The best Windows laptop of 2024 so far: 17

The best Windows laptop we've tested in 2024 so far is — drumroll, please — the HP OmniBook X.

Not only does it have surprisingly long battery life, but its performance beats the likes of the M3 MacBook Pro and M3 MacBook Air. The OmniBook X is a part of a new wave of Copilot+ machines and Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite PCs.

What is a Copilot+ PC?

If you've been out of the loop, one of the chuckle-worthy reasons Copilot+ PCs gained popularity is because Microsoft announced the new AI-powered Recall feature alongside its new Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 devices (which were one of the first Copilot+ PCs to hit the market.)

Microsoft made it clear that you can only enjoy Recall if you get a Copilot+ PC.

Surface Laptop 7, a Copilot+ PC Credit: Microsoft

Recall, which takes continuous screenshots of your display so you can search your own digital footprint via a timeline, caused a lot of controversy. If social media is anything to go by, many people were creeped out by it. Cybersecurity pundits were concerned about Recall's safety, calling it a "privacy nightmare."

Recall was supposed to launch alongside the new crop of Copilot+ PCs, which are AI-powered Windows laptops that must have a qualified NPU, a specialized processor that handles AI tasks.

The processor that's been outfitted in many Copilot+ PCs these days is the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip. And let me tell you — it's been shaking up the laptop industry.

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Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite threatens MacBooks

Last year, if you were to ask me, a laptop reviewer and expert, "Which laptop should I get that has long battery life and robust performance?", I'd advise you to get an M3 MacBook.

Apple's 15-inch M3 MacBook Air Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

While you can find a Windows laptop with great performance, they're not the most power-efficient machines, particularly compared to MacBooks.

However, the launch of Copilot+ PCs, which often sport a Snapdragon X Elite chip, has me changing my tune in 2024. Qualcomm boasted that it beats the M3 chip in power efficiency and performance — and it's not wrong.

Mashable tested its first Copilot+ PC, the Snapdragon X Elite-packed HP OmniBook X, and it is a game-changer in the Windows laptop space.

HP OmniBook X beats M3 MacBook Air in battery life and performance

We ran a 1080p video rundown test to determine how long the OmniBook X lasts on a charge. So imagine our surprise when we saw that the HP laptop survived for an incredible 16 hours and 47 minutes. That's nearly 17 hours.

HP OmniBook X Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

MacBooks typically last quite long, but the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air tapped out after just 10 hours and 52 minuteson the same test.

• HP OmniBook X battery life: nearly 17 hours

• M3 MacBook Air: nearly 11 hours

On Geekbench 6, which tests for processor performance, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip delivered a multi-core score of 13,888, beating the M3 MacBook Air's score of 12,057.

HP OmniBook X Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

For what it's worth, we also tested the OmniBook X against the M3 MacBook Pro. The HP laptop beat it, too (13,888 vs. 11,998).

• HP OmniBook X Geekbench 6 score: 13,888

• M3 MacBook Air: 12,057

• M3 MacBook Pro: 11,998

As such, if you're not married to the Apple ecosystem, and you're OS agnostic, the HP OmniBook may be the best choice for you if you're looking for a long-lasting, high-performing PC.

You can purchase the HP OmniBook X with 1TB of storage at Best Buy for $1,199.There’s also a cheaper variant, sporting 512GB of storage, that will set you back $1,049.99 via HP.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy HP OmniBook X $1,199.00 at Best Buy