Windows 11 is said to receive an AI Explorer feature, which will act as a kind of search engine that operates inside Microsoft’s operating system and will show results based on your current and past activity. Unfortunately, the company will reportedly keep the feature exclusive to PCs that are running the Snapdragon X Elite, along with other hardware limitations. This means that even if you have the latest and greatest Intel or AMD CPU, you could potentially be locked out from using AI Explorer.
Other requirements of running AI Explorer include 16GB RAM and 225GB of available storage
A source code for Windows 11 version 24H2 that Albacore spotted on X contains comments that hint at the potential system requirements for AI Explorer. XDA reports that one of those requirements is having a Snapdragon X Elite, along with 16GB of RAM and 225GB of free storage space. While obtaining more RAM and storage is not a difficult task, various laptop makers will unveil their versions of the Snapdragon X Elite soon, and only these machines can run AI Explorer.
We recently reported that the Snapdragon X Elite will power Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7 14 and the ThinkPad T14S, but since both of these laptops belong to the premium segment, customers have to spend a higher sum to daily-drive these machines. It is not exactly the most cost-effective route if you want to enjoy using AI Explorer on Windows 11. While ARM-based chipsets fueling Windows laptops appear to be the way forward, it is not prudent that Microsoft is locking out Intel and AMD users from using AI Explorer.
Turns out Windows 11 build 26100 (purported 24H2 RTM) contains the AI Explorer requirements 📃 baked into the OS
💠 ARM64 CPU
💠 16GiB of RAM
💠 225GiB system drive (total, not free space)
💠 Snapdragon X Elite NPU (HWID QCOM0D0A)
I guess that's one way to drive ARM64 adoption 😶🌫️ pic.twitter.com/ZbQf4KY1BN— Albacore ☁️ (@thebookisclosed) April 18, 2024
Hopefully, the company will consider the move it is about to make and will roll out an update that allows AI Explorer to be compatible with chips other than the Snapdragon X Elite. Until then, share your thoughts in the comments if you believe that the upcoming Windows 11 feature is worth upgrading to a new laptop with an entirely new silicon.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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