It looks like Microsoft's popular Surface Go and less popular Surface Laptop Go are on the chopping block. According to my sources that are familiar with Microsoft's hardware roadmap, these devices are no longer being manufactured, and no successors are currently planned

Just like the Surface Studio, Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Duo, Surface Hub, Surface Book, Surface Headphones, and Surface Earbuds before them, the Surface Go and Surface Laptop Go are the latest Surface PCs to reach the Microsoft graveyard, and completes the Surface portfolio culling that began in 2023.

Now, the Surface portfolio consists exclusively of Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, with varying screen sizes and power capabilities spread between them. Surface Pro features a 12-inch and 13-inch model, and the Surface Laptop features 13-inch, 13.8-inch, and 15-inch models with a special Ultra model coming this fall.

Sources say that Surface Go and Surface Laptop Go stock may still exist at certain retailers and in certain regions, but once that stock has depleted, it won't be replaced. When asked for comment, a Microsoft representative pointed me to the new Surface website, which notably doesn't include Surface Go or Laptop Go anymore.

Surface Go is a particularly surprising device to be killed off, as I understood that it was very popular with enterprise customers.

In fact, it was so popular with enterprises that Surface Go became a device exclusively for commercial customers with its final generation. Surface Go 1-3 were available for both consumers and commercial customers, but Surface Go 4 only ever saw a release for commercial customers.

Fascinatingly, I'm told Microsoft had planned to ship a Surface Go 5 at some point in the last couple of years, and it was going to be powered by a low-end Snapdragon chip. Unfortunately, when the company asked its enterprise customers for feedback, it found that most of them weren't interested in an Arm version of the device, and so that plan was scrapped.

Surface Laptop Go was pretty much replaced with the 13-inch Surface Laptop, which addressed the Laptop Go's biggest flaws such as the lack of a backlit keyboard and low-resolution display. Surface Go on the other hand hasn't really seen a replacement, as the 12-inch Surface Pro is significantly more expensive (and much larger) than the Surface Go 4 was at $579.

Of course, Surface Go originally launched at an astonishingly affordable $399 in 2018, albeit with very low-end specs that made the device hard to recommend. The Surface Go 3 and Surface Go 4 were the first versions with enough power to handle daily tasks without any noticeable performance loss, but their prices were much higher as a result.

I'm told that the decision to kill off these devices wasn't influenced by the ongoing RAMpocalypse, as the decision was made many months before memory prices became a problem for the company.

Now, the Surface portfolio is left with just two devices, Surface Pro and Surface Laptop. Many would argue these devices are no longer interesting or innovative from a form factor perspective, serving only to compete with whatever Apple is doing on their side of the fence. With Surface Laptop Ultra coming in the fall as a clear MacBook Pro competitor, this has never been more true.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft is now selling new configurations of the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch with 8GB RAM in an attempt to quell the ongoing component pricing crisis that has seen the cost of Surface PCs skyrocket in recent months. These new affordable models will now start at $849 for the Surface Pro and $949 for the Surface Laptop.

Outside of the new RAM configuration, nothing else is new with these devices. These are still the 1st Edition models of the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch, powered by Qualcomm's now last-gen Snapdragon X Plus, along with 256GB of storage. These devices originally launched with 16GB RAM at $799 and $899, but saw price hikes to over $1,000 earlier this year.

Now that Microsoft has introduced models with less RAM, the company has been able to bring pricing back below $1,000. The company has been working to ensure Windows 11 is better optimized to run on devices with less than 16GB RAM, including disabling things like Widgets and other under the hood optimizations.

Of course, these new configurations also don't have any Copilot+ PC AI capabilities, as one of the requirements for that is a minimum of 16GB RAM. That means Windows 11 will be lighter right out of the gate, as it doesn't have to deal with all the advanced AI features that ship as part of PCs with higher RAM configurations.

Microsoft will continue to sell models with 16GB RAM for those who want to splash out on something a little more capable, but for many who just need a computer for basic tasks and workflows, the 8GB configurations should be fine enough. The good news is if you're not sure if 8GB is enough, the Microsoft Store offers a 60 day return policy, giving you plenty of time to buy the device and try it out before committing.

The new 8GB RAM options only appear to apply to the midrange Surface Laptop 13-inch and Surface Pro 12-inch. The flagship Surface Laptop 8th Generation and Surface Pro 12th Generation are not currently available with 8GB RAM configurations, meaning they still start with 16GB RAM for $1,499.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft just announced even more Surface devices for us to gawk at. The Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 have been refreshed with Snapdragon X2 chips, placing the latest processors in Surface's flagship devices.

While the new Surface Pro 12 ($1,499) and Surface Laptop 8 ($1,599) appear to be lovely PCs, they start at $500 and $600 more than their predecessors did at launch, respectively.

I hate seeing people priced out of buying a PC they want, but that's the market we live in right now.

It's a terrible time to buy any premium PC (or most MacBooks)

Due to the ongoing component shortage, which is best known for the RAM crisis, computer prices have gone up significantly in the last year. Microsoft increased prices for all Surface PCs back in April, making flagships $500 more expensive than at launch. But Microsoft is far from the only laptop maker to raise prices.

Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others have raised prices since the summer of 2025. The size of those increases depends on how many components the respective companies stockpiled, but every laptop maker has felt the squeeze.

Even Apple, with its tight grip on its own hardware and supply chain, has raised prices over the last year.

Laptops with 8GB of RAM are back on the menu to provide some sort of budget option. Windows 11 is better with 8GB of RAM than many give it credit for, but many people want at least 16GB of RAM in a PC.

It's difficult to recommend any premium laptop right now unless there's a good deal.

Budget laptops are carving a new niche

Affordable laptops are nothing new. But the latest wave of budget laptops stand out due to their build quality and design. The new Dell XPS 13 looks sleek, has a 120Hz display, supports Dolby Atmos, and has modern specs like dual Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7. It's a great choice for students or people who want an affordable PC for everyday computing.

Apple disrupted the budget laptop market with the MacBook Neo. With a starting price of $599, the MacBook Neo made some OEMs scramble. Even manufacturers that had budget laptops in the works before the MacBook Neo have to face head-to-head comparisons because of Apple's surprise announcement.

👉 MacBook Neo is no longer the best deal in computing

Premium devices like the Surface Pro 12 and the Surface Laptop 8 provide better experiences than budget offerings. But the difference in price is difficult to justify for everyday users.

The component shortage and the fact that high‑end laptops now overshoot everyday needs have made machines like the new XPS 13, the MacBook Neo, and other sub‑$700 options the smarter buy for most people.

Surface sales are still lacking

Surface shopping is even worse since quality sales are few and far between. Even if you buy last-gen tech, you'll pay current-gen prices.

The Surface Laptop 7 came out in 2024. While it's a nice laptop, it shows its age when compared to something like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11). That means that even a discounted Surface Laptop 7 is a poor choice compared to newer options in the same price range.

The Surface Pro 11 is a bit different because of its form factor, but it's still difficult to find one at a good price.

You can find small discounts on the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 if you look around. Best Buy has discounts of up to $400 on the Surface Pro 11 right now. But they're a far cry from the sales we saw last year around the holidays or before the RAM crisis really took off.

If you absolutely need a Surface right now, you should look at models on clearance or certified refurbished models.

With the base price of PCs going up, sale prices aren't as good as they used to be. In some cases, a $400 discount just drops a laptop to what it cost one year ago.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Last month, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12, powered by Intel Core Ultra series 3 chips and made available exclusively for business customers for a very high price. Today, the company is announcing the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 again, but this time with Snapdragon X2 chips and more consumer-friendly pricing.

While the Snapdragon models are cheaper than the Intel ones, they're still significantly more expensive than the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 were when they first launched in 2024.

The new Surface Laptop 8 with Snapdragon X2 starts at $1,599, and the Surface Pro 12 starts at $1,499. The entry-level SKUs include a Snapdragon X2 Plus with 16GB RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. To compare, the Surface Laptop 7 launched in 2024 with a Snapdragon X Plus with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage for just $999.

So the new devices are $600 and $500 more expensive respectively, owing to the ongoing component pricing crisis caused by AI. The good news is Microsoft is offering incentives to upgrade to these new models. Between now and June 30, if you buy the new Surface Pro 13, it comes with a Surface Pro keyboard for free! If you order the Surface Laptop, you'll get a free Surface Arc Mouse, and a 50% off offer for Microsoft Complete.

Microsoft is also offering more money for trade-ins currently, so if you have an existing device that you don't need or want to swap for a new model, you can now save up to $900. It's clear the company is hoping that these deals will encourage users to upgrade to the newer models.

So what's actually new outside of the silicon? Well, Microsoft is touting 53% faster graphics performance compared to the last gen models, along with longer battery life on the Surface Pro, now coming in at 15.5 hours, and up to 20 hours on Surface Laptop.

The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is now available in Dune, and the Surface Laptop 8 itself now comes in a beautiful new Jade green colorway. The Surface Laptop also has a new display on the 15-inch variant with a much higher resolution, coming in at 262PPI. The Laptop also has a new haptic trackpad, which provides subtle feedback when interacting with Windows.

The devices are now also available with more RAM configurations. The last-gen models could only be configured with either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB RAM. The new devices now have a 24GB RAM option for those who find 16GB too little but 32GB too much, similar to what Apple does with the Mac.

Overall, these are nice quality of life upgrades for the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro. Whether they are worth the higher starting prices will be up to buyers to device. The devices are available to order today for consumers, with business variants of the Snapdragon X2 devices coming on July 14 which will include the same privacy screen features as found on the Intel variants.

Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 specifications

If you're interested in the full specification breakdown on these new Surface PCs, we've compiled all the information into handy spec tables that you can view below.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Just days after announcing the RTX Spark-powered Surface Laptop Ultra (coming later this year), Microsoft has today announced a second RTX Spark device for the Surface portfolio, this time aimed solely at developers looking for a mini PC that can run sustained AI workloads with a 100W thermal envelope.

Officially dubbed the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, this Microsoft-made mini PC will be available to purchase later this year, and features one petaflip of AI compute power and 128GB of unified memory, which is capable of running up to 120B parameter models locally without needing to reach out to the cloud.

It also features WSL2 with native GPU passthrough, full CUDA support, Visual Studio Code, GitHub Copilot, and many other Microsoft-made developer tools pre-installed.

No other details about the device have been revealed, and pricing is still a mystery. But since we know RTX Spark devices won't be cheap, expect this device to cost somewhere in the thousands when it ships later this year.

The Surface RTX Dev Box will be Microsoft's first Surface-branded mini PC. This isn't the first dev box that the company has shipped, however. In 2023, Microsoft shipped the Windows Developer Kit, powered by a Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 with 32GB RAM, aimed at developers looking to build Windows apps for Arm.

The Surface RTX Spark Dev Box is a much more polished product, with a much wider target audience. It's for developers, but not just developers who want to build for Windows on Arm. It's for all developers, looking to build software and AI experiences. The company wants Windows to be the platform for developers, not just Windows developers.

We'll have more to share about the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box as information becomes available. In the meantime, is this a product you might be interested in buying? Let us know in the comments.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has confirmed that its new midrange Surface Laptop for 2026 will be made available with 8GB RAM later this year in a desperate bid to bring its starting price down. This will be the first Surface PC to ship with less than 16GB RAM since the launch of Copilot+ PCs in 2024, meaning it'll not support any Copilot+ PC features.

The Surface Laptop 13-inch is supposed to be Microsoft's more affordable Surface Laptop offering, featuring midrange specs, but the ongoing RAM crisis has pushed the company into a tough spot. The original business model launched for $1,099 in 2025, but the new model with Intel's latest Core Ultra 3 chips, 16GB RAM, and 256GB storage now starts at an eye-watering $1,499.

That's obviously a problem, and so the company's solution is to introduce a model with less RAM to bring that entry-level price down. The 8GB RAM model will start at $1,299, which is somewhat more reasonable, but it's still a laptop with only 8GB RAM in 2026. The recent MacBook Neo also launched with 8GB RAM, but that device costs just $599.

"Available starting today in select markets in 16GB and 24GB configurations starting at $1,499 (MSRP), with an 8GB configuration coming later this year starting at $1,299.99 (MSRP)," Microsoft says.

Of course, for many people, 8GB RAM is still more than enough, but that lack of headroom is going to limit the longevity of this device. Plus, buying a PC that isn't Copilot+ PC capable makes little sense these days, as you miss out on features like semantic search, Click To Do, and even Windows Recall.

The 8GB RAM model will include an NPU that is capable of outputting 50 TOPS of power, meaning it has the silicon to support Copilot+ PC features, but it won't have enough memory. That's a shame, as it means the NPU on that device will essentially be useless, as most Copilot+ features need at least 16GB RAM to even qualify to use the NPU.

Alongside the new midrange Surface Laptop 13-inch, Microsoft also announced new flagship Surface Pro and Surface Laptop hardware for business customers today. These devices start at an earth-shattering $1,949, but feature display upgrades and a new haptic trackpad, along with Intel's more powerful Series 3 chips.

The Surface Laptop 13-inch with 16GB RAM is available to order today from Microsoft's commercial storefront. The company hasn't confirmed when the 8GB RAM model will be made available.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft just unveiled its next-gen wave of Surface PCs for 2026, launching first for business customers and featuring upgraded displays, haptics, and new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips. Luckily, the company has already confirmed that Snapdragon X2 models are also on the way, but they won't be available for a handful of more months yet.

I exclusively revealed earlier this year that Microsoft was planning a two-stage launch for its next wave of Surface hardware this year, and the company has now finally confirmed those plans. Today, its new Surface Pro 12, Surface Laptop 8, and Surface Laptop 13-inch are available for business customers, with Snapdragon X2 models for consumers, along with a refreshed Surface Pro 12-inch and Intel and Snapdragon, expected to arrive over the summer.

"Later this year, we will extend the Surface for Business portfolio with models featuring the Snapdragon® X2 processors. Whether your teams are in the boardroom, at a customer site, or working from anywhere, these AI PCs are built to perform at the speed of business," says Microsoft.

Many will find it disappointing that Microsoft isn't launching the Snapdragon X2 models alongside the Intel variants, but sources tell us this is due to component availability. Snapdragon X2 chips are in high demand, and manufacturing on these models is a few months behind the Intel variants. That, and Microsoft isn't ready to ship the consumer models just yet.

The good news is they are coming, and Microsoft has confirmed that you'll be seeing them on store shelves later this year, and sources say they are likely to feature OLED displays on the Laptop 8 for the first time, and the same haptic touchpad improvements that are now shipping on the new Intel models. Of course, if you can't wait, you don't have to be a business to buy these new Intel models today.

If you are interested in buying a new Surface, you can grab a new Surface Pro 12, Surface Laptop 8, or Surface Laptop 13-inch with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips directly from Microsoft's commercial storefront, with prices starting at $1,499 for the midrange Surface Laptop and $1,949 for the flagship devices.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It's that time of year again! Microsoft has just unveiled new versions of its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices, now powered by Intel's new Core Ultra Series 3 chipset that are shipping now, and Snapdragon X2 models that are coming later in the year.

Today, the company is launching four refreshed Surface PCs, all of which are targeting its business customers. The devices being updated today are the Surface Pro 13-inch, Surface Laptop 13-inch, Surface Laptop 13.8-inch, and Surface Laptop 15-inch. All of these products are priced very high, with the flagships starting at almost $2,000.

The flagship Surface Laptop 13.8- and 15-inch are the stars of the show, featuring the most notable upgrades with new display options. Certain new Surface Laptop configurations now include a hardware privacy screen filter that can be enabled on the device, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The 15-inch model now also ships with a much higher resolution display, bumping its PPI up from 201 to 262. That means Windows renders text much sharper, and icons should look clearer compared to the smaller model and the last-gen 15-inch model. The displays are still LCD backlit, but OLED options are rumored to be coming later this year, likely alongside the consumer variants of the Laptop 8.

The other big upgrade on the new flagship Surface Laptops are with the touchpad. These devices now ship with an upgraded trackpad that features support for Windows 11's new haptic signals feature, which will provide subtle feedback when interacting with certain elements of the Windows 11 UI, such as snapping app windows and aligning objects.

You can read more about the new Surface Laptop 8 in our review, which is live now!

The Surface Laptop 13-inch, which is supposed to be Microsoft's midrange Surface Laptop offering, is shipping with Intel chips and an anti-reflective display for the first time. This device is otherwise exactly the same as the last-gen model, but now starts at a much higher price of $1,499.

Microsoft has confirmed that later this year, it will introduce a version of the Surface Laptop 13-inch with 8GB RAM to bring that starting price down to $1,299. This cheaper model will not be Copilot+ PC compatible as a result.

The flagship Surface Pro 13-inch is mainly getting a spec bump with the new Intel Core Ultra chips. The overall design remains the same as the last-gen Surface Pro 13-inch, though the Surface Slim Pen is being updated to support Windows 11's new haptic feedback system. Unfortunately, the Flex Keyboard is not getting the same haptic trackpad as what's found on the new Surface Laptop flagships.

Both the flagship Surface Pro and Surface Laptops now start at an eye-watering $1,949 for an Intel Core Ultra 5 and 16GB RAM. These prices are tough to swallow, but Microsoft says this is due to the ongoing component shortage.

For those wondering about consumer models or a new Surface Pro 12-inch, I'm told these are coming in the next handful of months, likely over the summer if plans don't change. I revealed earlier this year that Microsoft's wave of new Surface PCs this year would ship in two waves, and that's exactly what we're seeing happening today. OLED variants of the Surface Laptop are also expected to launch over the summer.

Both the flagship Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, alongside the midrange Surface Laptop 13-inch, are available to order directly via Microsoft's commercial storefront today.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft's Surface phone efforts are long dead, but a patent newly discovered by Windows Central has revealed that the company has continued to explore the form factor since the Surface Duo line was scrapped in 2023. We already know that a third-generation device was going to pivot to a folding screen, and now we know more about the new hinge that would've accompanied it.

According to this new patent, Microsoft was exploring a "spring-loaded" hinge design that would have made opening the device easier with one hand. A common complaint with folding phones today is that it's difficult to pry open the two halves when closed, whether that be because of the flat edges of the device or the strength of the magnets.

It seems Microsoft was aware of this problem, and engineered a solution that included a button that when pressed, would push open the two halves of the device slightly for you, making it easier to open the device with your fingers or thumbs.

The patent details two potential implementations of this spring-loaded hinge. One design places the spring release buton on the spine of the device, whereas the other places it in the power button. My sources say that some Surface Duo 3 prototypes included a two-stage power button that when pressed all the way, initiated the spring loaded hinge. So it's clear the company was exploring multiple iterations of this design.

The patent application reads:

"One example can include a first portion and a second portion that are rotatably secured through a range of rotation from an open orientation to a closed orientation. This example can also include a selective isolation assembly configured to convert rotational torque associated with rotating the first and second portions toward the closed orientation to a compressive force that compresses a spring. The selective isolation assembly is configured to disconnect the first and second portions and the compressed spring as the first and second portions approach the closed orientation."

Microsoft's pivot to a folding screen design happened in 2022 after the company decided that dual-screen wasn't appealing well to the market. With the pivot, I understand that the company knew that it would need to differentiate a folding screen smartphone from the competition somehow, and the spring-loaded hinge design was one way of doing that.

I'm told the folding Surface phone was codenamed Neon, and would have been the successor to the Surface Duo 2 had it ever shipped. It was targeting a 2023 or 2024 launch window, but that never happened after the company pulled back on spending and cut the Surface portfolio down to just the bare essentials.

It's hard to tell, but I believe this patent was filed in 2024, so a year after the Surface Duo line was scrapped. This is likely a remnant from before the product line was scrapped, and isn't an indication that the company is once again exploring phones.

With that said, I am still of the belief that an Android-powered Microsoft phone makes a lot of sense, though at this point nobody should give them the chance if they did ever decide to try again. Not after Windows Phone, and not after Surface Duo.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft is preparing new updates for its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop lines of PCs that will feature new chips, upgraded displays, and other quality-of-life improvements. The company is planning to ship both Intel and Snapdragon models in a two-stage rollout that will see the Intel models launch first.

According to sources familiar with the plans, Microsoft will launch new Surface PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra 3 chips this spring, followed by Snapdragon X2 variants in the summer. The devices will start with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage, with options going all the way up to 64GB RAM and 2TB storage in the highest-end models, confirmed by early retail listings of the products, which have since been pulled.

Externally, I’m told these devices should look similar to their previous generation models, meaning no significant design upgrades are expected, outside of minor tweaks and new colors. For the flagships, the main upgrade outside of the new chips will be in the display department.

For the first time, I hear that Microsoft is planning to ship OLED variants of the Surface Laptop. Just like on the Surface Pro, the OLED models will only be available on the higher-end configurations, with IPS remaining for the entry-level models. Some models will also feature a higher resolution screen for the first time.

I also hear that these new devices include upgraded haptics, likely tied to Windows 11’s recently announced improved haptics system that is designed to provide haptic feedback when interacting with the OS, such as snapping windows or dragging files.

For the smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, I’m told that not much will be changing. Under the hood, I hear Microsoft is planning to introduce Intel variants of these devices for the first time, meaning you’ll be able to find both Intel and Snapdragon in all Surface PC offerings this year.

Microsoft is likely opting to ship the Snapdragon models later due to the availability of the chips, which sources say are currently in short supply. In 2024, Microsoft launched the Snapdragon models first, updating the devices with Intel options for business customers later. This time, it seems the reverse is happening, with Intel models coming first, followed by Snapdragon variants a couple of months after.

