According to a review from Digital Trends, Microsoft is introducing PC Insights as an upcoming feature in its Copilot assistant, designed to help users diagnose common PC issues by interpreting natural language questions about hardware and storage. This feature reads system metrics such as CPU, RAM, and GPU usage as well as storage availability to offer diagnostic feedback without requiring advanced user knowledge.
- AI assistant offers natural language diagnostics on PC hardware and storage.
- Resource use of Copilot app may affect overall system performance.
- Opt-in feature with permission prompts for hardware-related queries.
Product angle
The source review reports that Microsoft’s PC Insights for Copilot will allow users to query system health metrics like CPU, RAM, GPU usage, and free storage using everyday language. Instead of navigating technical menus, users can simply ask if they have sufficient space for a large file or inquire about battery health. The feature aggregates essential diagnostics to assist in identifying potential resource constraints or hardware issues on Windows PCs.
PC Insights also scans connected peripheral devices such as USB drives, printers, and Bluetooth connections, promising comprehensive status checks. However, it is limited to providing diagnostic information rather than automatically resolving detected problems. Notably, the feature will require explicit user permission for hardware access requests to maintain security and privacy.
Best for / avoid if
This feature appears best suited for less technical PC users who need guidance to understand and diagnose performance or hardware concerns without deep technical expertise. Users who prefer natural language interaction over traditional system utilities may find PC Insights highly valuable for everyday troubleshooting and system awareness.
Conversely, users with older or resource-constrained systems may want to avoid relying heavily on this tool due to reported high RAM usage and storage demands by the Copilot app itself, which could exacerbate performance issues. Tech-savvy users or IT professionals might also prefer more granular, manual diagnostic tools that do not introduce additional system load.
Pricing and alternatives to check
Currently, no explicit pricing details are available for PC Insights as it is integrated into the Microsoft Copilot environment expected to ship as part of Windows updates. The feature will be opt-in and part of the broader AI assistant service bundled with Microsoft’s operating system, potentially at no additional cost depending on user licenses.
Alternatives include traditional system diagnostics tools like Windows Task Manager, Resource Monitor, or third-party utilities that offer detailed hardware performance monitoring with lower overhead. Users seeking AI-driven assistance for PC troubleshooting might also consider more lightweight solutions or specialized diagnostic apps based on their performance needs and system capabilities.