The new Surface Laptop is equipped with the Snapdragon X Plus (8-core) processor, which Microsoft claims can provide up to 16 hours of battery life for local video playback and 12 hours for web browsing. It features 16 gigabytes of RAM, identical storage options, two USB-C ports, and a 3.5-mm headphone jack.
The Surface Pro’s keyboard has been specifically redesigned for this model. It includes a matte palm rest, full-size backlit keys with a dedicated Copilot and lock key, and a customizable precision touchpad with adaptive touch mode. Microsoft states that it now rests and folds completely flat against the tablet, simplifying typing, drawing, or writing. The keyboard supports the Surface Slim Pen 2, sold separately. Unlike other Surface Pro keyboards, which include a slot for the stylus, this one allows for magnetic attachment to the back of the tablet, where it charges wirelessly.
The Surface Pro (12 Inch) is available for preorder starting at $799, with retail sales beginning on May 20. The Surface Pro (11th Edition) can still be found for a similar price, offering 256 GB of storage, 16 GB of RAM, and a slightly more powerful 10-core Snapdragon X Plus. It also features a larger and higher-resolution 120-Hz, 13-inch screen, though it sacrifices the slimmer chassis, being 1.5 pounds compared to last year’s 1.97 pounds.
The new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are likely to receive discounts during major sale events, distinguishing them from their flagship counterparts and potentially offering better value.
Both the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro include the same artificial intelligence features as the more expensive models. These features cover Windows Studio Effects with creative filters, Eye Contact that adjusts the gaze to look at the camera, Portrait Blur for video call backgrounds, and Voice Focus to improve audio by reducing background noise. Additionally, CoCreator, a generative AI feature in Paint, creates images based on user input and drawings, while Live Captions offer real-time translation across video and audio calls.