Unfortunately, I’m told Microsoft is not planning to offer any Surface PCs with Qualcomm’s new high-end Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme SoC, with only X2 Plus and X2 Elite options planned for this wave. Intel models are expected to be available in Ultra 5 and Ultra 7 variants, with no Ultra 9 options.

In case you were holding out hope for a $599 Surface Laptop to compete with Apple’s new MacBook Neo, I’m told the company has no plans to ship such a device anytime soon. While this could change in the future, this upcoming wave of Surface PCs will remain firmly in the premium and ultra-premium pricing categories.

Microsoft just confirmed new price hikes for the existing range of Surface PCs, which likely sets the stage for pricing of this next wave of Surface hardware too. I’d be very surprised if these next-gen devices are any cheaper than the newly announced pricing on the current-gen models.

Overall, this wave of Surface PCs is shaping up to be a quiet one, with a focus on quality of life improvements and better chips that should deliver more performance and battery life. The new displays will be the star of the show, albeit with a higher price tag to match.

I want to hear what you think. Are you excited about the dual‑chip strategy, the display improvements, or something else entirely? Drop your thoughts below and tell us what you want to see from the next Surface Pro and Surface Laptop.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has killed its Surface Hub line of collaborative PCs. According to sources familiar with the matter, the company has ended production on its latest generation Surface Hub 3, and the company has scrapped any plans to deliver a Surface Hub 4 in the future.

I'm told that although production has ended, Microsoft and third-party retailers still have stock available to sell through, but once that's gone, that will be the end of it. Of course, Surface Hub is a device that was only ever sold to commercial customers, and were often purchased in bulk by enterprises looking to fill meeting rooms with large collaboration displays.

Surface Hub 3 was available in both 50- and 85-inch sizes, starting at $8,000 for the smaller model and $20,000 for the larger model. The device was unique in that the display and compute components were separate, meaning the entire computer could be upgraded without replacing the display.

Microsoft only ever took advantage of this design once. The Surface Hub 2 and Surface Hub 3 share the same displays, with the Hub 3 compute cartridge being made available to buy standalone for Surface Hub 2 customers who wanted to upgrade to a Surface Hub 3 without paying for a new display.

The Surface Hub 3 could also rotate, supporting both portrait and landscape orientations. Unfortunately, it seems these alluring features weren't enough to keep the product line alive, as the company has now ended development on any future models.

For customers who own a Surface Hub 3, the product will remain supported with OS and firmware updates until the end of 2030, so the devices won't become unusable anytime soon. With that said, if you were interested in grabbing a Surface Hub for your home office or small business, you might want to act fast.

The death of Surface Hub joins the many other experimental and unique Surface form factors that have been left behind in the last couple of years. In 2023, Microsoft killed its dual-screen Surface Duo smartphone, which was quickly followed by its 28-inch Surface Studio AiO and 14-inch Surface Laptop Studio.

These days, the Surface portfolio is focused primarily on Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, with variations of both product lines reaching different price points. Gone are the days of wacky form factors, with Microsoft now focused on delivering laptops and tablets that rival Apple and appeal to commercial customers.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Yesterday, Microsoft confirmed that it's hiking up prices on Surface PCs across the board, with entry-level models now starting at OVER $1,000, and the flagships starting at $1,500. Those are eyewatering numbers that I'm afraid pushes Surfaces into completely unrecommendable territory over competitors such as Lenovo, Dell, HP, and especially Apple.

With new prices, Microsoft's midrange Surface Pro 12-inch is now more expensive than the 11-inch iPad Pro. Keep in mind, the Surface Pro 12-inch was supposed to be Microsoft's iPad Air competitor, not an iPad Pro competitor. Microsoft's iPad Pro competitor is the Surface Pro 13-inch, which now starts at $200 more than the 13-inch iPad Pro — that's $1,499, for the LCD model. If you want a Surface Pro 13-inch with an OLED panel, you'll be paying at least $1,799.

That is unfathomable pricing, especially for hardware that is approaching two years old. With the iPad Pro and iPad Air rocking M5 and M4 processors, the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Pro 13-inch are stuck with last-gen Snapdragon X chips. While they do come with more RAM, it's not much more RAM, and when you factor in just how much better the displays are on the iPads... it's clear which company is offering the better deal.

It's the same story on the Surface Laptop side. Microsoft's entry-level Surface Laptop 13-inch, which launched as the company's budget Laptop offering to undercut the MacBook Air, is now $100 more expensive than the MacBook Air M5, and a whopping $600 more expensive than the new MacBook Neo, which at $599, blows the 13-inch Surface Laptop out of the water.

The Surface Laptop 13-inch is a device that I said was overpriced when it launched for $899. In my review, I said it's a great deal, as long as you can find it on sale for less than its launch price. For $699, it makes total sense, but now that it starts at $1,149, absolutely nobody should buy a Surface Laptop 13-inch over a MacBook Air. It would be beyond illogical to do so.

If we look at the Surface Laptop flagships, things are just as bad. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7, which originally launched in 2024 for $999, now starts at $1,499 for the same spec, just with double the storage to 512GB SSD. That's a $500 increase in starting price, for a product that's coming up on two years old. Of course, the MacBook Air undercuts it, but so does the MacBook Pro, which is a huge problem.

The base model Surface Laptop 15-inch now starts at $1,599. For the same price, you can buy a base model MacBook Pro M5 14-inch, which comes with more storage, better performance, and a miniLED display that is WORLDS apart from the Surface Laptop's measly LCD.

If we take a look at the very top end, the highest-end config of the 15-inch Surface Laptop will net you a Snapdragon X Elite, 64GB RAM, and 1TB SSD storage for $3,649. A similarly spec'd 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro, 64GB RAM, and 1TB storage is $3,299, and this config would destroy the Surface Laptop 15-inch in benchmarks and battery life.

It's a massacre, really. There is currently no Surface configuration that makes sense to buy over a similarly spec'd iPad or MacBook. It's the same story with Windows OEMs, which are often building more capable hardware for cheaper than Surface. Though, this has always been the case, it's now even more apparent. That said, OEMs have also been forced to raise prices recently, but not as much as Surface seemingly has.

Of course, it's not really Microsoft's fault. The entire industry has been impacted by recent RAM and component shortages which have hiked manufacturing prices through the roof. It's seemingly out of Microsoft's hands, but that doesn't make these higher prices any less destructive to the brand.

The only saving grace Surface has currently is with sales. You can still find great deals on existing Surface PCs from third-party retailers, which bring prices down to what they should be in a lot of cases. But these sales won't last forever, and with Microsoft's next wave of Surface hardware just weeks away, it won't be long before the current devices aren't available to buy at all.

These new prices also suggest that Microsoft's next wave of hardware will also be priced similarly. While the updated specs will make that pill a little less tough to swallow, I still think these next-gen devices will be a hard sell at these prices over a MacBook or iPad, and that's ultimately the biggest concern. If these prices stick, the next wave of Surface PCs will be dead on arrival, only recommendable to those who have more money than sense.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has raised prices across the board on its Surface PCs at the Microsoft Store, with other retailers expected to follow soon. Both its midrange and flagship Surface lines are now significantly more expensive than they were just a few weeks ago, with the flagship Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 now starting at $500 more than they launched at in 2024.

These price increases are significant, and come as RAM supply constraints impact the industry. "Due to recent increases in memory and component costs, Surface is updating pricing on Microsoft.com for its current‑generation hardware portfolio," a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central. "We remain committed to delivering value to customers and partners while upholding our standards for quality and innovation.”

The Surface Pro 12-inch, which was previously Microsoft's cheapest modern Surface PC at $799, now starts at $1,049. The flagship Surface Pro 13-inch, which originally launched for $999, now starts at an eyewatering $1,499.

It's the same story for the Surface Laptop lines, with the entry-level 13-inch model originally priced at $899, now starting at $1,149. The 13.8-inch flagship Surface Laptop launched at $999, but now costs $1,499, with the 15-inch model now starting at $1,599.

This means that Microsoft's midrange devices now cost more than the flagships did when they launched in 2024. I originally called Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 a better value for money over the MacBook Air, which at the time was $100 more than the Laptop 7's $999 price point. Now, the new MacBook Air is $400 cheaper than the Surface Laptop 7. That's insane.

Microsoft has raised prices for all SKUs on offer, meaning the high end models are now more expensive too. A top end Surface Laptop 15-inch with Snapdragon X Elite, 64GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage now costs a staggering $3,649. To compare, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro, 64GB RAM, and 1TB SSD is $3,299, and that comes with a significantly better display and much more power under the hood.

This is also likely bad news for Microsoft's upcoming wave of refreshed Surface PCs, which are likely to maintain or even increase these starting prices if component pricing doesn't improve. Microsoft is biting the bullet and raising prices now before announcing their next wave of hardware, which I hear will take place over the spring and summer season.

Of course, sales should help make these price hikes more tolerable, though that will depend on just how good the deal is. If you've been hoping to grab a new Surface Laptop 7 or Surface Pro 11 for cheap now that the next-gen models are around the corner, unfortunately it looks like you're going to have to wait for prices to come down once again.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft has made plenty of Surface devices that we've recommended over the years, and I'm sure that will continue. But right now, I encourage you to hold off on any Surface purchases.

Between good sales ending, the MacBook Neo breaking the budget laptop market, and new Surface hardware around the corner, it's just not a good time to buy.

New Surface PCs are coming

There are always new PCs on the way, so you can't just put off buying a computer indefinitely. But Surface shoppers should hold off for a few more weeks.

Microsoft is set to announce new Surface PCs this spring. When those new Surface PCs get unveiled, they could have features that turn your head or that you view as must-have options. But even if you want a Surface PC from the current generation, it's still best to wait.

Once the new Surface PCs get announced, we'll likely see sales on older Surface hardware. That will be one of the best times to pick up whichever Surface device is no longer the newest model in its respective line.

Microsoft has not hinted at which Surface devices will be announced this spring, but our Senior Editor Zac Bowden shared that both Qualcomm and Intel-powered PCs are on the way.

It's safe to assume that Snapdragon X2 chips and Intel Core Ultra 3 will come into play.

It's been a while since we've seen the flagship Surface products refreshed. 2024 is a long time ago in the tech world, and that was when Microsoft launched the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7.

Apple's MacBook Neo is a better bargain, for now

When Apple announced the MacBook Neo, it sent shockwaves through the tech world. With a starting price of $599, the MacBook Neo offers more than competing Surface devices.

Bowden explained how the MacBook Neo makes Microsoft's Surface Laptop 13-inch seem like a bad deal. I argued that Microsoft left the door open for the MacBook Neo.

Right after the MacBook Neo was announced, I wrote about how deals on competing Windows laptops were scarce at the time. Things shifted a bit as retailers and OEMs rolled out some good PC deals, but I still think we have to wait a bit to see Windows laptops catch up to the MacBook Neo when it comes to value.

Surface sales have dried up

There have been some excellent Surface sales over the last few months. I've seen the Surface Pro 11, Surface Laptop 7, Surface Pro 12-inch, and Surface Laptop 13-inch discounted by hundreds of dollars.

Unfortunately for those looking to find an affordable Surface PC, most of those deals have ended. There are still some Surface deals around if you check the usual places, such as Best Buy, Amazon, and Newegg. But the massive discounts that lead to impulse purchases are nowhere to be seen.

You only have to wait a bit

Microsoft has plenty in store for its Surface lineup. You only have to wait until spring to see what's on the way.

Whether you're on the hunt for a new Surface PC or want to get a bargain on an older model, those options should be there soon enough.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's former head of Windows from 2009-2012 has shared his thoughts on Apple's new MacBook Neo, calling it "a paradigm shifting computer" while also lamenting what could have been with his original plans for Surface and Windows 8.

Sinofsky was the mastermind behind the original Surface RT and Windows 8 platform, including Windows RT which was Microsoft's first foray into Windows on Arm-based SoCs, which failed spectacularly. The former head says his new MacBook Neo has him feeling melancholy over how his original vision for Windows and Surface failed to materialize.

His post starts with praise for the MacBook Neo. "I am completely blown away by it. It is a paradigm shifting computer ... All the “compromises” are totally acceptable and go unnoticed to me." He explains how he's using MacBook Neo, and is incredibly positive about the whole thing. "Neo doesn't have to get better. It just has to stay excellent ... The Neo in 5 years will be more powerful than most of those [other devices] and probably still cost $699. Moore's law is undefeated."

"For me, Neo is just a MacBook Air replacement. And in a much cooler color. It is also a laptop made with "a phone chip". That's the part that is so familiar. That's why I got a bit melancholy looking at it," Sinofsky says. "A theme in computing that repeats is how something that appears to have been a prescient product or “early” is actually little different than “wrong”. In almost all cases something that was early was early across many dimensions. The “concept” was right, but the ability to actually execute the concept was wrong."

Of course, Sinofsky is referring to how the media and mass market reacted to Windows 8 and Surface when it first launched in 2012. "So when I thought about Windows 8 over the past dozen years, I quite often settled on being early AND wrong or too much too soon when I didn’t want to feel that bad ... But today I’m using Neo and thinking about Windows 8 and Surface, and I have to admit I’m struggling with that conclusion."

Sinofsky says that Surface RT was the world's MacBook Neo of 2012, a $599 computer in a premium chassis that was capable of light workload tasks. "We had all the pieces and all the pieces worked then. One I’m thinking about is compute. The original Surface on ARM (Nvidia Tegra) had 2GB RAM and 64GB storage ... Both had no problem running Office and browsing. In other words, the hardware and software were not early. The world as we lived it was quite capable of running the device. And it cost $599 with keyboard/32GB, $699 for 64GB"

"Where we were wrong was in moving the ecosystem to a new app model fast enough that was safer, more reliable, more power efficient. A lot of people rebelled about this. They wanted the old Windows app model. We knew there was no way to secure it, no way to make it power efficient, no way to make it safe. It was designed for another era. From the day we announced ARM we sought to separate the x86 Windows world and be new. I knew that any baby-step in the Microsoft world was in practice a lifetime commitment. You can see this in how ARM is treated today, as a forever alternative to x86. We viewed it then and I still view it that way as the replacement. There’s no revisionist history here. It was our strategy."

It's clear that under Sinofsky, Microsoft would have evolved Windows on Arm to become the future of Windows, rather than keeping it as something that existed alongside x86 Windows like it does today. Sinofsky never got to realize that vision as he "retired" from the company not long after Windows 8 launched.

"I type this today with these emotions and there’s no escaping my “certainty” that had we kept going and been able to round the corner with developers to build new apps we would have been in the same spot Neo is today in just a few years ... The trajectory of the hardware was clear. I am certain we would have had a clamshell. We would have had a desktop all-in-one. We would have done cellular (all the code was there and we even gave that hardware out previously).

Sinofsky signs off his post by thanking the Windows 8 team "that even to this day delivered more in one release, on time and on schedule, than any other Windows team before or after. We were early, but not wrong."

🗨️ Do you agree with the ex-Windows chief?

Sinofsky's comments provide a different view to how the whole situation with Windows 8 and Surface RT played out. While many blame Windows 8 for the state Windows is in today, it's clear Sinofsky had good intentions with the product, setting up the platform for the future, even if it was too early. What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Cyber Monday is drawing to a close, which means now is the best time to grab yourself a brand-new Surface Pro or Surface Laptop if you want to save some serious money while doing so. There's over $700 to be saved on Surface PCs, with devices like the latest Surface Laptop and Surface Pro being the cheapest they've ever been.

So, I've done my best to round up the very best deals we've found on Surface PCs for Cyber Monday. All of the devices listed here are the cheapest you can find from trusted retailers like Amazon or Best Buy right now, but you'll want to hurry, as these prices will only last for as long as stocks are available!

BEST DEAL: Surface Pro (12-inch)

Surface Laptop (13-inch)

Surface Pro (13-inch)

Surface Laptop 7

Accessories

More Cyber Monday 2025 deals - quick links

• All our TOP recommended Cyber Monday deals: Just the best
• Mini PC deals: up to 47% off tiny PCs
• GPU deals: early price drops on NVIDIA RTX before they go up
• Microsoft Surface deals: save up to $500 on premium PCs
• Xbox accessories: best deals on gadgets for your Xbox Series X|S and PC
• Gaming laptop deals: the best laptops for the best price
• Xbox controllers: our top picks for best controller deals
• ANC headphones: great Cyber Monday deals on the best ANC headphones
  
  Even more Cyber Monday deals:
• Walmart: 7 top laptop deals you shouldn't miss
• Dell deals: 13 deals from Dell.com that we personally picked
• Samsung monitors: the best Samsung display deals we've found
• Retro gaming: handhelds, arcade machines, old school consoles, and more
• Gamer merch: Blizzard’s Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo IV collectibles
• Game keys: 10 PC game codes are even cheaper at Loaded (formerly CDKeys)
• Accessories: Even more PC accessories starting at $17

FAQ

A new report has provided more information about Apple's rumored upcoming cheap MacBook, and it's not looking good for Microsoft and cheap Windows PCs. According to Bloomberg, Apple is spinning up production on a MacBook that's expected to cost "well under $1,000" that will ship in the first half of 2026 and feature Apple Silicon, a 13-inch display, and a premium aluminum chassis.

Murmurs about a cheap MacBook hit the internet earlier this summer, and at the time I called it the nightmare scenario for Microsoft and the mid-range Windows PC market. Up until now, Windows OEMs have gotten away with building uninspired, minimum effort PCs for the $500-700 price category, resulting in usually cheap feeling or poorly performing devices.

A new MacBook for anywhere near $700 is going to sell like hotcakes, potentially impacting the midrange Windows PC market considerably. It's fair to say that most people buying a PC in the $500-$700 price range aren't buying one because they love Windows, and any alternative that's good or better than what's on offer here is going to be preferred by many.

A cheap MacBook, running full macOS and complete with that premium Apple design is going to win out over any plastic or poor efficiency Windows laptop in the same price bracket. Bloomberg says the cheap MacBook will be powered by an A18 Pro SoC, which will give it performance similar to that of an M1 MacBook Air, but with the longest battery life ever achieved in a MacBook. That means it'll easily last over a day on a single charge.

It's also expected to feature a display slightly smaller than the one found in the MacBook Air. If I were a betting man, I'd wager it'll feature a 13-inch display, similar, if not identical, to the one found in the iPad Air. That's no slouch of a display, and while Apple is likely to remove the touchscreen, it'll still be good to look at, and that's all that matters to most people.

Simply put, there isn't a Windows laptop that you can buy new for $600-$700 that will match this MacBook. The closest competitor is Microsoft's Surface Laptop 13-inch, but even that is $899 with a significantly lower-resolution display. The only Windows laptops that even come close to competing are slightly older ones that are on sale, like the ASUS ZenBook A14, which has a 1080P OLED screen and all-day battery life for $699 (or less) on sale.

Ultimately though, given how dire Windows' reputation is these days, I don't think it matters if there are PCs that compete head to head with a cheap MacBook. A lot of people will simply choose a MacBook over a Windows PC simply because the MacBook doesn't run Windows, and more than ever people are scrambling to abandon Microsoft's enshittified OS.

FAQ

Amazon is hosting a special Amazon Prime Day from September 7, 2025, to September 8, 2025, bringing us a smorgasbord of discount deals for electronic gadgets, accessories, games, laptops, and much more.

One of the more eye-opening deals is for the Microsoft Surface Laptop, the go-to AI laptop for people looking for a reliable workplace device with advanced features like a 120Hz display, over a dozen hours of battery life, and a powerful Snapdragon X Elite processor, amongst other tech.

This laptop has a mighty MSRP of $1,999.99, but with this 25% Amazon Prime Big Deal Days discount, it can be yours for a more affordable price tag of $1,499.99 on Amazon.

Plus, if you're an Amazon Prime subscriber, you can get it for an even cheaper price of $1,349.99.

Why should you buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop?

When it comes to Windows Laptops, few manufacturers make the best AI Laptops better than Microsoft.

For several decades, Microsoft has produced some of the finest laptops in the business, and its latest iteration, the Surface Laptop 7, is no different.

This thin, clamshell-form laptop is pure perfection for people looking for a high-quality laptop to help them conquer mountains of digital paperwork in the office with its advanced features and superb design.

For instance, this device comes equipped with a Snapdragon X Elite X1E80100 CPU, a powerful Qualcomm chip/Windows on Arm processor capable of superb performance ratings on par with Intel, AMD, or Apple silicon – all without causing massive strain on the Surface Laptop 7's battery life.

Speaking of which, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 sports a long battery life of 18.5 hours before needing to recharge. With this, you will be able to get through the day writing, attending meetings, or browsing the internet with energy to spare before your work shift is long over.

Other standout features of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 include built-in Copilot+ AI, a responsive keyboard and haptic touchpad, a durable and sleek clamshell design, a 120Hz display capable of rendering images in high-quality with a dynamic refresh rate that automatically switches between 60Hz and 120Hz when scrolling, and much more.

The only major drawbacks of this laptop are that it lacks an anti-reflective coating to prevent the screen from being obscured by direct sunlight.

Plus, it's missing some presence-sensing hardware that would enable it to automatically turn off the display when you leave the room and turn back on when you return, like other Copilot+ PCs have.

Additionally, this laptop isn't capable of running AAA PC games at high settings, so you're better off getting one of the best gaming laptops, like the Alien m16 R2 or the Lenovo Legion 9i (Gen 8), for example.

