Microsoft brought its new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop along with new “Copilot PCs” from Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Samsung. This is the first time Microsoft has exclusively used Qualcomm chips in its new consumer-facing Surface. Pro and Surface Laptop, and the release of figures for those models suggests this is a fresh start for either product lineup.
“Surface was built to lead the PC industry with innovation and generation that showcases Microsoft’s most productive and empowers our consumers to do more,” said Pete Kyriacou, CVP, Microsoft Devices. “We’ve been at the forefront of new PC categories, with thoughtful designs and new features that motivate our consumers. And as we dive into the next wave of AI, Surface continues to put its consumers first.
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According to Microsoft, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus chips make the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop faster than Apple’s M3 MacBook Air. The Redmond giant also talked about its new Prism emulation engine that offers twice the functionality for x86 apps emulated to the Surface Pro nine with Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 chip.
The new Surface Pro is expected to be 90 percent faster than the Surface Pro 9, and other major changes come with an optional 13-inch 120Hz HDR OLED display and a Surface Pro Flex keyboard that can work wirelessly. The new Surface accessory also features a larger customizable haptic touchpad and users can purchase their Surface Slim Pen. The latter has also been enhanced with Zero Force ink, ultra-precise shadows, 4096 points of pressure sensitivity, and an integrated haptic motor.
Other highlights of the new Surface Pro include a 1440p Quad HD camera with an ultra-wide view box that supports Windows Studio effects, a 10. 5MP Ultra HD rear camera, dual Studio microphones with voice focus, and 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. The tablet also comes with 2 USB-C ports, a Surface Connect port for charging, and an additional nanoSIM port on 5G models.
The new Surface Pro is available with 16GB or 32GB of memory and up to 1TB of storage. Microsoft promises up to 14 hours of video playback and up to 10 hours of active internet use, which is rarely exceptional. Pricing starts at $999. 99 for the Snapdragon X Plus model with LCD, while the Snapdragon X Elite model with OLED starts at $1,499. You can pre-order the new Surface Pro today on Microsoft’s website and it will start shipping on June 18.
The new Surface Laptop has been “redesigned from the inside out” and the 13. 8-inch and 15-inch models now feature ultra-thin bezels and large, precision haptic touchpads. The new laptops will be available in 4 colors, Platinum, Black, Dune, and Sapphire.
Microsoft claims that its new Surface Laptop models are 86% faster than the previous generation, with up to 20 hours of battery life in the 13. 8-inch edition and up to 22 hours in the 15-inch model. Like the new Surface Pro, they can force up to 3 external 4K monitors.
Both models come with 120Hz displays, a Surface Studio Full HD camera that supports AI-based Windows Studio effects, adding auto-framing, portrait blur, artistic filters, and voiceArray. There are also two Studio microphones with vocal and omnisonic speakers with Dolby Atmos.
Microsoft also offers 16GB or 32GB memory features and up to 1TB of storage on the new Surface Laptop. As for port selection, either style comes with 2 USB-C ports, a Surface Connect port, and a headphone jack, the 15-inch model has an additional USB-A port and a MicroSDXC card reader.
The thirteen-inch Surface Laptop starts at $999 for the thirteen-inch model with a Snapdragon X Plus chip. The 15-inch edition is only available with a Snapdragon X Elite chip and starts at $1299. You can pre-order the new Surface Laptops on Microsoft’s website now, and they’ll also start shipping on June 18.
Laurent, senior news editor at Thurrott. com, has been writing about the tech industry for many years and his favorite topics are big tech, media, and gaming.
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