Microsoft unveiled new computers! They boast great battery life and higher performance

At the Snapdragon Summit conference, Microsoft unveiled new generations of its smallest computers, the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch. Both replace the first Snapdragon X Plus with the new Snapdragon X2 Plus, featuring a neural processor with 80 TOPS of performance. However, higher performance comes at a cost. Compared to the previous generation’s starting price, the base Laptop increased by 300 dollars, and the Pro by as much as 351 dollars.

AI and graphics gain the most, office work only slightly

Both machines feature the hexa-core Snapdragon X2 Plus. Microsoft promises the biggest leap in the NPU, the part of the chip designed for on-device artificial intelligence computations. Local AI inference is expected to be up to 95% faster than the previous generation. Graphics are set to accelerate by more than 60%.

For typical office work, the promised improvement is more modest, at most 17%. The new chip is expected to use the battery up to 18% more efficiently. From the ratio of numbers, it’s clear where the new generation is headed. Less will change for writing and browsing, while those who rely on AI features or more graphically demanding work will gain more.

Tablet under 700 grams, laptop with over 22 hours of battery life

The Surface Pro 12-inch features a 2196 × 1464 px display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 90 Hz refresh rate. It is fanless, weighs 686 g, and lasts up to 15.5 hours during video playback. It supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, and businesses will also be able to order it with 5G.

The Surface Laptop 13-inch features a 1920 × 1280 px touchscreen display with 60 Hz, which is 25% brighter and reaches 500 nits. It weighs 1,225 g, and Microsoft states its battery life is up to 22.5 hours. Black has been added to the platinum and purple colors, while Ocean Blue has been discontinued.

The end of the 8GB version elevated Surfaces to a higher tier

Microsoft discontinued the 8 GB RAM variant, which allowed previous models to stay under 1,000 dollars. Now, it starts at 16 GB. The Surface Pro 12-inch starts at 1,149.99 dollars (about 25 thousand Czech crowns), the 16/512 GB version costs 1,250 dollars (approximately 27 thousand), and the 24/512 GB version costs 1,450 dollars (31 thousand). The Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at 1,199 dollars, with the highest 24/512 GB configuration costing 1,500 dollars.

The first generation was mainly an affordable entry into the world of Surfaces. The second adds double the base memory, more powerful graphics, and an NPU, but it is no longer a cheap option. Sales will begin on October 13 in selected markets, both at the Microsoft Store and at retailers like Best Buy or Amazon. When and for how much the new Surfaces will arrive in the Czech Republic is not yet known.

What do you think of Microsoft’s new computers?

Source: Windows Blog