Now, the price of gadgets is more important than ever. It seems that more companies (including Microsoft) are beginning to recognize the need for more capable laptops that people can actually afford. Windows Maker just removed details on its new 12-inch Surface Pro and thinner 13-inch surface laptop, which at least seems to fit the bill well on paper. With prices starting at less than $1,000 (excluding Surface Pro's Flex keyboard), Microsoft's own computer brand may reach its best in Venn graphics, appearance, price and performance.
The 2025 Surface Series includes two very familiar devices. The $900 Surface Laptop has a 13-inch touchscreen (1,920 x 1,280) with a traditional cut cover design, while the $800 Surface Pro 12 is Microsoft's headline window tablet that converts it into a laptop sample with a removable keyboard. The new Surface Pro is $200 cheaper than last year's $1,000 11th-generation Surface Pro, but – it's the eyeball, and you still have to buy the keyboard separately. The 12-inch (2,196 x 1,464) screen is also smaller than the 13-inch display on the tablet last year. The tablet does have a cheer: it weighs 1.5 pounds compared to the two pounds of the Pro 11.
The new Surface Pro and Surface laptop 13 both run on the Snapdragon X Plus chip, a octa-core ARM-based CPU variant from Qualcomm introduced in mid-2024. Last year’s Surface Pro Renditions, along with the 2024 Surface Surface Renditions, and the 2024 Surface Laptop, which includes the Snapdragon X Elite X Elite Chip, is still the premium weed chip that remains the most powerful based on powerful arms. Otherwise, the new Surface Pro and Surface laptops both come with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Microsoft says the CPU should provide a better starting point and upgrade path for people on 2022 Surface laptops, such as the 2022 Surface laptop. According to the company, the Snapdragon X Plus chip in the new surface laptops is 30% faster than the Intel Core i5-1235U in the 2022 surface laptops. Microsoft further claims that the CPU could beat the M3 MacBook Air in some benchmarks, but it stopped the same claim about the $1,000 MacBook Air M4. These big tech companies are willing to start fighting for pricing that more people can entertain.
The new Surface Pro and Surface laptops aren't launched with any X86-based Intel chips, although they can arrive later, just like last year's Surface Pro, which received an Intel Lunar Lake version earlier this year. Either way, Microsoft sticks with Qualcomm's arm chips that offer better battery life on average, although you end up hitting the wall with software compatibility, especially in gaming and even aging drivers.
If you use any older version of the mixed tablet laptop design, the 12-inch Surface Pro will look very familiar. It still includes a built-in stand that opens on an almost flat surface. Aside from the reduced size, this difficult big change is that the slim pen no longer enters the keyboard (again sold separately). Instead, the Surface Pro tablet contains a dent on the back for you to insert a stylus. This makes sense, especially for creators who want to use the surface as window tablets instead of pint-sized PCs.
However, you may want to find some dry earth to dig a shallow grave to bury your surface connecting cables. Another big change is the loss of ancient surface connection ports. Now, the Surface Pro only relies on USB-C to support 45W fast charging. The battery of the Surface Pro should be based on Microsoft's testing and proactive web browsing, and lasts about 12 hours. Surface laptops should be close to 16 hours before they need to be charged.
Just like last year's Surface Pro, the new model also paints a beautiful picture. The 2024 Surface Pro's blue sapphire color is replaced by a violet color, which seems to be a spot in spring. The new Surface Pro and Surface laptop devices both come in platinum or “ocean” colors. The latter is a blue silver that reminds me of too much “Sky Blue” on Apple on the MacBook Air M4.
Changes to surface lineups are minimal, but some modifications make sense. If you hate the idea of losing surface connections, Microsoft confirms that it will continue to sell last year’s ground models, at least in the near future. The next big question is whether these prices will support with the overwhelming threat of Trump’s tariffs. Microsoft Reps tells us that “taxes are our target of action” and refuses to say more about whether we can see rising ground prices in the near future.
