- Lawrence Ng
Microsoft Unveils Surface Pro 8, Pro X, Laptop Studio and More
Microsoft has just announced various Surface products in its fall event such as the Surface Pro 8, Surface Pro X and Surface Laptop Studio. Aside from that, the company unveiled the Surface Go 3, Surface Duo 2, Surface Slim Pen 2 and Surface Adaptive Kit. As a part of its sustainability efforts, the technology firm also introduced the Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse.
Here's what you need to know about each product.
Surface Pro 8
The highly-anticipated Surface Pro 8 made its debut, equipped with 11th-generation Intel Core processors. With the device achieving over 40% higher sustained CPU performance and 74% faster graphics sustained performance versus the Surface Pro 7, it is over twice as fast as its predecessor. Touted as the most powerful Pro ever, the tablet comes with either an Intel Core i5-1135G7 or an Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor, both of which have Intel Iris Xe Graphics. Commercial versions of the device have an added Intel i3-1115G4 processor option that comes with Intel UHD Graphics.
The Surface Pro 8's touchscreen saw an upgrade as well, with its 13-inch PixelSense Flow Display that is capable of up to a 120Hz refresh rate. Another thing that's different about the new model in terms of the display is that it has GPU Ink Acceleration and Dolby Vision support. Just like its predecessor, the device supports 10-point multi-touch.
The device's cameras, video and audio capabilities similarly improved as the Surface Pro 8 boasts a 10MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p HD and 4K video as well as 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. It retains the Windows Hello face authentication front-facing camera, 5MP selfie camera with 1080p full HD video and dual far-field Studio Mics found in the Surface Pro 7.
As for connectivity, it adds two USB-C ports supporting USB4.0 and Thunderbolt 4. Like the Surface Pro 7, the new tablet has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a Surface Connect port, a Surface Type Cover port and compatibility with Surface Dial off-screen interaction. The device has Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 technology as well. For storage, you can choose either 128GB or 256GB removable SSD for Wi-Fi or LTE models, while there are 512GB and 1TB SSD options for the Wi-Fi-only models.
The Surface Pro 8's battery life is longer compared to the older model: up to 16 hours of typical device usage versus 10.5 hours. With its 60W power supply, the Surface Pro 8 can achieve a zero to 80% charge in over an hour.
Moving on to its software, the device comes with Windows 11, preloaded Microsoft 365 apps and a Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial. It also offers a preloaded Xbox app and an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate one month trial.
With the new Surface Slim Pen 2 that is sold separately for US$129.99, there is support for inking, sketching and annotation. The pen docks and charges in a slot in the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard.
Pre-orders for the Surface Pro 8 start today in select markets. The product is available in Graphite and Platinum at a base price of US$1,099.99.
Surface Pro X
Microsoft also unveiled a new Surface Pro X, which is a Wi-Fi-only model that has Windows 11 on ARM with support for x86 and x64 emulation, a 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen and a 5MP front camera with 1080p full HD video. At the back, there's a 10MP autofocus camera with 1080p HD and 4K video.
It is powered by either a Microsoft SQ 1 or SQ 2 CPU, with the former coming with an Adreno 685 GPU and the latter being shipped with an Adreno 690 GPU.
In terms of display and camera specs, nothing has changed when compared to its predecessor. But there were software improvements as more apps were optimised for Windows on ARM such as Adobe Photoshop, Zoom and Microsoft Office. A new version of Office was designed for the next version of Windows on ARM, allowing the ARM architecture to run fast, provide greater memory availability and better support for large documents as well as retain compatibility with existing 64-bit add-ins.
The Surface Pro X has two ports for USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, a Surface Connect port, a Surface Keyboard connector port, an LTE-only nano SIM slot as well as compatibility with Surface Dial off-screen interaction.
As for storage, there are three removable SSD options: 128GB, 256GB and 512GB.
The battery lasts for up to 15 hours of typical device usage and can be charged with a 60W power supply.
Starting at US$899.99, the Surface Pro X comes in Platinum and Matte Black. It can be pre-ordered in select markets.
Surface Laptop Studio
The Surface Laptop Studio, a successor to the Surface Book lineup, made its debut in Microsoft's fall event as well. It foregoes the removable display and instead features a screen that can be pulled forward to transform the device from a laptop into a tablet, albeit one that can't be detached from the keyboard. Its screen is a 14.4-inch PixelSense Flow touch display that has a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, 10-point multi-touch functionality and Dolby Vision support.
