Microsoft Surface Pro, Surface Laptop debut with Snapdragon X2 Plus
What's the story
Microsoft has unveiled the refreshed versions of its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, both of which are getting Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 Plus chips. The new models don't bring any design or hardware changes from last year's versions but promise improved performance thanks to the more powerful processors. The updated devices will be available for purchase starting October 13.
Pricing details
Pricing and availability
The Surface Pro 12-inch Second Edition will start at $1,149.99, a significant increase from last year's starting price of $799.99.
The 13-inch Surface Laptop will also see a price jump from last year's starting price of $899.99 to $1,199.99 this time around.
Notably, all models now come with either 16GB or 24GB of RAM. Microsoft has removed the base model with 8GB RAM for both devices.
Performance boost
Improved battery life and performance
The new models are powered by six-core Snapdragon X2 Plus chips, which promise up to 18% more efficient battery life, over 60% faster graphics performance, and up to 95% faster local AI inferencing on the built-in NPU.
The Surface Pro 12-inch Second Edition will offer an extra hour of web browsing (up to 13 hours in total), while the Surface Laptop 13-inch Second Edition promises two additional hours of web browsing usage (up to 18 hours in total).
Specifications
Same displays as last year's models
The new models come with the same displays as last year's models.
The Surface Pro 12-inch features a 2196 x 1464 (220 PPI) LCD display that runs at up to 90Hz, while the Surface Laptop 13-inch has a 1920 x 1280 (178 PPI) display running at only 60Hz.
Both displays have been upgraded from a brightness of 400 nits to an improved brightness of 500 nits.
Features
Port selection remains unchanged
The port selection on the new models remains unchanged from last year's versions.
Both devices come with two USB-C 3.2 ports, while the Surface Laptop 13-inch also features a USB-A 3.2 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
They both support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity for seamless connectivity options for users.