Microsoft unveils Surface Laptop powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips

Microsoft has revealed a new Surface Laptop aimed at consumers, featuring a significant shift under the hood. This iteration ditches Intel processors in favour of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite or Plus chips, directly challenging Apple's powerful M-series MacBooks.

The Surface Laptop boasts impressive specs from the get-go. The base model packs 16GB of RAM (a clear jab at Apple's base offering) and 256GB of SSD storage, powered by the Snapdragon X Plus chip. Both screen sizes (13.8-inch and 15-inch) offer upgrade options for storage (up to 1TB) and RAM (up to 32GB, with a limited-time preorder exclusive for 64GB). All models come equipped with a Qualcomm Adreno GPU for graphics processing.

The new Surface Laptop showcases a vibrant visual experience with a 120Hz variable refresh touchscreen display, supporting Dolby Vision IQ. Microsoft has noticeably trimmed down the bezels for a sleeker look. Connectivity is well-rounded with two USB-C ports, a USB-A 3.1 port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Both sizes get a 1080p front-facing camera and support fast charging with a 65-watt power supply (included with the 15-inch model, while the 13.8-inch comes with a 39-watt charger).

While the new Surface Laptop maintains a sleek profile (2.96 lbs for 13.8-inch and 3.67 lbs for 15-inch), it doesn't quite match the featherweight design of the MacBook Air. However, it compensates with impressive battery life, with Microsoft claiming up to 22 hours of local video playback on a single charge.

Microsoft positions this Surface Laptop as a "Copilot Plus PC," highlighting its neural processing unit (NPU) that empowers advanced Windows 11 AI features. This includes on-device search with Recall and the ability to translate video calls in real-time (during their presentation, Microsoft showcased live translation of three languages simultaneously). These AI features are claimed to be exclusive to Copilot Plus PCs, suggesting they'll get priority over their Intel counterparts.

The jury's still out on whether the Surface Laptop can outperform Apple's custom silicon Macs. However, with the Snapdragon chip and a focus on AI capabilities, it certainly positions itself as a strong competitor. Battery life also appears to be a significant advantage over its Intel-powered siblings.

The new Microsoft Surface Laptop starts at $1,449.99 in Canada for the 13.8-inch model and $1,849.99 for the 15-inch. Pre-orders are open now, with shipping commencing on June 18.

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