🚀 Microsoft Surface Updates: Find Out What's New in the New Laptop!
Microsoft has launched new business versions of its Surface Laptop (7th Edition) and Surface Pro (11th Edition)! These devices feature powerful Intel Core Ultra 200 (Lunar Lake) processors, giving customers a choice between x86 and Windows on Arm. 💻✨
Additionally, Microsoft announced that it will release a version of the Surface Laptop with 5G capabilities later this year. It also revealed a new Surface USB4 Hub, designed with the Surface aesthetic but compatible with any laptop that has a USB4 port. ⚡
Essentially, the new Laptop and Pro are the third iterations of the latest Surface series, with similar specs and dimensions. In May 2024, Microsoft had introduced both the Surface Laptop (7th Edition) and the Surface Pro. Surface Pro (11th Edition), available in consumer and "business" versions, both featuring Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chips. 📱
Now, Microsoft is adding a second version of the Surface Laptop (7th Edition) and Surface Pro (11th Edition) for business, but with a Snapdragon competitor: the chip Intel Core Ultra 200 / “Lunar Lake.” Both devices will be available on the same day, February 18, with a starting price of $1,499. As before, the Pro is offered as a 13-inch tablet, while the Surface Laptop will be available in 13.8- and 15-inch versions. 📏
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(Microsoft's naming scheme isn't entirely consistent, as its documentation refers to the latest Surface Pro as both Surface Pro for Business and Surface Pro for Android.) Intel Core Ultra processors (Series 2) as Surface Pro 11th Edition for Business. Microsoft also calls its Snapdragon version Surface Pro for Business, 11th Edition.)
Copilot+ PCs, but from Intel
The important thing is that these two new devices have received the Copilot+ designation. Both the new Pro and the Laptops use Core processors Ultra 5 236V and Core Ultra 5 238V, with an NPU capable of 40 TOPS; and the Core Ultra 7 266V and 268V, which offer 48 TOPS. Microsoft defines 40 TOPS as the minimum requirement for the Copilot+ designation, allowing users to utilize Copilot-specific features. artificial intelligence from Windows. 🤖
Nancie Gaskill, the general manager of Microsoft's Surface business, mentioned that the new Pro and the Laptops would be "variations" of Surface devices for businesses “For enterprise, we want to make sure that we give customers choice, and that’s why you’ll see that we offer both the Arm architecture and the x86 platform,” he told reporters during a call. 📞
Microsoft first launched its Copilot+ program for Snapdragon PCs, then extended the Support for AMD and Intel.
While laptops with Copilot+-qualified chips like the Intel Core Ultra 200 and AMD Ryzen AI 300 have already shipped, the three platforms are not equivalent; PCs with Snapdragon chips can use or at least test all of the AI-specific features announced by Microsoft, including the controversial Recall feature and improved composition and editing capabilities. Generative AI for Windows applications like Paint and Photos. Recall was enabled for PCs Snapdragon on November 22nd. Copilot+ PCs with AMD and Intel chips have had to wait for an update, and got Recall and Click-To-Do in early December. The other features are not yet available. ⌛
Instead, Microsoft focuses more on Microsoft 365, rather than Windows itself, to take advantage of the local NPU. For example, with Microsoft 365 Copilot, users can dictate and/or handwrite on the Surface Pro, and Copilot will analyze and transcribe the notes, executives said. 📝
Microsoft
The different timelines between the two processor platforms is something Microsoft's Gaskill said will be addressed. “The first-party experiences we're showing today are coming to all silicon platforms,” he said. “That said, there will initially be some differences in the timing of availability of these features as we move forward.” We work to optimize the experience for each silicon. We are working closely with our silicon partners to accelerate this development with the goal of achieving parity in these Functions for devices in the future.” 🔍
What's in the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro for Business?
The new Surface Laptop delivers 26% faster performance for multitasking, twice the graphics performance, and up to 22 hours of battery life, Gaskill said, compared to the Surface Laptop 5, a 2022 device. 💪
According to Microsoft's specifications, the new Surface Pro (11th Edition) for Business includes the same features as the existing Surface Pro. You can choose between two models, one with a LCD screen and the other with an OLED screen. The option OLED comes with an HDR display mode additional feature that is not available on the LCD model. 🎨
He Surface Pro has a 13-inch display 2880x1920 that hits 600 nits (900 peak nits in HDR mode) and is protected with Gorilla Glass 6. Memory options include 16GB or 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, along with storage PCIe SSD Gen 4 removable 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. The tablet weighs 1.92 pounds and measures 11.3 x 8.2 x 0.37 inches, including an undisclosed battery that offers up to 14 hours of video playback. The tablet features a 1440p front-facing camera, a 10MP rear-facing camera, and a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports that complement its Bluetooth 5.4/Wi-Fi 7 connectivity. Remember that Microsoft removed the headphone jack on the Surface Pro 9. 🎥
Microsoft is also promoting its Pluton integrated security coprocessor, which complements the Trusted Platform Module. Pluton is not new; the security logic has protected the most recent Xbox Series X and S. The new thing is that Pluton is used instead of the technology Intel vPro. 🔒
The 13.8-inch and 15-inch versions of the Surface Laptop (7th Edition) do include the 3.5mm jack, as well as two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 10Gbps USB-A port. There is also a webcam generic 1080p. Wireless connectivity is provided by Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. 🌐
The larger 15-inch Surface Laptop weighs 3.66 pounds and measures 12.96 x 9.41 x 0.72 inches; the smaller 13.8-inch model weighs 2.97 pounds and measures 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches. Physically, there are a few differences between the two: the 13.8 inch screen resolution is 2304x1536, while the larger 15-inch display is 2496x1664. Otherwise, both screens share the same specs: 1300:1 contrast ratio, Gorilla Glass 5, and support for Dolby Vision IQ. 📊
There is one more small difference between them: the larger Surface Laptop contains a microSDXC Express card reader and the option of an integrated smart card reader. 🏷️
Microsoft did not address a question about the future of its Surface Connector, the small magnetic connector that can transfer both power and data. Microsoft has opted to use the connector only for power, transferring data through the port Thunderbolt 4. ⚙️
Thunderbolt 4 is simply the certified name for Intel for USB4 port identical, hence why Microsoft has named its new USB4 Dock with that name. The dock is connects to any laptop with a port It supports USB4 (which excludes the Surface Laptop Studio and Surface Studio 2+, according to Microsoft) providing 65W of power. It supports two 4K60 displays, and features one of its two built-in USB4/Thunderbolt 4 ports, along with a USB 3.0 port. HDMI 2.1The 4.7x2.4-inch dock also includes a port Ethernet gigabit and a 10Gbps USB-A port. 🔌
The Microsoft USB4 Dock will be priced at $199.99 and will ship on February 18. 📦