Published , by Chris Jarrard
Published , by Chris Jarrard
At a press event in in New York City on Tuesday, Microsoft took the wraps of the newest members of its popular Surface family of computers and laptops. The star of the show is undoubtedly the new Surface Pro 6, featuring the first ever quad-core CPU for the Pro series and the ability to hold an SSD up to 1TB in size. The Surface Laptop 2 was also shown, bringing back the 13.5-inch display we saw from last year’s model with a host of upgrades. Desktop fans of the Surface line will be happy to see that Microsoft also showed off the Surface Studio 2, the follow up to its popular all-in-one desktop solution.
The Surface Pro 6 makes use of an Intel 8th-generation CPU, gets up to 13.5 hours per charge, and gets an upgraded 8MP rear camera. It will be available as a 12.6-inch model with a variety of component configuration options as well as an all new matte black finish. The Surface Pro 6 starts at $899 and users will need to shell out an additional $100 for the keyboard that is required to give the Pro 6 laptop functionality.
The Surface Laptop 2 is a more conventional option for mobile PC users, offering a 13.5-inch display at 14.5 hour battery life. Like the Pro 6, the Laptop 2 makes use of an 8th-generation Intel CPU. Microsoft claims that this year’s model has a much quieter keyboard than the original model. The Surface Laptop 2 will start at $999 and all models will have a premium alcantara surface coating on the inside of the clamshell.
Desktop Surface fans will be happy to see the new upgrades for the Surface Studio 2. Like its mobile brethren, 8th-generation Intel processors will be at the heart of the device. Up to 2TB of SSD storage is available, along with dedicated NVIDIA graphics hardware. Microsoft boasts that the 28-inch display is much brighter than the previous model and gamers can seamlessly pair an Xbox One S controller to the Surface Studio 2 for a quick gaming session. The new Studio 2 will set you back at least $3499, depending on the configuration.
Microsoft will begin taking pre-orders on these new devices today through its online Surface Store, though no concrete release date is available at this time.