Microsoft unveiled its first 5G-connected laptop! It supports eSIM and can be used as a hotspot

After a long wait, Microsoft has finally fulfilled one of the most frequent customer wishes and introduced the first Surface Laptop with integrated 5G connectivity. Unfortunately, for now, it’s only for businesses, only with Intel, and with uncertain global availability.

Nothing for regular customers, businesses will pay a “premium” price

The Surface Laptop 5G is de facto just a slightly modified 13.8-inch Surface Laptop (7th generation) model with Intel, which the company started selling in February. Now, they’ve added a modem, a Nano SIM card slot, and eSIM support – and they’re charging an additional $300 for it. The price thus starts at $1,800 (about 38,000 CZK) and climbs up to $2,700 (approx. 57,000 CZK) for the top configuration.

And that’s not all – Microsoft is also selling this novelty only as part of its Surface for Business line. So, if you are a regular customer who would like a light and elegant laptop with mobile connectivity, you are (officially) out of luck. However, the 5G version has already been listed by the Czech branch of the Redmond company, so it is almost certain that it will also make its way to our region.

Microsoft boasts about antennas and hotspot

Microsoft’s marketing department has truly gone wild, describing its “revolutionary” antenna system in the press release. According to Nancie Gaskill, General Manager of the Surface division, it’s a “dynamic antenna system composed of six strategically placed antennas” that automatically adjust signal paths based on how you hold the laptop.

Microsoft also entices with the option to use the Surface Laptop 5G as a mobile hotspot, sharing its connection with other devices.

Intel instead of Snapdragon is a surprising choice

It’s interesting that Microsoft implemented 5G connectivity in a model with second-generation Intel Core Ultra processors, and not in a Snapdragon variant. Yet, Qualcomm chips have historically been associated with better energy efficiency for mobile connectivity and dominate in 5G phones. This means that battery life might be worse with active 5G connectivity than it could be, but let’s wait for reviews.

Hardware-wise, the laptop otherwise offers what you would expect – a base Intel Core Ultra 5, 16 GB RAM, and 256GB storage. The top model then comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 32 GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD. In both cases, you’ll find an NPU for accelerating Copilot Plus AI features.

Would you get a Windows laptop with 5G connectivity?

Source: The Verge, Tom’s Hardware