Surface Laptop: Price, specs, release date, benchmarks, FAQ and more - crawfordtimperall

Updated Jan. 24, 2018:  Under "Pricing and handout date," we have updated data on the Commercial Surface Laptop, a new version of the Surface Laptop that optionally ships with Windows 10 Pro, not S.

The Surface Laptop computer stole the show at Microsoft's May 2 consequence. The focus may cause been on education, Windows 10 S, and affordable laptops for classroom use, but the oohs and ahhs went to the Opencast Laptop for its beautiful display and Alcantara-clad keyboard, non to mention its reddened weight and long shelling life.

College kids are the Skin-deep Laptop's reputed target user, but a dish out of regular folks are intrigued by this new addition to Microsoft's premium Surface family—and, frankly, many students won't be able to afford it in any case. Microsoft seems to agree: for businesses, Microsoft has also announced the Commercial Surface Laptop, a version of the Surface Laptop computer that ships with Windows 10 Favoring, or S.

Curious? You've come to the right place. Here's everything you take to bon about the Surface Laptop computer. We have the pricing and vent date, answers to your most perfervid questions, our video reporting, and all the specs. Click a link to the left to jump to a taxonomic category section, or just start reading.

Pricing and release particular date

The Surface Laptop computer began shipping most SKUs June 15, 2017, and the highest-end SKU started shipping June 30, though just in one color. That's over, thankfully. You can order the Surface Laptop computer from Microsoft's site, and it's besides available from major retailers.

Pricing starts at $999, and quickly goes up from there. We've summarized the full prices per configuration downstairs (and you can find full eyeglasses and features later therein article). Students enjoy a 10-percent discount: For the entry-level Come out Laptop, that would drop its price from $999 to $899.10.

Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD: $999

Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD: $1,299

Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB Tup, 256GB SSD: $1,599

Intel Pith i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD: $2,199

Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD,: $2,699

Notes: As of our July 30 update, the highest-end SKU is available only in Platinum, with other colours nevertheless labeled "forthcoming soon." As of October. 31, these versions are available all told four colors: the Core i5/8GB/256GB SSD; the Core i7/8GB/256GB SSD; and the Core i7/16GB/512GB SSD. Everything else, regrettably, is just uncommitted in Platinum.

None of the above prices include a Rise Pen, not to mention the Surface Dial. Neither peripheral is required, though. Microsoft also quietly launched the $80 Come up Curve Mouse soon after the Surface Laptop.

Microsoft

The Surface Laptop computer is aimed at college students World Health Organization might otherwise choose the MacBook Air.

For those WHO need the freedom of Windows 10 Pro, you should check out the Commercial Surface Laptop computer, a version of the Laptop that optionally ships with Windows 10 Pro, non S. Microsoft doesn't appear to be constraining sales to commercialized businesses, though, As the Commercial Surface Laptop appears on the Store.

In fact, you have more Commercial Surface Laptop computer options from which to choose with Windows 10 Pro than you make with than Windows 10 S. In general, the base model (Kernel i5/8GB RAM/128GB SSD) costs $100 for the Windows 10 Pro option versus Windows 10 S, or $1,199. Otherwise, you'll pay $50 more (for a total of $1,399) for the Kernel i5/8GB/256GB SSD model. Finally, you give birth the option of three colours: leaden (platinum), burgundy, and Co depressed.

Though that $50 premium likewise applies to early Windows 10 Pro versions of the Commercial Surface Laptop, many of the models are presently listed as "out of stock."

Ofttimes asked questions

The Surface Laptop's unveiling manus-in-reach with Windows 10 S has created a lot of confusion. Here are approximately answers, and we'll keep posting Thomas More as we learn more.

What is the Surface Laptop?

The Surface Laptop is a bony, light, high-design ultrabook that Microsoft undraped May 2 equally part of a larger event about education. Distinguishing features let in a gorgeous show, a laser-cut keyboard tray ready-made of Alcantara fabric, and a claimed battery life of up to 14 hours. At the same consequence, the keep company introduced the secure, steerable Windows 10 S operating arrangement, which wish come preinstalled on the Come up Laptop as well arsenic a turn down-cost great deal of laptops intended for K-12 classroom use.

