Microsoft starts selling Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
last updated

If you're willing to pay a premium, you can now pick up a Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro already installed.

Adobe Premiere on Surface Laptop
Adobe Premiere on Surface Laptop (Image credit: Windows Central)

The Surface Laptop launched last spring as Microsoft's flagship product for Windows 10 S, and, so far, it's only been available for purchase with that version of the OS. However, now Microsoft is now offering (opens in new tab), through its commercial store, the option to purchase a Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro preloaded instead (via Neowin).

Curiously, Microsoft is charging an added $100 for the Windows 10 Pro Surface Laptop, compared to the same models with Windows 10 S. Since Windows 10 S can be easily upgraded to Windows 10 Pro (currently for free through March, to boot), that makes shelling out for the newer option, simply to avoid the upgrade process, much less appetizing.

Currently, the Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro is listed at a starting price of $1,199 for the base platinum Core i5 model with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Prices go up from there, topping out at $2,749 if you choose to max out every hardware option. Interestingly, cobalt blue and burgundy color options are also listed for those wanting to move up to a Core i7 processor, but they're presently out of stock.

If you're interested in checking it out, you can find the commercial Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro on sale at Microsoft now.

See at Microsoft Store (opens in new tab)

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

17 Comments
  • Even without the free upgrade, it only costs $50, so a $100 increase is odd.
  • Thats just typical Microsoft price gauging just like their whole Surface lineup, mediocre specs at premium price;  
  • I would say Microsoft is trying to be Apple, but in this case they do not need to step on their OEM's toes. Surface should be highly priced.
  • I'd say the design look better (sharp & sleek) than mediocre laptops. besides, it's 1st party HW, 1st hand care.
    The only 3rd party OEM I trust is Alienware. My current bag cost me $2k, last one was $4k. I do care about what I wear and use. If you care about CP, 3rd party ones are available. * If 1st party HWs are as cheap as OEMs... MS's gonna piss off alotta OEMs.
  • They are just encouraging everyone to get the one with Windows 10S.
  • Depending on configuration, it is $50 more not $100.
  • Microsoft has gone fully off the deep end into Apple territory. It's pretty sad that I saw the headline and immediately went "how much more are they charging?" After the garbage of the new Surface Pro (removing the Pen, raising prices on the hardware, then raising prices on the Pen), I stopped recommending their products. We switched to Dell Inspirons at work over it. This is downright pitiful, given how the Surface Laptop was already a gimped, overpriced piece of hardware before this.
  • Or you could just buy it with Win10S, then do the free upgrade to Win10 Pro. But we know, it takes away your usual opportunity to whine and complain - if you even were to buy a device like this.
  • MS is happy with your decision, no doubt. You moved to their OEM. Good!
  • First party hardware should be more expensive as third party hardware.
    Surface should be the defacto ultra premium line of devices. It's designed to be something to aspire to for both consumers and OEMs. It is simple: You don't undercut you're partners, as they create a volume you never could on you're own! If Microsoft start pushing OEMs out of the Window ecosystem by under cutting them?
    Then you don't have to wait long for OEMs to kick Windows to the curb and go all in on Google.
    The time has never been so right for anything like that. Microsoft can't be a complete dick anymore. And on it's own it can never create the volume it has today. It needs its partners, now more then ever. If they go at it alone the end up like Apple in its pre iPhone era. Small and insignificant. It took Apple decades to reach this kind of cloud on it's own and even when it did it was more luck then wisdom! I can't afford every Surface product I aspire to either, but I understand why things are the way they are from a business perspective. And that's okay!
  • The new Surface Pro is an excellent and fast device, but unfortunately not everyone uses the pen. I do, so I had no problem paying $100 more for it.
  • The upgrade to Pro was extended indefinitely
  • Free upgrade was extended?
  • Windows 10 S may not have been a selling point for the Surface Laptop. I wonder what the pro upgrade numbers are.
  • Pricing doesn't make sense. Are they going to drop the 10S version?
  • I believe Microsoft intends to eventually drop Windows 10 S for Windows Core OS "Polaris," which will be the version dedicated to laptops and tablets. Of course, that's not happening until Polaris arrives next year. This year, it's all about Andromeda and the foldable device.
  • How much better is the pro version of W10 than the S version?