Microsoft’s comprehensive Recall software also works on non-AI computers

A few weeks ago, Microsoft officially launched the era of AI-enabled PCs with a major event, which mainly featured the use of Qualcomm chips. Microsoft has gone all out with impressive specs, which have quickly drawn comparisons to Apple’s MacBook Air. However, Microsoft is adding a host of new AI tools that should take full advantage of the underlying technology.

Now it turns out that at least one of these tools does not necessarily require such a special computer. This tool is Recall, which is supposed to allow you to find everything on your computer. It should serve as a photographic memory of what you saw on your computer, so you can describe it and find it again.

What is it exactly?

According to the tutorial on Tom’s devices Microsoft has released a special version of Windows 11 intended for PC manufacturers (OEMs). The tool is here Downloadable and contains the recall program. But then you’re not there yet. The system instantly checks whether it is linked to a special AI-powered computer. In other words, whether your computer meets the system requirements.

And don’t worry, there is a solution for that too, which is to fake the specifications. It’s not explained much how this works, but it’s certainly not rocket science. Anyway, the result is impressive: a Samsung PC without particularly high specs, running Recall. The computer has a Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 processor (4x Cortex-A78 @ 2.40 GHz, 4x Cortex-A55 @ 1.50 GHz), 3.4 GB of usable RAM and a 256 GB SSD.

So…there’s no need for an AI computer?

Although, according to Tom’s Hardware, Recall seems to run just fine on a PC with lower specs than the Copilot+ PC, with this Copilot+ PC, you’ll likely be better prepared for the future of AI. Because these new computers require additional dedicated hardware Processing unit Offers, specifically designed for AI, you can perform more different AI tasks at the same time. This is something you are unlikely to be able to do with an “old-fashioned” computer. But that doesn’t make it any less interesting that Recall, a tool advertised as a typical AI application, may already be running on your or your mother’s computer.

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