What is is the Mercantile Surface Laptop computer?

The Commercial Surface Laptop appears to be an otherwise identical version of the Surface Laptop that ships with Windows 10 Pro installed.  Though you can switch from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 In favor very well, buyers of the Moneymaking Surface Laptop put on't have to worry near any deadlines for doing so. That exemption costs an additional $100 for the base model, though, versus the Come on Laptop computer.

Why buy a Commercial Surface Laptop if it costs more?

Because the Commercial Surface Laptop ships with Windows 10 Pro, atomic number 102 string section attached. You also don't have to worry nearly any deadlines for switching.

What are PCWorld's first impressions of the Show u Laptop?

PCWorld's Brand Hachman was among the first to try the Surface Laptop at the English hawthorn 2 event. A seasoned user of some the Surface Pro and Surface Book, he adage the folk resemblance in the Surface Laptop computer's eye-popping display and Alcantara fabric-vestmented keyboard. This is, so, a laptop that could turn the heads of MacBook Publicize firm. What's less clear is how the Control surface Laptop's thin-and-light compromises will play out: the parvenu Kaby Lake CPU and big battery vs. the skimpy RAM in entry-level models, let alone the scant port connectivity.

Who's it for?

Microsoft is aiming the Come up Laptop at style-conscious, MacBook-Air-loving college students, though many not-scholarly person users are clearly intrigued by it.

How does it relate to the Surface Book and Surface Affirmative 4?

The Surface Laptop's clamshell design adds another form factor to Microsoft's insurance premium line of Surface products, altogether of which gas beautiful displays and unique features.

The Surface Script is the nigh expensive of the family: a premium 2-in-1 laptop with a striking Dynamic Fulcrum Hinge. The keyboard understructur is stuffed with extra battery and, in some configurations, a discrete GPU. We've compared the Surface Laptop vs. the Surface Book based on the specs and performance data. Choosing 'tween these two laptops was easier than we thinking.

The Grade-constructed In favor 4 is a 2-in-1 that leans more toward a tablet, with a kickstand and the pick of a unimportant keyboard. Disposed the Surface Laptop's pricing, the Surface Pro 4 is now the lowest-cost product in the family. We've compared the Surface Laptop vs. the Surface Pro 4 founded happening the specs and our reviews.

How does it relate to other high-end thin-and-light laptops?

Lag, more a few laptops from other vendors contend for the title of best gangly-and-lighting-up. We've compared the Surface Laptop specification-by-spec with the Dell XPS 13, HP Spectre x360, and MacBook Air, and it's a impending race.

Microsoft

The Surface Laptop runs Windows 10 S, but you can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.

How much does the Opencast Laptop cost?

The base simulation starts at $999, and the most expensive model costs $2,699. Microsoft also offers a 10-percent student push aside.

Why is IT so expensive?

Looking at the Rise product railway line's history, Microsoft has centralised on high-end "halo" hardware that can inspire other hardware vendors to make similar products (that probably won't be quite as expensive). This is a way of life for Microsoft to lead hardware innovation without organism overly competitive with other vendors.

When does it ship?

The Surface Laptop began shipping June 15 and is available via Microsoft or other retailers.

Does it come with Windows 10 S?

Yes, Windows 10 S is the installed operating system unheeding of where you buy it.

What if I don't deprivation Windows 10 S?

All Windows 10 S products, including the Opencast Laptop, will be upgradable to Windows 10 Pro. For students and some other users, that raise will be dislodge, with some deadlines and conditions. It'll price you $49 other, so read the fine print and Mark Hachman's elaborate account. You john climb for unrestricted until March 31, 2018.

How easy is it to upgrade to Windows 10 Professional?

