After new leaks and great anticipation of their release date, Microsoft finally introduced the world to their latest devices, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5. It’s not every day that you get two new products from a massive company like Microsoft at the same time, so naturally this is very exciting to fans of Microsoft and technology in general.
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
The MS Surface Pro 9 comes with a bunch of newness, updates, and options. Basically, everything you would expect from a new Microsoft product. The new windows surface pro 9 offers you the versatile laptop/tablet flexibility that all have come to adorn, along with new powerful processors, optional high speed 5G connectivity, and an assortment of color options which is nice because it’s been a while that they’ve offered more color options.
With the latest upgrades Microsoft has combined the regular surface pro devices with the surface pro X, which means the options are now the Surface Pro 9 with Wi-Fi, or the Surface Pro 9 with 5G. Both versions have improved processor performance.
The Surface Pro Wi-Fi version features an insanely fast 12th generation Intel processor with 10 cores and 12 threads. This is a nice step up from the 4 cores and 8 threads found in the Surface Pro 8. The Surface Pro 9 with 5G has an even bigger upgrade featuring the Microsoft SQ3, which is stems from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3. The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 gives roughly 85% faster CPU performance while increasing the GPU speed by about 60% over the previous snapdragon processor. This massive boost is why Microsoft has combined the Surface Pro x into the Surface Pro family under one banner.
Most laptops don’t support mmWave 5G, so this is a big deal and of course Microsoft is the company to do it. The Surface Pro 9 5G allows next generation audio and video calls enabled through AI with automatic framing via Windows Studio powered by the Neural Processing Unit. It is also much more secure than public Wi-Fi.
Both versions feature adjustable angles with a built-in kickstand and Surface Slim Pen 2 storage and charging built right into the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard. Microsoft also maxed out screen space with an edge-to-edge 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen giving you more space for work and function. Using Dolby Vision, the surface pro 9 creates a stunning image with vibrant detail which is perfect for filmmakers, game designers, or people passionate for excellent imagery.
The Surface Pro has everything you could want with all the amenities such as sRGB with a dynamic Refresh rate up to 120Hz, 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and dual far field studio microphones. The front facing camera records 1080p full HD video while the 10.0 MP rear facing autofocus camera which produces 1080p HD and 4k video. Finally, the Surface Pro 9 Wi-fi has a battery life up to 15.5 hours and the Surface Pro 9 5G goes the distance with up to 19 hours of battery life.
All in all, Microsoft brings major updates to the Surface Pro lineup with the updated processors and 5G availability. The Surface Pro 9 Wi-fi starts at $999 which is less expensive than the Surface Pro 8’s starting price. With the new updated specs such as the new 12th Gen Intel processor, the Surface Pro 9 is a much better value. The Surface Pro 9 5G starts at about $1,299 which is a 30% premium over the Wi-Fi version but also has a lot more power and of course 5G. With these new models and streamlined technology, Microsoft did a great job bringing these to market and at these price points, the Surface Pro’s offer quite a bit of benefits for a good value.
- MS Surface Pro 9 13” Tablet i5 8G/RAM 256G/Storage in Platinum w/Keybopard+Extended Protection
- MS Surface Pro 9 13” Tablet i5 8G/RAM 256G/Storage in Saphire w/Keybopard+Extended Protection
- MS Surface Pro 9 13” Tablet i5 16G/RAM 256G/Storage in Forest w/Keybopard+Extended Protection
- MS Surface Pro 9 5G 13” Tablet 16G/RAM 512G/Storage in Platinum w/Keyboard+Extended Protection
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
Microsoft Surface laptops are known for their power, speed, and productivity while maintaining a simplistic eloquence to their sleek design. The new Surface Laptop 5 continues this tradition with a timeless yet wonderfully modern notebook that is now enhanced with more power and more compatibility.
Available in two sizes. The 13.5” is offered in platinum, matte black, sage, and sandstone colors, while the 15” comes in platinum and matte black. All colors are trivial and provide a classy accent to the already sleek design of the Surface Laptop 5.
The surface book 5 gets a massive boost in power with Intel’s 12th Gen Core processor which as mentioned earlier, is blistering fast. Both sizes have versions of this chip built on Intel Evo platform. Both sizes offer a range of LPDDR5x RAM and storage sizes with removable solid-state drive (SSD) options.
Using a PixelSense touchscreen display, the Surface Laptop 5 provides a crystal clear and brightly detailed screen. The display is individually color calibrated with a resolution of 201 PPI, supports Dolby Vision IQ, and has a 10-point multi touch screen. The 15” is made from Gorilla Glass 5 while the 13.5” uses a Gorilla Glass 3 display on the Platinum finish model.
The Battery lives on these Surface books are very good lasting up to 18 hours on the 13.5”, and up to 17 hours on the 15” with typical usage. Both are lightweight weighing only 3.44 lbs. and 2.86 lbs. respectively to the size.
Considering compatibility, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 now has a USB 4.0/Thunderbolt 4 which connects a 4k monitor, charges the laptop, and delivers much faster data transferring for large video files. This is in addition to a USB C, USB A 3.1, a 3.5mm headphone jack (contrary to early reports), and 1 surface connect port. The MS Surface Laptop 5 is also compatible with Surface adaptive kits, and accessories such as the Surface Pen compatible with Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP).
The Surface Laptop 5 has a 720p front facing camera which is good. These notebooks are for work and 720p is perfect for video calls and teleconferences. While the front facing camera may be only better than average, the Surface Laptop 5 makes up for it with sound and display. With dual far field Studio Mics, your voice will be crystal clear while on calls or video. For cinematic entertainment, enjoy the ultra-bright colors via Dolby Vision IQ and impressive sound the Omnisonic speakers supported by Dolby Atmos produce.
Ultimately, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 is everything you would expect from a Microsoft personal computer. You get the power, speed, and productivity of a finely engineered device that you can rely on without worry. There is a reason Microsoft product do not waver from the competition, and that is because they last. Compared to other companies (including the fruit) Microsoft Surface computers are known to last almost 20% longer on average. One would imagine that Microsoft’s latest additions of the Surface Laptop 5 and the Surface Pro 9 would only compound on that data.
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