TOPS: What is it, and why do you need it in a PC?
Scott Hocking
STACK Senior Editor
TOPS is an acronym you’re going to be hearing a lot, but what does it mean and how will it change the way you use a laptop?
Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PCs are poised to revolutionise the way we use Windows laptops, via a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of more than 40 TOPS. But what is TOPS, and why does it have technophiles excited?
In this case TOPS isn’t an adjective to describe Copilot+ PCs (but they are great), nor does it refer to the spinning variety. It’s a new metric for NPU performance in AI-powered PCs – namely the maximum volume of data that passes through a system, measured in trillions of operations per second (TOPS).
Yep, trillions per second! This speedy new processing unit makes Copilot+ PCs up to 20 times more powerful and 100 times more efficient at AI workloads than previous Windows laptops.
If you’ve used ChatGPT you’ll already be familiar with generative AI’s ability to harvest and summarise data at a blistering speed. Now think of that same power integrated into your laptop and at your fingertips whenever you need it.
The NPU powers the AI right there on the laptop, not via the internet, so you can tap into your Copilot+ securely and privately.
A little history: Before we had NPUs and Copilot+ PCs, a laptop’s CPU (central processing unit) handled tasks involving AI algorithms. But the demand for greater processing power has now seen the NPU take over the software and applications utilising AI.
TOPS has become a benchmark metric for NPU performance, with Microsoft stating that all Copilot+ PCs must have an NPU of at least 40 TOPS. Indeed, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips that power these new AI PCs integrate a Hexagon NPU that’s capable of up to 45 TOPS for AI operations, which is great news for users wanting even greater, lightning-fast performance.
TOPS is the new buzzword to describe the amazing processing power of AI PCs when compared to traditional PCs. Expect a race to the TOPS going forward, as laptop manufacturers strive for even faster operations per second as NPUs continue to evolve.
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