Smaller Surface Devices Rumored: 13" Laptop & 12" Pro Leaked Ahead of May 6th
It seems that Microsoft may be making things smaller for its next Surface release, rumored for May 6th. Trusted leaker Roland Quandt has leaked what seem to be two new, smaller members of the Surface clan: a 13-inch Surface Laptop and a 12-inch Surface Pro.
These aren't simply miniaturized versions, however. Both look to be built around Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series processors and may have lower prices but possibly at the cost of a couple of features we've come to expect from the top-of-the-line Surface ranges.
Here's the Possible Surface Laptop 13"
Look at the current 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 too big. Microsoft might have an answer in this allegedly leaked 13-inch model. It looks like a smaller version, bridging the gap below the current sizes but likely to be more powerful than the budget-friendly Surface Laptop Go line.
Naturally, doing it that small and maybe cheaper seems to involve some sacrifices, according to the leaked details:
- Display: Expect a 60Hz LCD panel, not the smoother 120Hz of its bigger siblings.
- Log-in: No IR camera for Windows Hello facial recognition; it seems that it will support a fingerprint reader instead.
- Ports: Say hello to USB-A and USB-C. Goodbye to the Surface Connect proprietary connector. You likely will have two USB 3.2 Type-C ports.
- Performance: It might use a slightly less powered version of the Snapdragon X Plus chip (X1P-42-100).
- Memory & Storage: Leaks suggest it can have only 16GB of RAM and rely on UFS flash storage (256GB/512GB), which makes people wonder whether storage will be upgradeable.
Regardless of the cutbacks, reduced pricing could perhaps make this very appealing to so many.
A Return to 12 Inches: The Surface Pro 12"
Remember the legendary 12-inch Surface Pro 3. It seems Microsoft is returning to that bestseller size with the Surface Pro 12" rumor. This could be a direct rival to other compact tablets and 2-in-1s.
Like its rumored laptop counterpart, the Pro 12" also appears to make some significant alterations to the bigger Surface Pro 11:
- Ports: As on the leaked laptop, the Surface Connect port is gone, replaced with two USB 3.2 Type-C ports.
- Power Adapter: Here's a potential shocker – leaks suggest Microsoft will not ship a power adapter in the box.
- Storage: Soldered flash storage (256GB/512GB models) seems to be the norm, so no simple upgrades.
- RAM: A paltry 16GB of RAM is mentioned in the leaked documents.
- Processor: It most likely has the same Snapdragon X Plus model (X1P-42-100) that leaked with the 13-inch laptop.
- Keyboard: The supplied Surface Keyboard is likely to be different too, perhaps without the magnets that stick it at an angle for typing on a lap. It can only work flat on a desktop.
Again, the major attraction here is most likely going to be a lower base price than the Surface Pro line provides now.
What Does This Mean?
It looks like Microsoft is setting up a move into a lower-cost price segment with these ARM-based systems. By removing some features, they can offer the core Surface experience in smaller, potentially more affordable configurations. We won't know the complete story and price until the official May 6th announcement.
