Today, Microsoft announced a slew of Surface devices to much fanfare, but a few of them managed to surprise the attendees and online viewers alike. The event proves that the software giant is not afraid to innovate and take risks to improve its standing in an ever-competitive smart device market.
Microsoft Surface Event 2019
We have to say, the announcements today are probably the best Microsoft has ever done in a long while, and it goes to show how far ahead it is where hardware and software are concerned. For many, the announcements today showcase the future of Microsoft, and possibly the future of computing in general.
All the hardware announcements at Microsoft Surface Event:
- Surface Laptop 3
- Surface Pro 7
- Surface Pro X
- Surface Neo
- Surface Duo
- Surface Earbuds
1] Surface Laptop 3
The long-awaited Surface Laptop 3 was announced today, and boy is it wonderful. Microsoft showcased the typical 13.5-inch model, but most importantly, a 15-inch model that should be powerful enough to run most video games on the market today.
We understand that the 13.5-inch model is powered by an Intel 10th generation processor, which makes it around twice as fast as the Surface Laptop 2, and three times faster than the latest Apple MacBook air.
The 15-inch model, however, is the real talk of the show because Intel is not the brain here. In fact, the device is powered by AMD Ryzen 7 silicone, one that was customized by Microsoft with the help from AMD.
According to the company, this is the fastest processor in its class, and it’s called the “Ryzen Surface Edition.
Now, one of the major problems with the Surface Laptop devices in the past was the difficulty folks had when it’s time to repair physical issues. With the new model, Microsoft made sure to adjust these problems, and we like that very much.
In terms of pricing, the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 will start from $999, while the 15-inch model begins at $1199.
2] Surface Pro 7
For those who are fans of the Surface Pro line of products, a new device is on the horizon. Its called the Surface Pro 7, and it comes with a 12.3-inch display and the latest Intel core processor. The price begins at $749, which is cheaper than the Surface Laptop 3.
The most important aspect of the Surface Pro 7, is the fact that it comes with USB-C. Fans and critics have been asking to have this on the Surface products for quite some time, so here it is.
3] Surface Pro X
With the announcement of the Surface Pro X, the software giant went down a territory of no return. What we have here is a product that is similar to the Surface Pro 7, but instead, it comes with a 13-inch display and is powered by an ARM processor.
Like all the other Surface devices, the Surface Pen is supported here. Furthermore, it has LTE built-in, but we believe Microsoft should have future-proof this device with 5G instead. But hey, it is what it is so that we won’t complain much about it.
4] Surface Neo
In an effort to be a part of the dual-screen craze before it takes off in a huge way, Microsoft showcased the Surface Neo, a device that won’t make it on store shelves until Holiday 2020. What’s cool about the Surface Neo, is that it reminds us of the Microsoft Courier the company showcased in a video 10-years ago.
After so many years, the idea has finally come to life, and it looks great. Now, not only does it come with two screens, but a Typepad keyboard as well. When the keyboard is in use, it covers a section of one of the displays, while the other section is reserved as a touchpad.
It is powered by an Intel processor, surprisingly, and the operating system of choice is a version of Windows known as Windows 10X. You can read our explanation of what Windows 10X is, right here.
5] Surface Earbuds
Not too long ago Amazon announced its Echo Earbuds, so not to be left out, Microsoft did the same thing. The product is quite the looker, and comes with a ton of cool features, alongside a whopping $249 price point.
Now, these are truly wireless earbuds, unlike what the Google Pixel team released. Additionally, users can use it for voice dictation where Office is concerned. Microsoft claims the device has “all-day comfort” and 24-hour battery life, but these things are not yet proven.
Like most earbuds, the Surface Earbuds support comes with touch controls and more.
6] Surface Duo
The reveal of this device was the biggest shocker of the morning, and rightfully so. It’s a smartphone, and it runs Android.
Surface, combined with Microsoft 365, offers the enhanced productivity and security businesses are after, and the results are clear – more than 75% of Fortune 500 companies have purchased Surface.