Aside from that, another big change can be seen in the device's hinge. With its new flexible Dynamic Woven Hinge, the Surface Laptop Studio can be used in three modes: laptop, stage and studio.
In laptop mode, you can use the device with a full keyboard and a new Precision Haptic touchpad. Meanwhile, configuring the device to stage mode is great for gaming, streaming or presenting. To do so, you need to pull the display forward and place it at an angle that is optimal for you. Lastly, studio mode is suitable for content creators as it is best for drawing, sketching and writing with the Surface Slim Pen 2.
When it comes to CPUs, customers can choose from an Intel Core H35 i5-11300H or an Intel Core H35 i7-11370H processor. The i5 ships with Iris Xe Graphics, while the i7 is equipped with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU with 4GB of RAM.
Removable SSD storage starts from 256GB and can go up to 2TB, while you can choose between 16GB and 32GB of RAM.
By looking at the Surface Laptop Studio's ports, you can see an evident change: two USB 4.0 ports with Thunderbolt 4 support. The Surface Connect charging port and 3.5mm headphone jack has been retained.
Pre-orders for the Surface Laptop Studio are being accepted in select markets starting today, with the device selling at a base price of US$1,599.99.
Surface Go 3
If you're looking for a Surface that you can bring practically anywhere, then the Surface Go 3 might be fit for you. Microsoft's most portable Surface PC provides a 2-in-1 value to users as it can be used as a laptop or a tablet. Its 10.5-inch display works great with an adjustable kickstand, letting you surf the internet, work, play and watch videos wherever you are.
The Surface Go 3 can come with an Intel Pentium Gold 6500Y or an Intel Core i3-10100Y processor. Both CPUs have Intel UHD Graphics 615.
Its cameras, video and audio specs are almost the same as the Surface Go 2's, except for the fact that the new device has enhanced dual far-field Studio Mics.
The usual USB-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Connect port, Surface Type Cover Port and MicroSDXC card reader are also present. Storage is mostly the same as well, save for the added 256GB SSD option for the new model's commercial channels.
Available in the colour Platinum, the Surface Go 3 with Wi-Fi can be pre-ordered in select markets for a starting price of US$399.99.
Surface Duo 2
Microsoft also unveiled the Surface Duo 2, the company's second Android-powered folding phone. It maintains the first model's design but added a triple-lens camera array, 5G support and bigger screens. A 12MP wide, 12MP telephoto and 16MP ultra-wide lens can be seen at the back of the device, while there is a 12MP camera at the front. The triple-lens camera array is capable of recording HDR video, 1080p video at 30 FPS and 60 FPS as well as 4K video at the same frame rates. You can also capture slow-motion video at 120 or 240 FPS with the said cameras.
Aside from that, the Surface Duo 2 opens into the thinnest 5G mobile device on the market. However, 5G might not be available in all countries and coverage varies by carrier.
Equipped with bigger screens, the device has two 5.8-inch displays that open to 8.3 inches. They have a 90Hz adaptive refresh rate and a maximum brightness of 800 nits.
The Surface Duo 2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor, which is paired with 8GB of RAM and either 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage.
When it comes to battery capacity, Microsoft said that the Surface Duo 2's 4,449mAh dual battery can last all day and can be charged with the Microsoft Surface 23W USB-C Power Supply.
You can get the Surface Duo 2 in Glacier or Obsidian for a starting price of US$1,499.99. It is available for pre-order in select markets.
Surface Adaptive Kit
To help consumers navigate their Surface, Microsoft announced the Surface Adaptive Kit, which comes with keycap labels, three-dimensional bump labels, port indicators and openers that can make it easier to find, open and use compatible devices and accessories. The kit's packaging is fully recyclable.
No details about the kit's pricing were released, but Microsoft said that the product will be available later this year.
Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse
Aside from the Surface Adaptive Kit's packaging, Microsoft's sustainability efforts include the Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse, which has a shell constructed out of 20% recycled ocean plastic. Its packaging is 100% recyclable and plastic-free.
The Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse can be pre-ordered in select markets for US$24.99.
Written by Sophia Lopez