Microsoft Launches Surface Pro 12, Surface Laptop 8 With Intel Chips

Microsoft is launching three new Intel-powered Surface devices for businesses: the Surface Pro 12, Surface Laptop 8, and a smaller 13-inch Surface Laptop model. These new machines come equipped with newer Intel chips, a few business-focused upgrades, and notably higher starting prices. "The high pricing of these three new Surface devices is a sign of things to come for whatever consumer models Microsoft is planning this year," notes The Verge. From the report: This time around Microsoft is refreshing its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models with Intel's latest Core Ultra Series 3 processors first, ahead of similar models with Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X2 processors later this year. The new Surface Pro 12, or as Microsoft calls it the Surface Pro for Business 13-inch (12th Edition), will be available for businesses today, starting at an eye-watering $1,949.99. The base model will include an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and the regular 13-inch PixelSense LCD display.

Businesses will have to pay extra for models with Intel's Core Ultra 7 processor, up to 64GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. The top spec Surface Pro 12 with a Core Ultra 7, 64GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage will be priced at $4,399.99, and there are also OLED screen options and models with 5G connectivity. The Surface Pro 12 5G starts at $2,249.99, with a Core Ultra 5, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. [...] Microsoft is also launching two new versions of the Surface Laptop for businesses today. The Surface Laptop 8, or Surface Laptop for Business 13.8 or 15-inch (8th Edition) as Microsoft calls it, will also be available with a range of Intel's Core Ultra Series 3 chips. It launches alongside a smaller 13-inch model, which is confusingly labeled the Surface Laptop for Business 13-inch (1st Edition).

The 13.8-inch model starts at $1,949.99, and includes Intel's Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. While Surface devices for businesses have typically had higher pricing than consumer models, the $1,949.99 starting price for a Surface Laptop 8 is almost double the original price of the Surface Laptop 7. RAMageddon really has come for Microsoft's Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices, after recent price increases meant the existing consumer models are now $500 more expensive than their original starting price. The max configuration for the 13.8-inch Surface Pro 8 will include a Core Ultra 7, 64GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage for $4,299.99. A similar version of the 15-inch model (with an x7 processor) will be priced at $4,499.99.

Re:

[nightflameauto]

Microsoft needs to focus on optimizing Windows and making it leaner, and providing tools for developers to do the same.

They can't keep throwing more powerful and more expensive hardware at it.

Hush. Let them do the stupid thing. If they eventually price themselves out of the market because Windows needs the most powerful machines available when it's almost impossible to buy even moderately upper-tier machines, will that really be a loss for the general public?

Re:

[thegarbz]

Just to be clear are you suggesting the people who design hardware should be working on coding in Windows, or are you suggesting that you think Microsoft only has one employee and doesn't do multiple things at a time?

Re:

[drinkypoo]

Just to be clear are you suggesting the people who design hardware should be working on coding in Windows,

Seems like it would be an improvement.

Re:

[sarren1901]

The best thing Microsoft could do is copy Apple's approach and steal a flavor of BSD for their locked down Windows GUI that rides on top. With the security of BSD as a baseline and the ability to run Windows applications on the desktop, it sounds like a winning move to me. Of course, they should of done this idea BEFORE Windows 10 shipped.

It's not to late Microsoft! You can still steal a secure foundation for your GUI environment and the ability to run Windows Apps. Whatever it takes to retain your slav...a

Re:

[dwywit]

It might be closer than you think.

The very next /. article (or previous) is an announcement of Microsoft's first Linux distro - Azure Linux 4. Fedora-based.

Re:

[Fly Swatter]

They can't keep throwing more powerful and more expensive hardware at it

It's working for AI...

just look at all those AI 'profits'. then look at your electric bill rates. I bet there is a correlation.

Re:

[DrXym]

Well that's kind of what they're meant to be doing with their ARM laptops. Unfortunately having something that doesn't run the vast bulk of Windows software except through emulation (and still breaks) seems kind of self-defeating.

Re:

[thegarbz]

In what way is it telling you it doesn't run Linux? So far every Intel Surface Pro model has been able to run Linux. In fact there's even dedicated kernel modules available for compatibility with the Surface Aggregator Module (Microsoft's own custom ACPI interface).

Re:

[DrXym]

The Surface Pro can run Linux but it requires a custom kernel to deal with its multitouch screen, tablet mode, camera & keyboard and is going to be a pain to make function in the way the hardware was designed. Buy something else if running Linux is your intention.

Or... a 16" Macbook Pro M5 Max

[Sethra]

A fully loaded Surface Pro 12 is a pale imitation of the power of a similarly priced Macbook Pro.

Re:Or... a 16" Macbook Pro M5 Max

[Powercntrl]

Apple doesn't actually have a product that directly competes against the Surface Pro tablets. Despite some of the recent improvements, iPad OS is still quite limiting. That being said, some people do manage to perform "real" work on iPads, if everything you're trying to do is compatible with Apple's ecosystem.

Re:

[NoMoreACs]

Apple doesn't actually have a product that directly competes against the Surface Pro tablets. Despite some of the recent improvements, iPad OS is still quite limiting. That being said, some people do manage to perform "real" work on iPads, if everything you're trying to do is compatible with Apple's ecosystem.

Who said anything about iPads?

The GP was talking about MacBook Pros, dumbfuck.

Re:

[thegarbz]

Yeah and my boat is a pale imitation of my car. Seriously so many comparisons you can make and you decide to go with two devices with two fundamentally different form factors.

Re:

[ceoyoyo]

I was going to make a joke about the Surface Laptop being a different form factor than a Macbook because of some small detail, but about the only thing different is the logo on the lid.

The C-Suite Special

[Gilmoure]

So many VPs will be using these to read email and surf teh web.

Re:

[OrangAsm]

The extra cycles should be donated to Charity. Speculate on why the C is uppercase.

Re:

[Powercntrl]

Well, we can't have them using the same Dell laptops as the worker drones, now can we? Do you have any idea how much RAM it takes to send a Teams chat message to remind everyone that you'll be unavailable after 1PM because you've got golf today?

Think of the golf, man.

Prices are geared towards

[hdyoung]

Corporate purchases and rich people, where 500-1000 extra bucks doesnt matter much to the budget.

Not too long ago, one of my kids wanted a surface pro for college. Really nice hardware. Total cost for the unit and magnetic keyboard was under a grand. For a few hundred extra, we got wayyyyy nicer hardware compared to the low-end student laptops. But, 2k, for the lowest end model. would be a nonstarter. I’m not wealthy. They’re probably not serious about selling very many of them. More of a t

Re:

[leonbev]

I find it odd that Apple is going downmarket with their $699 MacBook Neo, while Microsoft is now pricing their new Surface Pro laptops at prices that rival a MacBook Pro.

So, now I can get all of the flakiness and advertising bundled into Windows 11 AND pay more for the privilege? Wow, where can I sign up!

Re:

[DrXym]

These are the Surface Pro models. The downmarket model is the Surface Go. As for the Neo, it's a tight package but there is absolutely nothing special about it's specs which are actually pretty terrible. It's designed as a browsing device - the sort of thing a Chromebook or Surface Go might also be thought of.

Re:

[Gilgaron]

I think they're hoping for business fleet use for sales guys like I've seen using them, but they price them too high because none of the sales guys I've seen using one have had anything but bad things to say about its performance, so they must lean towards the lowest models.