We’re creeping closer and closer to finding out what new products will be announced at Microsoft’s Surface event, which will take place on October 12 at 10:00 am ET. Microsoft’s Surface lineup includes phones, laptops, hybrid 2-in-1 tablets, and desktop computers, so there’s a decent range of hardware to make an appearance.
While we can make some safe guesses about what will and won’t be shown (we’re not expecting a new foldable Surface Duo, unfortunately), Microsoft may still have some surprises in store as this year marks the 10th anniversary of the very first Surface product Microsoft released in October 2012.
Here’s everything we’re looking forward to at the upcoming Microsoft Surface launch event.
The Surface Pro line is one of Microsoft’s most enduring annual releases. When the Surface Pro 9 was spotted in a recently released FCC document, it was safe to assume it was imminent. Since the Surface Pro 8 made some pretty significant updates over its predecessor (including a larger display, 120Hz refresh rate, and Thunderbolt ports), the Surface Pro 9 isn’t expected to get any overwhelming updates this generation.
WinFuture expects it to ship with a choice of 12th-gen Intel Core i5 or Core i7 U-series chips, resulting in a performance boost of around 20 percent over the equivalent 11th-gen processors in the Surface Pro 8 should lead. Similarly, we believe that unlike its predecessor, the Surface Pro 9 will come in 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB RAM options and 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage configurations.
a:hover]:text-black [&>a]:shadow-underline-grey-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black text-grey-63″>Photo by Becca Farsace / The Verge
There’s no word on updates to ports, but multiple rumors suggest we’ll be getting new blue and green color options in addition to the usual black and silver offerings.
The Surface Pro 9 could also mean the end of the road for another Microsoft product, the ARM-based Surface Pro X. Windows headquarters reports that the Surface Pro 9 will offer both Intel and ARM options under a single product line. The ARM variant would be powered by the Microsoft SQ3, a custom Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 SoC, and it’s likely the first Surface PC to ship with 5G.
Pricing, frankly, is anyone’s guess at this point. If the Surface Pro 9 includes ARM-based configurations, pricing could start at $899.99, the entry-level price for the base Surface Pro X configuration. But if Microsoft decides to ignore that the Arm-based Surface Pro X was cheaper than the Surface Pro 8, it could end up being significantly more expensive. The base model Surface Pro 8 sold for $1,099, a whopping $250 more than the equivalent Surface Pro 7. It’s also worth remembering that Microsoft doesn’t typically ship with its Surface Pro products with Type Covers either, so do the math an additional $129.99 your cart should stay the same prices for the surface pro 9 compatible covers.
The Surface Laptop 5 could show up at the Microsoft event as it’s due for a refresh as the Surface Laptop 4 launched back in April 2021. We’re not actually expecting any major changes beyond generation refreshes.
“Sage Green” is said to be a new color option for the Surface Laptop 5
WinFuture reported on some information allegedly supplied by retailers claiming that 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the Surface Laptop 5 will be available, offering a choice of Core i5-1235U and Core i7-1255U processors contain. However, both the battery and the overall design appear to be unchanged from the previous Surface Laptop generation a new green color option could bring a fresh twist to the existing black, blue, silver and pink offerings currently available.
As with the Surface Laptop 4, SSD storage is unlikely to be increased from the 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB options currently offered, and storage will likely continue to come in 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB configurations be available; However, we could see that LPDDR4x has been upgraded to the new faster LPDDR5x standard.
a:hover]:text-black [&>a]:shadow-underline-grey-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black text-grey-63″>Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge
If you’re hoping for an AMD-powered model, then you’re probably out of luck. There was no mention of such a configuration in any FCC filing or reputable leak for this generation, suggesting that Microsoft may be dropping Ryzen CPUs for this generation of Surface Laptops altogether. Regardless of what processors are available, it’s highly unlikely that the Surface Laptop 5 will come with a dedicated GPU, but Intel’s integrated Xe graphics should be more than adequate for most day-to-day tasks.
A few updates we would do how On display would be an upgraded webcam, boosting the current 720p camera to a Full HD 1080p resolution to better match competing laptop offerings like the M2-powered MacBook Air. Boosting the current 60Hz display to 120Hz would also be a nice upgrade, and it’s not too far-fetched an idea since both the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio already have a 120Hz PixelSense Flow display rock. At least one website seems to be confirming that both of these updates will indeed come out (and leaking what appears to be the entire spec sheet for the laptop), but as that’s the only thing the site is releasing…well, better than our expectations don’t set too high.
According to reports, the Surface Laptop 5 could be cheaper than previous generation models
There were no price leaks for the US market, but we might get some good news from overseas. WinFutures Retail sources claim that pricing for the Surface Laptop 5 in Europe will start at €1,200 for the 13.5-inch base model (vs. €1,499 for the equivalent Surface Laptop 4), with the larger 15-inch model starting at €1,500 (from €1,500). €1,999). For comparison, US pricing for the base Surface Laptop 4 was $899 for the base 13.5-inch model and $1,299 for the 15-inch model. So there’s a chance prices will drop to around $799 and $1,199 for the Surface Laptop 5 for each size configuration. There’s no guarantee the latest model will be cheaper than its predecessor, but Microsoft has quite a bit catch up if it wants to stay competitive with Apple’s MacBook Air pricing.
One of the most anticipated products we’re expecting is the Studio Surface 3, an all-in-one desktop computer designed for creative professionals. An FCC document from Microsoft describes an “all-in-one desktop computer” speculated to be a new Surface device and leaks the updated Surface keyboard and Surface Pen to begin with of this year strongly suggest that Microsoft is preparing to announce the Surface Studio 3 later this month.
It is It was about time to get a new Surface Studio desktop as the last iteration we saw of this line of products was the Surface Studio 2 which was released back in October 2018. While it has a nearly identical look to the first Surface Studio desktop, the second-gen model has been criticized for its high price (starting at $3,499) and outdated CPU and GPU. An FCC report, which includes a test image of what appears to be the upcoming AIO computer, also suggests the Surface Studio 3 will do so quiet has an almost identical design as its predecessor. So if you were hoping for a fresh new look, you might be out of luck.
But worse, rumors suggest that Microsoft could continue a very annoying trend with the studio and once again putting older chips in its very expensive brand new product. Zac Bowden, Senior Editor at Windows headquarters, reported that the upcoming Surface Studio 3 will come with an Intel Core i7-11370H CPU, although Intel’s 13th Gen processors are due out later this month. But on the bright side, it could also have an Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU, which isn’t the most powerful GPU in Nvidia’s lineup, but is at least a recent one. Bowden also claims that the Surface Studio 3 is actually dubbed the “Surface Studio 2 Plus” and features three USB-C ports and a 60Hz display. WinFuture also reports that the Surface Studio 3 will be available in a single configuration, equipped with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
But we’ll have to see how many of these rumors and leaks hold up when Microsoft unveils the new products on October 12th.
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