Report: Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 6 may have striking design changes and a power boost

Microsoft is reportedly working on the next generation of Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models which are slated to have refreshed designs as well as improved hardware.

This leaked information comes from Windows Central whose sources claim the company is developing the Surface Laptop 6 and Surface Pro 10 right now. What’s interesting about these two is there will be multiple versions of both, housing either an Intel Meteor Lake CPU or a customized Qualcomm Snapdragon X processor. The latter has Windows Central’s sources “particularly excited” because laptops with that CPU will utilize the multitude of AI-powered features Microsoft plans to add to the 2024 update of Windows. It’s not entirely clear if this will be the rumored Windows 12, although it is possible. Additionally, Microsoft aims to build the custom Snapdragon X chip as a worthy rival to Apple Silicon “sporting similar battery life, performance, and security.”

It’s unknown if the Meteor Lake renditions will have any special capabilities apart from utilizing a “next-gen NPU (neural processing unit)” for improved performance. The leak doesn’t go into much detail on that front.

Individual changes

Individually, both devices will reportedly see changes with the Surface Laptop 6 delivering a more drastic refresh.

The report claims it’ll have thinner bezels around the display, rounded corners, and extra ports. It’s unknown how many ports there will be in total, but there will, at least, be two USB-C inputs and a USB-A port alongside a “magnetic Surface Connect charging [plug].” This computer will be available in two different sizes (13.8 inches and 15 inches), according to Windows Central. What’s more, Microsoft plans to add a haptic touchpad plus a dedicated button to quickly launch the Windows Copilot AI assistant.

The Surface Pro 10, on the other hand, will apparently stick close to the design of previous models with the more “significant changes coming” to the display. Windows Central states the screen is being made brighter, will support HDR content, and be covered in an anti-reflective coating to reduce glare. The report goes on to say Microsoft is testing a mid-range version of the Pro 10 with a Quad HD resolution (2,160 x 1,440 pixels) display. The pricier version will retain the 2,880 x 1,920-pixel resolution screen the series is known for.

Other notable features include an NFC reader for enterprise users, a wider FoV (field of view) webcam, plus a dedicated Copilot button.

None of the sources reveal when these computers will launch other than they will release sometime later this year; possibly around the same time as the Windows 2024 patch. No word on how much each one will cost either.

Future plans

Everything so far covers Microsoft’s Surface plans for 2024, however, there will be more next year.

Windows Central claims that in late 2025, the Surface Pro tablets will see a “more significant design update” as well as a new 11-inch model. They then state the company is also working on the Surface Laptop Studio 3. Details are scarce at the moment, although the company may offer the Studio 3 in a Meteor Lake and Snapdragon X CPU configuration, similar to the Surface Pro 10.

2023 was an interesting year for Microsoft. It wasn’t the best for the tech giant, but it could be argued it was a year where the company took the time to lay down the foundation for what’s to come in 2024. If you want to know more of our thoughts, check out TechRadar’s Microsoft in 2023 year in review.

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