Microsoft may be readying a new wave of smaller Surfaces to launch at or soon after Microsoft’s 50th anniversary next month, according to a report.
Windows Central reported earlier this year that Microsoft is prepping a smaller version of Surface Pro tablet and Surface Laptop. Certifications for what could be those devices have popped up in China, indicating that they could be nearing production, the site reported. The new versions would have displays of about 12 inches, the site said.
Currently, the Surface Pro 11th Edition boasts a 13-inch display, while the current Surface Laptop 7th Edition is available in both 13.8-inch and 15-inch sizes. Adding a 12-inch screen to the lineup would offer a third option, the first time Microsoft has ever presented three different screen-size Laptop options from which to choose. Windows Central suggests that the new Surface Laptop could be a replacement for the Surface Laptop Go, which sounds like a good guess.
Microsoft, of course, hasn’t confirmed that new Surface hardware is planned. Nor has it confirmed whether these new Surfaces would be offered to businesses, either.
For now, however, Microsoft seems committed to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X platform for its consumer devices, while offering traditional X86 processors from Intel for its more risk-averse business customers. That seems likely to continue.
However, smaller Surfaces probably do not mean updated hardware. Qualcomm showed off its second-generation Oryon CPU core late last year, which the company says can outperform Intel’s Lunar Lake chip under smartphone power levels. Smaller laptops and tablets typically mean less powerful hardware, however, so Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus would seem to be a likelier candidate.
In any event, Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary on April 4, when the company is expected to reflect on its past and project into the future — which should be heavily based upon AI. Will it announce new Surfaces then, too? We’ll have to wait and see.
Author: Mark Hachman, Senior Editor, PCWorld
Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology. He has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science and Electronic Buyers' News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room.