Really simple—surprisingly so.If you accidentally try installing an app from out of doors the Windows Store, you'll see a popup warning that Windows S North Korean won't let you. But there's a link in this popup to the Windows Storehouse page where you derriere begin the upgrade march. (Searching for Windows 10 Pro in the Store should lead you to the same page.)

Mark Hachman

If you try and instal an unsupported app happening Windows 10 S, you'll see this popup. Click the link at the inferior to instal Windows 10 Favoring.

Microsoft recommends that you back down up all of your present files, which is always a smart idea. Simply the upgrade cognitive process took less than five minutes on a Surface Laptop, and obligatory a sole reboot. I don't even believe that I needed to download any files from the Store.

How do I get Agency in the Windows Stock?

Bureau became available via the Windows Store on June 15, with a few caveats. The first-class honours degree is that currently those apps are available only for Grade-constructed Laptops running Windows 10 S. The specific apps available are: Phrase, Stand out, PowerPoint, OneNote for Windows 10 (not OneNote 2016) , Outlook, Access, Publisher. Alas, the simplified Office Mobile apps will not be on tap,

The bit is that a one-year subscription to Office 365 Ain bequeath live enclosed with Surface Laptops that send on with Windows 10 S, but only during what Microsoft calls a "prevue full stop." This preview period gives Microsoft overtime to test the install and update process for the Windows Store versions of office. The end date is not nominative, however, so it's non certain how long Surface Laptop owners leave love this $70-value fillip.

Past Windows users have to time lag until the preview period is all over to have access to Office apps via the Windows Store. For full information, look into Microsoft's FAQ: Office on Windows 10 S.

Jorge Arzac/IDG

A virtually unnoticeable hinge secures the video display to the base.

Surface Laptop computer review

In our extensive Coat Laptop review we gave it 4 out of 5 stars. In the article you're currently reading, we'll simply provide a quick synopsis.

We review the Show u Laptop happening two levels: as a stylish ultrabook, fashioned and priced to vie with Apple's MacBook Tune, and American Samoa a machine purpose-made for Windows 10 S, a version of the OS that restricts users to Windows Store apps merely also allows an raise to Windows 10 Pro. Eastern Samoa an ultrabook, it does a enceinte occupation of addressing on the nose what college students need. As an embassador for Windows 10 S, not surprisingly (and arguably, as designed), the in operation system feels constricting outside of its intended environment: the closely managed educational institution.

Just that shouldn't take away from what Microsoft has settled with this simple machine. It's thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air, and its Alcantara-fabric-clad keyboard tray makes lifting the hat sense like opening a plush jewelry box. There's the gorgeous 13.5-inch, 2256×1504 video display, for starters, nonnegative Core i5 and Nitty-gritty i7 CPUs and SSD repositing. The stingy port selection is one of the few letdowns in this spectacular design.

One performance number is a mic cut down: 12 hours and 45 minutes of shelling lifetime (rated). Under our testing, the Laptop lasted about 11 hours and 30 minutes—still excellent!

When we upgraded the Airfoil Laptop to Windows 10 Affirmative, we were able to tally our full suite of benchmarks, available in the second page of our Rise Laptop computer review. What we institute was interesting: generally speaking, the updated Kaby Lake silicon chip inside the Laptop keeps rising and even surpasses the original Surface Book of account in places, aside from 3D graphics.

Granted, ultrabooks have other priorities than speed. The browser-based benchmarks we tried indicate the Surface Laptop could be merely an average performer, but we'll tell you more after we go down to Windows 10 Favoring and run our traditional suite of tests.

The lingering question is: What's a beautiful laptop computer like this doing with a constrained operating system of rules like Windows 10 S? We foresee many buyers testament squirm out of its Windows-Store-only clench and upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.

Our video coverage

Our Aerofoil Laptop computer review video shows dispatch the product's best features and also talks about what it's ilk to accept Windows 10 S.

We posted telecasting from Microsoft's Crataegus oxycantha 2 event where it unveiled the Surface Laptop, which you can see here.

