Did Microsoft just kill its Surface Laptop portfolio with the introduction of the Surface Laptop Go 3 and the Surface Laptop Studio 2? The differences between the entry-level and premium models seem to be getting smaller by the day. The Surface Laptop 5 does not seem to be a model to consider at this time.
People familiar with Microsoft’s Surface lineup may be thinking; a powerful Surface Laptop Go? That’s an entry-level model, right? Something that is also correct, it still is an entry-level model, but the Surface Laptop Go 3 is a lot more powerful.
Surface Laptop Go 2
Where the Surface Laptop Go 2 still had to make do with a mediocre 11th generation Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 4GB or 8GB of working memory and 128GB or 256GB of storage, the Surface Laptop Go 3 has a lot better specs. In fact, the Surface Laptop Go 3 comes with a 12th-generation Intel Core i5-1235U processor, which is more potent than the G-series, but also features a built-in GPU. It is also the same CPU as most Surface Laptop 5 models have, this model does have the option to upgrade to an i7. In addition, Microsoft now opts for 8GB of RAM by default with the option to upgrade to 16GB, and finally, 256GB of storage capacity is now the standard. All that for a starting price of $799. A price that may still come down with known promotions.
With that, this model competes tremendously with Microsoft’s normal Surface Laptops series. Especially the entry-level Surface Laptop 5 now has a formidable competitor. If we have to speak of a disadvantage with the Surface Go 3, it is probably the screen resolution, which at 1536×1024 pixels is not extremely high, but it is acceptable for a 12.4-inch screen. The Surface Laptop comes with a 13,5 inch screen and a resolution of 2256×1504 pixels. That comes down to 148 against 201 pixels per inch.
With that, Microsoft will have to come up with another Surface Laptop 6 later this year that is a lot more powerful or comprehensive than the existing Surface Laptop 5 models to differentiate from the Go 3. At the same time, they should not upgrade those models too far because that will put them back in the path of the Surface Laptop Studio 2 that was also presented today.
Also read: Microsoft presents Windows 11 23H2 and arrival Copilot
Surface Laptop Studio 2
The new Surface Laptop Studio 2 is instantly the most powerful laptop Microsoft offers. This laptop is aimed at developers and graphics professionals who need computing power when on the go. By default, this model has an Intel Core i7-13700H processor, complemented by an Intel Gen3 Movidius 3700VC VPU AI Accelerator. Which makes this laptop also more suitable for AI workloads.
Additionally, there is a standard Intel Iris Xe Graphics GPU, but there are options for a trio of GPUs from NVIDIA that can be provided in this system. The battery life does drop from 19 to 18 hours (on paper), but one gets a lot of computing power in return.
By default, this model comes with 16GB of RAM, but is upgradeable to 32GB or 64GB. Storage capacity is 512GB by default, but again, you can choose 1TB or 2TB.
Like its predecessor, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 features a 14.4-inch screen with a resolution of 2400×1600 pixels. Other than that, this system is mostly the same. This model is available from $1999, but for the most comprehensive model, you will still pay $3699. Although we personally were quite charmed by this model’s predecessor, we found the weight to be the biggest drawback. The Surface Laptop Studio weighs nearly 2000 grams (more than 4 lbs), and the same goes for the Surface Laptop Studio 2. For travel, that’s just too heavy.
Both laptops are virtually identical in design to their predecessors. There will undoubtedly be very subtle differences. The basic design that Microsoft has used for years for its laptops remains unchanged. The same goes for the cameras and the amount of ports. Perhaps it is saving those updates for the Surface Laptop 6? We are curious to see how Microsoft will soon market the Surface Laptop 6, since the gap between these two models is much smaller than before.
As soon as we know the prices in euros we will mention them. We are still waiting for the press release.
2 days ago
