Microsoft raises entry-level Surface prices by up to $350 with new Snapdragon models

Microsoft is raising the starting prices of its smaller Surface computers by up to $350, ending their 8GB memory configurations as it shifts the refreshed models exclusively to Qualcomm processors. The 12-inch Surface Pro will start at $1,149.99, up from $799.99, and the 13-inch Surface Laptop at $1,199.99, up from $899.99.

Both devices will go on sale October 13 with Qualcomm’s six-core Snapdragon X2 Plus processor and 16GB of system memory as standard. Microsoft is positioning the compact computers at premium price points, where they will compete with thin-and-light laptops such as Apple’s MacBook Air, which also recently standardized on 16GB of RAM.

Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC requirements call for at least 16GB of system memory and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). The requirements support local generative AI features running directly on Windows devices, including Windows Studio Effects, Cocreator and the upcoming Recall feature. The previous 8GB configurations had allowed Microsoft to offer prices below $1,000.

Microsoft says the Snapdragon X2 Plus delivers up to 18% greater battery efficiency, more than 60% faster graphics rendering and up to 95% faster local AI inferencing compared with the previous Intel- and ARM-based generations. The company has not provided independent benchmark data to support those performance percentages.

Its published battery estimates show smaller gains: the 12-inch Surface Pro is rated for up to 13 hours of continuous web browsing, one hour more than the previous model, while the 13-inch Surface Laptop is rated for up to 18 hours, a two-hour increase over its predecessor.

Both computers keep the previous generation’s physical chassis designs and port selection. Each has two USB-C 3.2 ports; the Surface Laptop also has one USB-A 3.2 port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Both support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.

The displays are brighter, reaching a peak of 500 nits, up from 400 nits on last year’s models. Their resolutions and refresh rates are unchanged: the 12-inch Surface Pro has a 2196-by-1464 LCD panel with 220 pixels per inch and a refresh rate of up to 90Hz, while the 13-inch Surface Laptop retains a 1920-by-1280 panel with 178 pixels per inch and a 60Hz limit.

Neither refreshed model has a haptic trackpad, despite Microsoft’s broader effort to bring tactile feedback to its products. That push includes the premium Surface Laptop Ultra, a newly announced second-generation Surface Mouse with integrated haptic engines, and recent Windows 11 software updates adding subtle haptic cues for system navigation.

Microsoft will market the updated Surface Pro and Surface Laptop heavily to commercial and enterprise clients. Both will be available in black, platinum silver and a new violet colorway, bringing back black as a standard option for both configurations. A commercial-only version of the 12-inch Surface Pro will also be available with optional 5G cellular connectivity.