STG News
This week Microsoft shared their vision for the next era of the Windows PC, where the PC and the cloud intersect and tap into innovative AI technology that unlocks new experiences.
So that each of us can participate, be seen, heard and express our creativity.
For nearly 40 years, the Windows PC has held a place at the center of our lives. It’s contributed to new levels of productivity, kept us all connected, and unlocked our creativity and potential through innovations that couldn’t have been imagined when Microsoft first began this journey. Just think about how far personal computing has come and how people interact with it.
From the very first text-based keyboard input to the precision of point and click with the mouse, up to today, where touch, voice, pen and gestures all help people use the Windows PC more naturally and intuitively. From its inception, Surface has been a catalyst for that change.
For the past 10 years, Surface has challenged the convention of the PC – through innovative form factors and new interaction models that transformed what the industry expects from a laptop, desktop, tablet and mobile productivity device. More importantly, Surface and Windows helped remove barriers, empowering each of us to connect, create, work, learn and play in ways that are new and natural. Bringing the best of Microsoft together on a single device.
As a team, Microsoft are proud of where they’ve been, but their focus is on where they’re going. With Windows 11, new Surface products and new apps and experiences like Microsoft Designer and Image Creator, they take the next step in their journey.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
Surface Pro began as the first of its category – a tablet that can replace your laptop, offering touch, ink, a full-size precision touchpad, and a productive keyboard finely crafted and satisfying to touch. Over the years it’s been refined, tuned and perfected. In that same time, we’ve seen the category take off. Today, you don’t have to go far to see competing interpretations. Microsoft take great pride in their ability to inspire and push the industry forward. Still, there’s a reason why Surface Pro remains the 2-in-1 to beat, and it comes back to the original vision the team shared a decade ago that merged the benefits of a powerful laptop, versatile tablet and ink-ready studio. Now, Surface Pro 9 raises the bar again.
Surface Pro 9 is crafted with high-grade aluminum casing in a new set of beautiful, anodized colours. On one side you see the iconic built-in kickstand and on the other a gorgeous 13-inch PixelSense display.
A Surface display is more than a sheet of glass. It’s a canvas, a journal, a notepad, an editing bay and a cinema screen. It’s a vibrant sheet of pixels that transforms into the combination of experiences that keep you informed, productive, entertained and connected. With incredible levels of quality, performance and versatility, the edge-to-edge display on Surface Pro 9 is stunning. With up to 120Hz refresh rate and a wide range of colours, visual stories are true to life. Underneath the display is an HD camera, Omnisonic speakers, directional microphones and their custom G6 chip that takes inking to the next level with tactile signals. Combined with the new Ink Focus in Microsoft OneNote, or the new GoodNotes app coming in early 2023 to Windows 11, digital ink on the screen feels like writing with pen and paper.
Beneath the iconic exterior, Surface Pro has always been about performance. Surface Pro 9 offers a choice between processors – 12th Gen Intel Core processor built on the Intel Evo platform with Thunderbolt 4, or Microsoft SQ3 powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon with 5G connectivity. In either case, you’re getting the same iconic Surface Pro form, great performance, all-day battery life and Secured-core capabilities. The choice comes down to the combination of scenarios that are most critical to you and how you work, create and connect.
The latest 12th Gen Intel Core processor offers incredible power and performance. Verified as an Intel Evo device, it’s ready for real-world multi-tasking, full desktop productivity, all-day battery life and intense workloads – with up to 50% more performance than Surface Pro 8. Thunderbolt 4 enables rapid data transfer, docking to multiple 4K displays, or supporting an eGPU set-up.
The Microsoft SQ3 processor provides fast 5G connectivity, and ultra-long battery life – up to 19 hours. Additionally, it unlocks new AI features made possible through an entirely new Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that transforms how you connect with the people in your life. Capable of more than 15 trillion calculations per second, the NPU in Surface Pro 9 drives new experiences with Windows Studio effects.
To help celebrate 10 years of Surface, Microsoft have partnered with London-based global design house “Liberty” to bring art and technology together to create a special-edition Surface Pro keyboard and laser-etched Surface Pro 9 with an exclusive pattern in a vibrant blue floral inspired by the Windows 11 Bloom – available in select markets, only at Liberty and Microsoft Stores while supplies last. The elegantly patterned engraving and matching keyboard stand out, and the pair represents something special.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Seven years ago, Microsoft applied their learnings and experiences from Surface Pro to a more conventional device category, the laptop. Almost immediately, Surface Laptop became our most loved Surface. In the years since, it’s continued to earn this position. Whether creating, communicating or connecting, people delight in how Surface Laptop helps them immediately get into their flow. From the effortless opening and fast log-in with Windows Hello, to the touchscreen, precision touchpad and perfect typing experience, Surface Laptop 5 offers the craftsmanship, comfort and capabilities to jump in and produce your best work.
Surface Laptop 5 is sleek and elegant, providing all-day battery life. It now offers the latest 12th Gen Intel Core processor, Thunderbolt 4 and is co-engineered and verified as an Intel Evo device for the first time, making the Surface Laptop 5 over 50% more powerful than its predecessor.
Surface Laptop 5’s signature 3:2 PixelSense display comes in 13.5-inch or 15-inch options, each with Dolby Vision IQ, giving you the best possible picture, with vivid colours and sharp contrast in any lighting conditions. The speakers are perfectly tuned and offer Dolby Atmos 3D spatial processing to fully immerse you in your content. The front-facing HD camera and Studio Microphones capture you in true-to-life fashion, even adjusting camera exposure in any lighting environment.
From new anodized aluminum colours to new capabilities, Surface Laptop 5 gives customers more of what they’ve always loved about this product.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2
ln the fall of 2016 Microsoft unveiled the first Surface Studio. It was unlike anything else, and instantly captured people’s imaginations. With the large and vibrant 28-inch 3:2 display, and stylish form, this product turned heads. When Microsoft showed how the Zero Gravity Hinge could transform the display into the ultimate creative canvas, people were stunned. Even today, Surface Studio has the unique ability to draw people in.
As work environments have evolved in recent years, there’s been a strong ongoing demand for this elegant, powerful and versatile product. To meet demand, Microsoft have rearchitected their Surface Studio processing engine utilizing an updated Intel Core i7 H Series processor, with up to 50% faster CPU performance.
They’ve designed NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 discrete graphics to double the graphics performance, achieving the most realistic ray-traced graphics when you craft 3D designs or render models. Also they’ve enhanced and modernized the display, cameras, Studio Mics and ports – including USB-C with Thunderbolt 4. With Windows 11, Surface Studio 2+ also meets Secured-core PC standards.
For availability of all new Surface devices in your region see the official Microsoft website.