Microsoft's smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop get faster Snapdragon chips and much higher prices
The new models go on sale October 13. They look much like last year's versions, with the same screens, ports, and basic designs. The main changes are the processor, a higher starting RAM configuration, and brighter displays. Read Entire Article
Microsoft is updating its compact Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models with powerful Snapdragon X2 Plus chips from Qualcomm, resulting in faster performance for graphics and local AI tasks. Despite the upgrades, the compact designs remain largely unchanged for these new devices.
The 12-inch Surface Pro will start at $1,149.99, a significant jump from last year's $799.99 price tag, while the 13-inch Surface Laptop will begin at $1,199.99, up from $899.99. Microsoft is no longer offering the 8GB configuration, with both models now starting with 16GB of RAM and allowing for up to 24GB upgrades.
Both devices incorporate a six-core Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, promising up to 18% better battery efficiency, more than 60% faster graphics performance, and up to 95% quicker local AI processing through its neural processing unit. Microsoft has yet to disclose specific benchmarks for these performance claims, but they estimate users will see smaller but still practical improvements in battery life.
The Surface Pro retains its 2,196-by-1,464 pixel LCD display with a 220 pixels per inch density and up to 90Hz refresh rate, while the Surface Laptop keeps its 1,920-by-1,280 display with a 178 pixels per inch density and 60Hz refresh rate. However, Microsoft has increased the brightness of both screens to 500 nits, up from 400 nits.
Both devices maintain the same connectivity options, including two USB-C 3.2 ports, a USB-A 3.2 port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Notably, Microsoft has not added haptic trackpads to either device, a departure from their broader Surface lineup that now includes haptic feedback features.
The refreshed models will be available in black, platinum silver, and violet, with the black color option returning for both devices. Microsoft plans to sell the devices to commercial customers, with the 12-inch Surface Pro available in a 5G configuration as an optional upgrade.
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