Microsoft is rolling out significant upgrades to its Surface Laptop and Surface Pro lines, packing them with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 chips. While the company hasn't officially named these new generations, they represent the eighth iteration of the Surface Laptop and the twelfth for the Surface Pro.
These new Qualcomm processors are designed to deliver a serious performance boost. Microsoft claims they offer up to 53 percent faster graphics compared to the previous models, alongside an impressive 15.5 hours of battery life. Early tests suggest these chips live up to the hype, but the accompanying price tags are definitely raising eyebrows.
The revamped Surface Laptop now starts at a hefty $1,599, a substantial $600 leap from the previous generation's $999 launch price. This comes after an earlier price increase that pushed the older model to $1,499. Adding insult to injury, the new base model is equipped with only 256 GB of storage, half of what was previously offered, despite still featuring 16 GB of RAM.
The Surface Pro isn't escaping the price hike either. Last year's model started at $999 and later increased to $1,199. The new starting configuration now clocks in at $1,499, also with a reduced 256 GB of storage and excluding the cost of the detachable keyboard.
This trend of higher prices isn't unique to Microsoft. Many new Windows laptops featuring the latest Intel or Qualcomm silicon are seeing similar price increases, reflecting ongoing supply chain issues impacting component costs, particularly for RAM and storage.
Despite the price surge, some beloved Surface features remain, including the taller 3:2 aspect ratio display and the excellent detachable keyboard. The main aesthetic changes are limited to new color options: Jade for the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop and Dune for the Surface Pro. Both devices are available for purchase starting today.
