We saw the new Microsoft Surface: a winning return for Microsoft?

Today Microsoft is launching its new Surface devices with a Surface Laptop 7 and a Surface Pro 11. Here’s what we thought of the two machines after a hands-on session at a launch event.

Today is the kick-off of the PC Copilot+, pre-order date for all machines that will offer Microsoft’s AI experiences as soon as they are launched. While a multitude of manufacturers have announced their new laptop PCs, Microsoft is offering “its ultimate vision of Copilot+ PCs” with the new range of Surface devices.

We We were able to take charge of the machines during an event organized by Microsoft in Paris, giving us an overview of the software and hardware vision of the firm during this pivotal stage in its history.

More compact, more powerful

Microsoft is launching two new devices today: the Surface Laptop 7, its direct competitor to the MacBook Air, and the Surface Pro 11, its “iconic” 2-in-1 between tablet and laptop. The major novelty therefore lies in the integration of Qualcomm’s new ARM chip, the Snapdragon X, which will be present in Elite and Plus versions depending on the model.

Surfaces have always stood out for their finish and Microsoft has iterated again this year. The Surface Laptop 7 is lighter again this year by 400 grams (1.34 kg) and gains slightly in screen diagonal, going from 13.5 to 13.8 inches thanks to even thinner borders. This is the trend, while Dell also did the same for its brand new XPS range.

Source: Hugo Clery for Frandroid

Source: Hugo Clery for Frandroid

Source: Hugo Clery for Frandroid

The new features are significant compared to the previous generation with the addition of two USB-C ports (USB4 standard) in addition to a USB-A port, while the 15-inch version benefits from a microSD port. A good point for photographers and creatives.

In its 13-inch version, the Surface Laptop is clearly intended to be like a MacBook Air, although slightly heavier. The difference in weight is not drastic with the 15-inch model, a real argument for this diagonal. This year, the new Dune color (no relation to the film) seemed the most elegant to us, it is also the one that is highlighted in Microsoft’s communication.

Source: Hugo Clery for Frandroid

Source: Hugo Clery for Frandroid

Source: Hugo Clery for Frandroid

Concerning the Surface Pro 11, the versions with the Snapdragon Detachable flex and its large trackpad. Pleasant to the touch and to use, it can connect via Bluetooth to any Windows device. However, its price of 409 euros remains prohibitive.

Tailored for Copilot+ features

We were able to briefly discover the Copilot features available from June 18 on these new PCs. While waiting to be able to test them in more depth, we have already been able to see their effectiveness and their speed of execution.

Pure image generation within the Photos application is based on the Dall-E 3 model from OpenAI, with results that can be generated in a multitude of variations depending on the desired aesthetic and style.

The co-creator of Paint also seemed effective to us, transforming the most basic drawings into complex images. Here, the “Creativity” setting transforms your design for a radically different result. Everything happens locally with a delay of a few seconds for generations, with variations generated just as quickly.

Aggressive prices

Microsoft has lowered the launch price of its two Surface devices by several hundred euros, which both start at 1,199 euros. The most expensive models cost 1899 euros for the Surface Laptop 7 with 1 TB of storage, and 1999 euros for the Surface Pro 11 with 1 TB and Oled screen. Note that the first two configurations, for the Surface Laptop and the Surface Pro, feature the Snapdragon X Plus, while you will have to pay between 1700 and 1800 euros for a Snapdragon X Elite.

Note that this is the X1E-80-100 version of the chip, which can go up to 4 GHz in boost mode. The difference in performance, with the two additional cores, could be very appreciable. We will soon receive the machines for which we will of course carry out in-depth tests.