Microsoft is reportedly developing two new models of the Surface laptops with a focus on artificial intelligence. The Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 (the latter a two-in-one device) would be the first devices in the lineup to have two processor options: Intel and Arm — using a Snapdragon X Series in this case. Along with these laptops, Microsoft may introduce a new version of Windows.
The information was published by the Windows Central website, one of the main websites about Microsoft and Windows. According to sources, the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 will be the first PCs truly prepared for artificial intelligence tasks, bringing the next generation of Neural Processing Units (NPU).
Ever since Microsoft started investing heavily in tools like Windows Copilot and Microsoft Copilot, rumors about a new Windows focused on AI and PCs prepared for greater integration with the technology have been gaining traction. Regarding the new Surfaces, this year, Microsoft has not updated the Surface and Surface Pro line — which makes the idea of new versions in 2024 credible.
With the new Surface Laptop 6 and the 2-in-1 Surface Pro 10, Microsoft hopes to release devices capable of rivaling the Macbook Air. The Surface Pro 10, because of its segment, is also a competitor to the iPad Pro.
To achieve this goal, Microsoft will ship these two Surfaces with two processor options: Intel 14th Gen or the Snapdragon X Series — both of which launched in October. This configuration would also mark the first time that x86 and Arm architectures would be offered on a single Microsoft device.
With the new generation of NPUs, the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 will have higher performance to run the AI features expected for Windows 12 (speculated name), touted as the smartest Windows ever made.
To better understand the plan of Microsoft and other companies in developing AI-ready devices, we can recall Apple’s article on a new method of performing AI tasks without relying on the cloud. What manufacturers are looking for are ways to run large language models (LLM) directly on the device’s hardware.
The problem is that today’s technology requires a lot of power consumption and time to run a generative AI prompt straight from a laptop, for example. With 2024 saying hello, there’s not much time left to see how the new generation of NPUs performs.