If you're wondering about whether apps will run, there are very few major apps that won't run on this laptop. Indeed, it's more about being optimized for Arm64 rather than running, meaning even non-Arm64 apps run just fine under Microsoft's Prism emulation (similar to Apple's Rosetta 2), they just don't run as fast as they could were they native.

Luckily, we've compiled a list of major native Arm64 apps for you, which matches recent data showing that users now spend over 90% of their time on a Snapdragon PC using native software.

You can even check for games and other apps at WorksOnWOA.

Aside from those minor drawbacks, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is the perfect laptop for people working in the office or browsing the internet, and it can be yours for a rare 25% discount courtesy of Amazon Prime Day.

That's right. For a limited time, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7's lofty MSRP of $1,999.99 has been reduced to $1499.99 on Amazon or the even lower price of $1349.99 if you're a member of Amazon Prime.

So, what better way to mourn the end of Windows 10 support than by taking advantage of this deal and nabbing yourself one of Microsoft's best laptops at this discounted price while the deal lasts until the end of October 8, 2025.

FAQ

Microsoft unveiled its 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop earlier this year to celebrate the tech giant becoming half a century old. Only 50 special Surface Laptops were made, and they weren't available for purchase.

The only way to get a 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop was to win one — or be our Editor-in-Chief, Daniel Rubino (not that I'm jealous or anything).

The laptop comes with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12-core), 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. In terms of your computing experience, the special edition of the laptop should match that of the standard Surface Laptop 7. Considering that device earned a perfect score in our review, that's a very good thing.

The special version of the Surface Laptop is largely the same as what you'll see in the standard edition. The main differences are cosmetic, including a gold Microsoft logo on the back and a laser-etched Microsoft logo on the keyboard deck.

But I'm not here to show you how the laptop is special. Rubino already did that with his 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop hands-on review.

I'm here to show you how you can get a Surface Laptop that's generally available to look more like the special edition you cannot buy.

Matte black Surface Laptop

The first thing you'll need to do is replicate the color of the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop.

Matte black is one of the default color options for a Surface Laptop, making it easier to replicate the finish of the special edition.

But sometimes you can save money by picking up a Surface Laptop in a less popular color. During the July shopping period (surrounding Prime Day), I found instances in which a platinum Surface Laptop 7 was almost $100 less than select models in other colors.

You also may already have a Surface Laptop. Whether you grabbed one at a discount or already have a Surface Laptop that's not black, you can customize your PC with a skin.

dbrand has a variety of skins available for the Surface Laptop. The matte black skin is closest to the finish seen on the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop.

Microsoft and Surface stickers

The 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop is more than a matte black PC. It has some accents that highlight Microsoft's flagship brand and the company's history.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to find a gold sticker of the Surface logo to replicate what appears on the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop. You can, however, add a logo pack to a dbrand order.

That logo pack includes Surface logo stickers: matte black, matte white, matte grey, and multicolor. If I were customizing a machine to celebrate Microsoft and Surface, I'd use the multicolor sticker, but you get all of them in the pack for $9.95.

The 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop also has a laser-etched original 1975 Microsoft logo. I don't recommend trying to laser-etch your PC, so you may have to hunt down a sticker you like the look of.

I am still on the hunt for the perfect sticker. The Microsoft merchandise store has everything from baby onesies to tote bags, but it does not seem to have a 50th anniversary decal. You may have to settle for a Microsoft logo vinyl decal featuring the current Microsoft logo.

There's an entire section of that store dedicated to Microsoft's 50th anniversary, but the tech giant seems to have favored pins over decals when it comes to celebrating the milestone.

I'd love to update this piece with some stickers that better replicate the look of the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop. If you find some, please comment below or reach out to me on X.

Exclusive 50th Anniversary Wallpaper

Microsoft made a special variant of the Windows 11 "Bloom" wallpaper for the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop. But it's not really that exclusive, since you can download it right here.

The wallpaper extends the gold accents of the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop to your desktop.

Although a few months have passed since Microsoft held its big 50^th anniversary celebration on its Redmond campus, it wasn’t long after that that it announced a contest where you could win one of 50 Surface Laptops to commemorate the occasion.

I’m lucky enough to be one of the few people to have one sent, and to be fair, I’m going on 18 years of covering Microsoft on this site and well over ten years of covering Surface. I’m also a self-professed fan of Surface Pro and nearly every other Surface that has been released.

But onto this special Surface Laptop itself.

For specs, we’re looking at the black 13.8-inch $1,999 model (which is now on sale for $1,499), which includes a generous 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, all powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12-core).

There is one higher tier that you can order directly from Microsoft that includes 64GB of RAM (1TB storage), which is also on sale for $1,899.

But here is why this model is so special. Microsoft did some unique customization to this one, including the following:

• Special all-black 50^th anniversary box with the 1975 Microsoft logo and a note on the back about the exclusive edition
• Special welcome card from the Surface Team
• 50^th anniversary logo in the boot menu
• 50th anniversary black and gold 8K wallpaper (3840x2400)
• Gold Microsoft logo on Surface Laptop’s top lid
• Laser-etched original 1975 Microsoft logo on keyboard deck

Those are all the key differences, although there may be some Easter eggs somewhere I haven’t found yet.

What I like about this edition is, yes, it's special, but these are subtle nods to Microsoft's history, without being ostentatious. This laptop is one of those "iykyk," and I think that's the right tone for this release.

How is the Surface Laptop with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite?

I’ve used every Surface Laptop since its debut (I was also very Team Alcantara). Still, I had yet to try the newer 7^th Edition, which featured a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor instead of Intel. The reason is simple: I take Surface Pro for reviews, while our senior Windows editor Zac Bowden takes on Surface Laptop (it’s his favorite laptop).

I won’t mince words and say I prefer Qualcomm laptops over Intel or AMD any day of the week. The reasons include better battery life, lower heat output (quieter fans), and I’m not a gamer.

Most mainstream Windows apps these days are Arm-native (including some recently announced Adobe ones), and even when not, like my Adobe Elements, they run fine under Prism (Microsoft’s emulation engine and translation layer, similar to Apple’s Rosetta 2).

I’ll also keep saying this until I’m blue in the face, but Qualcomm laptops, which often have additional cores, are simply more responsive for running Windows and all its inbox apps, compared to Intel or AMD. I have just under ten 2025 laptops of various configurations, and I stand by that.

Basically, the only thing I notice with Qualcomm chips is that everything is better. Your experience may vary, depending on your needs.

So, after a few days with Microsoft's Surface Laptop 50th Anniversary Exclusive, I have to say I’m incredibly impressed with it and agree with Bowden. This is one of the best laptops I’ve ever used.

Battery life has easily passed 10 hours on Balanced mode, which may explain why Laptop Mag noted it lasted slightly longer than the MacBook Air (M3) on its web test (15 hours and 44 minutes, to be exact).

The audio is excellent, the display with 120Hz variable-refresh is outstanding, it has just the correct number of ports, and as noted above, its performance is superb. It beats M3 MacBooks on multi-core, and is just slightly behind single-core, and beats the MacBook Pro 13 M3 in Handbrake. (Yes, I know M4 is out now, but there are diminishing returns for me on what is a non-gaming laptop. Slack, Edge, YouTube, and Telegram can only go so fast.)

Overall, I have to say Microsoft nailed it with this laptop.

But should you buy Surface Laptop 7th Edition right now?

Qualcomm is expected to announce the successor to its Snapdragon X series chips, including Elite, later in September in Hawaii (I’ll be there, likely with this very laptop). I’m also hearing of a substantial jump in performance, not some “tick tock” update like Intel used to do.

There’s probably a pretty good chance those chips will end up in a Surface Laptop 8^th Edition, but it’s not clear when that device will come out. Typically, Microsoft goes for the October announcement and release schedule, but there’s a lot in flux in the tech world right now, especially with tariffs, trade, and who knows what Qualcomm’s ship schedule is for its Gen 2 chips.

And then there’s the price.

Sure, I just noted above how expensive Surface Laptop 2 was at the time compared to now, but all Surface Laptop 7^th Editions with Qualcomm chips are now on sale, often with $500 discounts. While I expect the 8^th Edition to be even better, if you just need a standard laptop for school, writing, watching videos, messaging, and even light gaming, then I say save some cash and grab one now.

There's a good reason Surface Laptop 7th Edition made our best Windows laptops list.

And what if you wanted this Surface Laptop 50th Anniversary Exclusive edition? Well, you can order the black model and slap on the special wallpaper, and you’ll have about 33% of the experience!

A special thanks to Microsoft and the Surface Team for sending over this laptop! Can't wait to see what you folks do next.

Microsoft has announced that it's launching two new Surface PCs this month, designed to be more portable and affordable in the Copilot+ PC space. The company is expanding the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop lines with new 12- and 13-inch models, respectively, featuring tweaked designs and lower starting prices.

Microsoft launched its first Copilot+ PCs last May with the 13-inch Surface Pro 11 and 13.8- and 15-inch Surface Laptop 7, powered by Snapdragon X Plus and X Elite SoCs. These devices started at $999 and were positioned as the company's flagship Surface PCs. Now, these devices are gaining two new, smaller siblings.

The new Surface Pro 12-inch

The new Surface Pro 12-inch starts at $799 and is the more interesting product being announced today. It's a complete redesign of the Surface Pro, featuring a new 90Hz display that's flanked by uniform bezels and a redesigned chassis with built-in magnetic pen charging on the back.

That means you no longer need the Surface Pro Keyboard accessory to store and charge the Surface Slim Pen, as it now attaches to the back of the tablet itself. The 12-inch Surface Pro has its own keyboard accessory for $149, which features a new "smooth matte" palm rest, and connects to the tablet via pogopins.

This new keyboard doesn't raise and attach to the lower bezel like the 13-inch Surface Pro keyboard can. It's also not wireless and doesn't have a haptic trackpad like the Surface Pro Flex Keyboard does. However, it does feature a backlight and a new hinge that lets the keyboard rotate 360 degrees and lie flat on the back of the tablet.

Just like its larger sibling, the Surface Pro 12-inch doesn't skimp out on biometric authentication. It features the fully-fledged Windows Hello face unlock, which is fast and secure and is much preferred over fingerprint login. It also features two USB-C ports, just like the flagship, but omits Surface Connect.

The magnetic Surface Connect charging port has been a staple of the Surface Pro since its inception, and this 12-inch model is the first to remove it. The device can be charged via USB-C, and a USB-C cable is included in the box.

The new Surface Pro 12-inch is thinner and lighter than the flagship 13-inch Surface Pro. In fact, it's very similar in weight and thickness to the Surface Pro X, thanks in part to the fact that the Surface Pro 12-inch doesn't have a fan or vents.

It's a fully enclosed chassis, which means the device can be thinner as it doesn't need to make room for airflow. The device is passively cooled, made possible by the Snapdragon X Plus that powers the device.

The device weighs just 686g and is 7.8mm thin, that's down from 895 grams and 9.3mm on the 13-inch Surface Pro 11. It's also just 7.8mm thin, down from 9.3mm. It's very comparable to the Surface Pro X, which was 774g and 7.3mm.

The new 13-inch Surface Laptop

The new Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $899 and is an upgraded Surface Laptop Go in everything but name. Compared to the Surface Laptop Go 3, it features a larger and higher resolution 1080p screen, a backlit keyboard, and an all-aluminum chassis.

It also includes Windows Hello fingerprint unlock built into the power button, a non-haptic trackpad, and a 60Hz touchscreen panel. Those are a downgrade over the Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch, which has Windows Hello face unlock, a haptic trackpad, and a 120Hz touchscreen panel.

It does also include a slightly tweaked design over both the Surface Laptop Go and Surface Laptop 7. It has a rounder chassis more similar to the MacBook Air, and a rejigged port layout. It has one USB-A port and 3.5mm audio jack on the left, and two USB-C ports on the right.

Just like the Surface Pro 12-inch, the Surface Laptop 13-inch omits the magnetic Surface Connect charge port, meaning the device can only be charged via a USB-C cable, which is included in the box.

The new Surface Laptop 13-inch is $100 more expensive than the outgoing Surface Laptop Go 3, but $100 cheaper than the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7, meaning it slots in nicely between the two offerings.

Unlike the Surface Pro 12-inch, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is still actively cooled with a fan, which should mean better sustained performance under load. All Surface Laptop's on sale by Microsoft have a fan.

Microsoft also touts the Surface Laptop 13-inch as its longest-lasting Surface, with 23 hours of video playback. That beats the Surface Laptop 7 15-inch, which is rated for 20 hours of video playback.

Pre-orders live now

Pre-orders for both the Surface Pro 12-inch ($799) and Surface Laptop 13-inch ($899) are now live, with shipments expected to begin on May 20. As always, Microsoft also offers these devices to students at a discount, making these devices even cheaper than $799 and $899.

Alongside the new Surface PCs, Microsoft has also announced a handful of new Windows experiences coming soon to Windows 11, including more Copilot+ AI features such as an AI agent in Windows Settings.

Earlier this year, I reported that Microsoft was gearing up to ship a wave of smaller Surface PCs. Both the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are expected to gain smaller siblings this spring, with screen sizes of somewhere around 12-inches, I’m told.

Now, it looks like the smaller Surface Pro has appeared in a Chinese certification database ahead of its official unveiling, which I’m told will likely take place sometime in the next month or two. This new smaller Surface Pro has the model number 2109 and 2110.

All devices need to be certified by regional certification bodies before they can be sold, which is what we're seeing here with the smaller Surface Pro, which appeared for certification on March 19 at the China Certification Center.

While the database doesn’t give us any real information about the device, it does confirm that it is progressing closer to launch. Getting certified for sale in markets is usually one of the last steps before a product is announced.

The device will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X platform, and is expected to be sold as a premium device with a metal chassis and high-quality display, just like its larger sibling. It will also have its own keyboard accessory, and a tweaked design.

I believe the smaller Surface Pro might feature more uniform bezels, kind of like the Surface Go but with rounded display corners. This should make the device look a little more modern, comparable to the iPad.

The smaller Surface Laptop is also expected to debut alongside the smaller Surface Pro and will feature a similar design to the larger 13.8-inch Surface Laptop. This device will replace the Surface Laptop Go, with a higher-resolution display and backlit keyboard.

What are your thoughts on these smaller Surface PCs? Are they something you are interested in? Let us know in the comments below.

Surface has entered into a new era, and you might not have even noticed. In the last 18 months, big changes have occurred in the Surface division internally at Microsoft, and it began with the departure of Panos Panay and introduction of new leadership, tasked with tightening the leash and refocusing the Surface portfolio.

In the past, Surface was all about unique form factors and experimental hardware. In some ways, it was anti-Apple in its approach to hardware design. The Surface RT/Pro, Surface Book, and Surface Studio were products that Apple would simply never make, and that’s what made Surface special and exciting.

Microsoft also used Surface to set the narrative and dictate where it thinks the Windows ecosystem should head. This was the case with the Surface RT/Pro with Windows RT/8, the Surface Book with Windows 10, the Surface Neo with Windows 10X, and the Surface Laptop Studio with Windows 11.

Today however, things seem very different. The current wave of Surface hardware isn’t interested in being experimental or unique. It wants the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop to blend in with the market and appeal to the largest possible audience, and that means ensuring its latest hardware doesn’t rock the boat.

Unfortunately, that means the more extravagant Surface hardware of yesteryear no longer has a place in today’s Surface portfolio. Devices like the Surface Studio and Surface Duo that appealed to niche markets have been given the boot, and the focus is now entirely on hardware that resonates with business customers and wider markets.

Boring is necessary, for the greater good

Last year, Microsoft kickstarted a new category of AI-powered Windows computers called Copilot+ PCs, spearheaded by Surface and Snapdragon X. In a lot of ways, this launch hearkened back to the original Surface RT/Pro launch in 2012, which were designed to set the stage for a new category of Windows PC and raise the bar for OEMs to follow.

Of course, the launch of Windows RT/8 and Surface RT/Pro ultimately flopped, and it’s fair to say that was mostly because of Microsoft’s heavy handedness in its approach. The company wanted to push forward Windows on Arm, a new category of hardware, and new Windows experiences that the market ultimately rejected all at once.

It was all very exciting, but ultimately too much change for most people. Comparatively, the Copilot+ PC launch has taken a far more conservative approach in pushing forward new category and platform changes. But all three pillars remain: Windows on Arm, a new category of hardware, and new Windows experiences.

Except this time, it’s less about radical new form factors and Windows experiences, and more about pushing things forward while maintaining the status quo as much as it can. The new Surface PCs aren’t experimental new devices, but revisions on tried and tested designs. The new Windows experiences aren’t part of a new Windows 12, but rather an update to the already familiar Windows 11.

Most importantly, the Copilot+ PC launch gave Windows on Arm an opportunity to shine. Snapdragon chips are finally at a point where they can compete in the Windows ecosystem in both performance and compatibility aspects. This was essentially a relaunch for Windows on Arm, and so it needed to stick the landing.

This conservative approach was vital to ensure the success of the Copilot+ PC launch. Alienating the market once again wasn't an option. Microsoft needed to "normalize" Windows on Arm while pushing new AI experiences to advance the Windows platform, and the best way to ensure this sits well with the market is to not rock the boat as much as possible. That means Surface & Windows needed to be boring.

Had Copilot+ PCs launched five years ago, I can easily imagine them launching with a radical new Surface form factor of some kind, alongside a new version of Windows that significantly changes how the platform looks and feels, potentially alienating the market once more.

The purpose of Surface

Surface has always been about setting the stage for the Windows ecosystem, and I don't think that has changed. It's the execution that has changed, taking a more conservative approach in dictating the narrative and focusing more on overall Windows ecosystem health rather than trying to create new markets.

Surface today is more focused on what's on the inside rather than the outside. Things like NPUs and the AI experiences that utilize them is what's important for the Windows ecosystem right now, and that's where Surface still serves its purpose when it comes to dictating the path for Windows.

To be clear, the latest Surface PCs are excellent. The Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 are Microsoft's best hardware yet, and I believe the company will continue to strive to build the best products it can. However, it's obvious that the focus is no longer on bombastic form factor exploration, but rather, perfection on mainstream categories.

I think that going forward, Microsoft will leave form factor experimentation up to its OEM partners, and Surface will be used to "validate" new form factors as popularized by the market. Lenovo is already pushing the boat out with radical new designs, and if any happen to catch on, Windows and Surface will respond.

Ultimately, I believe we're now in an era of stability and conservatism in the Surface space. I don't think we're going to see big hardware or software changes for at least a while, as the company focuses on getting Windows 10 users to move to Windows 11 and Copilot+ PCs.

That might change in the future, but for now, buckle in for sensible Surface devices and iterative updates, because that's what the market wants right now.

Microsoft is gearing up to ship two new versions of the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro that have smaller displays, designed to be lighter and more portable for people looking for a more travel-friendly PC. Both devices will be premium products, and feature display sizes roughly around 11- or 12-inches, my sources say.

I first reported on Microsoft’s smaller Surface Pro way back in December 2023, and last month I was able to confirm that the company was also working on a smaller Surface Laptop as well. I hear both devices are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

I understand that Microsoft intends to begin shipping these smaller Surface PCs in the April/May timeframe. The company is already expected to unveil new Surface for Business hardware on January 30, but I'm unsure if that's when the smaller devices will be announced, or if they'll be saved for a more consumer-facing event.

These smaller Surface devices are said to feature similar premium designs to their larger siblings. My sources say the smaller Surface Pro has been built as a direct competitor to the 11-inch iPad Pro, meaning it should have a high refresh rate display, support for pen input, and its own detachable keyboard accessory.

I believe the smaller Surface Laptop is likely to replace the Surface Laptop Go, and will include a backlit keyboard, higher resolution touchscreen, and an all-metal chassis like its larger Surface Laptop sibling. I’m unsure if the smaller Surface Pro is supposed to replace the cheaper Surface Go.

I'm told that the new smaller variants will be powered by Snapdragon X/Plus SoCs, which should allow Microsoft to price these devices competitively in the $800-$900 price range while still delivering good performance and battery life. Both devices will be sold alongside the current Snapdragon-powered Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 lineup.

Microsoft is also planning to launch Intel Lunar Lake variants of the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 next month, but these are expected to be for business customers only and just available in the larger existing screen size configurations. The Intel-powered Surface Laptop 7 will be configurable with 5G for the first time.

The company's current focus appears to be almost entirely on the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, its two most popular product lines. Microsoft will have refreshed both models three times within the span of 12 months this March, which is a crazy number of updates in such a short period of time.

My sources say the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 are also currently in development and will be powered by the upcoming Snapdragon X2 SoC, which is expected to debut later this year.

Microsoft officials declined to comment on these plans.

It’s been a very busy year for Surface, the first under new leadership with Pavan Davuluri at the helm. In March, Microsoft launched its first ever specialized commercial Surface PCs with the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, featuring Intel Core Ultra processors and anti-reflective screens.

Just a few short months later, the company unveiled its first ever Copilot+ PCs with the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, both headlining Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X SoCs along with updated designs and accessories. It's the first time we’ve seen Microsoft ship multiple generations of hardware in such a short time span.

This year was all about AI PCs, specifically Copilot+ AI PCs. The focus was on Microsoft’s hero devices to kickstart this new category of AI-powered Windows computers. I fully expect this trend to continue as we head into 2025 as Microsoft aligns more of the Surface portfolio under the Copilot+ umbrella.

