Microsoft is reportedly preparing to refresh its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop lineup with new chips, improved displays, and a handful of quality-of-life upgrades, according to a report by Windows Central. The company is allegedly planning a two-stage rollout for the devices, with Intel-powered models arriving first, followed by Snapdragon variants at a later date.
According to Windows Central’s sources, Microsoft will launch the new Surface PCs with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors this spring, followed by Snapdragon X2 variants sometime in the summer. The lineup starts at 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with higher-end configurations reaching up to 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. The publication also points to an early product listing that briefly supported these details before it was taken down.
As this is a refresh, the report notes that the new Surface devices will largely retain a similar design to the current generation, aside from a few minor adjustments. That said, Microsoft is reportedly planning to equip its flagship Surface Laptop with an OLED display for the first time, while entry-level variants will stick with IPS panels. Some configurations may also feature higher-resolution displays compared to others in the lineup.
In addition to these changes, Microsoft may also equip the Surface devices with upgraded haptics, which Windows Central suggests are linked to improvements in Windows 11’s haptic system. This could allow users to receive feedback when interacting with the OS, such as when snapping windows or dragging files.
It’s worth noting that these changes target the larger Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models. As for the smaller variants, they may not see as many upgrades, aside from the possible introduction of Intel configurations for the first time.
According to Windows Central, the rollout for these smaller models could also differ. The Intel versions might launch first, while Snapdragon variants may arrive later due to limited chip availability.
While on the topic of Snapdragon, the report states that Microsoft has no plans to equip its Surface PCs with Qualcomm’s higher-end Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme SoC for this wave of devices. Instead, the company will reportedly limit the lineup to X2 Plus and X2 Elite variants. On the Intel side, the Surface PCs will ship with Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 configurations only, with no Ultra 9 option available.
Lastly, the report states that Microsoft has no plans to release a new budget-focused Surface designed to directly compete with Apple’s MacBook Neo, at least for now. The company has also confirmed a price increase for its current Surface PCs in the US earlier this week due to the RAM crisis. At the time of writing, the Malaysian market has yet to see any price adjustments, if they come through at all.
As always, take this information with a grain of salt. While Windows Central is a generally reliable source, there’s no way to independently verify its claim. As such, it’s best to wait for official confirmation from Microsoft before drawing any conclusions.
(Source: Windows Central, Amanz)
