Microsoft has announced new versions of the Surface Laptop 7 and the Surface Pro 11 tablet PCs. These devices, initially available with Qualcomm ARM processors since mid-last year, will soon also be offered with Intel’s Core Ultra 200V CPUs, codenamed Lunar Lake. Microsoft markets these laptops and tablets with keyboards as Copilot-Plus PCs for businesses. This is because the Intel processors have an integrated AI unit that supports artificial intelligence methods.
Since June 2024, the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 have been available, but only with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon-X processors. Last year, those who wanted Intel-based devices had to opt for the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 business versions, which were based on Intel’s Meteor Lake processors, also known as Core Ultra 100. With the new Intel base, the current generation of devices is being updated. Microsoft continues to offer the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 with ARM processors, giving customers a choice.
Externally, there are no differences between the Intel and Qualcomm versions of the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11, but there are price differences. The Surface Pro and Surface Laptop start at 1179 and 1199 euros, respectively, but the prices for the Intel variants start at 1759 and 1849 euros. The new Surface devices will be available from February 18.
The “Surface Laptop for Business” will also be available on an Intel basis in two screen sizes: 13.8 and 15 inches. Microsoft offers four CPU models to choose from, ranging from the Core Ultra 5 Processor 236V to the Core Ultra 7 Processor 268V. The differences lie mainly in the clock rates, and all CPUs have four efficiency and four performance cores. However, the performance of the integrated NPU (Neural Processing Unit) for AI tasks and the Intel Arc graphics unit varies.
The Microsoft notebooks can be equipped with either 16 or 32 GB of LPDDR5x RAM and with SSDs ranging from 256 GB to 1 TB. The manufacturer promises up to 22 hours of battery life for video playback and 12 hours of active internet use for the 15-inch model. For the Surface Laptop 7 with a 13-inch display, it is two hours less for each. According to the manufacturer, the Intel models fall behind the ARM versions by only one hour.
The screens of these notebooks and the “Surface Pro for Business” with Intel’s Core Ultra processors are identical to the Snapdragon models. The tablet PC continues to feature a 13-inch touchscreen, with a choice between an OLED or LCD display, and the selection among Intel processors is the same as for the Surface Laptop 11. The RAM and SSD configurations are also the same. According to Microsoft, the battery life is 14 hours for video playback and 10 hours for active web use, matching the Snapdragon-X processor version.
Alongside the new Intel variants of the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11, Microsoft is also launching a compatible USB4 docking station. This Surface adapter, priced at 269 euros, can drive two 4K displays at up to 60 Hz, charge the Surface device with up to 65 watts, and connect to a local network via Ethernet. The USB4 dock offers three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, one HDMI port, and one Ethernet port.
Both the USB4 dock and the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 can be ordered by business customers in about two and a half weeks. The devices will be delivered starting February 18, 2025.