According to my sources, Microsoft is planning to ship new versions of the Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, Surface Laptop Studio, and maybe even a new 11-inch Surface of some kind.

Up first are new versions of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, this time with Intel Lunar Lake chips powering things under the hood, joining the Snapdragon X versions already on the market. These devices are expected to ship as Microsoft’s first Intel-powered Copilot+ PCs, something many Surface customers will have been waiting for.

The Surface Laptop with Intel Lunar Lake has already leaked, confirming that its design will remain identical to the existing Surface Laptop 7 with Snapdragon X. This is unsurprising given the Surface Laptop was only just refreshed with a new design, so I don’t expect to see another design update for at least a few years yet. The Surface Pro with Intel Lunar Lake will be a similar affair.

I think Microsoft will bring the anti-reflective coating from the Pro 10 and Laptop 6 to the new Intel Lunar Lake models, which was confusingly missing from the Laptop 7 and Pro 11. I also hear the Surface Laptop with Intel Lunar Lake will be configurable with a card reader, just like the Laptop 6. And for the first time, Microsoft may even offer a variant of Surface Laptop with 5G.

I’m also expecting Microsoft to bring Copilot+ capabilities to other members of the Surface portfolio, such as the Surface Laptop Studio. I'm unsure which chips will power this, it could be Intel or AMD, but for it to be classed as Copilot+ compatible it needs an NPU of 40+ TOPS. I don't expect too much to change in regard to design, but I did hear whispers that a 16-inch model was being considered.

I’ve also heard that Microsoft is working on a new Surface device with a display size of around 11 inches. I'm not fully sure what form factor this will take—my sources have described it as a Surface Go-sized Laptop Go hybrid that uses premium materials and components. UPDATED December 9: I believe this smaller device is a Surface Laptop, likely replacing the Surface Laptop Go. Sources say it will feature premium materials and components, and be powered by an Arm processor.

Lastly, I hear a new Surface Dock is on the way, but I have no idea what’s actually new with it at this time. Microsoft’s last Surface Dock dropped Surface Connect in favor of USB-C, so it will be interesting to see if that change sticks with the new one.

The timing for when all of these products will arrive is uncertain for now. I believe the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop will likely land in the first quarter of 2025, but the rest of the lineup could arrive from spring to fall.

As always, there may also be some surprises that we're yet to know about. We'll be sure to keep you updated if things change.

What you need to know

• In a statement, Microsoft has confirmed that it has ended production on the Surface Studio 2+.
• Surface Studio 2+ stock has dwindled over the last few weeks, and there are no plans to restock it.
• Unfortunately, it doesn't look like a successor is imminent, marking an apparent end to the Surface Studio line as a whole.

Microsoft has ended production on the Surface Studio 2+, its ultra-premium all-in-one desktop PC designed for creatives and commercial customers. Starting at a whopping $4,500, the Studio 2+ was the ultimate Windows all-in-one with the best touchscreen display on a unique hinge that allowed the screen to lay down like a draft board.

Over the last several weeks, the Surface Studio 2+ has slowly fallen out of stock in multiple regions. Now today, the company has confirmed that it has no plans to restock the Surface Studio 2+, meaning production on the product line has come to an end.

"Customers can continue to purchase Surface Studio 2+ through retailers and partners with stock” a Microsoft spokesperson told Windows Central when asked for comment. “For areas reaching out of stock, Surface Studio 2+ will no longer be available for new purchases.”

So, if you’re interested in buying a Surface Studio 2+, you better hurry, as whatever stock is remaining is all that’s left. Unfortunately, it’s likely that the end of production on the Surface Studio 2+ also marks an end to the Surface Studio line as a whole. My own sources tell me there’s no Studio 2+ successor lined up currently.

It’s widely known that Microsoft cut back on its Surface portfolio in 2023, killing products such as the Surface Duo 3 and Surface Earbuds 2. I believe a Surface Studio 3 was also scrapped at the same time, which explains why there’s no replacement currently lined up.

This could change in the future, but as of right now it appears the Surface Studio is dead. The Surface Studio was never a mass-market product for Microsoft, mostly due to its incredibly high price tag and niche target audience. The product line was also always using last-generation specs, which made that eyewatering price tag even harder to swallow.

Unfortunately, the loss of Surface Studio leaves a pretty big hole in the Windows all-in-one space. While OEMs like HP and Lenovo have stepped up to produce some incredible all-in-one machines in the last couple of years, they are too few and far between. And none of them offer a high-resolution touchscreen display like the Surface Studio did.

Today, the Surface portfolio is focused on mainstream products that are most popular among prosumers and commercial markets. The Surface Pro, Laptop, Laptop Go, and Laptop Studio are all expected to be updated in 2025 with new processors and Copilot+ capabilities.

What you need to know

• A new Surface Laptop prototype with an Intel Lunar Lake processor has appeared for sale on Chinese website Goofish.
• The listing claims Microsoft will begin selling Intel versions of the Surface Laptop with the new design officially in 2025.
• The device has an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V and is rumored to cost around $2,600 for the high-end configuration.

Microsoft may be gearing up to ship an Intel Lunar Lake version of the new Surface Laptop in the coming months, if a recent leak is anything to go by. Spotted by Akaza_Durian on Reddit, a Surface Laptop prototype with an Intel Core Ultra 7 268v processor has appeared for sale on Chinese website Goofish, with the listing mentioning that the laptop won't officially go on sale until 2025.

Both the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 launched earlier this year exclusively with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X SoC, just a couple of months after the company launched Intel Core Ultra versions of the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10. The listing appears to be authentic, and my sources can confirm that Microsoft is currently testing Intel Lunar Lake variants of the next Surface Laptop and Surface Pro internally.

My sources are unclear if the Intel Lunar Lake Surface Laptop is another Surface Laptop 7 variant or the Surface Laptop "8." Whichever it ends up being, the design of the next Surface Laptop is expected to remain identical to the current Surface Laptop 7. It's likely that Microsoft intends to offer both Intel and Qualcomm variants of the Surface Laptop with its updated design going into 2025.

The listing on Goofish states that the laptop is likely to cost around 19000 CNY ($2600 USD) in the Microsoft Store and has 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage, making it one of the top end configurations that's likely to be available. The Intel Core Ultra 268V would also be paired with an Intel Arc 140V GPU and Intel AI Boost NPU which will support over 40 TOPS of power. Now, whether Microsoft intends to offer Intel in both consumer and commercial flavors remains to be seen; the Surface PCs with Intel Core Ultra gen 1 were exclusive to Microsoft's "for business" line.

Here's what the Goofish listing says (translated to English:)

"Surface Laptop 7 Ultra 7 268V processor, latest, not yet on Microsoft Store! Latest, very narrow bezel, not the old Laptop 6, not the old Ultra 7 (Meteor Lake), it's the latest! It will hit Microsoft Store soon for a price at about 19000 CNY. 32 GB RAM + 1 TB SSD, Latest 2024 version to be released in 2025"

We gave the Surface Laptop 7 with the Snapdragon X Elite a 5/5 in our review thanks to its incredible battery life and performance gains over the prior Snapdragon generation. The new design is also a step up over the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Laptop 5, making it an all-round excellent Windows clamshell. For those that have been waiting for this design with an Intel processor, the wait might soon be over.

I've been a Surface Laptop user since the first one debuted in 2017. That was eight whole years ago, and in that time the Surface Laptop was updated six times with new processors and other very minor additions. Overall, it's remained very much the same laptop for 8 years.

The new Surface Laptop 7 is the first in the product line to feature a much-needed refreshed design, along with a new silicon architecture under the hood which come together to address some of the biggest criticisms I had with the previous Surface Laptops from a design, performance, and efficiency standpoint.

I cannot understate how big a deal this is for Surface Laptop users, and these changes to the line may have positioned Microsoft's clamshell laptop as the definitive article. I've been using the new 15-inch Surface Laptop 7 for a week now, and this is my review of Microsoft's latest laptop based on my testing and experiences using this device as my only computer.

Spoilers: I think the Surface Laptop 7 might be the best laptop ever.

This review was made possible thanks to a review unit provided by Microsoft. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

• Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 at Best Buy for $999.99

Surface Laptop 7: Price and specs

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 starts at $999 for the entry-level 13.8-inch Snapdragon X Plus variant with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage. Usually, we'd recommend avoiding the entry-level model of any laptop, as it's usually lacking in one or several key areas. However, this time, that's not the case.

This $999 configuration is actually an excellent deal for most people looking for a thin and light laptop for productivity-based workflows. If you find yourself mostly browsing the web, responding to emails, working in Office, and attending virtual meetings, the entry-level Surface Laptop 7 is more than enough for that kind of workflow.

If you want a little bit of future-proofing, we'd recommend upping to the Snapdragon X Elite and 512GB SSD storage, as Copilot+ PCs can take up more storage than normal thanks to the AI models that come pre-loaded on your device.

Our review unit is of the high-end 15-inch model with Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD storage, which comes in at a much higher $2,199. This is the configuration you should go for if you're a creative professional who intends to use apps like video and photo editors, or an engineer or software developer looking to use AI apps.

Recommended configuration

Back to the top ^

Surface Laptop 7: Design and ports

The Surface Laptop 7 addresses the biggest criticism I had with the Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Laptop 6, and that's its design. The Surface Laptop has rocked the same design for almost 8 years, with only one or two minor changes to the external chassis since its inception back in 2017.

That finally changes with the Surface Laptop 7, which features a refreshed design with thinner display bezels, rounded display corners, a larger haptic trackpad, clean-cut sides, and an angled underside that makes holding the laptop in your hands feel great.

Thinning out those display bezels has been long overdue on the Surface Laptop line. If you place the Surface Laptop 7 next to a Surface Laptop 6, the older model just looks so dated now. In fact, reducing the bezel size has allowed Microsoft to fit a slightly larger 13.8-inch screen into the same size chassis as the prior 13.5-inch model.

For the 15-inch model, Microsoft opted to ever so slightly shrink the overall chassis size with the bezel reduction, so the 15-inch Surface Laptop feels a tiny bit smaller than the previous model while maintaining the same sized 15-inch display.

A nice aesthetic addition is the rounded display corners, which are present on all four corners of the screen. The curve is subtle enough not to get in the way of content while still selling the idea that this is a high-end, premium product.

I also love how this laptop looks when it's closed. The clean-cut edges meet perfectly with the lid, and it just looks so good. There's no visible lip or gap in the chassis for opening the laptop, and there are no visible speaker grills on the keyboard deck or underside. It's super clean and contemporary.

There's also good news for those who prefer the black Surface Laptop but have always hated how fingerprinty its coating gets. Microsoft has applied a new anti-fingerprint coating to the chassis of Surface Laptop 7, and now it does a much better job at rejecting fingerprints. Hooray!

Along with the new design comes a new layout from Microsoft for the Surface Laptop 7 ports and connectivity. We have two Type-C USB4 ports, a single USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the left side of the laptop, along with the magnetic proprietary Surface Connect charging port and the microSD card reader on the right side. The microSD card reader is exclusive to the 15-inch model.

As an aside, I like that Microsoft kept its proprietary charging port on this generation of the Surface Laptop. There were rumors before that Microsoft might drop it in favor of USB-C, but I like the option of having a magnetic charging port like MacBooks do. You can still charge the laptop via USB-C if you prefer that standard, but I prefer the Surface Connect port.

It's also worth noting that the Surface Laptop 7 is a little thicker than the Surface Laptop 5 and prior. The Surface Laptop 7 13 is 17.5mm, and the Surface Laptop 5 13 is 14.9mm. This is a notable difference when you hold either device in your hand, but it's not something that stands out if you're just carrying around the Surface Laptop 7 on its own.

The device also features that classic wedge shape, meaning it gets slightly thinner towards the front of the device, which gives it the impression of feeling and looking thinner. This sort of shape was first popularized by the original MacBook Air, before the recent M2 MacBook Air dropped it. I'm glad Microsoft has stuck with it on Surface Laptop 7.

The Surface Laptop 7 is also the first Surface Laptop with a truly repairable design. Pretty much all components are replaceable, and Microsoft even sells parts direct to end-users if you want to attempt a repair yourself. This is an awesome change, and a major glow-up compared to the original Surface Laptop, which was impossible to open without destroying it.

The last design point I want to touch on is specific to the 15-inch Surface Laptop 7. For the first time ever, Microsoft has put a larger battery in the bigger Surface Laptop model. In prior generations, the 13- and 15-inch models shared the same size battery, and Microsoft did this to reduce weight on the larger device.

That's changed with the Laptop 7 15, which now has a much larger 66Wh battery compared to the 54Wh cell found in the 13-inch model. This means the 15-inch Surface Laptop lasts a little longer than the 13-inch one, but that comes at the cost of weight. The 15-inch model is noticeably heavier than previous 15-inch Surface Laptops, coming in at 1.66kg. While it's not that noticeable in your bag, it is noticeable when holding it in your hands. To compare, the Surface Laptop 5 15 was 1.56kg.

Surface Laptop 7: Display

Onto the display, which is an excellent Dolby Vision-certified IPS panel with a high-resolution 2304 x 1536 on the 13.8-inch model and 2496 x 1664 on the 15-inch variant. Both panels have 201 pixels per inch, with Windows 11 scaling beautifully at 150% by default. The panels are also 120Hz capable, set to a dynamic refresh rate by default that automatically switches between 60Hz and 120Hz when scrolling.

Both displays are pretty much the same, except Microsoft notes that the 13.8-inch model has a slightly better contrast ratio of 1400:1 compared to the 15-inch 1300:1. On that subject, color contrast is good for an IPS panel. These displays aren't OLED, which I'm okay with as the IPS panels still look good, and there's no concern about burn-in. Our unit also has no noticeable backlight bleed around the edges, either.

The displays also get quite bright for IPS, maxing out at around 600 nits. The displays are also able to interpret an HDR signal but don't buy this laptop to watch HDR content on, as the displays don't get bright enough. Switching HDR on in Windows doesn't look particularly great, and I noticed a few graphical glitches sometimes appear when switching in and out of HDR video.

While the Surface Laptop 7 screen quality looks great for the most part, one notable regression might affect you personally. It no longer supports pen input, a staple of the Surface product line for many years. While it still supports touch, you can no longer use a Surface Pen to sign a document or circle an item in screenshots. Microsoft says it removed this feature because very few Surface Laptop users had ever used it, and I believe that.

The display may also be a letdown for those of you hoping to see an anti-reflective coating on the display. Unfortunately, the Surface Laptop 7 display is glossy and reflective, which looks great indoors, but when outside, it can become quite annoying. It's a shame, too, because the Surface Laptop 6 for business does have an anti-reflective coating. No idea why they couldn't have brought that to the newer device.

Back to the top ^

Surface Laptop 7: Performance and battery life

The Snapdragon X Elite SoC powering everything under the hood is the star of the show this generation. It's Qualcomm's first true PC-class chip and the first Windows on Arm processor that's actually able to compete head-to-head with Intel, AMD, and Apple silicon.

In fact, Microsoft is so confident in these new Qualcomm chips that the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 are exclusively powered by them. You won't find an Intel or AMD variant of these laptops this time around, and that speaks volumes as to how much better these Arm chips are compared to Qualcomm's prior efforts.

But how does that translate into the real world? In short, it means longer battery life without sacrificing Ultrabook-class flagship performance in most workflows. There are some exceptions, mainly around gaming and heavier legacy applications that haven't been natively compiled for the Windows on Arm architecture, but for people who use their laptops for office and productivity-based workflows, these new chips are incredible.

Benchmarks

Getting down to the nitty-gritty details, the overall result is that Surface Laptop 7 performance benchmarks show it holding up tremendously well in tests. Using the best performance power profile, Geekbench 6 saw the Surface Laptop 7 pull a score of 2,832 in single-core and 14,557 in multi-core performance. This is just around the same level of performance of a high-end Intel Core i9-13900HK laptop like found in the Alienware x16 R1.

This result trades blows with the Apple M3 in the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. It easily beats the Surface Laptop Studio 2 as well, which was previously Microsoft's most powerful Surface on the market. It's also well ahead of the Intel Core Ultra 9 found in the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra, which only scores 2,391 in single-core and 13,305 in multi-core. All this is to say the Surface Laptop 7 with Snapdragon X Elite is a bit of a beast when it comes to performance.

Moving on to Cinebench, which also posted a good result. In our single-core test, the Surface Laptop 7 earned a respectable 123 points and 961 in multi-core. That multi-core score is slightly lower than I was expecting, as our ASUS VivoBook S 15 with the lower-tier Snapdragon X actually earned a slightly higher score. Still, this is a great result and places it in line with other high-end laptops like the Galaxy Book4 Ultra and Dell XPS 16 with Intel Core Ultra chips.

On the subject of the ASUS variant, that slightly lower Snapdragon X Elite tier chip is reflected in performance benchmarks elsewhere. In our PCMark10 Applications test, the Surface Laptop 7 was 1,268 points better than the ASUS VivoBook S 15. That's likely a result of the X1E80100's ability to turbo-boost on two cores.

In our SSD performance benchmark, the Surface Laptop 7 did okay. Testing the 1TB SSD, we got a read score of 3,660MB/s and a write score of 3,020MB/s. This puts it comfortably in the premium thin and light category, matching the Surface Laptop Studio 1 and Lenovo Yoga 9i 15.

It's definitely not as fast as other high-end laptops, such as the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and even the ASUS VivoBook S 15, which saw an impressive 5,024MB/s read and 3,631MB/s write score. Still, in day-to-day usage, you really won't notice the performance difference here.

The Surface Laptop 7 also has an active cooling fan, which in general use you almost certainly won't hear. The only time I ever heard it spin up was when benchmarking, rendering video, and running intensive games. At its loudest, I measured around 38dB, which is perfectly acceptable for a laptop with an active cooling fan.

Regarding heat, the only time it ever got notably warm was when running benchmarks and gaming. The warmest temperature I measured was 124°F (51°C) during a Cinebench multi-core run, which is certainly on the hotter side, but the heat was focused just above the keyboard deck, away from where you'd normally be touching.

That's not to say the keyboard deck wasn't warm, measuring around 105°F (40°C) during the same benchmark test. That is a reasonable amount of heat you'd expect on the keyboard when running benchmark tests and gaming, and the fan is audible at this point. In normal use, the laptop isn't warm at all, and the fan isn't audible.

Emulated app performance

Because the Snapdragon X Elite is built on a different system architecture to Intel and AMD, many Windows apps haven't been updated to natively support it. In the past, that meant you couldn't run thousands of Windows apps, but Windows on Arm has come a long way since then, and thanks to an improved emulation layer called PRISM, most apps now run with little or no issues.

An important aspect of the Snapdragon X platform is how the emulated apps feel when used. On older generations of Windows on Arm chips, running even basic apps under emulation felt slower than running an Intel or AMD machine. That's no longer the case here on Snapdragon X. Many of the apps I've tried that run under emulation feel fine, with no scrolling lag or frame dropping when navigating through an app.

XSplit Broadcaster, Skype, Telegram, Signal, and Unigram are just a few of the apps I use on Windows 11 that aren't natively compiled for Windows on Arm, yet feel perfectly normal to use on Snapdragon X Elite and the Surface Laptop 7. The only downside I really noticed when running apps under emulation is that they aren't as energy-efficient as natively compiled apps. This means battery life won't last quite as long when these apps are open.

CrossMark is a benchmark tool we use that isn't yet Arm native, so it's a good statistical look at how emulated performance compares to other laptops that run that test natively. In short, the Snapdragon X Elite is holding its own, with a score of 1,568, hovering around the Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 and ZenBook 14 OLED, both with Intel processors.

There are a couple of apps that I came across that did feel noticeably slower running under emulation on Snapdragon X, and those two apps were Discord and Adobe Premiere Pro. Discord was only a touch slower but still relatively usable. Adobe Premiere Pro was quite a bit worse under emulation, and that's a bit of a problem, given these laptops are somewhat aimed at creative professionals.

The app struggled to perform well when emulated, especially if you were editing a complex video project with lots of layers and effects. You could just about manage to edit a basic 1080p video, but anything more demanding and the app would slow to a crawl.

Adobe does say it's working on an Arm-native version of Premiere Pro for Windows, but that's not likely to arrive for some time. Microsoft says it's working on an update to the emulation later to improve Adobe Premiere Pro performance under emulation, but that likely won't arrive until next year.

This is the only app in my testing that I came across that I could really tell was struggling under emulation. That likely means there are more out there that I haven't tested, but I think these will be few and far between for most people. XSplit is the second heaviest app I use on Windows behind Adobe software, and XSplit runs without any issues whatsoever.

Apps that are natively compiled for Windows on Arm run beautifully. That includes heavy applications like Photoshop or Davinci Resolve, which are both ARM64 native and work so well on Surface Laptop 7. Google Drive is also now supported, as is Slack, Telegram, Arc for Windows, and many other apps.

Gaming

Gaming is the other side of the performance coin. Now, none of the Copilot+ PCs on the market currently have been sold as gaming laptops, and the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 definitely don't fall into that category. In fact, Microsoft told me these devices are only "certified" to run games via the cloud, not locally. Of course, that means nothing. You can install whatever you want, and that's what I did, just to see how games perform.

Most games on Windows are not arm native, so they will be running under emulation and as such will be slower compared to if they were running natively. With that in mind, the Surface Laptop 7 can game, but with a pretty huge asterisk. It really comes down to the kind of games you're looking to play.

