Microsoft (MSFT) launched its latest Surface line of laptops and two-in-one systems on Tuesday as the PC industry and consumers continue to grapple with AI-driven price increases.
The new Surface models include the Surface Pro 13-inch, which starts at $1,499, and the Surface Laptop, which starts at $1,599 — significantly more expensive than the prior-generation Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, which Microsoft launched at $999 in 2024.
The Surface Pro 13-inch is a two-in-one combination laptop-tablet that connects to a separate keyboard cover, while the Surface Laptop is a traditional clamshell notebook. It’s available with either a 13.8-inch screen or a 15-inch panel.
Both computers come equipped with Qualcomm’s (QCOM) Snapdragon X2 family of processors.
Microsoft debuted its latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models. · Microsoft
According to Microsoft, Snapdragon X2, available in X2 Plus or high-power X2 Elite versions, delivers improved graphics performance, with up to a 53% boost on the Surface Pro and a 58% improvement for the Surface Laptop.
The Surface Laptop also gets up to 15.5 hours of battery life. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop offers up to 20 hours, and the 15-inch Surface Laptop will last up to 19 hours on a charge.
Importantly, Microsoft said the lineup will include improved webcams, a frequent weak point for the company’s devices.
The Surface Pro will also be available with 16GB to 64GB of memory and 256GB to 1TB of storage. The Surface Laptops come with the same memory options. The 13.8-inch model is available with 256GB to 2TB of storage, and the 15-inch model gets 512GB to 2TB.
The PC industry is contending with rising memory and storage costs, driving up the price of products for consumers.
Microsoft already increased the price of its prior Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models by hundreds of dollars to offset component costs.
In April, Gartner reported that worldwide PC shipments increased 4% year over year. But the improvement wasn’t driven by consumer demand. Instead, companies were largely building up their inventories to get ahead of further component price increases in the second quarter.
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Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
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