Microsoft just revealed two new Surface devices – here are the 4 key things you need to know about them
Rumors regarding a new Surface lineup from Microsoft have run rampant, with hints that much smaller and thinner renditions of the Copilot+ laptops were in the works.
This comes after Microsoft’s Surface Laptop and Surface Pro 2024 models, providing exceptional battery life thanks to their Snapdragon processors and great portability.
Well, it turns out those rumors were indeed correct. Microsoft has announced two brand-new Surface devices: the Surface Laptop 13-inch and the Surface Pro 12-inch. Both are built to deliver even more impressive performance across the board, but ahead, we’re breaking down the four key takeaways you’ll want to know about them.
The 13-inch model is the lightest and thinnest Surface Laptop ever
Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop 13-inch will be the ‘lightest, most portable Surface Laptop ever’, thanks to its ultrathin design and 13-inch touchscreen display. It will come in three different color variations – Ocean, Violet, and Platinum – to suit your preferred style.
It weighs just 2.7 lbs, which is an impressive 1.22kg, compared to 2024’s 15-inch model, which weighed in at 3.67 lbs (1.66kg). Most importantly, this means portability is the new Surface Laptop’s highlight, ensuring you can take your device with you anywhere you go and pack it in most backpacks. It’s also an improvement over 2024’s 13.8-inch model.
This includes USB-C connectivity that supports fast charging, DisplayPort 1.4a, and up to two 4K monitors at 60Hz refresh rates.
The new Surface Pro will have a 12-inch display, ideal for its 2-in-1 design, providing a pleasant laptop and tablet experience. That will also make it slightly slimmer than the previous 13-inch size.
It’s also worth noting that there is no mention of an OLED model yet, and the new Surface Pro 12-inch Keyboard is sold separately.
Surface Laptop 13-inch is ‘50% faster’ than the Surface Laptop 5, competing with Apple’s MacBook Air M3
Using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus processor, Microsoft claims the Surface Laptop 13-inch is ‘50% faster’ than its previous Surface Laptop 5, which Intel’s 12th Gen processors powered. This will be the 8-core processor instead of the 10-core variant, which is enough to provide powerful performance in AI-intensive tasks with 45 NPU tops.
Microsoft also mentions it’s faster than Apple’s MacBook Air M3, and based on benchmarks, the Snapdragon X Plus wins in multi-core processing over Apple’s M-based chip. We’ll need to see how this competes with Apple’s latest M4 chipset, though.
The Surface Pro 12-inch will also use the same configuration, keeping your productivity at its best on the go, thanks to its high speeds.
It’s a different move from the previous Laptop and Pro models, as both came with X Plus and X Elite configurations. Even so, it’s a reasonable compromise, as you’ll see.
Improved battery life for both devices
Unsurprisingly, the new Surface Laptop 13-inch provides the longest and best battery life out of all Surface devices, with a promise of up to 23 hours of usage (local video playback). This is an upgrade from the Surface Laptop (7th Edition) 13.8-inch model’s 20 hours and the 15-inch’s 22 hours, almost giving a total of 24 hours of usage.
The same applies to the new Surface Pro 12-inch, as Microsoft claims it provides up to 16 hours of usage, a decent leap over the previous 14 hours.
We’ll have to see real-world tests for both devices to gain an accurate insight, but this is great for anyone who needs extra power to stay locked into productivity on the go.
It seems that Microsoft has omitted the X Elite configurations to preserve battery life, which is great because the X Plus is still a powerful chip, and staying zoned into work that extra bit longer has an advantage.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors are among the most efficient available, providing great performance without draining too much battery. The Surface laptops have been a testament to that, and Microsoft is showing it again with the new models.
The Surface Laptop 13-inch and Surface Pro 12-inch are much cheaper than their predecessors
Perhaps the biggest highlight beyond the smaller designs and battery life is pricing. The Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $899 / AU$1,699, while the Surface Pro 12-inch starts at $799 / AU$1,499. These are huge price drops from their previous models, which both start at $1,099 / AU$1,899.
Microsoft’s plan is clear; affordability is key, and it’s kept prices within a reasonable range considering the presence of the Snapdragon X Plus chip. This will effectively help consumers get their hands on the new Surface Laptop, which is said to outperform its predecessors in the battery life department.
Both Copilot+ PCs are available to pre-order now and will be available in select markets on May 20. We’re waiting for Microsoft to confirm pricing in the UK and Australia.
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