Any modern triple AAA title that's heavy on graphics with complex cinematics is likely going to stumble quite hard here. Cyberpunk 2077, for example, doesn't run great on Surface Laptop 7. At 1080p low graphics, I was barely averaging 25fps, so not really playable.

On the flip side, games that aren't as graphics-heavy or are simply older are going to have a much better time running on Surface Laptop 7. GTA V for example runs great at 1080p with medium-high graphics settings, averaging around 60-70fps. That's a perfectly playable framerate.

You've also got games like Rocket League or Counter-Strike that also work perfectly, with 1080p medium-high settings and getting around 100fps. Minecraft also runs beautifully, but that game is actually natively compiled for Windows on Arm, so that's to be expected.

There's also a middle ground here where some games will be playable but with issues. Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered is an example of this. The game does run at 1080p medium settings with around an average of 40fps, but textures are often missing throughout the game, and hair in cinematics like to glitch out quite frequently. So, while the game runs, there are issues.

Then there are games that simply don't run. Call of Duty simply refused to load when I tried it, and Halo: Infinite and Halo: Master Chief Collection would run a launcher but throw up an error that says the game does not support running on ARM64 CPUs. This is a shame because I know a game like Halo: MCC would run just fine on Snapdragon X, but the game's launcher has been hardcoded to refuse entry.

So the TL:DR for gaming on Surface Laptop 7 is that it's the wild west. Some games will work, and they will do so beautifully, other games might work, and do so with issues. You just have to try and see for yourself. It is important to remember that Surface Laptop 7 is not a gaming laptop, so you shouldn't expect the world from it in this department.

Battery life

Surface Laptop 7 battery life tests have been nothing short of phenomenal for us. In our PCMark10 Application battery test, the Laptop 7 achieved an incredible 18.5 hours before running dead. I ran this test twice to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and it wasn't. Keep in mind that benchmarks like these aren't always an accurate representation of "real-world" use, but they are a good metric for measuring longevity across different devices.

All this is to say, the Surface Laptop 7 simply lasts all day in your usual productivity-based workflows. If you're browsing the web, answering emails, doing work in Microsoft Office, and attending virtual meetings, your laptop should last you the workday with no problems.

In my testing, I was able to get through a whole day with about 45% remaining, allowing me to leave the laptop overnight and return to work the next day without feeling the need to plug in again until the afternoon.

All of these battery metrics come from the "Recommended" power plan, which is what Windows is set to as default. We also ran our tests with the Surface Laptop 7 set to 120Hz dynamic mode, with the screen's brightness set to around 250 nits.

Back to the top ^

Surface Laptop 7: Copilot+ AI

The Surface Laptop 7 is what Microsoft calls a "Copilot+ PC." This is a new umbrella term for any laptops that have 16GB RAM, an NPU of 40+ TOPS, and at least 256GB storage. The Surface Laptop 7 falls neatly into this category, and so it's allowed access to all the exclusive Copilot+ features that run locally on that dedicated neural processing unit (NPU.)

So far, the collection of Copilot+ features has been a little underwhelming. There are four main Copilot+ features shipping now, with the star Copilot+ feature (Windows Recall) coming later in the year. For now, we have enhanced Windows Studio Effects, Cocreator in Paint, Image Generator in Photos, and translations in Live Captions.

We'll start with Windows Studio Effects, which I personally think is the most useful AI feature currently shipping on these Copilot+ PCs. These effects can be applied to your webcam and microphone and use AI to "enhance" your video and audio feed no matter which app you're using. Whether it be Teams, Skype, Zoom, Slack, Google Meet, or the camera app.

You can access the Windows Studio Effects via the Windows 11 Taskbar, and from there you can enable a number of different visual effects including background blur, eye correction, portrait light, and illustrative filters that smooth out your skin or give you an animated/cartoon appearance.

I for sure use these more than any of the other Copilot+ features shipping currently. It's great to be able to blur your background system-wide or enable portrait light to brighten up your face in a dark environment. Even the illustrative "Snapchat-like" filters are fun to use, smoothing out your skin and subtle enough that you'd probably be able to get away with it in a work meeting.

The less convincing effects and eye correction, of which there are now two modes: standard and teleprompter. Both are unconvincing to me, looking noticeably artificial and in the case of the teleprompter mode, they are outright terrifying as they attempt to simulate reading. So, I just choose not to use these.

Moving onto the creative Copilot+ features, which are Cocreator and Image Generation. Cocreator in Paint is a feature that lets you draw out a basic sketch and have AI generate a more advanced/complete version alongside you. It's a cool idea on paper, but the results are often lackluster. It's a great toy for kids, but I can't imagine anyone seriously using this in the real world.

Image Generation in Photos has the potential of being more useful, allowing you to insert any prompt of your choice (that isn't rude/illegal) and have Photos generate that image on-device without reaching out to the cloud to process it. Unfortunately, the on-device AI models aren't all that incredible, and so the results you get back are often low-resolution and unimpressive compared to the cloud-powered image generators we've had for some time.

Curiously, even though Paint and Photos render the generated images locally on the device, you are still required to be connected to the internet and signed in to a Microsoft account. The reason for this is so that Microsoft can make sure you're not generating any offensive imagery. If you are, it will block your request and refuse to generate, even locally.

Lastly, we have on-device translations using Live Captions. This feature uses the NPU to translate several different languages into English from any audio source on your computer. Play a video on YouTube, listen to a call on Skype, or something in between, Live Captions can pick it up and translate it on the device. This is a great accessibility feature and the second actually useful AI feature on Copilot+ PCs.

So overall, Copilot+ features are currently a little underwhelming. Windows Studio Effect and Live Captions are easily the best AI-powered features shipping currently, with Cocreator and Image Generation being more of a gimmick that you might try once or twice but never again after that.

Ultimately, the "Copilot+" aspect of these new PCs is weak, and not a reason to buy them. It's a nice addition, but the real story with these laptops is how much more performant and efficient they are.

Surface Laptop 7: Keyboard and touchpad

Coming around to the keyboard and touchpad, two areas of the Surface Laptop that have always been great are just as great if not better on Surface Laptop 7. We'll start with the keyboard, which feels amazing to type on. The keys are tactile and responsive and also incredibly quiet. Even slamming my fingers on the keys in a heavy typing fashion doesn't come across as incredibly loud.

The star of the show this time around, however, is the trackpad, which is slightly larger than previous generations but also completely redesigned as a haptic touchpad. That means the touchpad itself no longer moves when you click on it; instead, it uses a haptic motor underneath the glass to simulate a click.

If you've never used a haptic touchpad before, prepare to be amazed. The simulated sensation of clicking down is real, and it feels so much crisper than a real, physical clicking touchpad. What's great is that you can customize how the click response feels, changing between a few different levels of strength. So you can make the touchpad click feel shallow or super deep.

You can also adjust how much pressure you need to press down before a click is initiated so you can really dial in your perfect touchpad experience. Overall, I love this touchpad, and I think it might be the best touchpad on any laptop, even dethroning the excellent touchpad found on MacBooks.

Back to the top ^

Surface Laptop 7: Camera, mic, and audio

Surface has always had a great webcam and microphone, and the same holds true here on the new Surface Laptop 7. Starting with the webcam, we've got a 1080p shooter that looks crisp and clear, with no visible artifacts or noise in normal lighting conditions. There's also an IR sensor next to the webcam that enables secure face unlock with Windows Hello, which also works super fast.

The microphones are just as good, utilizing Microsoft's "Studio Mics" in a dual-setup configuration which are clear and very audible, even at a distance. You should be able to attend meetings with these microphones with no problems at all.

The built-in speakers also sound very good for a thin and light laptop such as this one, rivaling that of the MacBook Air in clear and richness. The Surface Laptop 7 has dual Dolby Atmos-certified up-firing speakers which are hidden under the keyboard deck, meaning there are no visible speaker grills on this device. I really like this.

Back to the top ^

Surface Laptop 7: Competition

I think the closest competitor to the Surface Laptop 7 is Lenovo's new Yoga Slim 7x, which is also powered by the Snapdragon X Elite and features a similar footprint to the Surface Laptop 7 13-inch. Both come with excellent displays, though Lenovo's has an OLED panel versus the IPS on the Surface.

For the 15-inch version, a close competitor is definitely the ASUS VivoBook S 15, which we just reviewed and came away very impressed. It also has a Snapdragon X Elite SoC, along with a 15.6-inch display that's OLED in nature. It doesn't have a touchscreen though, so you might want to consider that.

There's also the MacBook Air, which I think the Surface Laptop 7 is most like from a physical standpoint. I'd even go so far as to say the Surface Laptop 7 is the MacBook Air of the Windows world, which is a compliment. Obviously, only consider a MacBook if you like macOS, as that OS isn't to everybody's taste.

Outside of Arm laptops, the Dell XPS 14 is a close contender to the Surface Laptop 7 with its Intel Core Ultra chips and excellent design. It has a great display that's configurable as either IPS or OLED, and you can select a high-resolution touchscreen panel, too. So, there are more options compared to the Surface Laptop 7.

Back to the top ^

Surface Laptop 7: Should you buy it?

✅ You should buy this if...

• You want one of the best Copilot+ PCs on the market.
• You want the closest thing to a MacBook Air with Windows 11.
• You want all-day battery and good performance.
• You want a first-class typing experience.

❌ You should not buy this if...

• You want to play AAA games.
• You have certain peripherals or apps that won't work on Arm (yet.)
• You need to edit video or audio in Premiere Pro and Audition.

So, the Surface Laptop 7. It's basically perfect. It's peak clamshell form factor. Of course, some minor areas could still be improved, but those are more subjective changes rather than objective ones. Things like adding an OLED screen is something that sounds like an upgrade on paper, but the IPS panel in here is already excellent and doesn't run the risk of any burn-in.

The only objective downside is the lack of presence-sensing hardware, which would enable the laptop to dim and turn off the display when you're not looking and automatically wake up as you approach it. Many other Copilot+ PCs have this built-in, but the Surface line has omitted it this generation.

I think the Surface Laptop 7 gives the MacBook Air a run for its money. I've never really enjoyed the MacBook Air's design with the ugly notch and rounded corners on just two of the four display corners. I also don't like how the MacBook Air doesn't have face unlock, something I've come to love on the Surface Laptop line.

Microsoft has done an incredible job with the Surface Laptop 7, right down to making the entire thing easily repairable. For example, magnets, instead of glue, keep the underside attached to the laptop. If you want to upgrade the storage in this laptop, it's a simple 10-minute job.

The Surface Laptop 7 is the best thin and light Windows laptop you can buy on the market right now, and that entry-level $999 starting price is actually an incredible value, and that configuration is one I can seriously recommend for most people. That has never been the case with a Surface before, and that is commendable.

Copilot+ PCs are officially here! June 18, 2024, marks a huge day for Microsoft and the Windows 11 ecosystem, with Windows on ARM, finally getting the kick in the pants it desperately needed. Qualcomm is doing most of the lifting right now with its new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips, and there are plenty of new laptops to choose from. 

If you're looking to get in on the Copilot+ action but want to spend as little as possible, the cheapest new laptop you can buy will surprise you. It's not from Acer or ASUS but actually from Microsoft. The Surface Laptop 7 and the Surface Pro 11 initially claim the prize as the cheapest new Copilot+ PC. The tiebreaker, though, would go to the Surface Laptop 7 for $999.99, purely because it comes with its own keyboard. 

So, what does buying the cheapest new Copilot+ PC actually get you? A pretty incredible value laptop, as it happens. You need to get the smaller, 13.8-inch version of the Surface Laptop 7, but it still comes with 16GB of RAM and a gorgeous 2304 x 1536 resolution touch display with 120 Hz refresh rate and 600 nits of brightness. 

The only downside would be the 256GB SSD, which isn't a lot nowadays, especially if you're planning to use Windows Recall further down the line. But the SSD is upgradeable, so you can get in on the action now and decide whether you need more storage later.  

Naturally, this configuration's Snapdragon X Plus C10 10-core won't perform as highly as the X Elite, but it's hardly a slouch. The fact it's capable of running a Copilot+ PC at all means you're still getting the Hexagon NPU with 45 TOPS, and you're also getting the latest features like Wi-Fi 7. Early benchmarks seem pretty strong, too. 

The fact that I'm here talking about "which is the cheapest" and the Surface Laptop 7 is the answer is mind-blowing. Microsoft Surface is rarely known for being the cheapest in a category. But here we are. 

The Surface Pro 11 is also available in a $999.99 configuration with Snapdragon X Plus, but you don't get a keyboard. If you already have a compatible one, then it's also incredible value. But if you don't, you have to factor that in. With the Surface Laptop 7, you get everything in one sleek, stylish package. 

Microsoft announced the Surface Pro 11 as the world's first Copilot+ PC on May 20. It's a 2-in-1 Windows on ARM laptop built around Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips, featuring an OLED touch display, impressive battery life, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) powerful enough to get access to Windows 11's advanced AI features.

The Surface Pro 10 for Business has been on the market for a few months, and it remains a great 2-in-1 for those who prefer Intel Core Ultra processors (CPU). The NPU inside isn't powerful enough to get access to Copilot+ features, but that won't matter for users who aren't particularly interested in local AI.

The Surface Pro 11 represents a massive shift in the Windows PC world, with Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino calling the combination of ARM64 and AI a "Great Reset" unlike anything else in the last 30 years. 

Let's take a look at the similarities and differences between the ARM-based Surface Pro 11 and the Intel-based Surface Pro 10 for Business to ensure you make the right decision with your next laptop purchase.

How do the Pro 11 and Pro 10 for Business specs compare?

Before we get too far into the detailed comparison between these premium 2-in-1 PCs, it's worth taking a look at the raw specs.

What's the price difference: Pro 11 vs Pro 10 for Business?

The Surface Pro 11 with Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus Systems-on-Chip (SoC) is now available to buy. Models with an X Plus chip, LCD display, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of solid-state drive (SSD) storage start at about $1,000. 

Bumping up to an OLED display and Snapdragon X Elite chip with 16GB of RAM and 512GB costs about $1,500, and a model with twice as much RAM and storage again jumps up to about $2,100.

These prices do not include the new wireless Surface Pro Flex Keyboard, which costs $350 on its own or about $450 when you add a Slim Pen 2. Of course, you don't need to buy the latest wireless version of the Surface keyboard for use with your Pro 11. Options start as low as about $140 for the standard Surface Pro keyboard.

The Surface Pro 10 for Business is available on the business side of Microsoft's store; prices start at about $1,200 for a model with an LCD display, Intel Core Ultra 5 135U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

To compare with the highest config of the Pro 11, a Surface Pro 10 with LCD display, Core Ultra 7 165U CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD costs about $2,400. That's $300 more than the Pro 11, and that's without an OLED display.

The Surface Pro 10 for Business does not come with a keyboard, either, so you're looking at adding at least about $140 to the cost of the PC.

How do the design, keyboard, and features compare?

Microsoft didn't really make any changes to the design of the Surface Pro 11 compared to the Pro 10 for Business and Pro 9. It's still a compact, premium 2-in-1 PC with venting around the edges, a folding stand built into the back, and dual cameras. 

If you're approaching these two laptops from a physical design standpoint, there's really not much to discuss. They have the same dimensions, and the Pro 11 weighs 1.97 pounds (0.89kg) compared to the Pro 10's 1.94 pounds (0.88kg).

Both the Pro 11 and Pro 10 for Business have dual 2W speakers with Dolby Atmos, front- and rear-facing cameras with similar resolutions — Microsoft lists the Pro 11 with a 10MP rear camera and the Pro 10 at 10.5MP — and a similar selection of ports. When set to a 4:3 aspect ratio, the Pro 11's front camera hits 12.2MP (falling back to 8.3MP at 16:9).

While both PCs feature dual USB-C, the Pro 11 sticks with USB4 instead of Thunderbolt due to it being an Intel technology. The Pro 10 for Business, which runs on Intel, has Thunderbolt 4. It's worth pointing out that both 2-in-1s should work well with some of the best Thunderbolt docks and hubs on the market. You also get a proprietary Surface Connect hookup on both PCs. 

Both the Pro 11 and Pro 10 are expected to receive optional 5G connectivity later in 2024. For the time being, you get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 in the Pro 11, with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 in the Pro 10.

One of the most notable changes announced alongside the Pro 11 is the new Surface Pro Flex keyboard. It takes the detachable Pro keyboard we love and adds Bluetooth connectivity and a built-in battery to allow use when disconnected physically from the PC.

Microsoft has reinforced the new keyboard with carbon fiber to provide extra stability, and it has leaned into Sensel's haptic technology for an overhauled pointing experience. There's also a slot for the Surface Slim Pen 2 above the keys.

The new Pro Flex keyboard is available in Sapphire and Black colors; the Pro 11 PC is also available in those two colors but also adds Dune and Platinum. The Pro 10 for Business comes in just Platinum and Black.

Is the Surface Pro 11's OLED display better than the Pro 10's?

The Surface Pro 11's OLED display is undoubtedly a huge attraction for many users. It's a feature that a lot of us have been hoping for, and it's now an option in the ARM-based models. Microsoft still offers the more budget-friendly LCD display in the Pro 11 and Pro 10 for Business.

The new OLED display option shares a lot of similarities with its LCD counterpart. It measures 13 inches, it has a 2880x1920 (2.8K) resolution with 267 pixels per inch, a boxy 3:2 aspect ratio, and a dynamic refresh rate of up to 120Hz. However, thanks to the OLED technology, contrast is miles beyond what LCD can offer. If you want the best-looking display for your 2-in-1, the Pro 11 is the easy choice.

In Daniel Rubino's Surface Pro 11 review, testing revealed 100% sRGB, 88% AdobeRGB, and 96% DCI-P3 color, with brightness at about 550 nits with SDR. With HDR, however, it climbs to about 900 nits. This "makes movies and compatible video games pop with extreme brightness," according to Rubino.

A lot of people are no doubt wondering if the $500 bump in price for the OLED display is worth it. Considering the OLED display configurations also swap the SoC to the more powerful Snapdragon X Elite and double the storage up to 512GB, the price difference isn't nearly as drastic as it first seems.

Both 2-in-1 PCs offer a high-end inking experience, but you will have to buy a pen separately for both models.

Which has better performance and battery life: the ARM Pro 11 or Intel Pro 10?

The Surface Pro 11 is one of the first Surface devices to include Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips. Revealed alongside the Surface Laptop 7, the Pro 11 is a Copilot+ PC that promises to deliver strong performance and long battery life. 

The Surface Pro 11 uses the Snapdragon X Elite (X1E-80-100) SoC. That's the mid-range X Elite chip with 12 cores, a 3.4GHz frequency, a 4.0GHz dual-core boost, an Adreno GPU with 3.8 TFLOPs, and a Hexagon NPU with 45 TOPS of power.

Microsoft also offers a Snapdragon X Plus chip for the more affordable configs. The X Plus has 10 cores, a 3.4GHz frequency, no dual-core boost, an Adreno GPU with 3.8 TFLOPs, and an NPU with 45 TOPS. The Surface Pro 11 comes with either 16GB (the minimum for Copilot+ PCs) or 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM and up to 1TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage.

We tested the X Elite chip in our review, and the results were unsurprising. It leaves Intel's Core Ultra hardware in the rearview when it comes to raw power, and its efficiency is also impressive. There's hardly a difference in performance when running on DC power, which can't be said for Intel systems. Check out the results from our review below.

On the Pro 10 for Business side, Microsoft uses Intel's Core Ultra 5 135U and Core Ultra 7 165U CPUs. These chips also have an NPU for AI acceleration, though they're capped at about 10 TOPS and don't make the cut for Copilot+. You can get anywhere between 8GB and 64GB of LPDDR5x RAM in the Pro 10, as well as up to a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. Storage in both PCs is upgradeable after purchase.

Rubino saw an average of about 11 hours and 7 minutes of runtime from the Pro 11, and that's in real-world use. This is an all-day machine with excellent standby, using less than 2% battery overnight. We weren't able to test the Pro 10 for Business and its similar battery capacity, but don't expect the same runtime.

ARM64 Windows PCs like the Surface Pro 11 require an emulation layer to run apps built for the x86-64 architecture used by Intel and AMD. While many apps are now compiled to run natively on Windows on ARM — now including Adobe Premier Pro — others still require that extra layer to run.

The good news is that your apps are still going to work on ARM. Microsoft also says that its new Prism emulation process coming with Windows 11 24H2 will perform up to 20% better, which is great news for the overall performance in new Copilot+ PCs.

How do the Copilot+ and AI features differ on the Pro 11 and Pro 10?

Copilot+ was unveiled during the Microsoft Event 2024 keynote as a new term for advanced AI features coming to Windows, as well as the PCs that can run them. The Surface Pro 11 was one of the first Copilot+ PCs revealed to the world, followed up by plenty more from major laptop manufacturers.

The new AI features coming to Windows 11 are only available on Copilot+ PCs, which require an NPU with at least 40 TOPS of power to run locally. That leaves the Pro 10 for Business, with Intel Core Ultra's NPU behind. If you want a Copilot+ PC, you'll have to stick with the Pro 11.

Copilot+ AI features include improved Windows Studio Effects, local AI image and text generation, Live Caption translations in real-time, Auto Super Resolution, and a Recall tool that lets you search through anything you've seen or done on your PC on any app.

Should you buy the Surface Pro 11 or the Pro 10 for Business?

The Surface Pro series has long been considered some of the best Windows laptops on the market, and Microsoft has taken things to the next level with the Surface Pro 11 running Windows on ARM. 

