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I Switched to an AI PC for a Month: Here's What Actually Changed in My Workflow

I Switched to an AI PC for a Month: Here's What Actually Changed in My Workflow

From real-time transcription to local generative power at your fingertips, is the 'Smart PC' finally a reality? I try to dig in on an Intel-powered laptop.

Written by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 22 December 2025 22:37 IST

I Switched to an AI PC for a Month: Here's What Actually Changed in My Workflow

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Highlights

I was using the Dell XCPS 13 laptop
It offers a 13-inch 120Hz display with 500nits brightness
It is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V Series processor

For as long as I've been writing about technology, my relationship with my laptop has been purely transactional. I give a command, the machine executes it, and that's how we both go about our day. And, of course, that's how most of you have it as well - mostly a one-way street. But after spending a solid month with the Dell XPS 13 powered by the Intel Core Ultra, that dynamic is starting to feel a bit dated.

With the entire "AI PC is here" campaign heavily promoted on socials, I have started feeling that tagline might have some weight. I finally saw a shift where the laptop I picked for a month wasn't just a dumb tool but was trying to be my daily companion, learning my usage patterns, whether for charging the machine or the apps I used most. Sounds like a bold claim, right? And it's about the little things that affect daily use, like how the laptop automatically blurred the background during a product briefing on a Teams meeting, and even smartly adjusted the webcam to keep me in the frame. In another instance, the laptop automatically silenced ambient noise during a presentation call in a crowded cafe. It was more like an intuitive machine, not waiting for me to do these minor system tweaks. But before I get into the "brains" of the thing, let's look at the canvas. Dell's XPS 13 is a no-brainer for power users with top-tier hardware, but the real star is the silicone under the hood.

Intel convinced me to swap my daily driver for the XPS 13 powered by a Core Ultra 7 256V processor 2 to see if these AI-enabled PCs actually change the way we work, or if it's all just a marketing campaign. And, more importantly, are AI PCs catered to a specific age group, or are they perfect for students, remote workers, and gamers, thus reaching different age groups?

AI PCs Are Becoming a Daily Work Companion

One of the biggest realisations I had over the last four weeks was that the most impactful AI features aren't the flashy ones—they're the ones you will never see. AI-enabled laptops are moving away from being static boxes thanks to the dedicated NPU (Neural Processing Unit). This machine handles the heavy lifting that used to freeze it, so we no longer need to use Control + Alt + Delete.

In the past, if I wanted to run an app that handled background noise or heavy system optimisations, it would eat up CPU cycles, leading to lag or, worse, a loud fan noise. Now, the NPU takes that weight off the CPU's shoulders - an efficient way to optimise tasks on your laptop or PC.

Some of us have been used to those tiny lags when switching between heavy apps or the manual chore of tweaking battery settings. While living with the XPS 13 powered by the Intel chip, those rough edges were ironed out. Whether it was the way the system prioritised my most used apps, like Photoshop, Slack or even Microsoft Documents, or managed background tasks efficiently, the laptop felt more like an adaptive machine and for all the right reasons.

But one question I kept asking myself in the last month was: who actually needs this? Is it just for the pro-users, students, creators, or the tech-obsessed? Honestly, the more I used it, the more I realised this shift affects all consumers across age groups, be it for college students who would now not need to run for charging adapters in the middle of their lectures or remote workers who can now use AI-enabled tools more efficiently, or even gamers who will see AI optimisations for top-notch performance. Notably, the future of AI PCs isn't arriving; it's already here, thanks to powerful processors like Intel's powering the Dell XPS 13.

After a month of use, one feeling that has stayed with me is that the laptop isn't just about computing; it's about smart optimisations that finally make our everyday lives a little less frustrating. From automating tasks to personalising user experiences, AI is making PCs more intuitive and user-friendly.

From Ideation to Export: Why Creators are Moving to AI Laptops

Let's be real: for any creator, the real enemy isn't a lack of talent—it's the time. There is nothing quite as disappointing as watching a rendering progress or hitting a creative wall because your machine is stuck. For years, we've been accustomed to the cloud for anything smart, but that's exactly where the AI-enabled laptops like the Dell XPS 13 running Intel's Core Ultra chip step in. The shift from cloud-based dependency for enabling smart features to on-device processing is simple but has a deeper impact, thus shortening the gap between having a new idea for the next project and hitting the export button. The AI-enabled PCs or laptops streamline the entire creative process — from ideation to editing — using software such as Adobe Suite and Audacity, both optimised for AI acceleration.

Think about the traditional workflow where you spend some time hunting through paid asset libraries, like Getty Images, for a good enough image for your upcoming project, and cut to 2025, where you create the image you need with tools like the Intel AI Playgrounds or Distinct AI on your machine with simple prompts. It's faster, sure, but it also solves a massive privacy headache.

Of course, once you move from the ideation phase into actual production, that's where the specialised tools really prove their worth. For example, take the Adobe Creative Suite apps, which were once notorious for being resource-intensive and freezing the PC. Now, the NPU handles such resource-heavy tasks, and the "system freeze" is becoming a thing of the past. The AI-powered PCs or laptops help professionals and creators with smart content generation, real-time transcription, and enhanced workflow management - something that wasn't possible earlier. Thanks to the efficient handling, the laptop doesn't just feel faster; it feels more capable, which is finally convincing creators to make the jump to an AI PC.

Interestingly, when some people hear the term AI PC or AI-enabled laptop, they often imagine a scene from a sci-fi movie or a character like Iron Man coding with his AI assistant, Jarvis. But after living with the Dell XPS 13 powered by Intel Core Ultra for a month, I've realised the truth is much more grounded and frankly, practical.

When I said my workflow changed, that doesn't mean I was doing new tasks, but the repetitive and frustrating tasks of my job - the noise, lag, endless searching, and the battery anxiety - died down. That is what a Smart PC does; it clears the path so you can just do the work.

Dell XPS 13 (9345) Laptop

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Graphics
Sound
Value for Money

Good
Tandem OLED display is gorgeous
Excellent form factor and design
Good performance
Very good battery life
Copilot+ support

Bad
Keyboard is cramped
Not enough ports
Touch function row isn't that great

Read detailed Dell XPS 13 (9345) review

Display size 13.40-inch

Display resolution 2880x1800 pixels

Touchscreen Yes

Processor Snapdragon X Elite

RAM 16GB

OS Windows 11

SSD 512GB

Graphics Qualcomm Adreno GPU

Weight 1.19 kg

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Further reading: Intel Core Ultra 200V series

Ketan Pratap

Email Ketan

Ketan Pratap is the Editor at Gadgets 360. His primary role - debugging the tech hype, benchmarking the future, and compiling it all into precise news, features or reviews. He has spent over 14 years calling out vaporware and identifying the best tech. He’s your guide for everything from chipsets to smart-home meltdowns. When his own batteries are low, he heads for the hills—literally. He’s someone who prefers a remote mountain pass, appreciating a 12,000-foot view that no VR ...More