During Microsoft’s Surface event yesterday, where it announced its new ‘Copilot+’ branding for incoming AI-focused devices, the company revealed two new Surface products that will bear the shiny new badge – a new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, a laptop/tablet hybrid.
It also mentioned a few of its hardware partners that are expected to produce new AI machines.
Microsoft’s new AI-powered Surface
The new Surface Laptop will be available in two sizes, 13.8in and 15in, and will ship sporting Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite or X Plus processor. The rest of the specs are configurable, starting with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage for the X Plus model going up to a 1TB SSD and 32GB of RAM in both sizes of the X Elite version.
The display spec will depend on the model you’re after. The smaller gets a 13.8in 2,304 x 1,536 display while the larger model receives a 15in 2,496 x 1,664 panel. They’ll support touch input, up to a 120Hz variable refresh rate, and Dolby Vision IQ support, regardless of size. For inputs, both models feature a haptic touchpad, 1080p webcam, two USB-C ports, a single USB-A 3.1, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Like the new Surface Laptop, the new Surface Pro comes brandishing Microsoft’s new Copilot+ badge thanks to Snapdragon X Elite or Plus chipsets inside. They offer what are supposed to be the most powerful NPUs available, with a claimed performance of 45 TOPS (trillion operations per second).
Specs will, again, depend on how much you spend. The base Surface Pro comes with an LCD screen, SD X Plus chipset, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage but goes all the way up to an OLED display, SD X Elite chip, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. 5G support is on the cards for the Surface Pro, along with Wi-Fi 7 support.
Read More: Microsoft introduces new Copilot+ PCs
We don’t have local pricing or availability details yet but, across the pond, the Surface Laptop starts at $1,000 (R18,150) for the 13.8in and $1,200 for the 15in (R21,800). The Surface Pro could set you back anywhere from $1,000 (R18,150) to $2,100 (R38,100).
The rest of the Copilot+ crew
The new Microsoft Surface devices won’t be the only Copilot+ PCs hitting the market. Microsoft also mentioned a few partners launching new AI-focused PCs.
Asus Vivobook S 15
Starting with Asus, because we do have local pricing and availability info for this one, the new 15.6in Vivobook S 15 will be the brand’s first Copilot+ device. It has Qualcomm’s most capable X Elite chipset inside with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 15.6in OLED display boasts a 2,880 x 1,620 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and a Display HDR True Black 600 certification.
The port array includes; 2x USB 4, 2x USB-A 3.2, a full-sized HDMI 2.1, and a 3.5mm audio jack. Wi-Fi 7 is supported and there’s a 1080p webcam so meeting attendees can see your mug in FHD.
This one is already available for pre-order from Computer Mania, Incredible, and the Asus Eshop for R30,000. it will be available from 18 June 2024.
Acer Swift 14 AI
There already exists Swift 14 PCs from Acer and some of those also contain AI chips but the Acer Swift 14 AI is the only one with Snapdragon X series chips inside. Specs are roughly the same as the other Copilot+ PCs so you can expect at least 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage.
Dell’s Copilot+ catalogue
Dell has five (5) new Copilot+ laptops across its XPS, Inspiron, and Latitude ranges. Whether you’re looking for a portable thin and light daily driver or a more AI-capable workstation, one of these will probably cover your needs. The range is powered by, you guessed it, Snapdragon X series chips and will come with a plethora of spec options. No word yet on when any of them will get here, though.
HP’s Omni- and EliteBooks get AI
HP is shipping two new AI PCs – the OmniBook X AI and EliteBook Ultra G1q AI are both powered by Qualcomm’s top-spec chip and offer “advanced performance and mobility for a more personalized computing experience.”
Lenovo’s new AI-powered Yoga Slim and ThinkPad
Lenovo also has two AI PCs on offer that target slightly different buyers. The Yoga Slim 7x should appeal to the creative types while the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 is geared towards a commercial setting because it has a webcam privacy shutter, we assume.