While we don't yet have in-house benchmarks for the new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips, we are expecting some potent power and long battery life. I'm very excited to try out these new Copilot+ PCs even before getting into the new AI features, and the Pro 11 is much easier to recommend to most people compared to the Pro 10 for Business. The Surface Pro 11 is available to preorder at Microsoft, with prices starting at $1,000. You can also preorder at Best Buy starting at the same price.

Considering the Pro 11 starts at a cheaper price, is available with an OLED touch display, and has what it takes to be a Copilot+ PC, it's no doubt going to prove a lot more popular than the Pro 10 for Business. However, if you prefer Intel CPUs or want Windows 11 Pro preinstalled, the Pro 10 is still readily available on the business side of Microsoft's store.

It's been a busy day in the world of Windows laptops. Microsoft, Qualcomm, and a host of major laptop manufacturers teamed up to unveil what our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino calls a "Great Reset" in the Windows PC industry. 

Seven major laptop brands, including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and Surface unveiled new PCs powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips. From budget-friendly laptops to flagship 2-in-1s meant to illustrate what a Copilot+ PC can be, there's a lot to digest. We have separate pieces for each laptop announced today, but with so many computers hitting headlines, a quick rundown is in order.

Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7

Arguably the biggest announcements of the day were Microsoft's new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop (officially known as the Surface Pro 11th Edition and Surface Laptop 7th Edition, respectively). Both those devices showcase what Copilot+ PCs can be. They run on Snapdragon X processors, are designed with AI in mind, and have the latest features to utilize their high-end specs.

The Surface Pro 11th Edition finally has configuration options with OLED displays. The convertible PC also runs on Snapdragon X processors, supports plenty of AI features, and even has a new keyboard option. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard costs $349.99 and has a haptic trackpad, carbon fiber reinforcement, and can connect wirelessly. Add in some new color options, and you have a worthy flagship to usher in the deluge of Copilot+ PCs.

Microsoft made more visible changes when designing the Surface Laptop 7th Edition. The newest Surface Laptop has thinner bezels and rounded corners on its display. Like its convertible sibling, the Surface Laptop 7th Edition runs on Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus. Those chips power a plethora of AI features and promise better battery life than their Intel counterparts. You can preorder the Surface Laptop 7th Edition in either 13.8-inch or 15-inch variation.

Acer Swift 14 AI

The Swift 14 AI is Acer's only new Copilot+ PC announced today, but its starting price of $1,099 makes it a strong contender for anyone who wants to test out the new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus CPUs without breaking the bank. That price tag needs to be placed in context, because we normally wouldn't call a $1,099 laptop a budget-friendly PC.

Copilot+ PCs have minimum requirements higher than what more affordable PCs ship with, such as 16GB of RAM. They also feature Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors, which are the latest innovations from Qualcomm. Those chips have been the center of months of hype, and Microsoft literally optimized Windows 11 to work with them. That level of tech has a cost. While Qualcomm's new chips are competitively priced compared to their Intel counterparts, they are still new processors.

The Acer Swift 14 AI is available with either a Snapdragon X Elite or a Snapdragon X Plus, both of which power the new AI features exclusive to Copilot+ PCs. A QHD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 100% sRGB color, a 1440p camera, and a 75Whr battery round out an impressive spec sheet.

ASUS Vivobook S 15

The ASUS Vivobook S 15 features a 70Whr battery. When paired with a Snapdragon X Elite processor, that battery can get up to 18 hours of life, according to ASUS. Anything close to that figure in real-world usage would be impressive, especially when you consider the fact that the Vivobook S 15 has a 15.6-inch display with a 3K resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Those aren't the types of laptops that get 18 hours of battery life, at least before the new "Great Reset" in the Windows PC industry.

The Vivobook S 15 includes two USB4 ports that support fast charging, powering 4K external displays, and transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps. The laptop also features Wi-Fi 7, which supports speeds up to 5.8 Gbps.

The first Copilot+ PC from ASUS looks to deliver excellent battery life and the plethora of AI features currently exclusive to select PCs with a Snapdragon X processor inside.

Dell XPS, Inspiron, and Latitude

Dell revamped its XPS 13's design earlier this year, but now the PC maker has shaken things up on the inside of its thin-and-light laptop. The XPS 13 (9345) runs on a Snapdragon X Elite or Snapdragon X Plus. Those processors power the new AI features highlighted by Microsoft, including Windows Studio Effects. Of course, the PC also has a Copilot key, which is a requirement to be called a Copilot+ PC by Microsoft.

The Arm-powered XPS 13 pairs Dell's futuristic vision for its XPS lineup that finally hit mainstream this year with Qualcomm's latest chips. Dell sold the XPS 13 alongside the XPS 13 Plus for a while, but the company has since shifted its entire XPS 13 lineup to have the more modern design. That design includes a zero-lattice keyboard, haptic trackpad, and a row of haptic function keys. Now, the XPS 13 will be available with that refreshed design and the benefits of Arm computing. Of course, Dell will continue to sell Intel versions of the XPS 13 for those who prefer those chips.

While not as flashy as the XPS 13 announcement, Dell also shared that new Inspiron 14 and Inspiron 14 Plus laptops are on the way. Full specs of those AI PCs are still to come, but we know that they will run on a Snapdragon X Plus processor.

The Inspiron 14 Plus has a 14-inch display with a 2560x1600 resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio. That screen reaches 400 nits of brightness and supports touch. The laptop comes with 16GB of RAM and either 512GB or 1TB of SSD storage. Support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 give users solid wireless connectivity options and two USB-C 4.0 Gen 3 ports, a USB-A port 3.2 Gen 1 port, and a microSD card handle the physical connections. Dell hasn't shared battery life figures for the Inspiron 14 Plus yet, but the PC has a 54Whr battery.

HP OmniBook X and EliteBook Ultra

HP made waves this week by revamping almost its entire lineup, at least when it comes to naming. The company killed off all of its consumer and commercial PC branding, including Spectre, Pavilion, Dragonfly, and more. HP shifted to a new Omni brand for its consumer PCs and a new Elite brand for its business laptops (HP OMEN remains unchanged branding wise). HP took the opportunity to realign its PC families as AI PCs are thrust into the mainstream.

"As AI PCs quickly transform the personal computing landscape, we saw an opportunity to take increasingly complex technology and communicate it in a strikingly simple way," said HP.

There is still some subtlety in the branding to make it clear what type of PC you're looking at. HP will sell OmniBook and EliteBook laptops, OmniStudio and EliteStudio All-in-Ones, and OmniDesk and EliteDesk desktops. All of those categories will have different tiers as well. Altogether, there's a lot to learn when it comes to buying HP PCs going forward, but the idea is that you'll learn the naming convention once and then know HP's entire portfolio going forward.

HP kicked off its rebranding with the OmniBook X AI PC and HP EliteBook Ultra G1q AI PC, both of which are Copilot+ PCs running Snapdragon X processors.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s and Yoga Slim 7x

Business users who want a Copilot+ PC can check out Lenovo's new ThinkPad T14 (Gen 6). Lenovo focused on professionals when making the latest laptop in its ThinkPad T14 series. The business laptop runs on a Snapdragon X Elite and has up to 64GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The PC is available with up to a 2.8K OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 color, Dolby Vision, HDR True Black 500, and EyeSafe certification.

Lenovo claims "multi-day battery life" for the ThinkPad T14 (Gen 6), which would be handy for business users on the go. Professionals will likely appreciate the 1080p camera with human presence detection and a range of ports that includes dual USB4, dual USB-A, HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The ThinkPad T14 (Gen 6) has more than one hundred ISV certifications for enterprise software and apps and several security features that people have come to expect from ThinkPad PCs.

Over on the consumer side of things, Lenovo unveiled the Yoga Slim 7x. As its name suggests, the laptop is rather thin, measuring 12.8 x 8.86 x 0.51 inches. At 2.82 pounds, the Yoga Slim 7x should be easy to carry in a bag.

Powered by the Snapdragon X Elite, the Yoga Slim 7x has a 3K OLED touch screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. That screen can reach an impressive 1,000 nits of brightness, which is outstanding and should be visible outdoors. That screen is also DisplayHDR TrueBlack 600 certified and supports Dolby Vision.

Sticking with the impressive specs theme, the Yoga Slim 7x has a 70Whr battery despite its thin form factor. While there are laptops with larger batteries out there, they are generally thicker devices. The Yoga Slim 7x running on an Arm processor should help the PC get the most out of its large battery.

Three USB-C 40Gbps w/PD 3.1 DP 1.4 ports, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.3 provide a nice range of connectivity options as well.

The Yoga Slim 7x will start shipping in June 2024 with a starting price of $1,199.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge

Samsung announced the Galaxy Book4 Edge this week. Preorders are already open for the 14-inch and 16-inch laptops, with prices starting at $1,350. If you preorder one of the new laptops, you'll also get a Samsung TV for free, which is a nice bonus.

The Galaxy Book4 Edge runs on a Snapdragon X Elite processor and features a sleek design. At 0.51 inches thick, the Galaxy Book4 Edge is even thinner than the Lenovo Slim 7x. Both sizes of the laptop are light as well, with the 14-inch model coming in at 2.6 pounds (1.18kg) and the 16-inch model weighing 3.4 pounds (1.54kg).

Both laptops have 16:10 displays with a 2880x1800 resolution. Those screens are AMOLED and have a refresh rate of 120Hz. They also support VRR (variable refresh rate).

The GalaxyBook4 Edge looks like a more premium Copilot+ PC. In addition to its AI features and promise of good battery life, the laptop benefits from the ever-growing partnership between Samsung and Microsoft that helps connect phones and PCs.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's new Surface Pro 11th Edition and Surface Laptop 7th Edition devices are available to preorder now, and are expected to begin shipping in June.
• Both Surfaces are "Copilot+" PCs, and feature Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Plus and Elite chips that offer major performance boost over other system-on-a-chips (SoCs). Their NPUs also power a number of special AI features and enhancements.
• Some of these include visual and contextual awareness for Microsoft Copilot, a special feature called Windows Recall that can help you find something you've looked at on your PC previously based on searches and clues you provide, and a tool called Live Captions that transcribes and translates audio into text in real time.
• Both the convertible 2-in-1 Surface Pro 11th Edition and clamshell Surface Laptop 7th Edition have a starting price of $999.99, with the former getting an OLED option for the first time and the latter sporting an overhauled design with thinner bezels and a 120Hz Adaptive color PixelSense display.

The age of powerful AI-powered Windows PCs is dawning, and it's being ushered in by two new devices Microsoft announced during the Microsoft Event 2024 on Monday: the convertible 2-in-1 Surface Pro 11th Edition and the clamshell Surface Laptop 7th Edition. Both devices have been officially designated as "Copilot+" PCs, and they're now available to preorder from the Microsoft Store.

Both new Surfaces are powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Plus and Elite chips that offer significant performance improvements over the best of what Intel has on the laptop market today, cementing Windows on Arm as the tip of the spear for Microsoft's next-gen design efforts. Additionally, the devices have several advanced AI features designed to enhance productivity and assist users in a variety of valuable ways. Some of these include:

• Improvements for Microsoft Copilot to make it visually and contextually aware, and able to be used for help in things like video games
• Recall, which uses AI to help you find something you've previously viewed on your PC and its applications based on what you're able to remember and what you search
• Cocreator, which helps you make the image you're trying to create in Paint based on markings you make and words you use to describe the image
• Live Captions, a tool that transcribes and translates audio into on-screen English captions in real time

The Neural Processing Unit (NPU) in these devices also powers and accelerates AI features found in creativity and productivity apps, making them faster and more efficient. In DaVinci Resolve, for example, the NPU boosts Magic Masks and makes it easy to add special visual effects while editing. It also improves the responsiveness of adaptive input controls in the accessibility software Cephable and allows you to instantly cut backgrounds from videos in CapCut with its Auto Cutout option.

The Surface Pro 11th Edition starts at $999.99, with the option for an OLED display available; notably, this is the first Surface Pro from Microsoft with OLED availability. The Surface Laptop 7th Edition also starts at the same price, and is available in 13.8 or 15-inch sizes. It also sports an overhauled design, complete with thinner bezels and a 120Hz HDR Adaptive color PixelSense display.

Both Surfaces can be configured with either the Snapdragon X Plus or Elite and up to a 1TB SSD, with options for up to 32GB with the Surface Pro and up to 64GB with the Surface Laptop. Additionally, both have four colorways available: Platinum, Black, Dune and Sapphire. Currently, preorders are available from the Microsoft Store, which you'll find in the links below. Starting June 18, they'll be purchasable from "key retailers worldwide."

Microsoft is hosting a special press event on May 20 in Seattle, where the company is expected to unveil new Surface hardware powered by Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon X Series SoCs, as well as detail how it plans to add next-generation AI experiences to Windows 11 this year.

Unfortunately, the event is not being streamed live, but we will be on the ground to cover the announcements as they happen. So, to follow the event along with us, bookmark this page and return here on May 20 at 10 AM PT (1 PM ET) for our complete event coverage. We will be posting snippets, quotes, and images from the speakers.

We will be on the ground bright and early on May 20 at Microsoft's headquarters in Seattle to bring you all the announcements. The event will begin at 10 am PT (1 pm ET) and last about an hour.

What are we expecting to see? New Surface hardware is a Surface Pro and Surface Laptop powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Series chips. Both devices should have updated displays and, on the laptop side, a new keyboard deck with a haptic touchpad.

We're also expecting to see new Windows 11 features, many of which will be tied to Microsoft's AI efforts. A new "AI Explorer" feature will enable several next-generation AI experiences, such as Recall and Snapshots, which will record everything you do on your computer and store it as a memory for you to recall later using natural language.

AI Explorer will also be able to see what's currently on screen and provide contextual prompts and suggestions based on what it can see with a feature called Screen Understanding. You can learn more about AI Explorer and its planned feature set in my in-depth write-up.

Looking for an in-depth write-up about what to expect from Microsoft's event on May 20? Be sure to check out our expectations post. Spoilers ahead!

We're just one day away from Microsoft's big event. Tomorrow, we're expecting Microsoft to unveil its vision for a new era of the Windows PC. Microsoft and Qualcomm have worked together over the last three years to bring to market an experience that hasn't been possible in the Windows space before.

We will see hardware and software come together to enable incredible new AI experiences, and Windows on Arm will be the foundation of this new generation of Windows devices. The Windows PC is about to get good, and Windows on Arm is about to have its moment in the spotlight. 

Microsoft isn't the only company we're expecting to see new Qualcomm-powered hardware from today. The leaks started pretty early, and one of those laptops we're hoping to get a closer look at is the Snapdragon X-powered Lenovo Yoga Slim 7. Fingers crossed!

Windows on ARM is going to be a big focus today. It's been around for a while, but with the arrival of the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite platform, it's finally getting a real kick in the pants. But what the heck does it all mean anyway? We've got a full explainer on Windows on ARM for you to catch up with all the backstory to this point.

Windows on ARM is going to become a huge deal, finally, but there will be folks that are worried about making the switch. Especially when it comes to using their regular applications. Will they work OK? Will you need to make any changes to how you work? The good news is that you don't need to worry. Even Google Chrome is native for ARM now. We've got an explainer that'll tell you everything you need to know. 

Want to catch up on what Microsoft should be announcing today? We first saw leaks of a new Snapdragon powered Surface Pro back in April. Today's the big Microsoft event, so, you know, we'll soon know how accurate this was. 

We're in. Just getting seated in the venue. Looks fancy! 

Where the magic happens...

30 minutes until kick off. We're expecting a new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, both powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips. The Surface Laptop is expected to feature a new design, the first design refresh the Surface Laptop line has ever seen...

We're also expecting to hear more about AI. Microsoft is expected to unveil some next-gen AI features for Windows 11 today, which will be exclusive to new PCs launching with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chip, at least at first. 

Looks like we're about to begin! Satya Nadella now on stage

Satya is setting the stage. Telling us that PCs will soon be able to anticipate what we want, and our intent. And it starts with Copilot.

"It's pretty early still on this platform shift. The fundamental driving force behind this AI wave are these scaling laws."

Today, we're going beyond the cloud, to the device. AI functionality on your PC is happening. 

Microsoft announces "a new category" of devices. An entirely new class of Windows Pcs, engineered to unleash the power of AI: Copilot+ PCs!

Copilot+ PCs are the combination of Windows, Systems, and Silicon coming together to deliver unique AI experiences.

Yusef Mehdi now on stage to talk more about what makes a PC a "Copilot+" PC.

"We've made a huge leap forward in technology with these PCs. They are the most powerful PCs ever built."

Copilot PCs have an NPU that can run 40 trillion operations per second. 

58% faster than MacBook Air M3!

Copilot PCs have batteries that can last "all day."

Copilot is being integrated across Windows. In File Explorer, Edge, Notifications, Settings, and more.

Microsoft is now demoing a "phone call" between you and Copilot. You can ask Copilot to help you out in a task. In this example, the user is playing Minecraft and is asking how to create a sword. Copilot is able to see what's in his inventory.

Copilot here is contextually and visually aware. You can ask it to help with whatever is on-screen.

Microsoft announces Windows Recall. It's a feature that uses AI to help you find everything you've done on your computer, using natural language.

Recall leverages the power of AI to make it possible to access anything you've seen on your PC.

Windows Recall is exclusive to Copilot+ PCs.

Windows watches everything you do, but it's all handled on device. Nothing is sent to the cloud.

Recall is able to bring up snapshots based on your specific search criteria. If you're trying to find a dress you were looking at a few days ago in Edge, you can just describe the dress to Recall and it will bring you back to the moment when that dress was on-screen.

Recall includes a timeline interface that lets you scroll back in time depending on whether your search criteria has multiple results.

Everything Recall does is handled locally on the device. Microsoft will not use any of the data it's captured to train its AI models. It's all yours, and nobody elses.

Pavan Davluluri now coming on stage, likely to talk about Surface.

"We're weaving AI through every layer, from chip, to system, to cloud."

We're now getting another Recall demo, this time with a break down of how the technology works.

There are a number of different models built into Windows 11 to make this happen. These are deeply integrated, not bolted on, Pavan Davuluri says.

There's an incredibly robust approach to privacy. You can pause, stop and delete captured content. You can even filter out specific apps or websites so Recall can't see it.

There are more than 40 AI models here that bring Recall and the Windows Copilot Runtime together.

The Windows Photos app can now understand what it's seeing. It will suggest things to edit based on the photo you have open.

Now getting a demo of Copilot being able to help during gaming. You can ask it for tips and, based on what it can see, will suggest things.

We're now hearing from Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm about how everyone is coming together for Copilot+ PCs.

"Intel, Qualcomm, and AMD are all in."

16GB RAM minimum on these Copilot+ PCs. 

Notably, only Qualcomm is ready with a Copilot+ chip right now. Intel and AMD's Copilot+ chips seemingly won't be here until later.

Microsoft says it's rebuilt Windows 11 inside out for Arm.

Now touting incredible performance, beating the MacBook Air M3.

Microsoft is highlighting how most of the apps you probably use are now natively compiled for Windows on Arm.

Announcing Prism, a new emulation layer for Windows on Arm that is 20% faster.

Brett Ostrum now on stage. It's Surface time.

New Surface Laptop and Surface Pro announced.

As expected, the new Laptop has a new design. Thinner bezels, haptic touchpad.

It's 80% faster than Surface Laptop 5. 

The new Surface Laptop beats the MacBook Air in battery life benchmarks. Incredible!

Now getting a demo showing how the Surface Laptop beats the MacBook Air in pretty much all tasks. 

Adobe is bringing more of the creative cloud to Windows on Arm soom, including Premiere Pro.

Curiously, no time spent with Surface Pro yet.

Now talking about Live Captions, which is now able to translate languages in real-time from live or pre-recorded audio.

Now it's time for Surface Pro!

Surface Pro is 90% faster than Surface Pro 9. Crazy.

Confirmed: The new Surface Pro has an OLED display with HDR.

And a quad-HD camera!

The keybord is now called Surface Pro Flex Keyboard. It can be used attached or detached.

Now talking about image generation on Windows. Cocreator, lets you "explore the full range of your imagination."

You can use Cocreator to bring to life a sketch. 

Just as an aside, the new Surface Pro still has that venting gap around the chassis. That means it's using the same chassis as the Surface Pro 9, and not the thinner Surface Pro X chassis.

Quick demo of CapCut, using the NPU to remove the background in a video. This is now three times faster on the new Pro compared to Pro 9.

Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are just the start, says Brett Ostrum.

Although it doesn't appear we're getting any more Surface hardware today.

All the major Windows hardware makers are on-board with Copilot+. Many shipping new hardware this summer with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chips.

Now getting a tour of some of the new OEM devices

They all look like laptops...

Lenovo, Dell, Acer, ASUS, Samsung are all shipping Copilot+ PCs. 

Copilot+ PCs start at $999.

And that's a wrap! To recap: New next-gen AI features, new Surface Pro, new Surface Laptop, all powered by Arm. Pretty exciting stuff.

This is the era of the Copilot+ PC. We'll have hands-on with the new Surface devices shortly.

There's been a lot to digest, here's a breakdown of some of the major announcements! 

