Microsoft has formalized the launch of three new computers. As the leaks of recent weeks had let us understand, the Redmond firm presented us with a new exceptional ultra-portable, the Surface Laptop 5, the successor to the Surface Studio in the form of the Surface Studio 2+ and, the best device of this entire range, the Surface Pro 9, a two-in-one PC, a real concentrate of the company’s know-how.
The Surface Laptop 5 remains a laptop with an always simple, but effective design
Available in two screen sizes, 13 and 15 inches, it is intended efficient and multitasking. The display is 2256 x 1504 pixels for the 13.5 inch and 2496 x 1664 pixels for the 15 inch for a resolution of 201 ppi. This PC is powered by a 12th generation Intel processor based on the EVO platform. This label is not only a guarantee of autonomy, Microsoft claims that the battery can last up to 18 hours without rechargingbut also responsiveness.
Based on the Alder Lake architecture, it can go up to a frequency of 4.7 GHz in performance mode or 3.5 GHz in power saving mode. In their consumer version, the processors available are the Intel Core i5-1235U (only on the 13.5-inch version) or the Intel Core i7-1255U, on both screen sizes. Professionals can choose between an Intel Core i5-1245U and an Intel Core i7-1265U. In terms of RAM: customers will have the choice between a 8, 16 or 32 GB RAM. It will be possible to change the SSD, the keyboard cover, the screen or the motherboard, among other components, yourself. Microsoft is however not very clear on the possibility of replacing the memory modules yourself. A good point all the same for the Redmond firm for this effort.
Like any good ultra-portable, the Surface Laptop 5 is light. Depending on the coating and material chosen, its weight varies between 1272 and 1560 grams, which places it in the vicinity of an ultrabook like the Macbook Air 13, another reference in terms of featherweight laptops. This lightness of course has consequences in terms of connectivity. On this point, the Surface Laptop 5 is therefore a little sparse: it only offers on its sides a USB-C port (compatible with USB 4.0 and Thunderbolt 4), a USB 3 socket and a mini-jack headphone socket . The Surface Connect plug will increase the number of sockets, but for that you will have to invest in this additional accessory. In these times when teleconferencing, telecommuting and facial recognition are becoming widespread, the Surface Laptop 5 obviously has a camera for Windows Hello and another camera that is content with the bare minimum with a resolution of 720p. In the GPU section, nothing to report either, the graphics card being a Intel Iris Xe Graphics with average performance.
Surface Laptop 5 will come with Windows 11 Home and 30-day trials for Microsoft 365 Home and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. The Surface Laptop 5 is available in Platinum for the Alcantara version, in Matte Black, Sand, and a new shade, Sage.
The Surface Pro 9 is arguably Microsoft’s most anticipated product this year
Did Microsoft know how to renew its computer in tablet format and with a detachable keyboard? Physically, the principle remains the same. The body of the Surface Pro 9 is all anodized aluminum. His foot is always reclining at an angle of 165 degrees and the keyboard is still attached by a magnetic system. The weight of the machine is on average 880 grams, which places it among the lightest computers or in the heaviest tablets, depending on the point of view. The dimensions and weight are identical in all respects to the Surface Pro 8.
The 10-point multi-touch screen still has a diagonal of 13 inches for a resolution of 2880 x 1920 pixels with a density of 267 ppi. Its contrast improves very slightly compared to the previous generation and goes from 1170 to 1200:1. His refresh rate is 120 Hz.
No aesthetic changes to report. What about the entrails of the beast? Consumer and professional models have obviously moved to Intel’s 12th generation of portable processors, and are the same as those that run the Surface Laptop 5, the Core i5-1235U or the Core i7-1255U. The novelty lies in the availability ofa version of the Surface Pro 9 with 5G. The latter incorporates a in-house processor, the Microsoft SQ 3, designed in collaboration with Qualcomm. The latter brings a further gain in autonomy and incorporates a neural network acceleration chip which will be very useful for artificial intelligence engineers, but which will mainly serve us to add filters to our videos or to change the background without a hitch during videoconferences.
The Surface Pro 9 is now offered with a 5G version
It will be possible to equip the Surface Pro 9 with 8, 16 or 32 GB of RAM in LPDDR5, the 5G version being limited to 16 GB in LPDDR4, to save energy. The Surface Pro 9 are more richly equipped in terms of video than their range brothers, the Surface Laptop 5. The graphics card is an Intel Iris Xe on the normal versions. The 5G version has a very special SoC, so you should not expect top-notch graphics performance on this version either. The Surface Pro 9 is not clearly not intended for gamers. The available ports are reduced to two USB-C sockets (USB 4.0 / Thunderbolt 4 compatible), a Surface Connect socket and a socket for the Surface Keyboard. In addition to all this, the 5G version has a nano-SIM card slot. As the Surface Pro 9 is also a tablet, it has sensors such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope and other magnetometers.
Whether the Surface Pro 9 5G version seems to suffer in terms of performances pure, it is in the field of autonomy that it draws its pin from the game. Microsoft announces in fact that the battery will be able to hold up to 7 p.m. away from a socket. The version without 5G still shows an honorable autonomy of more than 15 hours. The range will benefit from two new colors, Saphir and Forest, for its covers and keyboards made from recycled sugar cane. The Surface Keyboard and the appropriate stylus remain optional, but is that really surprising?
The Surface Studio 2+ is a desktop for creatives and power-hungry professionals
The Surface Studio 2+ succeeds the Surface Studio 2 and comes once again hunt in iMac land and he is very well armed. He keeps his beautiful 28 inch screen and adds an even more efficient processor and graphics card, the Intel Core i7-11370H and the GeForce RTX 3060, components that are usually found in high-end gaming laptops. The advantage of using such components lies of course in their very small size. Despite a very refined look, the Surface Studio 2+ remains a monster of power. Microsoft announces that its new All-in-one is 50% faster than its predecessor and five times more powerful than the original Surface Studio.
With its huge touch screen, the Surface Studio 2+ is mainly intended for the graphic design professions. It is also only offered with Windows 11 Professional so as not to hide anything from its placement. The RAM is 32 GBwhile the mass storage is 1 TB. Since this computer is mainly intended to be found in business, it integrates all security features offered by Windows: TPM 2 chip, data encryption by Bitlocker, and other protections against data theft.
The Surface Studio 2+ is loaded with sockets. It has 3 USB-C sockets that allow you to connect up to 3 external displays in 4K, two USB-A sockets, an Ethernet port and a mini-jack headphone socket. Along with the CPU, the box contains a Surface Pen, Surface Keyboard, Surface Mouse, and all necessary cabling. Opulent equipment which indicates that the price of this machine will probably be very high.
Speaking of money, no details have yet transpired regarding the prices of the Surface Laptop 5, Surface Pro 9 and Surface Studio 2+. As a reminder, in their basic versions, their predecessors are currently sold at €770, €1200 and €4000 respectively.