What is TOPS in Copilot+PC?

Microsoft recently released Copilot+ PCs powered by AI features via a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in addition to CPU and GPU. The integration of the NPU enables the device to run additional AI workloads on the device coupled with added security and privacy features. The NPUs are designed to handle complex mathematical computations with efficiency, performance, and power savings.

After Microsoft’s Copilot +PC announcement, several new terms such as TOPS emerged. TOPS stands for trillions of operations per second and is regarded as the cornerstone performance metric for the NPU included with the Copilot+PC. Even though TOPS and NPU existed before, people came to know widely about them only after the release of the Copilot+ PCs.

Technically, TOPS measures the number of operations that can be executed within one second. You can learn about the capabilities of NPUs deeply by exploring parameters like frequency and precision. The AI workloads consume massive power when they are directly executed on the CPU or GPU. However, NPUs are designed to handle AI work efficiently.

In Copilot+PC, TOPS are measured in numbers. The devices with high TOPS run faster while performing AI operations. Microsoft Copilot works quickly paired with video conferencing, gaming, and word processing among others in the case of devices with higher TOPS. There can be instances where highly demanding AI apps won’t work properly on devices with lower TOPS capacity.

Microsoft disclosed that Copilot+ PCs need to have at least 40 TOPS NPU capacity to work effectively. The company added that 40 TOPS is essential to enable users to work faster even under extreme multitasking conditions. The new Snapdragon X Series chipsets have gone one step further by infusing 45 TOPS. This move will not only help the Copilot+PC to work accurately but also set new performance standards. Furthermore, the addition of 45 TOPS will enhance performance and privacy benefits. Microsoft Surface Laptop and Surface Pro ships with 45TOPS NPU that ensure efficiency.

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon 2024