• The new Surface Pro gets an OLED display and is the world's first Copilot+ PC
• There's a new Snapdragon X-powered Surface Laptop
• Copilot+ is the true next-gen of AI laptops
• Copilot is coming to the Xbox platform

The new Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 are finally here, but they're not the devices we've been looking forward to. Microsoft's new hardware products are explicitly "for business," which means they're only available in boring colors, arrive in basic brown packaging, and aren't available in stores like Amazon or Best Buy.

Historically, Microsoft usually ships new hardware in both consumer and business flavors at the same time, but that hasn't happened with the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6. If you're an individual who wants to buy the latest Surface Pro, the Microsoft Store still recommends that you go buy a Surface Pro 9.

But don't! In fact, don't buy any new Surface PCs right now, as Microsoft has much better hardware on the horizon. It's already announced an event taking place on May 20, and while it remains tight-lipped about what will be announced, my sources say the company will finally unveil the consumer-facing variants of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6.

These consumer models will feature significant upgrades in a number of key areas, including display tech, overall design, and silicon in the form of a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Series-based SoC. Both the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for consumers will be powered by Arm chips for the first time, as Microsoft goes all-in on positioning Windows on Arm as "just another option" in the PC space.

Windows on Arm is finally about to get good

My sources say that compared to the business variants, the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 will feature true all-day battery life and will rival the iPad Pro and MacBook Air in terms of performance and efficiency. These PCs (internally dubbed CADMUS PCs) will be positioned as Microsoft's first mainstream Arm devices. 

2024 is said to be the year where Windows on Arm comes into its own. The platform has earned a rough reputation due to slow hardware and poor app emulation. But that's now changing. In the last year, many mainstream app developers have finally adopted Windows on Arm, including Google Chrome, WhatsApp, Photoshop, 7zip, and many more.

Plus, the new Qualcomm chips are so powerful that many apps that still require the emulation layer won't even feel like they're being emulated anymore. Qualcomm has even just come out and said that it reckons most Windows games will work fine on its upcoming SoC's. We really are at a turning point for Windows on Arm.

So, if you think you don't want a Windows on Arm device because of what you've heard about the platform before, just wait and give it another chance. Microsoft's goal this year is for Windows on Arm to become normalized in the PC space, with end-users not really able to tell the difference between either Intel or Arm performance and compatibility.

The consumer Surfaces will have more to offer

It's not just silicon upgrades on the cards for the consumer Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, either. In fact, sources say the arm-powered Surface Laptop 6 is getting a design refresh that consists of thinner bezels with rounded display corners, a new haptic trackpad, and an additional USB-C port. This will be the first big design update for the Surface Laptop line since its debut in 2017.

The Surface Pro 10 for consumers will be very similar to the Surface Pro 10 for business from a design perspective, but there are some minor changes here, too. I hear Microsoft is planning to offer an OLED display option for the first time, which will deliver rich contrast and better viewing angles.

Of course, both the consumer Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 with Arm will come in more fancy retail packaging, be offered in a wider selection of colors, and will be available to buy in your favorite retail stores like Best Buy and Amazon.

So, instead of buying the boring Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for business now, just wait a couple more months for the more exciting consumer variants with Arm chips. They are going to be worth the wait. 

Do you really need Intel?

I get it; you think you need Intel, and maybe you do. If that really is the case, then that's what the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for business are for. They are for the people who need Intel, and the new Intel Core Ultra chips are actually pretty good. 

But don't base your need for Intel on the fact that Windows on Arm has been bad in the past because that was in the past. Things change, and Microsoft is now ready to position Surface as an Arm-first line of products, starting with the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 this summer.

Will Microsoft offer the consumer variants with Intel chips, too? I don't think so, as none of my sources are aware of Intel variants of the consumer models. That's not to say they definitely don't exist, but I haven't heard anything about them. All I know for sure is the consumer variants of Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 will be powered by Arm chips, and Microsoft is very excited about them. 

The last few months have been a rocky time for Surface fans. With Panos Panay's departure still on people's minds, nobody is sure if Surface will continue as it has or fade into irrelevancy as Windows Phone did before it.

Microsoft has said publicly that it remains committed to Surface, and the departure of Panay doesn't change things. But we already know that Microsoft has slimmed the Surface portfolio down to its core mainstream products, which explains why we saw so little from the Surface team this past year.

In 2023, Microsoft shipped updates to the Surface Hub, Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Laptop Go, and Surface Go lines, primarily consisting of minor spec bumps and price hikes across the board. But curiously, Microsoft didn't ship a new Surface Pro or Surface Laptop this year, so what's next for Surface?

According to my sources, Microsoft is working on significant updates to its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop lines, which sources say will feature significant upgrades with improved designs, new features, and next-gen silicon in the form of 2024 Intel processors (not yet sure if these will be 14th-gen or Core Ultra) and Qualcomm X Series chips. I hear the new devices will be announced in the spring and will be marketed as Microsoft's first true next-gen AI PCs.

Intel and Arm, with an emphasis on Arm

For the first time, both Surface Pro and Surface Laptop will be available in Intel and Arm flavors, and both will have next-gen NPU (neural processing unit) silicon. Sources are particularly excited about the Arm variants, which I understand will be powered by a custom version of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Series chips.

Internally, Microsoft is calling next-generation Arm devices powered by Qualcomm’s new chips “CADMUS” PCs. These PCs are purpose-built for the next version of Windows coming in the second half of 2024, and will utilize many of the upcoming next-gen AI experiences Microsoft is building into this next release of Windows.

Specifically, Microsoft touts CADMUS PCs as being genuinely competitive with Apple Silicon, sporting similar battery life, performance, and security. The next Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are expected to be some of the first CADMUS PCs to ship next year in preparation for the next version of Windows in 2024.

Surface Laptop 6

So, what’s changing with the Surface Laptop 6? I’m told this new Surface Laptop will finally have an updated design with thinner bezels, rounded display corners, and more ports. This will be the first time that Microsoft’s Surface Laptop line is getting a design refresh, which is well overdue.

The Surface Laptop 6 will again be available in two sizes. However, I’m told the smaller model will have a slightly larger 13.8-inch display, up from 13.5 inches on the Surface Laptop 5. Sources say the larger model remains at 15-inches.

I’m told Surface Laptop 6 will also have an expanded selection of ports, including two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, along with the magnetic Surface Connect charging port. Microsoft is also adding a haptic touchpad (likely with Sensel technology) and a dedicated Copilot button on the keyboard deck for quick access to Windows Copilot.

Overall, the Surface Laptop 6 is shaping up to be a significant refresh for the product line, designed to compete head-to-head with the MacBook Air.

Surface Pro 10

The next Surface Pro is also shaping into a big update, although not as drastic as the Surface Laptop 6. According to my sources, the most significant changes coming to Surface Pro 10 are mostly related to its display, which sources say is now brighter with support for HDR content, has a new anti-reflective coating to reduce glare, and now also sports rounded display corners.

I’ve also heard that Microsoft is testing a version of Surface Pro 10 with a slightly lower-resolution display, down from the 2880x1920 screen found on previous Surface Pro models. Sources say this lower-resolution panel is only being considered for lower-tier models, meaning the more expensive models will continue to ship with the higher-resolution display.

Lastly, I also hear Microsoft is equipping the next Surface Pro with an NFC reader for commercial customers and a wider FoV webcam, which will be enhanced with Windows Studio Effects. It should also be available in new colors. I’ve also heard we may get an updated Type Cover accessory with a dedicated Copilot button for quick access to Windows Copilot.

It shouldn’t be understated that thanks to the upcoming Arm chip, this next Surface Pro will be leaps and bounds better than the previous one in terms of performance, likely coming close to or even matching the likes of the MacBook Air and iPad Pro.

What else is Surface working on?

So, the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 will be the stars of the show for 2024. I have heard that Microsoft may also ship another Surface Laptop Go next year (see our recent Surface Laptop Go 3 review), but I do not have any concrete details about that product yet.

I also heard whispers that Microsoft is considering a commercial-only version of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop that maintains the current designs of the Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9, but with updated Intel 14th-gen chips and other minor improvements. I'm unsure if these will actually ship, however.

Beyond 2024, my sources say that Microsoft is working on a more significant design update for the Surface Pro line that targets a late 2025 release window. It’s too early to know what exactly will be different with it, but sources say the company is toying with an 11-inch Surface Pro model that would ship alongside the standard 13-inch one.

Microsoft is also working on the next Surface Laptop Studio (read our Surface Laptop Studio 2 review for context), which targets a similar late 2025 release window. Not much is known about the Surface Laptop Studio 3 yet, though I understand that Microsoft is considering both Intel and Arm flavors for the first time.

As the holidays are fast approaching, we're now at that time of year again where tech companies are selling off their best products for much less than usual. One such company is Microsoft, which just launched some of the best Black Friday deals on its latest Surface PCs, ranging from the Surface Pro 9 to Surface Laptop Studio 2. 

If you're in the market for a new Windows PC, you should absolutely consider a Surface. They're essentially the Mac of the Windows world, made by the same company that makes the operating system they run. That means there's tighter integration between OS and hardware, which should make everything work just that little bit better. 

Pair your new Surface with must-have accessories

It's not just new Surface PCs on sale this Black Friday, Microsoft is also slashing the prices of some of their top Surface accessories, including the Surface Pro Type Cover and Surface Slim Pen 2! These are the best accessories you can buy right now to match your new Surface Pro or Surface Laptop Studio!

What you need to know

• Microsoft has extended the amount of time it promises to support new Surface PCs with firmware updates.
• Originally, Surface PCs only received four years of firmware updates.
• Now, Surface PCs shipped after January 1, 2021 will receive firmware updates for six years.

Microsoft has quietly updated its Surface support documentation with new information about how the company plans to support its Surface PCs with firmware updates. Originally, Microsoft had only committed to supporting Surface PCs with firmware updates for four years, but that now appears to be changing.

The updated documentation states that any Surface PC shipped after January 1, 2021 will receive six years of firmware updates. Surface devices shipped before that date will remain on four years of firmware updates. This means Surface Pro 7+, Surface Go 3, Surface Laptop 4, Surface Laptop Go 2, Surface Studio 2+, Surface Laptop Studio 1 and newer have all had their support cycles extended by two additional years. 

Here's what the documentation says:

• For devices released before January 1, 2021: Surface devices will receive driver and firmware updates for at least four years from when the device was first released. In cases where the support duration is longer than four years, an updated end-of-servicing date will be published before the date of the last servicing.
• For devices released on and after January 1, 2021: Surface devices will receive driver and firmware updates for at least six years from when the device was first released. In cases where the support duration is longer than six years, an updated end-of-servicing date will be published before the date of the last servicing.

Firmware updates for Surface PCs are designed to make the device work better with Windows. These updates can consist of battery life and performance improvements, and sometimes even add or enable new features in Windows. So, the longer your Surface PC is supported with firmware updates, the better.

With that said, these are not the same as OS updates. While firmware updates can aid in the transition to a new version of Windows, they are not always required. So even on a Surface PC that no longer receives firmware updates, you may still be able to install the latest version of Windows. 

Microsoft does say it reserves the right to extend the firmware support cycle for any device where necessary, an example of this is with the Surface Studio 2 which shipped in 2018 but will be supported until 2024. Generally, most Surface PCs shipped before 2021 will stop receiving firmware updates by the end of next year.

Surface support cycles

You can view the support dates for each Surface device that's still in support below. Notably, this doesn't include the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2, as they do not count as Surface "PCs."

A good sign or bad sign?

It's good to see Microsoft committing to longer support timeframes for its Surface portfolio. The optimist in me sees this as Microsoft doubling down on its hardware business, which is exactly what we want to see. 

On the flipside, the pessimist in me thinks this change is happening because the company is planning to reduce how often it releases updated hardware. One of the reasons why the Surface Studio 2 had its support cycle extended to 5 years was because Microsoft took so long to ship a successor.

Of course, we won't know for sure what this means until we see what Surface's new leadership team is able to bring to the table now that ex-CVP Panos Panay is out the door. Notably, Surface Pro and Surface Laptop didn't receive a refresh this year, marking the first time in a while that Microsoft hasn't updated those lines on an annual basis. 

What you need to know

• Qualcomm recently announced Oryon and the Snapdragon X Elite PC platform, which is set to take on Apple and Intel for the most efficient mobile CPU.
• Qualcomm remarked last year that it has many “design wins,” which suggested many PC OEMs were on board with the Elite X.
• Qualcomm revealed the nine PC makers committed to making hardware featuring Snapdragon X Elite today.

Qualcomm is having quite the moment this week at its annual Snapdragon Summit, where, for the first time, PCs are the primary focus instead of mobile.

Besides announcing its new Snapdragon X Elite platform powered by the 12-core Oryon CPU, which Qualcomm claims can demolish Apple’s M2 and anything 13th gen from Intel, the company also announced that DaVinci Resolve is going ARM-native next year, too.

On the second day of the summit, Qualcomm went into more detail about Oryon and Snapdragon X Elite and even brought on stage HONOR to talk about new phones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. But the end of HONOR’s presentation was the exciting part as the company announced it was making its first ARM laptop for next year (the company previously made Intel-based laptops).

But besides HONOR, Senior Director of Product Management for Snapdragon Chipset at Qualcomm, Nitin Kumar announced at the end of the entire presentation all the PC makers who are on board with Snapdragon X Elite, meaning we are very likely to see new laptops and 2-in-1s from these companies starting in mid-2024.

Those companies include:

• Acer
• ASUS
• Dell
• HP
• HONOR
• Lenovo
• Microsoft Surface
• Samsung
• Xiaomi

That’s a vast and notable list and backs up Qualcomm's claim in 2022 that it had " a significant number of design wins to date," which led the company to predict that 2024 will be "an inflection point in Windows on Snapdragon PCs."

Getting back to the list, Lenovo, the largest shipper of PCs on the planet, has supported ARM for a few years, so that’s not too surprising.

Acer and ASUS are important as they tend to represent the better value brands of the PC market and focus a lot on Asian markets.

Getting HP committed is also a big deal as its Spectre and EliteBook series of laptops have been some of the best leading ones in their categories, likewise for Samsung, which has been doubling down in the laptop space with its Galaxy Book series, which often sets the bar for OLED displays and premium designs.

Nearly all these companies have dabbled with Windows on ARM PCs in previous years, but never all at once.

Microsoft has been a proponent of ARM for years, especially optimizing Windows to leverage the architecture. It also released the Surface Pro X and the Surface Pro 9 with Qualcomm CPUs. Our senior Windows reporter Zac Bowden has been hearing that the Surface Laptop and a refreshed Surface Pro 10 will likely go with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite platform for fall 2024.

Overall, getting a Snapdragon X Elite-powered Windows PC next year will be easier than in previous years, where typically one OEM would release one ARM PC, giving not many choices to the market (or regional availability). That should all change in 2024, driving software makers to better cater to ARM64 software.

The Surface Book was one of the most powerful Surface devices available on the market in its category. Microsoft advertised it as "The laptop that can handle your biggest demands. Surface Book 3 brings together powerhouse performance and high-end graphics in a robust book that can also turn into a tablet or a portable studio." 

Launching in May of 2020, it was well-loved by Surface enthusiasts and offered a Windows competitor to the MacBook Pro while also giving all of the best perks of being a tablet. This was at the height of the pandemic but missed the work-from-home buying frenzy that emptied most computers off store shelves. Our Surface Book 3 15-inch review came with a great recommendation but noted, like several other reviewers, that Microsoft was playing it safe, and this was more of the same as the results from the previous Surface Book 2 review. 

With all of that in mind, let's look at some of the best features of the third iteration of the Surface Book, understand what happened to it, and whether it's worth using in 2023.

Back in 2021, Microsoft confirmed (via TrustedReviews) that it had discontinued the Surface Book line of products and replaced it with two devices, both warmly received by the team here at Windows Central: the Surface Laptop Studio and now the recently released Surface Laptop Studio 2. But for me, having the ability to detach the screen and use it as a stand-alone tablet is more appealing than having the adjustable angle screen as the Surface Studio line provides. I add my voice to the rest of the Surface fandom, saying Microsoft should revive the Surface Book.

My journey to the Surface oasis

Let’s get to my thoughts on the Surface Book 3 in 2023. I decided to dip my toes into the Microsoft Surface pool and am blown away by the Book 3. From its dual modes to performance and quality-of-life features, I’m officially converted to the Surface faithful.

I began this new role at Windows Central to learn more about Microsoft Surface products. I went down the rabbit hole of trying to understand the past decade-plus of products that have spanned several categories and iterations. I decided it would be beneficial to grab an older surface product to initiate myself into the order of well-deserved fans that the Surface product line enjoys.

In this process, I kept coming across the sentiment that the Surface Book was sorely missed. I found several comments across videos and forums like “R.I.P Surface Book.” So, I decided to see if I could find one.

Luckily, I could pick up a refurbished Surface Book 3 from Amazon for a surprisingly great deal at the time and looked at the specs. A 10th Gen Intel Core i5 with 8GB of RAM didn’t blow my socks off, but I knew that it would be more than sufficient for research and writing up articles in Word, and I wanted to get my hands on the legendary Surface Book keyboard and try it.

How the Surface Book 3 holds up in 2023

Wow, the keyboard does not disappoint. I have several mechanical keyboards, MacBooks, and iMacs, and none of those can compare with the perfect travel distance, slight touch, and responsiveness of the Surface Book 3 keyboard. Having an adjustable backlight is a great plus as well.

Looking at the screen, it's simply fantastic. This is my first time using a 3:2 aspect ratio screen, and I never want to switch back. The extra real estate is excellent, especially while reading articles and managing multiple windows simultaneously. The resolution at 3000 x 2000 (267 PPI) also looks impressive, offering an outstanding PPI and incredible clarity. The touch screen itself is responsive and accurate. I am waiting for a Surface Pen to arrive so I can test out my hand at some sketching, but based on the general consensus around the web, I'm sure it will be a top-class experience. 

I took the chance to update the Surface Book 3 to Windows 11 over the weekend, and it honestly feels faster and more responsive than it did with Windows 10. It gives the device a "next-gen" feel (even though it came out in 2020.) Boot-up is quick, and Windows start-up time is nothing noticeable. 

Compared to my desktop rig running an i7 12700k, I'm not noticing a huge difference in performance between the Surface Book 3's 10th Gen Intel Core i5 versus the 12th Gen Core i7. Still, I'm also not pushing the Surface Book 3 through benchmarks or video editing.

Just for fun, I installed Valorant and gave it a try. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the game to perform even close to playable on the Intel Iris Plus graphics, but I could run some smaller games without an issue. That being said, this laptop isn't meant for gaming, and for the tasks I am throwing at it daily that relate to my actual workflow, it handles them like a champ. 

My only main drawback so far, with a few weeks of use, is the speakers. They definitely aren't on par with most laptops, but this can be forgiven since they are basically coming from a tablet. Overall, I'm in love. Surface Book 3 is the best laptop I have ever owned regarding ease of use, comfort, and helping me get work done. 

A great gateway into the Surface brand

I realize that for around the price that I paid for this refurbished Surface Book 3, I could have likely bought a device with better specs, but If I had gone for a 3-generation old Surface Pro or an old Surface Laptop, I don't think I would have been as excited for the future of the Surface brand as I am now.

And sure, with the recent exit of Panos Panay, the head of Microsoft Surface since its creation, things are looking more uncertain than ever in the last decade for the future of the Surface. Still, as a newcomer, I hope that Microsoft can listen to consumers and continue to find a place in the market to offer unique and exciting experiences for old and new fans. 

Should you pick up a Surface Book 3 in 2023? This was the best gateway into the Surface brand for me, and I plan on using it as a daily workhorse for my work here at Windows Central. Its 2-in-1 nature and the ability to quickly flip to a tablet form factor give it incredible flexibility to meet my needs.

If you have never had the pleasure of using the Surface Book, I think it will go down as one of the most unique and fun devices released by Microsoft, and for me to get to use and experience its great consumer-forward features was worth the price of admission even if I was three years late. 

Since the first Surface Laptop Go iteration was released, Microsoft's line of devices has been considered one of the best laptops due to their reliability and ultraslim design. In fact, they're so slim that they feel like Microsoft Surface tablets with built-in keyboards and trackpads. With the release of the latest model, it's time to compare the three iterations side by side to see the most significant updates and changes. 

I'll also dive into what the different specs mean for you as a consumer so you can figure out which device is best suited to meet your needs. 

Surface Laptop Go vs Laptop Go 2 vs Laptop Go 3: Specs

To start this comparison off, take a look at the official specifications between the original Surface Laptop Go, the Surface Laptop Go 2, and finally, the Surface Laptop Go 3. After that, I'll dive more into what these specs mean for you as a potential owner. 

Surface Laptop Go vs Laptop Go 2 vs Laptop Go 3: What are the major differences?

You might not be able to tell the Surface Laptop Go model apart simply by looking at them because their chassis, displays, dimensions, and color options are pretty similar. However, it's the internal components and hardware changes that really provide a different user experience. Here are the most important differences between Surface Laptop Go, Laptop Go 2, and Laptop Go 3, as well as what these differences mean fo

PROCESSORS: Each consecutive model since the release of the original Surface Laptop Go has housed an improved processor (CPU) that offers more processing power than the model before it. CPUs are one of the most critical parts of a laptop because they provide the necessary instructions to tell it what to do so it can run certain programs and perform specific tasks. As such, the latest Surface Go 3 can handle the most processing tasks out of all three models thanks to the more powerful processor, the Intel Core i5-1235U.

