Microsoft launches two ‘new’ 12 and 13-inch versions of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, with less RAM and without Copilot.
Microsoft is expanding the Surface portfolio with a 12-inch Surface Pro and a 13-inch Surface Laptop, as noted by Windows Central. You can hardly call these new devices, as they are simply lower-priced versions of existing laptops. Both devices come with a Snapdragon X Plus processor, though Microsoft is cutting the RAM to justify the lower price point.
The ‘new’ Surface devices seem to be primarily a concession from Microsoft after it sharply increased prices in April. Some Surface models suddenly became hundreds of dollars more expensive. The entry-level price for newly announced laptops has also been significantly higher since then.
Microsoft now wants to add ‘affordable’ devices back to the portfolio. The 12-inch Surface Pro starts at $849 and the 13-inch Surface Laptop at $949. Until a few months ago, that would have bought you a laptop with 16 GB of RAM, but RAM has simply become a precious commodity.
No Copilot
The reduced RAM also has other consequences. Today, 8 GB of RAM is really the minimum for a decent-performing device. However, it is not enough to meet Microsoft’s requirements to earn the Copilot+ label. For some, that might actually be good news, and even with 8 GB of RAM, you can still access the cloud versions of Copilot and other AI models via your web browser.
The discounted Surface devices are not yet available in the Benelux. Through Microsoft’s webshop, you currently pay at least €1,060 incl. VAT for the cheapest configuration of the Surface Laptop (13-inch, Snapdragon X Plus, 16 GB RAM + 256 GB SSD) and €945 incl. VAT for the Surface Pro (12-inch, Snapdragon X Plus, 16 GB RAM + 256 GB SSD).