Microsoft a step closer to ‘cool’
Microsoft’s road to cool has been a long one. And while the tech giant might not be 100 per cent there, this week’s event in New York City took them one step closer.
The four most notable new products were: the Surface Laptop 2, the Surface Pro 6, the new Surface Headphones and the Surface Studio 2.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 2 $1699, available October 16
Think of this as Microsoft’s flagship piece of hardware. It’s a 13.5-inch laptop that’s a bit of an all rounder. It’s competitively priced too, with the 128GB SSD storage option starting at $999.
This Surface Laptop 2 is aimed at anyone looking for a laptop with a long battery life (13.5 hours) and a high-res display (2256 x 1504). Microsoft claims the new laptop is 85 per cent faster than its predecessor, which launched in May 2017. It does have 8GB RAM, which is twice as much as the original Surface
Laptop. There’s also an 8th Gen Intel quad-core processor on board, which suggests this device will be a lot quicker.
The storage options are good too. Ranging from 128GB SSD all the way up to a 1TB SSD option.
The one controversial feature of the laptop is that there’s only a single USB 3.0 and Mini Display Port. No USB-C. So it’s not exactly a future-proof laptop. This also presents a slightly confused message from Microsoft as it released new Surface Headphones with the newer USB-C port.
Microsoft Surface Pro 6 $1549, available: October 16
It’s been a year-and-a-half since Microsoft updated the popular laptop/tablet hybrid. The most popular new features in the Surface Pro 6 are the 8th Gen Intel quad-core processors and, oddly, the new matte black finish. Other than the new colour, the external design of the Surface Pro is similar to the 5. The screen is a 12-inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio. The real changes are internal. The new display is 38 per cent brighter and offers 22 per cent more contrast. Microsoft also reports that the new Surface Pro is 67 per cent faster than its predecessor. This will be a direct result of the new processor and massive 16GB RAM available on some models. The storage options are 1TS SSD for the base model and 2TB SSD in the high-end model.
What about the ports ... it’s the same story as the Surface Laptop 2. USC-C is a no-show.
Microsoft Surface Headphones, NZ$TBC (US$349), available: unknown in NZ
This was the surprise product of the launch. The new over-the-ear Bluetooth headphones feature built-in Cortana (Microsoft’s voice assistant) and a 12-hour battery life.
The USB-C charged headphones are controlled by the touchsensitive casing, which responds to specific input gestures. The device will automatically pause and play songs when they’re taken on and off by the wearer.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2 $6199, available: October 16
The Surface Studio 2 (US$3499) is a device with a 28-inch HD display and has boosted graphics performance that’s aimed at creative professionals.