Microsoft’s New Surface Devices Are Faster, Brighter, and More Efficient
Today at Snapdragon Summit, Microsoft unveiled its next-generation Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch, both powered by the Snapdragon X2 Plus processor.
DisclosureQualcomm provided travel and accommodations for PetaPixel to attend Snapdragon Summit. Neither Qualcomm nor Microsoft provided editorial input on this story.
The Snapdragon X2 Plus Effect
Like most other new computers and tablets these days, the next-generation Surface hardware is built with AI in mind.
Thanks to Snapdragon X2 Series chips, the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop promise up to 17% faster performance inside Microsoft Office productivity, up to 18% battery life, more than 60% improved graphics performance, and up to 95% faster local AI performance on the dedicated NPU.
“Surface is hardware built to bring the best of Microsoft to life — Windows, Copilot, and Microsoft 365 experiences that make a PC feel more useful, more personal and more responsive,” Microsoft says.
“That work starts long before the chip is finished. Surface engineers partner with engineers from Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. during silicon development to help make sure Snapdragon X2 is tuned for the realities of thin, light PCs: sustained performance, efficient power use, quiet thermals and responsive on-device AI.”
Surface Pro 12-Inch
The Surface Pro 12-inch promises to be Microsoft’s most versatile Surface Pro to date. It is a relatively thin, lightweight, fanless Windows PC that easily switches between tablet and laptop thanks to the detachable Surface Pro 12-inch Keyboard. There’s also a magnetically stored Surface Slim Pen for writing and drawing.
The 2-in-1 features a slightly brighter screen than before, now reaching a 500-nit peak brightness. This is 25% higher than before. The screen has a 2196 x 1464 resolution (220 PPI).
Weighing just 0.69 kilograms (1.5 pounds), the Surface Pro 12-inch is a lightweight and portable computer. It has two USB-C (USB 3.2) ports and supports fast charging via USB.
Speaking of the Surface Slim Pen, the Surface Pro 12-inch adds a new AI-powered, pen-first experience called Microsoft Ink Canvas. It lets users sketch, annotate, and generate images directly on the screen.
The Surface Pro 12-inch comes in configurations with 16GB or 24GB of memory and 256GB or 512GB of storage.
The new Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch will begin shipping on October 13 for $1,149.99.
Surface Laptop 13-Inch
The Surface Laptop 13-inch is “the classic Surface laptop refined,” says Microsoft. Like the Surface Pro, the Laptop is thin, light, and fanless.
It has a full-size backlit keyboard, a “precision” touchpad, and a new, taller 3:2 aspect ratio PixelSense touchscreen. Like the Surface 12-inch, the Surface Laptop 13-inch’s screen is 25% brighter than the previous generation. The screen has a 1920 x 1080 resolution.
Like the Surface Pro, the Surface Laptop comes in configurations with 16GB and 24GB of memory and 256GB and 512GB of storage. The device promises up to 22.5 hours of battery life for local video playback or 18 hours of web usage and weighs 1.23 kilograms (2.7 pounds).
Alongside the new laptop, Microsoft announced a new mouse, the Surface Mouse. It includes haptic feedback, a scroll wheel and function button, and has an ambidextrous design. The customizable action button on top is designed primarily for Microsoft Copilot AI.
The Surface Laptop 13-inch will begin shipping on October 13 for $1,199. The Surface Mouse is available separately for $79.99.
Image creditsMicrosoft
