At your Surface
This trio of new devices from Microsoft is a force to be reckoned with
SLOWLY but surely Microsoft is starting to consolidate its position as a real player in the computer hardware market.
This week it revealed its latest update to the Surface range of laptops and hybrid tablets, as well as a new version of its innovative Studio computer.
Hot on the heels of the latest refinements to Windows 11, these new devices make a compelling case for the continued resurgence of Microsoft as a force to be reckoned with.
So, what’s new this week?
SURFACE PRO 9
The Surface Pro was the first Microsoft 2-in-1 that really caught the imagination – incredibly, the first iteration was revealed more than 10 years ago now.
The latest version is the ninth version, and is obviously the fullest realisation of the design debuted all those years ago.
Unlike most other computermakers Microsoft opted to make a device that could be both a laptop and a tablet as the occasion requires – it works, too.
This is very much a master of all trades. The tablet is good and the laptop is good.
The Pro 9 is made of anodised aluminium and comes in some lovely new colours.
The unique kickstand on the back of the device is the key to its versatility – use it as a video viewer, a laptop, a drawing studio, or fold away completely for a fully featured tablet.
Performance-wise we are talking about a choice between the 12th Gen Intel Core processor built on the Intel Evo platform with Thunderbolt 4, or the Microsoft
SQ3 powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon with 5G connectivity – this is the first time 5G connectivity has been available in the Pro.
In addition to those upgrades, Microsoft has teamed up with Liberty to make a special Pro with a design that takes its cue from the Windows 11 Bloom theme.
The Pro 9 starts at £1,099 and will be released on November 8.
SURFACE LAPTOP 5
Also new this time around is the fifth version of Microsoft’s more conventional laptop – still with a touchscreen, but in a normal laptop enclosure.
It now comes with the latest 12th Gen Intel Core processor, Thunderbolt 4 and is more than 50% more powerful than its predecessor.
Surface Laptop 5’s PixelSense display comes in 13.5-inch or 15-inch options, both with Dolby Vision IQ, vivid colours and sharp contrast in any lighting conditions.
The speakers offer Dolby Atmos 3D spatial processing, and the front-facing HD camera and Studio Microphones adjust camera exposure in any lighting environment for perfect video conferencing.
Surface Laptop 5 starts at £999 and will be released on October 25.
SURFACE STUDIO 2+
It’s six years since Microsoft unleashed the Studio – a versatile PC with a huge 28in touch screen that can be positioned at almost any angle thanks to the innovative hinge of the stand.
Like the other devices, the main upgrade is in speed – we have an Intel Core i7 H Series processor, with up to 50% faster performance.
There’s also an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics chip to double the graphics performance, achieving the most realistic ray-traced graphics when you craft 3D designs or render models.
Everything else – including the display, the cameras, mics, and the ports, have been upgraded and modernised, too.
The Surface Studio 2+ starts at £4,699 and will be available on November 1.