Microsoft announces new Surface Laptop Go and updated Surface Pro X
Microsoft is releasing two new computers today, the budget-oriented Surface Laptop Go and the second generation version of the premium Surface Pro X.
The Surface Laptop Go is an affordable variant of the more expensive Surface Laptop. It has 12.4-inch display with 3:2 aspect ratio and 1536x1024 resolution. The display is also a touchscreen.
The Surface Laptop Go is powered by a 10th gen Intel Core i5-1035G1 processor with Intel UHD Graphics. It has 4GB or 8GB of LPDDR4X memory and 64GB eMMC or 128/256GB SSD storage.
The Surface Laptop Go also includes a 720p f2.0 webcam, dual far-field microphones, and speakers with Dolby Audio processing. You also get 1x USB-C, 1x USB-A, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0, headphone jack, and Surface Connect port.
The Surface Laptop Go uses aluminum for the lid and polycarbonate composite resin system with glass fiber and 30% post-consumer recycled content for the base. It"s available in three colors: Ice Blue, Sandstone, and Platinum.
The Surface Laptop Go will come with Windows 10 Home in S mode. It"s priced at $550 for the base model with 4GB memory and 64GB eMMC, $700 for 8GB memory and 128GB SSD, and $900 for 8GB memory and 256GB SSD.
The new Surface Pro X is an update to last year"s model and is an ARM-based Windows tablet. It has a 13-inch touchscreen with 3:2 aspect ratio and 2880x1920 resolution. This is packed into a new design, which Microsoft claims is the thinnest ever for a Surface Pro while still maintaining the distinctive kickstand.
The device is powered by two custom chipsets, the Microsoft SQ 1 from last year and the new SQ 2, made by Qualcomm. Microsoft provides no details on these chipsets but since the SQ 1 was based on the Snapdragon 8cx, it"s likely the SQ 2 is based on the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2. This is further confirmed in the GPU specifications, where the SQ 1 has the Adreno 685 while the SQ 2 has the Adreno 690, similar to the 8cx and 8cx Gen 2, respectively. Microsoft claims a battery life of 15 hours.
The Surface Pro X offers a choice of 8GB and 16GB of LPDDR4x memory. On the storage front, you get a choice of 128, 256, and 512GB of removable M.2 2230 SSD. However, the driver doesn"t seem user-replaceable, as Microsoft says it can only be removed by a Microsoft technician. Because the hardware is ARM-based, the device will ship with Windows 10 Home on ARM.
The Surface Pro X has a 5MP front camera for 1080p video and also a separate camera for Windows Hello face authentication. On the back is a 10MP camera for recording up to 4K video. There are also dual far-field microphones and 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Audio.
The Surface Pro X has 2x USB-C ports, Surface Connect port, Gigabit LTE with nanoSIM and eSIM support, A-GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 5.0.
The Surface Pro X is compatible with the Surface Pro X keyboard from last year — which now comes in three new colors: Platinum, Ice Blue, and Poppy Red — but it continues to be sold separately for $104. Same goes for the Surface Slim Pen, which costs $145 extra.
The Surface Pro X will be available in six configurations, only two of which use the new Microsoft SQ 2. This includes the 256GB version for $1500 and 512GB version for $1800. Both have 16GB memory, Microsoft SQ 2 and available for pre-order right now in Black or Platinum.