For every the Surface Laptop eyeglasses, keep reading material.

Specs and features

Microsoft emphasizes performance in the Surface Laptop design, and you can see that in the CPU and memory choices, as well as the battery life-time. In the quest for thin and light, withal, we lost a a couple of things, including natural port selection. We also don't yet possess specific part with numbers or types for the key Central processing unit, memory, and storage glasses, but we'll add them if we get them.

CPU

All CPUs are from Intel's 7th-generation Kaby Lake family:

Intel Inwardness i5

Intel Core i7

Memory

Your memory amount vary with your CPU choice, American Samoa follows:

4GB: Core i5

8GB: Core i5 surgery Core i7

16GB: Core i5 or Core i7

Storage

Your SSD size will vary with your memory size, as follows:

128GB with 4GB of RAM

256GB with 8GB of RAM

512GB with 16GB of Read/write memor

1TB with 16GB of RAM

Graphics

The art is knotted to the Mainframe.

Core i5: Intel HD 620

Core i7: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640

Microsoft

The Opencast Laptop has a high-resolution, 3:2 expression-ratio video display and a keyboard with Alcantara fabric plow.

Expose

Corning Gorilla gorilla Glass

13.5-inch (diagonal) PixelSense Display

Resolution: 2256×1504 pixels, 3.4 million pixels, 201 ppi

3:2 aspect ratio

Surface Write-enabled (sold separately)

10-point multi-refer

Keyboard

1.5mm move around

Alcantara framework surface optical maser-cut to around the keys. Reported to Microsoft, you shouldn't see any light leakage around the fabric.

Jorge Arzac/IDG

The Surface Laptop keyboard features keys with a generous 1.5mm of travel, and a tray ready-made of Alcantara fabric laser-cut to fit snugly, with zero light leak.

Software

Windows 10 S

Slaveless upgrade to Windows 10 Pro until Dec 31, 2017

Office 365 Personal one-year subscription is included

Ports and connectivity

Unity of the first complaints virtually the Surface Laptop is its miss of physical connectivity: No USB-C, nobelium storage card expansion slot, and the list goes along. Here's what it does have:

USB 3.0 Typewrite A

miniskirt DisplayPort

3.5mm headphone jack

SurfaceConnect for charging

Wi-Fi: 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n compatible

Bluetooth 4.0 LE

Jorge Arzac/IDG

The Laptop seems to recline a bit advance than the Aerofoil Holy Scripture. Merely note the stingy allotment of ports.

Audio/visual

Windows Hello face sign-in photographic camera

720p HD presence-facing camera

Biaural microphones

The speakers (Microsoft calls them "omnisonic") nest underneath the Alcantara keyboard tray, and the fabric itself is part of the sound system.

Barrage life

Microsoft has touted the long battery spirit on the Coat Laptop. The company claims equal to 14.5 hours of video playback. We'll be sure to trial this.

Exterior dimensions

12.13 x 8.79 x 0.57 inches

Weight

2.76 pounds

Chassis

Al

Jorge Arzac/IDG

The Surface Laptop comes in four colours: Burgundy, Platinum, Cobalt Blue, and Graphite Amber.

Colors

Burgundy wine

Platinum

Cobalt Blue

Graphite Golden

Guarantee

One-year limited hardware warranty

Enclosed in the box

Surface Laptop

Exponent supply

Documentation

Editor's note: This article to begin with posted May 5, 2017.

Note: When you buy out something subsequently clicking golf links in our articles, we may earn a weensy commission. Learn our associate link policy for more details.

Melissa Riofrio spent her plastic journalistic years reviewing some of the biggest cast-iron at PCWorld--desktops, laptops, storage, printers--and she continuing to focus on ironware testing during stints at Reckoner Currents and CNET. Currently, in plus to leading PCWorld's content direction, she covers productivity laptops and Chromebooks.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/406679/surface-laptop-everything-you-need-to-know.html

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