Microsoft’s new Surface launches include a refresh for its smallest tablet, the Surface Go 2. The tech firm has unveiled the Surface Go 3, a performance-focused upgrade that brings faster chips to the 10.5-inch slate. You’ll get up to a 60 percent speed boost, Microsoft claimed.
Developing…
Follow all of the news from Microsoft’s fall Surface event right here.
When Microsoft introduced the Surface Pro X in 2019, it promised the start of something new for the company’s 2-in-1 line. Unfortunately, buggy limited app compatibility due to the computer’s ARM-based architecture and Windows on ARM software meant the Pro X never quite delivered on its promise.
With today’s Surface event, Microsoft isn’t updating the Pro X’s hardware. As before you can configure the computer with either the company’s original SQ1 chip or its more recent SQ2 chip. However, Microsoft is introducing a new WiFi-only model that starts at $899. More important here is that the computer now comes with Windows 11 out of the box and includes support for native 64-bit software emulation. That means app compatibility should be greatly improved.
Follow all of the news from Microsoft’s fall Surface event right here.
We all know what to expect with new laptops: Upgraded chips, often thinner designs, and whiz-bang new features. But it’s easy to ignore how some of those changes can affect people with disabilities. Making a notebook thinner can also make it harder to open, for example. So to better equip its PCs to be more accessible, Microsoft created the Surface Adaptive Kit, a collection of add-ons that can help you find specific keys, locate ports and flip open your PC or kickstand.
While they may just look like a collection of simple stickers, it still shows that Microsoft is actually thinking of people with disabilities. The Adaptive Kit comes from its Inclusive Tech Lab, the same folks behind the revolutionary Xbox Adaptive Controller. The impetus for the Surface kit is also very similar: It’s all about making Microsoft’s hardware easier for everyone to use.
In the box, you’ll find a set of translucent keycap labels to highlight keys you use often, a set of three-dimensional bump labels for ports and buttons, and raised port indicators with matching cable wrap. To give you more leverage with cases and kickstands, there’s also a ring opener and pull-tab opener.
The company isn’t saying how much the Surface Adaptive Kit will cost when it arrives later this year, but hopefully it’ll come in relatively cheap. After all, an accessibility-focused product should work for all budgets.
Follow all of the news from Microsoft’s fall Surface event right here.
Microsoft’s first attempt at a dual-screen Android device wasn’t exactly a success. Middling hardware and consistently buggy software held back what could have been a compelling experience. But with the Surface Duo 2, the company wants to change all that with a device that focuses on addressing the shortcomings of its predecessor.
Take one look at the Surface Duo 2, and you’ll notice it has a substantial camera bump. That might not seem like much of an upgrade, but it is because it means the Surface Duo 2 comes with a far more capable and versatile camera system than its predecessor. The original featured a single 11-megapixel above its right display. That meant you had to use that one camera for both selfies and regular shots. Add some imprecise software for switching between camera modes, and the Surface Duo was never great at capturing snapshots.
With the addition of three new cameras, the Surface Duo 2 should at the very least allow you to capture a greater variety of shots. The triple rear camera array consists of a 12-megapixel wide-angle, a 12-megapixel telephoto and a 16-megapixel ultra-wide. The primary and telephoto cameras feature f/1.7 and f/2.4 aperture lenses, phase detection autofocus and optical image stabilization.
Less noticeable but welcome all the same are the tweaks Microsoft has made to Duo’s signature dual PixelSense displays. The new model features slightly larger 5.8-inch AMOLED screens that combine into a single 8.3-inch display. They’re also brighter and feature a variable refresh rate of up to 90Hz for smoother scrolling.
Other notable features include a new sound system Microsoft says delivers stereo sound no matter how you hold or position the Surface Duo 2. On the side of the device, you’ll find a nifty ambient display that shows things like how much battery life you have. Oh, there’s also a new Obsidian black that is quite fetching, and you can attach a Surface Pen magnetically to the device.
Developing…
Follow all of the news from Microsoft’s fall Surface event right here.
If we learned anything from last year’s Surface Book 3, it’s that Microsoft’s wild detachable tablet design wasn’t long for this world. There was just no way to compete with other powerful notebooks when it required shoving full Windows PC, complete with a power-hungry CPU, into a large slate. Enter the Surface Laptop Studio, a new stab at building a powerful Surface notebook.
While it looks like a typical PC at first, a unique hinge allows you to pull the screen forward over the keyboard. And if you pull it all the way down, it turns into an easel, like a miniaturized version of the Surface Studio all-in-one. While I’m sure some Microsoft fans may miss the sheer weirdness of the Surface Book’s design, the Laptop Studio is clearly more functional for typical users. I’ve yet to meet any Surface Book owners who actually use it in tablet mode very often — even flipping the screen around becomes a chore eventually.
The Laptop Studio clearly has plenty of quirks of its own, too. Its lower half almost looks like two PCs stacked on top of each other, with an odd tiered design. And if its screen flexibility looks familiar, it may be because it takes a few cues from HP’s leather-clad Folio. That PC also let you pull out the screen and turn it into a tablet. It’s a design I’m surprised more computer makers haven’t adopted, as it seems more genuinely useful than convertibles with screens that fold a full 360-degrees.
Surprisingly, Microsoft still held back a bit when it came to power. The Surface Laptop Studio features Intel’s quad-core 11th-gen H35 processors, which were originally intended for ultraportable gaming notebooks. Those 35-watt chips will certainly be an upgrade over the Book 3’s 10th-gen hardware, but you’d think Microsoft would take this new model as a chance to spread its wings and cram in a six or eight-core CPU.
The Surface Laptop Studio starts at $1,600 and is available for pre-order today. It’ll be on sale with the rest of the Surface lineup on October 5th.
Developing…
Follow all of the news from Microsoft’s fall Surface event right here.
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