Microsoft has a host of products coming for the holiday season, and many caught the attention of media and enthusiasts alike as the brand unveiled five new products at a New York launch event last Tuesday.
The Microsoft Surface Neo and Surface Duo surely took the cake as the most interesting of the new product lineup. Both products introduce a unique spin to the multiple displays, foldable trends that have been developing throughout 2019. Microsoft has made it clear that these devices, the Duo particularly, are not smartphones, but are essentially a new category onto themselves.
The Microsoft Surface Neo features two 9-inch LCD displays, which are 5.6mm thin. They are attached by a 360-degree hinge and includes a magnetic pen and a keyboard attachment, which can fit over one of the screens to turn it onto a laptop or netbook set up.
The Surface Neo can most closely be compared to a convertible netbook, which can be folded into a tablet state, a laptop state, or a tripod state, depending on the use. However, the dual-screen is a completely new aspect. The Neo runs an Intel Lakefield Processor and Windows 10X for software.
The Microsoft Surface Duo features two 5.6-inch displays that fold out to an 8.3-inch tablet-sized display, making it very reminiscent of the Samsung Galaxy Fold and the ZTE Axon M. Though the device runs Android as its operating system and can make phone calls, Microsoft insists that the Duo is not a smartphone.
In terms of design, it does look like a more compact version of a Surface laptop or netbook, with Windows branding on its back. Microsoft has customized the Android software heavily, making its own productivity services a primary component on the device. However, users have access to the Google Play Store to download their desired Android applications.
The Microsoft Surface Pro X introduces a customized Qualcomm Snapdragon chip called the SQ1 Arm, which is supposed to bring to the tablet, an “always connected” experience that is more like a smartphone without having to wait for an LTE version to release. The tablet Surface Pro X features a 13-inch 2,880 x 1,920 resolution display, two USB-C ports, and wireless charging among its primary features.
Hardware highlights include 8GB and 16GB LPDDR4x RAM options, 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB removable SSD internal storage options, a 10-megapixel rear camera and 5-megapixel front-facing camera. The tablet supports up to 13 hours of battery life and connects to both LTE and Wi-Fi 5. Audio features include two far-field Studio Mics and 2-watt stereo speakers.
The Microsoft Surface Pro X is currently available for preorder, starting at $999, with a release date set for November.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is the latest update of the brand’s traditional tablet line. It introduces USB-C power, in addition to several hardware boosts, including Intel Core i3-1005G1, i5-1035G4 or i7-1065G7 processor options, 4GB, 8GB, and LPDDR4x RAM options, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB SSD internal storage options.
Its camera set up includes a 10-megapixel rear lens and a 5-megapixel front-facing lens. The tablet supports up to 10 hours of battery life and connects to Wi-Fi 6. Audio features include two far-field Studio Mics and 1.6-watt stereo speakers.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 currently available for preorder, starting at $749, with a release date set for November.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 introduces a USB-C power port and the AMD Ryzen 5 chip to this laptop line. The laptop is available in 13-inch and 15-inch display options, with the latter featuring the AMD chip. The smaller model is powered by a Quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i5 chip. Other features include an AMD Ryzen Graphics chip, 1.3mm key travel, a 20 percent larger trackpad and fast charging that improves battery life by 80 percent in less than an hour. The laptop also features a modular design and machined aluminum finish.
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 is currently available for preorder, with a release date set for October 22. The 13-inch model starts at $999 and the 15-inch model at $1,199.
The Microsoft Surface Earbuds expand the brand’s audio lineup after the Surface Headphones released last year. The earbuds support eight hours of battery life with up to 24-hours of charging within its case. The flat surface of the earbuds acts like a trackpad, allowing users to play or pause music, skip tracks, adjust the volume. Users can also launch apps, such as Spotify, which has a native integration.
The Surface Earbuds also work with Microsoft’s Cortana smart assistant; however, the feature is strictly touch-based as opposed to voice-activated like Alexa or Siri. Another interesting feature allows for live transcription in Microsoft Office, with the earbuds being able to dictate 60 languages.
The Microsoft Surface Earbuds will sell for $249 when available for the holiday season.
