Are Copilot Plus PCs really the Windows alternative to Chromebooks?

Before the beginning of summer, it was a little easier to shop for a basic productivity laptop. You could choose from a single version of Windows (x86), an Apple macOS device, or a Chromebook. Sure, there were still a lot of options from multiple laptop manufacturers, but if you knew what brand or operating system you wanted, especially if you were limited by a budget, it probably wouldn't have taken too long to narrow down your choices, especially if you had specific preferences. (I know I do.)

But then Copilot Plus PCs arrived. Now there was a new type of less expensive productivity machine occupying shelf space between lower-end old-school Windows laptops and Chromebooks. If you thought you had already narrowed down your choices, you just got handed more research. Depending on what else you need a laptop to do - and how much you're willing to spend - there are a few more things to look into now. 

However, Copilot Plus PCs and Chromebooks are still positioned for different types of users. Selecting one or the other, then, isn't actually more complicated - just more nuanced. Let's dig into both of these systems and narrow down the list of options.

Copilot Plus PCs 101

Copilot Plus PCs are Windows systems but with a difference. Copilot Plus PCs run Windows on Arm (Arm64) with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon chips, while Intel and AMD-configured laptops run Windows x86. This isn't the first time any laptop has run the Arm version, but it is the first time they have been worth buying. They are just as powerful as other Windows laptops and come with the same features, but they have longer battery lives and are more power efficient - and are generally a little cheaper. But their operating system is less versatile. 

Though Windows on Arm has native support for nearly all the same major programs as the x86 version of Windows, some crucial ones are still missing, like Adobe Premiere Pro and Google Drive for Desktop. Google Drive also can't be emulated with Microsoft's new Prism emulator (which is a lot better than its previous iterations). Many other apps without native Arm64 support can, but they might run noticeably slower.

If you're considering buying a Copilot Plus PC but are unsure about your favorite app's compatibility, there's a website that can help you check. Just keep in mind that it's not an exhaustive list of everything that is or isn't compatible, and the website itself doesn't guarantee 100 percent accuracy. It's always best to check compatibility yourself.

Chromebooks 101

Chromebooks run ChromeOS and generally have slower and older Intel or AMD processors. Their operating system is primarily designed to run apps in the cloud, so it's stripped down to handle just the basics. (In some ways, it feels more like navigating a smartphone than an actual computer.) What it can handle on-device is saving and editing Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides files offline, saving and retrieving files from local storage, and playing mobile games, among other lightweight apps. Chromebooks' simplicity and ease of use in the classroom have made them a popular choice for students in high school and elementary school, especially during the pandemic.

Google has recently added a few quality-of-life features to ChromeOS, like customizing keyboard and mouse shortcuts, which have been available in Windows for a long time.

Small similarities

There are several ways that Copilot Plus PCs and Chromebooks are similar. Not only are they both productivity laptops, but they also share some of the same features: both come in traditional and 2-in-1 form factors (although as of now the only convertible Snapdragon laptop is the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x) and both have models with touchscreens and a host of port options, like USB-A, USB-C, and sometimes even HDMI or a microSD slot.

They both have their own AI ecosystem. Copilot Plus PCs have Microsoft's Cocreator, Live Captions, and Recall (which is not yet widely available but is accessible in Microsoft's latest Windows 11 build). The newest Chromebooks have Google Gemini and come with a free 12-month subscription for Google One AI Premium that includes access to Gemini Advanced and a few other features.

As of right now, both operating systems can run Android apps. On ChromeOS, you can download them directly from the Google Play Store, which comes installed on the device. For Copilot Plus PCs, you'll have to download the Windows Subsystem for Android app from Amazon's Appstore first.

(Microsoft is deprecating this feature in March 2025, so if you want to "run" Android apps on Windows, you'll have to use Phone Link to mirror them starting next year.)

Big differences

However, that's where the similarities end. In addition to much more powerful processors and a versatile operating system, Copilot Plus PCs are generally better-looking and come with brighter, more color-accurate OLED displays compared to the Chromebooks' IPS displays. They also usually have faster and larger storage drives, more memory, and a few more hours of battery life. A Wi-Fi 7 adapter is also a common feature, whereas Chromebooks have slower Wi-Fi 6E or earlier adapters. iPhone users can also now link their phone to the Windows OS, but ChromeOS is currently only compatible with Android.

However, ChromeOS is nicer to use on a touchscreen device compared to Windows. The user interface is also more streamlined and easier to navigate - I've had way better experiences using 2-in-1 Chromebooks in this way compared to Windows laptops with the same form factor. 

Finally, there is a price difference. Copilot Plus PCs are more expensive than Chromebooks because they can do much more and handle more than Chromebooks. The cheapest one available is Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7, which starts at $1,000 for the base model, while something like the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 with the same amount of memory and storage capacity and a similar display goes for $850 or less - and that's one of the pricier Chromebooks.

So, which should you get?

If you need to use your laptop for both work and personal tasks but are looking to save some cash, Copilot Plus PCs are the better alternative to Chromebooks - assuming that they can handle all the apps you require. They're cheaper than other Windows laptops, have longer battery lives, and can run most power-heavy apps. But if you don't need to manage data-stuffed spreadsheets or edit videos for a film class, a Chromebook will handle the basics just as well for much less.