RAM: Although memory (RAM) and storage both deal with Gigabytes (GB), their actual functions within a laptop are very different. RAM stands for random access memory and refers to quickly reading and writing data that it previously accessed to cut down on the time it takes to perform various functions. RAM is essential as a separate entity from storage because a laptop can access data more easily via RAM than an SSD, so it allows your laptop to run programs or save information a lot faster. 

The more RAM you have, the better the Surface Laptop Go can perform, which is why it's good to see that the latest Surface Laptop Go 3 finally offers a version with 16GB of RAM for the average consumer. In contrast, the previous two versions only offered up to 8GB for consumers.

BATTERY: The last thing you want to deal with on the go is having your laptop run out of juice at the wrong moment. Obviously, there's no way to guarantee this won't happen, but having a longer battery life definitely helps. The latest Surface Laptop Go lasts up to 15 hours on one charge, making it the longest-lasting option. Meanwhile, the first and second Surface Laptop Go were relatively similar, with up to 13 or 13.5 hours of battery life, respectively.

Price: Compared to Microsoft's other laptops, like the Surface Laptop Studio 2, the Laptop Go line is very affordable, but they aren't cheap. As is often the case, the latest laptop versions tend to cost more than previous ones because they include upgraded hardware over previous versions and the same can be said with the Surface Laptop Go line. 

Depending on the configuration chosen at launch, the original Laptop Go costs between $550 and $1,100. Meanwhile, the Laptop Go 2 launched at $600 to $1,100. As for the latest Laptop Go 3, it has a starting price of $799. However, it's as yet unclear what the most expensive version costs. So if you want to save money, it's not a bad idea to go with the Laptop Go 2.

Surface Laptop Go vs Laptop Go 2 vs Laptop Go 3: Which should I buy?

If you want to stay up to date with the latest and greatest iteration of Microsoft's Surface Laptop Go line, then you should purchase the new Surface Laptop Go 3. It has the best processing power, provides more RAM than previous versions, and even has a battery life that lasts up to one and a half hours longer than the previous option. It is a bit pricier than the others, but it will also receive support longer. 

Meanwhile, if you want a Surface Laptop Go but want to save some money, I suggest going for the Surface Laptop Go 2. It's pretty powerful still, more so than the original, thanks to its improved graphics card and processor. However, it won't be nearly as costly as the latest version. 

If you're looking for the best Windows laptop, it makes sense to start with Microsoft. After all, it should know best how to shape a portable PC around the operating system it designs, right? We certainly think so, with most Microsoft Surface devices scoring highly in reviews, regularly coming up against some of the most well-known laptop brands, like HP, Dell, and Lenovo.

Luckily, plenty of Labor Day sales are ongoing right now, and Best Buy has some of the best Microsoft Surface PCs in 2023 on sale for far less than their usual MSRP. Everything from the Surface Laptop 5 to the Surface Pro 7+ is on sale with hundreds of dollars off, making this the perfect opportunity to get a new Surface laptop.

But hurry, as many of these Labor Day deals are only available for today only. Best Buy even has an ominous timer counting down on many deal pages to mark when the deal is over, so get there before it's too late. We've done the hard work for you and found the best Surface deals in this sale; get them while they're hot!

If you're looking for more information on these Surface PCs, we've done our due diligence and reviewed them all! The Surface Laptop 5 is a great laptop with a design identical to previous Surface Laptops. That means the Surface Laptop 4 is very similar, just with slightly older specs which means you can save even more money on this version.

Then we've got the Surface Laptop Go 2, which we think is the best laptop for students as it's small, light, and affordable. Right now, it's even more affordable, thanks to these Labor Day sales. Lastly, we have the Surface Pro 7+, which is a great choice for those who are looking for an affordable, high-quality Windows 2-in-1 with a Type Cover and Surface Pen.

What you need to know

• Microsoft's new patent filing revealed that the company is experimenting with 360-degree folding screens.
• The patent details how the screen and hinge design may operate.
• Microsoft's second known patent focuses on displays that can fold from 0 to 360 degrees.

A recent patent filing revealed that Microsoft is experimenting internally with 360-degree folding screen designs. First spotted by Patently Apple, the filing details how a 360-degree folding screen and hinge may work together to provide a flexible screen that can fold all the way around from fully closed to fully opened.

The patent follows another one from 2022, which also details how to reverse a foldable display without a gap, so clearly, Microsoft is interested in the idea. 

Could this be Microsoft's screen and hinge design for the next Surface Duo? I would be very surprised. Microsoft's hardware teams patent all kinds of designs, and it's no surprise they are experimenting with this technology. That said, just because it can be done in labs doesn't mean it's easy to manufacture or can be built for a reasonable cost. 

Interestingly, in 2022, LG showed the world a working prototype of an 8.03-inch foldable OLED display that can fold inwards and outwards at any angle from 0 to 360 degrees. The resolution is 2480 x 2200 with 413 PPI, offers 430 nits of brightness (but peaks at 600), and delivers 109.9% DCI-P3 color gamut, which is not far off from the screen size of Surface Duo. Microsoft could very well be looking at this technology for a device down the road as it is evident it exists, but it is unclear when it can be mass-produced and made affordable.

Earlier this year, I was told that Microsoft's next folding smartphone would drop the dual-screen design in favor of a folding screen with a 180-degree hinge and external cover display, just like the Google Pixel Fold or Xiaomi Mix Fold 3. That was before Microsoft began a huge wave of layoffs and cutbacks, which I'm told forced the Surface team to postpone work on this device.

It's unclear if the next Surface phone will be ready in 2024, as was initially planned. I highly doubt it will use a 360-degree folding display if it is. My sources say durability concerns still need to be addressed, and this kind of design would be too expensive for most customers. 

That said, never say never. Plans can always change, and I'll let you know if I hear that's the case. For now, we can only speculate. I think a 360-degree folding Surface tablet is more likely than a phone. A 13-inch foldable Surface Pro that folds into a 9-inch Surface Mini? Sign me up. 

Microsoft just announced its back to school sale on Surface PCs, now on at the online Microsoft Store. Curiously, the company announced this sale on the same day as Amazon Prime Day, where thousands of laptops, including Surface PCs are already on sale for huge discounts. 

So I decided to cross compare and see which online storefront has the better deals. Does Microsoft have your back with cheaper prices on the Surface Laptop 5 and Surface Pro 9, or does Amazon? Well, it's a little more complicated than that. Here's our roundup of the best deals you can get right now on Surface PCs in the United States.

Where should you buy Surface PCs today?

Ultimately, this comes down to the specific model configuration you're after, and whether or not you're already an Amazon Prime Member. If you are already subscribed to Amazon Prime, ordering from Amazon can often net you same day or next day delivery at no extra cost, plus Amazon has an excellent 30-day return period.

If you're not bothered about quick delivery, and you've found the model you want cheaper at the Microsoft Store, then place your order there as Microsoft has excellent customer service and a 60 day return period on Surface PCs.

We love Surface PCs. I've daily driven many of them, including the latest Surface Pro 9 and Surface Laptop 5. In my review, I called the Surface Pro 9 the result of 10 years of form factor perfection, making it arguably one of the best 2-in-1 laptops on the market currently.

The Surface Laptop 5 is also excellent, but its aging design with thick bezels does let it down somewhat. We've also got the Surface Laptop Studio, which is a total powerhouse with NVIDIA RTX 3050 graphics, Intel 11th-Gen CPUs, and up to 32GB RAM.

Here at Windows Central, we're doing our best to round up the actual good deals to be had between now and the end of Prime Day next week. We know it can be hard to sift through all the rubbish deals, so we've compiled a collection of the best Prime Day deals we've spotted for you. Our collection will be constantly updated, so keep checking back!

It's the 4th of July week! At Windows Central, my colleagues call me the "Surface guy." Why? Well, it's because I love Surface products! You often see Apple fans with an iPhone, MacBook, and iPad. That's me but with Surface. I use a Surface Duo, Surface Laptop Studio, and Surface Go for all my mobile and computing needs.

That's why I'm rounding up some of the best deals you can find this 4th of July for Microsoft's Surface products. Whether it's a new Surface Pro 9 or Surface Laptop Go you're after, there's a deal on for every kind of Surface, and I wanted to hunt down the best ones out there for you.

Surface Pro 9

The Surface Pro is what made Surface. It's the product that started it all, and the Surface Pro 9 combines 10 years of hardware research and development, and boy, can you tell.

In my Surface Pro 9 review, I called it the best 2-in-1 on the market and certainly the best Surface PC to date, and I stand by that.

The Intel 12th-Generation chips inside are excellent, offering great performance in a thin chassis. The 13-inch display with 120Hz is also gorgeous, and the optional Type Cover accessory transforms the Surface Pro from a great tablet to a handy laptop. 

Surface Laptop 5

Microsoft has a bunch of Surface Laptop 5 configurations on sale this week, including the entry-level model with a 12th-Generation Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD storage. This is a great config for most users who frequent an office-based workflow, but you might find yourself wanting to upgrade to 16GB RAM for added futureproofing.

The Surface Laptop 5 is a gorgeous product, being Microsoft's answer to the MacBook Air. It's incredibly thin and comes in both 13-5- and 15-inch screen sizes. Additionally, it has a beautiful keyboard and trackpad, which I said my Surface Laptop 5 review might be the best thing about this laptop. The platinum 13-inch model even comes with a special Alcantara keyboard deck not found on any other laptop.

Surface Laptop Go 2

Suppose you like the idea of the Surface Laptop but are looking for something smaller and much more affordable. In that case, Microsoft has the Surface Laptop Go 2, an excellent lightweight laptop designed for on-the-go computing. It has a 12.5-inch display with subtle rounded corners, the same keyboard as the bigger Surface Laptop, and an aluminum lid that keeps that premium aesthetic.

This laptop will be great for students, as it's available in three great colors; platinum, ice blue, and sandstone. The base is also made of high-quality plastic, so you don't need to worry about damaging the bottom of your laptop when you throw it into a bag.

Surface Laptop Studio

Microsoft's Surface Laptop Studio is the company's high-end creative laptop designed to compete with the MacBook Pro. It features a six-core Intel 11th-Generation processor, offering boosted performance over the usual Ultrabook chips in the same generation. 

But what makes this laptop the best for creatives is the GPU department. In our Surface Laptop Studio review, we noted that this is the only mobile Surface PC on the market that you can configure with a dedicated GPU in the form of an NVIDIA RTX 3050, which offers boosted performance over the integrated graphics chips found in other mobile Surface PCs.

Surface Pro 7+

The Surface Pro 7+ is designed for those who already have an older Surface Pro and don't want to buy all new accessories to match the newer Surface Pro 9. Microsoft made the Surface Pro 7+ to continue the classic Surface Pro design, fully compatible with the accessories made for Surface Pro 3 through Surface Pro 7.

It has an Intel 11th-Gen chip on the inside, along with 8GB RAM. Because it has an older design, it features a smaller 12.3-inch display, though it's still incredibly high resolution and supports touch and pen, just like the Surface Pro 9. Unlike the Surface Pro 9, the Surface Pro 7+ has magnets that allow you to attach the Surface Pen to either side of the device.

Need a new laptop for productivity work and general use? Microsoft's Surface Laptops are some of the best ones on the market for this thanks to their competitive prices and performance capabilities, and even though their design hasn't changed much since the original came out in 2017, we're still big fans of them. Right now, you can get the Surface Laptop 4 for up to $600 off thanks to some killer deals, with multiple SKUs heavily discounted for a limited time.

Both the 13.5-inch and the 15-inch variants of the Surface Laptop 4 are on sale right now, with the price of the former starting at $699.99 and the latter at $999.99. CPU options on smaller model include the AMD Ryzen 5 4680U, Intel's 11th Gen Core i5-1135G7, and the Core i7-1185G7, with both the Core i7-1185G7 and the Ryzen 7 4980U available on the larger one. You can get the clamshell with up to 32GB of LPDDR4x RAM and 1TB of storage space, too, though there are other options you can choose if you'd like to save some extra money.

The Surface Laptop 4's performance is great overall, though it dips a bit when you're using it off the plug. Also, keep in mind that the Surface Laptop 5 and many other laptops from 2022 and 2023 will outperform it since they have newer components, though in our view, the discounted price is absolutely worth dealing with this caveat. Make no mistake: for productivity multitasking, the device is more than up to the task, and you can look forward to a 17-19 hour battery life as well. It may be a bit old, but the Surface Laptop 4 is still one of the best Windows laptops — especially at these prices.

Display-wise, the laptops come with a solid 3:2 2256x1504 (13.5-inch) or 2496x1664 (15-inch) panel with 97% sRGB, 72% AdobeRGB, and 75% DCI-P3, along with 400 nits of peak brightness. Notably, both devices support touch with styluses like the Surface Pen and others that support Microsoft Pen Protocol, so you could use one to jot down notes or sign documents if you're into that.

The design of the Surface Laptop 4 is sleek and minimalist with slopes and plenty of smooth surfaces. The vents are located on the rear edge of the laptop, which means you won't need to worry about toasting your legs and blocking airflow like you'd have to if they were on the bottom. The keyboard and trackpad are also are top notch in terms of comfort and ease-of-use. For ports, you get a USB-A, USB-C, Surface Connect, and 3.5mm audio.

Available models of the laptop include a handful of different colors and materials. Ice Blue SKUs use Microsoft's Alcantara fabric for the keyboard, while the Sandstone and Matte Black colorways are fully metallic. There's also Platinum, which is available with both.

Looking for a new laptop this Memorial Day? Perhaps you should consider Microsoft's best Surface laptop on the market right now: the Surface Laptop Studio. Launched in 2021, the Laptop Studio is Microsoft's most powerful laptop, rocking Intel 11th-Gen H-Series processors and NVIDIA RTX 3050 graphics for great performance in a portable package.

It's also the first Surface to feature a new form factor that allows the display to be pulled forward and laid flat over the keyboard deck when wanting to use the device with touch or a pen. It features a gorgeous 14.4-inch touchscreen display, in Microsoft's usual 3:2 aspect ratio, which makes it slightly taller than most laptop displays. 

It also has an excellent keyboard and Microsoft's first ever haptic touchpad, which means it the touchpad doesn't move when you click on it, but it feels like it does thanks to a clever vibration motor underneath that moves when you press anywhere on the touchpad area. It's very clever stuff.

And although the Surface Laptop Studio is now almost two years old, it's still an excellent laptop with amazing performance, and for the savings you can have today, we think it's definitely worth it. Plus, it's still the latest Surface Laptop Studio, and likely will be for several more months to go yet.

Right now, all Surface Laptop Studio SKUs are on sale, ranging from a $200 saving on the entry-level model, all the way up to $600 off for the very top end SKU. This means you can get the Surface Laptop Studio right now for a starting price of $1,399, but if you want the spec we recommend, that costs JUST $1,699 with a massive saving of $400.

Microsoft has iterated on its flagship 2-in-1 to great success, reaching as close to perfection as possible and receiving glowing praise in our Surface Pro 9 review. Available with a choice of a 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U or i7-1255U processor alongside a third 5G-enabled variant based on the energy-efficient SQ3 ARM CPU, these customizable devices are temporarily discounted directly from Microsoft with up to $300 in savings.

The offer runs until April 23 and includes multiple configurations to choose from with varying price reductions. Still, you can pick up the powerful Intel i7-1255U variant with a whopping 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM and a significant discount on its MSRP.

If you're away from usable Wi-Fi networks in your day-to-day life, the Surface Pro 9 5G variant enables remote networking, and it's available for the same price as the configuration above with the same $300 saving. It offers vastly improved battery life by scaling back other components and switching out the Intel processor for a first-party SQ3 alternative. However, you will benefit from the Microsoft SQ3's additional "neural processing unit" (NPU), which enables AI-powered effects for the built-in cameras like automatic framing with Windows Studio.

Either way, all Surface Pro 9 models support the latest Wi-Fi 6E wireless standard and are compatible with the official Type Cover and Surface Slim Pen 2. If you've been waiting for the best Windows 2-in-1 on the market with a high-resolution 120Hz display, the Surface Pro 9 ticks all the right boxes as a genuine replacement for your laptop. 

Welcome to a new episode of Ask Windows Central, a show where we attempt to answer our community's most asked questions around Microsoft, Windows, Surface, Xbox, and the general tech industry. In today's episode, we answer questions about Surface hardware plans after recent layoffs, how Windows 12 could be shaped by AI, and our thoughts on the future of Cortana now AI is in play. 

This week's episode features the following questions:

• Is there any chance Cortana comes back stronger now that AI is more popular?
• With the recent layoff announcement, do you expect there to be significant changes to the Surface portfolio?
• With Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) do you think MS will bring back WP someday?
• What A.I. features do you predict will be baked into Windows 12?
• Why is the Lenovo dual-screen PC getting so much hype when the Surface Duo didn't?
• Should Microsoft release a Mac Mini competitor?

If you have a question you'd like us to answer on the show, be sure to submit them in the comments below, or email daniel@windowscentral.com with "Ask Windows Central" in the subject line! You can also join the Windows Central Discord and ask questions in the dedicated #ask-wc channel.

If you're on Twitter, you can tweet your question with the #AskWindowsCentral tag included, and make sure you tag either @daniel_rubino or @zacbowden so we can see it.

If you have any feedback about the show format, please let us know. We're building this show around you, so if there's something you don't like or think we should change, we're all ears. We hope you enjoy the episode, and look forward to getting back to your questions in the next one.

Surface Laptop 5: Overview and specs

The Surface Laptop 5 is the latest device in Microsoft's ultrabook lineup, aimed at folks that need a speedy and efficient machine to use for general productivity work, browsing the web, watching entertainment, and other everyday tasks. Featuring impressive upgrades like Intel Evo-certified 12th Gen Intel Mobile U-series CPUs, the addition of Thunderbolt 4, and a Secured-Core PC certification, the Surface Laptop 5 is considerably more advanced than previous generations of the device.

Notably, the Surface Laptop 5 also comes with certifications for Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos, meaning that you can expect stellar contrast, vibrant colors, and top-notch spatial sound from its displays and speakers. Microsoft says that the camera will be great to use, too, as it will be able to adjust to varying light conditions, different skin tones, and adjustments you make to the position of your head and face.

Like with the Surface Laptop 4, the Surface Laptop 5 is available in 13.5-inch and 15-inch versions. For the most part, the two models are identical, with the main differences between them being their price and the size of their displays. Notably, the 13.5-inch version can be configured with both Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs, with the 15-inch variant only featuring Core i7 options.

Both models of the Surface Laptop 5 are available to preorder now, with the device expected to begin shipping on October 25, 2022. The price of the 13.5-inch model starts at $999, while the cost of the larger 15-inch one begins at $1,299.

Why you should buy the Surface Laptop 5 13.5

The 13.5-inch variant of the Surface Laptop 5 will be ideal for folks that want something as affordable as possible, as it's considerably less expensive than the 15-inch model. While you'll have to settle for Core i5 12th Gen chips instead of Core i7 ones if you want to save the most money, we expect that they'll still offer great performance for general tasks and will be excellent for day-to-day use.

You should also opt for this model if you're looking for something compact. The smaller size of the display and chassis means that the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 5 will be easier to slip into small laptop bags and backpacks. It's also a full half-pound lighter, too, which is a benefit worth considering if you plan on carrying the laptop with you all day.

Microsoft also claims that the 13.5-inch variant will have a slightly better battery life of 18 hours. This is far from being a major step up from the 15-inch version's estimated 17-hour runtime, but if you often spend a lot of time away from the charging cord, every bit of extra juice helps.

Why you should buy the Surface Laptop 5 15

If you don't mind paying a little extra for it, the 15-inch Surface Laptop 5 will be an excellent choice for people that want a larger display. Many often find larger screens easier to multitask and complete work with, as they give you more real estate to use.  Bigger panels are also typically considered ideal for watching movies and TV or playing games (Xbox Cloud Gaming would pair perfectly with the Surface Laptop 5). If you plan on consuming a lot of entertainment media with your new laptop, going with the 15-inch unit may be the right call.

You may also prefer to use the larger keyboards found on 15-inch devices, especially if you have big hands. If you've struggled to type accurately using smaller keyboards in the past, you'll most likely be better off with the bigger Surface Laptop 5. 

Ultimately, regardless of which Surface Laptop 5 you decide to buy, you'll end up with what is expected to be one of the best Windows laptops of 2022. Between its quality specs and great new features, the Surface Laptop 5 is poised to please.

Welcome to the 13th episode of Ask Windows Central, a show where we attempt to answer our community's most asked questions around Microsoft, Windows, Surface, Xbox, and the general tech industry. In today's episode, we answer questions about new Surface form factors launching with "Windows 12," how long will we have to wait for ARM chips that rival Apple's, and more!

This week's episode features the following questions:

• Will we see a new Surface form factor with the launch of Windows vNext?
• What design refinements can we expect to see in the next or future Surface Laptop?
• What are they going to focus on in the next major release of Windows?
• When will we see Windows on ARM devices that can compete with Apple M1/M2?

If you have a question you'd like us to answer on the show, be sure to submit them in the comments below, or email daniel@windowscentral.com with "Ask Windows Central" in the subject line! You can also join the Windows Central Discord and ask questions in the dedicated #ask-wc channel.

If you're on Twitter, you can tweet your question with the #AskWindowsCentral tag included, and make sure you tag either @daniel_rubino or @zacbowden so we can see it.

If you have any feedback about the show format, please let us know. We're building this show around you, so if there's something you don't like or think we should change, we're all ears. We hope you enjoy the episode, and look forward to getting back to your questions in the next one.