Best AI Laptops with NPU 2025
Laptops with dedicated Neural Processing Units for on-device AI acceleration. We compare NPU TOPS, battery life, and real-world AI performance.
What is NPU TOPS?
TOPS (Tera Operations Per Second) measures NPU performance. Higher TOPS = faster on-device AI. Microsoft's Copilot+ requires 40+ TOPS. For reference: Intel Core Ultra offers ~34 TOPS, AMD Ryzen AI 9 hits ~50 TOPS, and Apple's Neural Engine reaches ~38 TOPS.
Quick Picks
ASUS ProArt P16
50 TOPS NPU + RTX 4070 GPU. Best of both worlds for AI creators.
HP OmniBook Ultra 14
55 TOPS NPU at $1,199. Highest NPU performance per dollar.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Intel Core Ultra with enterprise security. 2.48 lbs ultralight.
Spec Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of NPU laptops
| Specification | ASUSP16 (H7606)Best Overall | AppleM4 MaxBest Mac | LenovoGen 12Best Business | Dell16 (9640)Best Design | HPUltra 14Best Value | MicrosoftLaptop 7Best Copilot+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,499 - $3,299 | $3,499 - $4,999 | $1,649 - $2,899 | $1,899 - $3,199 | $1,199 - $1,799 | $1,299 - $2,399 |
| Our Score | 9.3/10 | 9.4/10 | 8.9/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.6/10 |
| NPU Performance (TOPS)★ | 50 TOPS | 38 TOPS | 34 TOPS | 34 TOPS | 55 TOPS | 45 TOPS |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Apple M4 Max | Intel Core Ultra 7 165U | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 | Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 |
| GPU★ | NVIDIA RTX 4070 Laptop | M4 Max 40-core GPU | Intel Arc Graphics | RTX 4070 (optional) / Arc | AMD Radeon 890M | Qualcomm Adreno |
| GPU Memory | 8GB GDDR6 | Up to 128GB Unified | Shared (up to 16GB) | 8GB (dGPU) / Shared | Shared (up to 16GB) | Shared |
| RAM★ | 64GB DDR5-5600 | Up to 128GB Unified | Up to 64GB LPDDR5X | Up to 64GB LPDDR5X | Up to 32GB LPDDR5X | Up to 32GB LPDDR5X |
| Storage | 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe | Up to 8TB SSD | Up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 | Up to 4TB PCIe 4.0 | Up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 | Up to 1TB SSD |
| Display | 16" 4K OLED, 60Hz | 16.2" Liquid Retina XDR | 14" 2.8K OLED, 120Hz | 16.3" 4K+ OLED, 120Hz | 14" 2.8K OLED, 120Hz | 15" PixelSense, 120Hz |
| Battery Life★ | 8-10 hours | 18-24 hours | 12-15 hours | 10-13 hours | 11-14 hours | 15-20 hours |
| Weight | 4.4 lbs (2.0 kg) | 4.7 lbs (2.14 kg) | 2.48 lbs (1.12 kg) | 4.7 lbs (2.13 kg) | 2.97 lbs (1.35 kg) | 3.67 lbs (1.66 kg) |
★ = Most important specs for AI laptops. NPU TOPS determines on-device AI speed. Battery life matters for mobile productivity.
Detailed Reviews
ASUS ProArt P16 (H7606)
ASUS
Powerful creator laptop with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and RTX 4070. Best balance of NPU and GPU power.
Pros
- 50+ TOPS NPU for AI acceleration
- Discrete RTX 4070 for heavy AI workloads
- 4K OLED display with 100% DCI-P3
- Excellent build quality
- Good port selection
Cons
- Heavy at 4.4 lbs
- Battery life moderate under load
- Expensive fully configured
Key Specifications
MacBook Pro 16" M4 Max
Apple
Apple's powerhouse with M4 Max chip. Unified memory architecture allows up to 128GB accessible to Neural Engine.
Pros
- 38 TOPS Neural Engine
- Up to 128GB unified memory
- Exceptional battery life
- Best-in-class display (XDR)
- Silent operation
Cons
- macOS only
- Expensive with RAM upgrades
- Limited to Apple ecosystem
Key Specifications
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Lenovo
Premium business ultrabook with Intel Core Ultra processors. Copilot+ certified with excellent keyboard and enterprise features.
Pros
- Intel Core Ultra with NPU
- Best-in-class keyboard
- Lightweight at 2.48 lbs
- Enterprise security features
- All-day battery life
Cons
- Integrated graphics only
- NPU less powerful than AMD
- Premium pricing
Key Specifications
Dell XPS 16 (9640)
Dell
Stunning design with Intel Core Ultra and optional RTX 4070. Edge-to-edge display with haptic touchpad.
Pros
- Beautiful industrial design
- Optional RTX 4070 GPU
- 4K+ OLED display option
- Innovative haptic touchpad
- Thunderbolt 4 ports
Cons
- Haptic touchpad divisive
- Fan noise under load
- Function row takes adjustment
Key Specifications
HP OmniBook Ultra 14
HP
Excellent value Copilot+ PC with AMD Ryzen AI. Strong NPU performance at competitive pricing.
Pros
- Great price-to-performance
- 55 TOPS NPU (highest in class)
- Lightweight and portable
- Good battery life
- Quality build for price
Cons
- Integrated graphics only
- Display could be brighter
- 16GB RAM in base config
Key Specifications
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7
Microsoft
The definitive Copilot+ PC with Snapdragon X Elite. Excellent ARM performance with great battery life.
Pros
- Snapdragon X Elite performance
- 45 TOPS NPU
- Exceptional battery life
- Clean Windows on ARM experience
- Premium build quality
Cons
- ARM app compatibility varies
- No discrete GPU option
- Limited ports
Key Specifications
NPU Platform Comparison
Intel Core Ultra (Meteor Lake)
Intel's first mainstream NPU offering delivers ~34 TOPS. Good software compatibility since it's x86 architecture. Best for users who need traditional Windows app compatibility while gaining AI acceleration.
AMD Ryzen AI (Strix Point)
AMD leads in raw NPU performance with 50-55 TOPS in their latest chips. Excellent integrated graphics (Radeon 890M) complement the NPU. Best for users who want maximum on-device AI performance.
Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite
ARM-based processor with 45 TOPS NPU and exceptional power efficiency. Best battery life but requires ARM-compatible apps. Microsoft's preferred Copilot+ platform.
Apple M4 Series
Apple's Neural Engine delivers 38 TOPS with industry-leading efficiency. The unified memory architecture means the Neural Engine can access up to 128GB. Best for users already in the Apple ecosystem.
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