even greater functionality and clear benefits for our customers.
“Intel is excited to partner with Microsoft to continue to advance AI-driven innovation, enhanced security and superior performance into 2025. Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra 200V processors deliver on all these fronts, creating a compelling upgrade for consumers and businesses.”
Jim Johnson, Senior Vice President, Interim General Manager, Client Computing Group, Intel
Continued ecosystem innovation
There’s no better way to kick off 2025 and the excitement for the Windows 11 PC than at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), starting tomorrow in Las Vegas. Building on the rich portfolio of PCs available today from partners like Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer, ASUS, Samsung and Surface, you can expect to see some exciting announcements coming this week at CES, and in the months to come.
Alongside our ecosystem partners, we will demonstrate how, together, we are continuing to advance the category and the industry, making AI accessible and more secure to everyone. And, as the world moves with us to Windows 11, we will welcome them with new features, enhanced security, improved functionality, and the familiar Windows experience they know and love. Our silicon partners will deliver increased performance, capability and battery life. Our OEM partners will offer incredible devices with breakthrough features at a price for everyone. And our global retailers will offer incredible selection, value and PC recycling programs to assist you in trading in your old device and selecting a new one. Once you have purchased your new PC, Microsoft provides a one-stop solution to make it easier to transfer your files, themes, apps and settings, ensuring a fast, secure and seamless transition.
We believe that Windows 11 is available at a time when the world needs it most – providing advanced AI capabilities and modern security benefits that customers expect in 2025 and beyond, highlighting that the forefront of AI innovation will be realized on Windows.
As CES 2025 begins, showcasing the latest innovations in technology, we are excited for the advancements our industry will offer to people around the globe. The momentum and innovation across the Windows ecosystem will make 2025 a new year of possibility for our customers. And we believe that one of the most important pieces of technology people will look to refresh in 2025 isn’t the refrigerator, the television or their mobile phone. It will be their Windows 10 PC, and they will move forward with Windows 11.
Learn more about Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs.
1 Coming soon to our Windows Insider community before rolling out more broadly
2 Based on Cinebench 2024 Multi-core benchmark. See aka.ms/cpclaims
3 June 2024 IDC Report Device Refresh Cycles and the Emergence of AI PCs are Forecast to Drive Modest PC Growth in 2024, According to IDC
