Microsoft is reportedly set to announce two new machines at the end of May, a Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 which will be among the first to integrate Qualcomm’s highly anticipated Snapdragon X Elite chip.
We have known this since the very end of last year: Microsoft wants to fundamentally overhaul its range of Surface devices, after a rather disappointing 2023 for the manufacturer, both commercially and in terms of user reception (including Frandroid).
Journalists at Windows Central and The Verge, always very well informed about Microsoft’s projects, provide new information on the release schedule for this new range.
Two events for the new Surface
According to the journalist’s sources, Microsoft plans to announce two new products in the business range this Thursday, March 21, integrating the latest Intel Core Ultra 5 and 7 processors with an NPU to accelerate AI tasks. The Surface Pro for Business and Laptop for Business will be a sort of preamble to other products announced later in the spring.
Microsoft will hold an event on May 20 to announce both its new Surface products for the general public, as well as to share its AI vision, both for Windows and its devices. Two new products in the Surface range on March 21, the Surface Pro 10 and the Surface Laptop 6. These two devices would rival the iPad Pro and the MacBook Pro in terms of performance and energy efficiency. Apple devices still have a considerable lead in this area, we will obviously wait to see to believe it.
As mentioned in the previous leak, these two machines will be offered in two versions: one with an Intel Core Ultra chip and another with the highly anticipated Snapdragon X Elite chip from Qualcomm. Microsoft is counting heavily on this second ARM variant to offer a significant gain in terms of performance per watt, an area in which PCs are still struggling to catch up with Apple.
Unsurprisingly, Microsoft will emphasize the AI dimension of its new PCs, which will all feature a Windows Copilot key as well as an NPU (Neural Processing Unit) chip like almost all new machines this year. This new Surface range should be the standard bearer for all the new Windows AI features expected from next spring.
The Surface Pro switches to Oled
If we do not yet know the precise technical sheets of these two machines, the information from Windows Central mentions an Oled panel with anti-reflective coating for the Surface 10 Pro as well as support for HDR standards (we imagine Dolby Vision). The tablet-PC will also feature a brand new front camera which will allow you to use all the effects of Microsoft’s AI Studio, with Windows Hello compatibility for biometrics.
The Surface Laptop 6 will welcome a more in-depth update of its design, particularly on its screen which should offer much thinner edges, a new haptic touchpad as well as a richer connectivity offering. If we refer to previous information gleaned by Zac Bowen, it should be offered in two versions, 13.8 and 15 inches.
A two-stage launch for the new Surface range
Microsoft is reportedly planning a dual launch for its new Surface line, starting with Intel models expected to arrive in April, followed by models with ARM chips in June. Nothing regarding prices at the moment, so we’ll see you on May 29 for Microsoft’s official announcement concerning the general public.