Black Friday is just around the corner, and the hunt for the perfect laptop is on! This year, the stakes are higher than ever. With an abundance of choices, finding a reliable, high-performing laptop at a great price requires careful consideration. For seven years, I’ve reviewed laptops, and I can tell you the quality has never been better. While exceptional laptops typically cost over $1000, the investment is worth it if you value performance and longevity.
This Black Friday, one feature stands out as a game-changer for battery life: the Neural Processing Unit (NPU). We’ve already compiled a list of the best Black Friday laptop deals, but focusing on models with NPUs will significantly impact your daily usage. Think about it – a longer battery life means less time tethered to a power outlet and more freedom to work or play wherever you are.
You may have seen marketing buzz around ‘AI PCs’ or ‘Copilot+ PCs.’ These aren’t just marketing gimmicks; they’re laptops equipped with cutting-edge hardware specifically designed to handle on-device AI tasks. This means utilizing AI-powered tools like Microsoft Designer or Copilot without relying on an internet connection. While the current selection of on-device AI applications is limited, the true benefit of these machines lies in their significantly improved battery life.
The secret weapon? The NPU. This specialized microprocessor works alongside the CPU and GPU, processing massive amounts of data in parallel with incredible energy efficiency. Measured in trillions of operations per second (TOPS), NPUs with 40 TOPS or higher often carry the Copilot+ branding. These chips handle tasks usually assigned to CPUs or GPUs, such as photo editing or code compiling. This offloads processing power, leading to smoother multitasking and dramatically reduced energy consumption.
My extensive testing demonstrates the tangible impact of NPUs. Laptops equipped with NPUs consistently outperform their counterparts in terms of battery life. For example, the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, featuring a Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, lasted an impressive 17 hours and 31 minutes in my tests. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, geared towards enterprise and developer use, achieved a staggering 26 hours and 9 minutes! In comparison, the HP Envy x360 2-in-1 (a decent student laptop) lasted only 11 hours and 10 minutes, and even my favorite HP Spectre x360 14 managed only 14 hours and 29 minutes—both lacking an NPU.
While the sample size might seem small, the results consistently show the superiority of NPUs in extending battery life. This Black Friday, if your budget allows, prioritize laptops with NPUs. You’ll reap the rewards of significantly longer battery life, making your laptop more versatile and reliable. Don’t miss out on the amazing deals; check our regularly updated Black Friday laptop deals page for the latest offers on laptops, 2-in-1s, and workstations. And be sure to check our main Black Friday deals hub for discounts on other electronics and more! Save $400 on the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 – one of our top picks this year. Don’t wait; these deals won’t last!
