Microsoft is gearing up to expand its presence in the Arm-powered PC market with a new lineup of Surface devices. Leaked information suggests that a 12-inch Surface Pro and a 13-inch Surface Laptop, both powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 platform, are on the horizon. The official unveiling is anticipated at Microsoft’s event on May 6.
Smaller Surface Pro, Powerful Performance
The rumored 12-inch Surface Pro harkens back to the smaller form factor of earlier models like the Surface Pro 3, but with a modern twist: Arm-based architecture. Equipped with a PixelSense Flow LCD display, it boasts the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 X1P-42-100 chip, featuring eight custom Kryo CPU cores and a powerful Hexagon NPU for enhanced AI performance.
The device is expected to offer configurations with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of UFS storage. While faster and more cost-effective than NVMe SSDs, UFS storage unfortunately means no user upgrades. Battery life is projected to be impressive, reaching up to 16 hours of local video playback. Connectivity includes two USB 3.2 Type-C ports. Color options are reported to include Ocean Blue, Platinum Gray, and Violet, with matching keyboards and accessories.
Affordable 13-inch Surface Laptop
Joining the Surface family is a new 13-inch Surface Laptop, positioned as a more budget-friendly alternative to the existing 13.5-inch and 15-inch Surface Laptop 7 models. It shares the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 SoC, memory, and storage specifications with the 12-inch Surface Pro. However, its 60Hz PixelSense Flow LCD suggests cost-cutting measures. Security features include a glass touchpad and a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello, replacing facial recognition.
Port options include two USB 3.2 Type-C ports, one USB Type-A port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The absence of the proprietary Surface Connect charging port further reinforces the budget-friendly focus. Similarly to the 12-inch Surface Pro, the 13-inch Surface Laptop is expected to ship without a charging brick, relying instead on USB Type-C PD chargers with a minimum of 27W.
A Shift Towards Accessibility and Efficiency
These compact Surface devices signal a strategic shift for Microsoft. The company seems to be emphasizing accessibility and energy efficiency, potentially showcasing the capabilities of Windows on Arm with the upcoming major Windows release.
Official Announcement Imminent
Microsoft’s May 6 event is expected to reveal final details, including pricing and availability, for these anticipated Surface additions.
