Microsoft Surface Launch Event: From Windows Recall To New PCs, Here's A Quick Look At Top Announcements

Microsoft launched a new version of the Surface Pro tablet and the Surface Laptop, both featuring Qualcomm chips based on Arm architecture for the first time.

Microsoft held a significant hardware launch event on May 20, just a day before its highly anticipated annual developer conference, Microsoft Build, introducing the latest additions to its Surface lineup. In a move that continues its tradition of innovation, Microsoft announced several new devices, building on the momentum from last September's major updates. Back then, the company unveiled the Surface Laptop Studio 2, touted as its "most powerful" Surface device to date, the Surface Laptop Go 3, the Surface Go 4 – the latest in its budget-friendly 2-in-1 series – and the Surface Hub 3, an advanced all-in-one collaborative touchscreen.

This year’s event saw the introduction of a new version of the Surface Pro tablet and the Surface Laptop, both featuring Qualcomm chips based on Arm architecture for the first time. Until now, Microsoft's laptops and tablets primarily ran on Intel processors.

Here Are The Biggest Takeaways From The Event

New Category of Windows PCs: Microsoft has introduced a groundbreaking category of Windows PCs, integrated with Copilot+ to harness the power of artificial intelligence.

Windows Recall Feature: A new AI-driven feature, Windows Recall, was introduced. This feature allows users to retrieve any action performed on their computer through natural language queries, exclusively available on Copilot+ PCs.

Copilot PCs Performance: The newly unveiled Copilot PCs feature an NPU capable of executing 40 trillion operations per second, offering a performance boost of 58 per cent over the MacBook Air M3.

Collaboration with Chip Manufacturers: Microsoft is collaborating with Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm for the Copilot+ PCs. While Qualcomm's Copilot+ chip is ready now, Intel and AMD will introduce their versions later.

Surface Pro and Surface Laptop Updates: The first devices in the Copilot+ PC lineup include the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop. The new Surface Laptop boasts nearly twice the battery life of its predecessor, the Surface Laptop 5, and will be available in 13.8-inch and 15-inch display options. The updated Surface Pro is 90 per cent faster than the Surface Pro 9, featuring an OLED display with HDR and a quad-HD camera.

Specifications: Copilot+ PCs will come equipped with 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an integrated NPU delivering over 40 TOPS of performance.

Broad Manufacturer Support: Major PC manufacturers such as Acer, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung are set to produce and distribute Copilot+ PCs, also referred to as AI laptops.

Availability and Pricing: Pre-orders for the Copilot+ PCs start today, with prices beginning at $999. The first devices are expected to be available in stores by June 18.

Enhanced Windows 11 Support: The company has overhauled core components of Windows 11 to optimise performance on Arm-based hardware and enhance AI capabilities.

With these announcements, Microsoft looks to continue phusing the boundaries of technology, integrating advanced AI capabilities into its hardware to offer users enhanced performance and innovative new features.