Overview
- Reporting from CES suggests the first PCs with Snapdragon X2 and Windows 11 26H1 preinstalled are expected by April 2026.
- Microsoft says 26H1 includes only platform changes for specific chips and that customers do not need to take any action.
- The release will ship on new X2 devices and will not be offered as an update for existing systems, with access otherwise limited to the Insider Canary channel.
- Testers can try 26H1 in the Canary channel, where current reference builds include 28020, though leaving Canary requires a full reinstall.
- OEMs and device reports highlight performance gains, lower power use and AI features such as a new Windows AI agent for Copilot+ PCs, with some models said to offer up to 18 CPU cores.