I have tested the new Asus laptop that generates images and translates calls thanks to the power of Microsoft Copilot+

The last few weeks have been a hive of news in the world of computers. One could even say that more things have happened and more news has been presented since the beginning of May than in recent years as a whole. And, all of them, pivoting around artificial intelligence.

The last—most recent—to sign up has been Apple when presenting its proposal at the keynote from the WWDC developer event just a few days ago. The Cupertino company has landed with a Endless list of features that finely integrate with your entire ecosystem and, when necessary, they will call on the power of ChatGPT.

Previously, at the Computex fair held in Taipei (Taiwan), Asus launched its range of laptops based on what Microsoft called Copilot+ PC. This is a series of new features that will gradually reach all those compatible devices with Windows 11 inside.

It’s about a new computer concept to which they have integrated a high dose of artificial intelligence, including some generative tools—for creating images, for example—that do not depend on an internet connection to function. Everything is done on the device itself and that is where one of the great innovations at the processor level lies.

Qualcomm and its ARM-based Snapdragon X range have been joined by Intel processors with their Lunar Lake family and AMD with some Ryzen; who bet on the Integration of AI cores to your traditional chips. Two different philosophies that are incorporated into the Asus ProArt laptop portfolio focused on those users who want to create content and that saw the light at the aforementioned Computex.

From the most demanding in terms of power – ProArt P16 and PX13 – to those that portability, flexibility and battery life prevail —ProArt PZ13—. The latter is the one that we have been able to test at EL ESPAÑOL – Omicrono during Computex and the one that has attracted the most public attention by equipping the new Snapdragon X Elite platform.

This processor uses a internal architecture similar to mobile phones that today everyone has in their pocket and follows in the footsteps of Apple with its M series of processors, which has already been in its fourth year for just a few weeks.

AI by flag

The axis of artificial intelligence in this new generation of Windows computers is Copilot+, a series of functions that Microsoft incorporates into its operating system and that They promise to make the daily lives of their users easier.. The essential requirement to be able to use these features with AI on a computer is that it has a neural processing unit (NPU) of at least 45 TOPS power.

The ProArt PZ13 that we have been able to test has exactly that number of TOPS so it is compatible with the tools developed by the Redmond company, with others made by Asus itself and those that will come from other companies. software. Among those that have given us the most Attention is drawn to Microsoft’s Recalla function that will serve as a perpetual reminder of everything the user has been doing in recent days.

One of the most common examples in which it can help is to remember a page viewed a long time ago and the content that was on it. “You can ask her to reopen the website where she saw a red dress last week”, they point out from Asus. And a browser tab will magically open. It also searches documents, presentations, spreadsheets… Microsoft is working with its applications to execute a fine integration that allows more and more capabilities.

Another of the most interesting tools of Copilot+ is the transcription and simultaneous translation incorporated into video calls. It is compatible with both Zoom and Microsoft Teams, two of the most popular services for holding these types of meetings. When Live Captions, as it is called, is activated, a top bar appears that extracts the voice of the person speaking, transforms it into text and automatically translates it into more than 40 languages.

In the generative AI section, we were able to try tools like Cocreator. It is a Generative AI to create images and text locally, without the need for an internet connection as was needed until now. The function is complemented by an application developed by Asus that we were also able to test and that allows the creation of images with only a very schematic freehand sketch and a brief text description.

Beyond the production of images, the Taiwanese company provides a AI capable of classifying images saved on the device and then apply filters such as the type of camera they are made with or the people who appear. Likewise, it incorporates a function that lowers the brightness when the user is not looking at the screen to preserve their privacy while saving energy. And finally, a smart noise cancellation tool for video calls.

In terms of user experience, all these AI functions are channeled through the Copilot key present on all laptops with this type of technology inside. Simply click to open the tools you want to use at the moment. For Asus’s part, its tools with artificial intelligence have transformed them into applications that will come pre-installed on the devices.

Portability and autonomy

One of the pillars of computers with Snapdragon X processors is the great autonomy they offer. As with Apple’s new M chips, Qualcomm’s use ARM architecture as a solution to energy problems that until now were carried by traditional processors, allowing up to 18 hours of continuous use. A number impossible to achieve until now in such a thin chassis.

To this highly refined energy management is added a power that from Qualcomm indicate that it surpasses Apple’s M3 processors, the penultimate to arrive and those currently starring on the block’s computers. Although this data will have to be confirmed through performance tests, the sensations it provides in our test are more than correct and similar to those of any modern processor straight out of the box.

The Asus ProArt PZ13 is really a convertible that can function as a tablet and a complete laptop. The device weighs 850 grams and with a thickness of 9 millimeterswhich makes it a good alternative for viewing multimedia content or creating content thanks to its digital pen.

The second derivative comes when The portable case designed by Asus is attached to turn it into a workstation complete. The case also provides support in the purest style of the Microsoft Surface Pro and a full keyboard along with a trackpad. The sensations are good, although we miss the possibility of the keyboard having a certain angle with respect to the horizontal to improve the posture of the hands when writing.

The screen is a 13-inch OLED with a 16:10 aspect ratio and 3K resolution. As is usually the case with this type of touch panels, They generate a lot of annoying reflections and can cause eye fatigue after a few hours working. The memory section is resolved with versions that can reach up to 16 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of internal storage.

At the moment the exact date on which this computer goes on sale is unknown, although Asus has indicated that they most likely expect it to be between the end of the third trimester or the beginning of the fourth. The price it will have has not been revealed either, although it will almost certainly cross the 1,000 euro barrier like its brothers from the same ProArt series.