Written by Deanne
Edited on
10 July 2025
·
07:47
What's an NPU and what can you use it for?
An NPU is a neural processing unit. This special chip can quickly make complex calculations on your laptop. You need those fast calculations for AI tasks, such as designing images and generating texts. AI laptops with an NPU have a longer battery life, they're more energy-efficient, and they work faster. In this article, you'll read everything on an NPU and what you can use it for.
What's an NPU?
An NPU is a neural processing unit, a special chip that quickly makes complicated calculations. You need those complicated calculations when you use AI. The NPU makes a lot of calculations at the same time, so your laptop is faster. You measure the speed of an NPU with TOPS. TOPs stand for trillions of operations per second. The more TOPs, the faster the NPU processes calculations. NPUs work directly with other laptop parts like the storage. This way, less time is wasted moving data. This is what makes your laptop faster.
Fast and local text processing and a long battery life
Perform AI tasks fast
The NPU of your laptop ensures that you process AI tasks faster. The AI sends more power to the processor during more demanding tasks and it sends more power to the video card during graphics tasks. That way, your laptop works faster and you can switch between different programs more smoothly. That way, AI can generate images and texts faster. The NPU also makes sure your laptop and apps boot faster.
Process AI tasks locally
A large advantage of a laptop with an NPU is that you process AI tasks locally on your laptop. This means you don't always need an internet connection. That way, your data is well-protected. You can easily use AI, even when your internet connection doesn't work. In addition, processing local AI tasks is faster than when you do it online.
Long battery life
Laptops with an NPU are more energy-efficient and have a longer battery life. That's because the NPU is faster than a regular processor, the CPU. The NPU can process more calculations at the same time and performs tasks for the CPU, so the CPU won't have to process those demanding calculations. As a result, the CPU doesn't work as hard and consumes less energy. That way, the battery life of your laptop is longer.
Copilot+ PCs and AI with graphic design
Copilot+ PCs with an NPU
Copilot+ PCs all have an NPU. These laptops have built-in artificial intelligence. With Copilot+, you have a built-in AI assistant on your laptop that helps you with various tasks. Copilot+ helps you with finding documents, summarizing texts, or correcting spelling mistakes, for example. You can also turn drawings or sketches into real images. You perform these tasks smoothly and quickly thanks to the NPU in the Copilot+ PC.
Use AI with graphic tasks
Thanks to the NPU, AI generated images load faster. That makes sure you can use AI quickly and smoothly during graphic tasks, such as editing photos and videos. Remove objects in the background of your photo with AI, for example. Let AI determine which filter suits your photo or video bestr and easily adjust the lighting. Thanks to the NPU in your laptop, AI tasks load quickly and you can edit your images in no time.
Article by Deanne
Laptop Expert.
