The cheapest new Copilot+ AI PC comes from the place you'd least expect it

Copilot+ PCs are officially here! June 18, 2024, marks a huge day for Microsoft and the Windows 11 ecosystem, with Windows on ARM, finally getting the kick in the pants it desperately needed. Qualcomm is doing most of the lifting right now with its new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips, and there are plenty of new laptops to choose from.

If you're looking to get in on the Copilot+ action but want to spend as little as possible, the cheapest new laptop you can buy will surprise you. It's not from Acer or ASUS but actually from Microsoft. The Surface Laptop 7 and the Surface Pro 11 initially claim the prize as the cheapest new Copilot+ PC. The tiebreaker, though, would go to the Surface Laptop 7 for $999.99, purely because it comes with its own keyboard.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (13-inch) | from $999.99 at Microsoft

As the latest flagship laptop from Microsoft, the Surface Laptop 7 has a sleek design and is powered by a Snapdragon X processor. It promises long battery life, and AI features exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. It's also the cheapest Copilot+ PC right now if you go for the Snapdragon X Plus configuration.

Also, $999.99 at Best BuyView Deal

So, what does buying the cheapest new Copilot+ PC actually get you? A pretty incredible value laptop, as it happens. You need to get the smaller, 13.8-inch version of the Surface Laptop 7, but it still comes with 16GB of RAM and a gorgeous 2304 x 1536 resolution touch display with 120 Hz refresh rate and 600 nits of brightness.

The only downside would be the 256GB SSD, which isn't a lot nowadays, especially if you're planning to use Windows Recall further down the line. But the SSD is upgradeable, so you can get in on the action now and decide whether you need more storage later.

Naturally, this configuration's Snapdragon X Plus C10 10-core won't perform as highly as the X Elite, but it's hardly a slouch. The fact it's capable of running a Copilot+ PC at all means you're still getting the Hexagon NPU with 45 TOPS, and you're also getting the latest features like Wi-Fi 7. Early benchmarks seem pretty strong, too.

The fact that I'm here talking about "which is the cheapest" and the Surface Laptop 7 is the answer is mind-blowing. Microsoft Surface is rarely known for being the cheapest in a category. But here we are.

The Surface Pro 11 is also available in a $999.99 configuration with Snapdragon X Plus, but you don't get a keyboard. If you already have a compatible one, then it's also incredible value. But if you don't, you have to factor that in. With the Surface Laptop 7, you get everything in one sleek, stylish package.