The Microsoft Surface line of touchscreen computers includes machines in different form factors that they believe could pave the way for the future of personal computing. Different designs in the Surface range include hybrid tablets, 2-in-1 laptops, all-in-one convertible desktops, and more traditional clamshell laptops.
- Display : 13.8 inches with 2304 x 1536 resolution, or 15 inches with 2496 x 1664 resolution
- Processor : Snapdragon X Plus, Snapdragon X Elite (13.8-inch) or Snapdragon X Elite (15-inch)
- Memory : 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5x RAM
- Storage : 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB SSD
- Graphics Card : Qualcomm Adreno GPU
- Battery : Up to 20 hours of video (13.8-inch) / Up to 22 hours of video (15-inch)
- Weight : 2.96–3.67 lbs.
- Release date : June 2024
Surface Laptop version 7 is one of Microsoft's first Copilot+ laptops; other companies including ASUS, HP and Lenovo will also make these products.
Copilot+ laptops use the latest Snapdragon processors to run AI-centric processes. Some of these include live subtitles for videos, nearly real-time image generation, and a replay feature that creates a virtual "timeline" of applications, documents, and other tasks you've been working on so you can get back to them faster.
Notable features :
- Color options : Sapphire (blue), Dune (beige), Platinum (silver), black.
- Data Security : SSDs are fully removable, so you can store the drive elsewhere if needed to keep your information safe.
- Ports : 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A 3.1, Surface Connect port, 3.5mm headphone jack, MicroSDXC card reader (15-inch only)
- Display : 13-inch OLED or LCD, 2880 x 1920 resolution
- Processor : Snapdragon X Plus/Snapdragon X Elite
- Memory : 16GB or 32GB LPDDR5x RAM
- Storage : 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB removable SSD
- Graphics Card : Qualcomm Adreno GPU
- Battery : Up to 14 hours of video
- Weight : 1.97 lbs
- Release date : June 2024
Surface Pro version 11 is Microsoft's second Copilot+ laptop to debut. The Pro series are 2-in-1s, meaning they can be used as either tablets or laptops with a detachable keyboard.
Speaking of keyboards, version 11 of the Flex Keyboard works whether it's connected to the screen or not, so you have more flexibility with how you use it.
The OLED screen is a first for the range, but whether you choose that option or the LCD version, you still get features like adaptive color and contrast, 10-point multi-touch, and Dolby Vision IQ support. Both displays are made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5.
Notable features :
- Color options : Sapphire (blue), Dune (beige), Platinum (silver), black.
- Data Security : SSDs are fully removable, so you can store the drive elsewhere if needed to keep your information safe.
- Ports : Two USB-C, Surface Pro keyboard port, Surface Connect port, NanoSIM
- Display : 10.5 inches 1920 x 1280 resolution
- Processor : Intel Processor N200
- Memory : 8 GB LPDDR5 RAM
- Storage : 64 GB, 128 GB or 256 GB
- Graphics Card : Intel Ultra HD Graphics
- Battery : up to 12.5 hours
- Weight : 1.15 lbs
- Release date : October 2023
Surface Go is small but durable. This 2-in-1 model can be used as a laptop or tablet and has enough battery life for a full day of use, making it a great choice for both office and mobile users.
The Microsoft Surface Go 4 is powerful enough for collaborating on projects and communicating remotely with its Full HD camera, but it does lack LTE. For that, you'll want to stick with the Surface Go 3.
Notable features :
- Color Options : Platinum (Silver)
- Ports : USB-C 3.1 (data, DisplayPort, and charging), MicroSDXC card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack, Surface Type Cover port, Surface Connect port
- Cameras : 1080p Full HD front camera, 8 MP 1080p Full HD rear camera, Windows Hello facial verification camera
- Display : 28 inches 4500x3000 resolution
- Processor : 11th Generation Intel Core i7
- Memory : 32 GB RAM
- Storage : 1 TB SSD
- Graphics card : NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- Weight : 21 lbs
- Release date : October 2022
Microsoft Surface Studio 2+ is a high-performance all-in-one desktop computer designed for creative professionals. With its large 28-inch PixelSense touchscreen display and excellent resolution, it's ideal for tasks like graphic design, photo editing, and illustration. The zero-gravity hinge allows the screen to lie nearly flat, providing a natural drawing position.
Under the hood, you'll find an 11th-generation Intel Core i7 processor paired with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB solid-state drive. This combination delivers superior performance to run demanding applications smoothly. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card makes the Surface Studio 2+ a machine capable of gaming or other graphics-intensive tasks.
Although it's more expensive (starting at $4,499.99), the Surface Studio 2+ is a versatile machine that combines a powerful PC with a creative-friendly design. It comes with a Surface mouse, keyboard, and pen; most other models don't include a pen in the box.
Notable features:
- Ports : Three USB-C, native external display support (up to three 4K UHD 60Hz), two USB-A 3.1, 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 Gbit Ethernet
- Windows Hello : Sign in to your PC with just a glance using the device's front-facing 1080p camera.
- Surface dial : Screen support for the Microsoft Surface Dial accessory, allowing physical control of the screen.
- Display : 13.5-inch 3000x2000 resolution or 15-inch 3240x2160 resolution
- Processor : Quad-core 10th generation Intel Core i5 or i7
- Memory : 8, 16 or 32 GB RAM
- Storage : 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB SSD or 2 TB PCIe SSD
- Graphics card : Intel Iris Plus graphics card, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
- Battery : up to 17.5 hours
- Weight : 3.38-3.62 pounds (13.5-inch model) or 4.2 pounds (15-inch model)
- Release date : May 2020
The Microsoft Surface Book series features a 2-in-1 detachable laptop form factor. With the click of a button, a 13.5-inch or 15-inch laptop instantly transforms, allowing the device's screen to be pulled down and used as a tablet. Users can also insert the tablet backwards into the keyboard to enjoy extended battery life of up to 17.5 hours.
The Surface Book is one of Microsoft's heaviest portable devices, weighing in at 4.2 pounds, due to the added weight of the keyboard attachment. It has the most powerful internal specs of any Surface product. It's ideal for those who prefer a more typical laptop form factor that can be transformed into a tablet, or those who need the system's processing power and a VR-ready Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 or 1660 graphics processor.
Notable features :
- Ports : 1x USB-C, 2x USB-A, 3.5mm headphone jack, 2x Surface Connect ports (on base and tablet), full-size SDXC card reader
- Windows Hello : Sign in to your PC with just a glance using the device's front-facing 5.0 MP 1080p camera. It also features an 8.0 MP 1080p rear camera with autofocus.
- Detachable base : Easily switch between laptop and tablet with Microsoft's patented hinge solution.
Surface Go is one of the best computers for college students because of its portability and versatility. However, students who need resource-intensive software may want something more powerful, like a Surface Book.
Surface Studio desktop PC is the best Microsoft Surface for visual artists with its large display. However, the Surface Book is probably more popular for its portability.
Any SDXC card should be compatible with a Microsoft Surface that includes a card reader. Microsoft has a list of SD cards that are compatible with Surface devices.
