What is a Surface event without Panos Panay? Microsoft answered this existential question today at a Windows event in New York City. The company brought out the big guns in the absence of long-time division head Panay (whose hasty departure from the company was announced earlier this week), as CEO Satya Nadella took to the stage. But the real star of the show today was the hardware – specifically the Surface Laptop Go 3 and Surface Laptop Studio 2.
Fifteen months after the Laptop Go 2 debuted with a new fingerprint reader, its successor arrived with new internals. The system is powered by a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 CPU and Intel Iris Xe graphics. Microsoft compares its performance to that of the original Surface Laptop Go, which arrived at the end of 2020, and claims that it represents an 88% increase in speed.
As the name suggests, portability is the name of the game here. It weighs in at just under 2.5 pounds, which is pretty good for a 12.4-inch machine. It’s got a touchscreen, of course, in line with the rest of the range. It has a pair of Studio microphones, coupled with Dolby Atmos-tuned speakers. Microsoft also promises 15 hours of battery life.
The new Laptop Studio measures 14.4 inches. It’s powered by a 13th generation Intel Core H-class processor. The system has optional Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 4060 or RTX 2000 graphics. It has two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 ports, an old-school USB-A port and a microSD card reader – a nod to the Surface line’s embrace of the creative pro category. It’s a solid, well-rounded system by the looks of it.
Both systems are available for pre-order now and are scheduled to ship from 3 October. The Laptop Go 3 starts at $799 and the Laptop Studio 2 at $1,999.
The devices arrive amid reports that Panay has left the division over budget cuts and the cancellation of more experimental Surface devices.
