Microsoft Refreshes Smaller Surface Pro and Laptop With Qualcomm X2 Plus Chips and Higher Base Pricing

Microsoft has introduced updated versions of its entry-level hardware lineup, refreshing the 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop with Qualcomm's six-core Snapdragon X2 Plus processors, according to reporting by The Verge (https://www.theverge.com/news/999195/microsoft-surface-pro-12-inch-surface-laptop-13-inch-qualcomm-x2-plus).

The updated devices, designated as Second Edition models, maintain their existing chassis designs while increasing baseline memory specifications and retail pricing. Microsoft has eliminated the previous 8GB RAM entry tier, standardizing baseline system memory at 16GB with optional configurations extending to 24GB.

The 12-inch Surface Pro Second Edition starts at $1,149.99, up from the $799.99 starting price of its predecessor. The 13-inch Surface Laptop Second Edition begins at $1,199.99, compared to the previous model's $899.99 entry point. Both devices are scheduled to launch on October 13.

According to Microsoft's performance projections, the six-core Snapdragon X2 Plus delivers up to 18 percent higher battery efficiency, more than 60 percent faster graphics processing, and up to 95 percent faster local artificial intelligence inferencing via its integrated neural processing unit. The company states these efficiency gains translate to an extra hour of web browsing on the 12-inch Surface Pro (reaching up to 13 hours total) and two additional hours on the 13-inch Surface Laptop (reaching up to 18 hours total).

Display panels across both devices receive a brightness increase from 400 nits to 500 nits. The 12-inch Surface Pro retains a 2196 x 1464 resolution LCD at 220 pixels per inch with refresh rates up to 90Hz, while the 13-inch Surface Laptop uses a 1920 x 1280 panel at 178 pixels per inch running at 60Hz.

Port selections remain unchanged: both hardware models feature two USB-C 3.2 ports, and the 13-inch Surface Laptop includes one USB-A 3.2 port alongside a 3.5mm headphone jack. Both models support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Microsoft is offering black, platinum silver, and violet colorways, with commercial availability and an optional 5G configuration planned for the 12-inch Surface Pro.