Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Leaks Ahead of Education Event

Tomorrow morning, Microsoft will be hosting its Education event but it looks like the party got started a bit early as the Surface Laptop has been uncovered. Sporting a 13.5in Pixel Sense display, the rumors were right about a Surface clamshell that was reported earlier this year.

We don’t know too much about the device but it will come in several different colors; Platinum, Burgundy, Cobalt, Blue and Graphite Gold. The images and information about this new device was uncovered by WalkingCat on Twitter.

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This device appears to marry a few different Surface features as the keyboard looks like the Type cover from a Surface Pro while the display looks like that of the Surface Book. Another thing worth pointing out is that it doesn’t look like the device has many ports, besides what looks like the charging blade slot currently used by Surface devices there is USB-A and DisplayPort.

Another unknown at this time is the price point. Seeing as this device is likely targeted at the education market, a lower price point is typically expected. But, the Surface brand is known for being a premium product which likely means Surface Laptop will be at the top of the price point for this category.

The date on the screen is June 18th, this may be a hint at the public release date for this product.

We won’t have to wait long to learn the rest of the information about the device and as we find out the remaining details about the new laptop, we will pass them along to you.

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Conversation 45 comments

  • wunderbar

    Premium Member
    01 May, 2017 - 10:44 pm

    <p>Single USB A and no USB-C = DOA</p>

    • Jaxidian

      01 May, 2017 - 10:58 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#105587">In reply to wunderbar:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yup, I was thinking the exact same thing. Those port options are TERRIBLE! Needs *at least* one A and one C, minimum!</p>

    • Finley

      Premium Member
      01 May, 2017 - 10:59 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#105587"><em>In reply to wunderbar:</em></a></blockquote><p>Get backwards compatible surface blade connector = targetting enterprise</p>

    • halap3n0

      02 May, 2017 - 11:17 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#105587">In reply to wunderbar:</a></em></blockquote><p>Absolutely, makes me wonder if this is actually real, or maybe an old design. Would be crazy not to have USB-C.</p>

  • euskalzabe

    01 May, 2017 - 10:45 pm

    <p>This is cool. Depending on price and specs, I'd happily upgrade from my current Asus UX305. I'm quite happy that MS has chosen to make a proper <strong>laptop</strong>. No need for convertibles or detachables. Having a touchscreen and pen support might make me use it eventually, but for now, a classic laptop is all most people need.</p>

  • wshwe

    01 May, 2017 - 11:02 pm

    <p>This so-called Chromebook killer won't kill anything. </p>

  • chrisrut

    Premium Member
    01 May, 2017 - 11:15 pm

    <p>Going to Austria for 12 days later this week – wish I had one of these to take with me. Had a Surface Pro IV for the trip last year – by the end of the second day, knew I wanted a clamshell. Sold the PRO IV when I got home. Taking my 2014 Dell I7 UltraBook this year, but I'm getting too old to lug this brick around! Me want small, light, powerful, great to type on, and able to be balanced on laps, knees, chair arms; whatever support is available – which is what the PRO IV wasn't good at.</p>

  • Polycrastinator

    01 May, 2017 - 11:24 pm

    <p>I think this is a mistake. The justification for Surface Pro and Book have really been that they were a new product category. What is this bringing that OEMs don't already do?&nbsp; I mean, it looks nice, but to hit an EDU price point, will the keyboard and trackpad be as good as on the other devices? Hard to believe. We'll see, of course, but it doesn't feel like the right strategy to me.</p>

    • MutualCore

      02 May, 2017 - 12:04 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#105816">In reply to Polycrastinator:</a></em></blockquote><p>Maybe because OEMs keep dropping the ball on clamshell laptops compared to the quality of Macbook Air/Pro? I'll be fascinated to see the quality of the trackpad, maybe Microsoft threw in Force Touch too since they cross-license with Apple.</p>

      • Polycrastinator

        02 May, 2017 - 12:40 am

        <blockquote><a href="#105997"><em>In reply to MutualCore:</em></a></blockquote><p>Is that true, though? We have the X1 Carbon, Dell's XPS line, HP's Spectre line. These are outstanding laptops.</p>

        • JudaZuk

          02 May, 2017 - 2:25 am

          <blockquote><em><a href="#106167">In reply to Polycrastinator:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yes, and expensive, and not for the education market, if you look at low priced simple laptops for younger students</p>

    • ben55124

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 9:42 am

      <blockquote><a href="#105816"><em>In reply to Polycrastinator:</em></a></blockquote><p>OEMs have already played the Chromebook card. Windows continues to be the go-to desktop environment, so I say go all in on the notebook form factor with Surface design. OEMs will continue doing what they do — and if they stop, who cares?</p>

  • Chris_Kez

    Premium Member
    01 May, 2017 - 11:37 pm

    <p>Kind of a d–k move by the walking cat. Could the tech world really not wait 12 hours and let the Surface team enjoy their surprise and give MS a chance to tell their story?</p>

    • jbinaz

      02 May, 2017 - 12:09 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#105871">In reply to Chris_Kez:</a></em></blockquote><p>No, the real problem is the person who leaked it. </p>

      • webdev511

        Premium Member
        02 May, 2017 - 12:55 am

        <blockquote><a href="#106011"><em>In reply to jbinaz:</em></a></blockquote><p>Yeah, I bet they get walked out because it's not hard to track this stuff down. In fact this could be partially fake (list of colors) just so they can tell which group/team the person was on that leaked it. </p>

      • Rafael Rivera

        Premium Member
        02 May, 2017 - 3:04 am

        <blockquote><a href="#106011"><em>In reply to jbinaz:</em></a></blockquote><p>Reportedly, this showed up on Microsoft's own websites.</p>

  • rameshthanikodi

    01 May, 2017 - 11:37 pm

    <p>A little sad that this got leaked, the Surface team had a perfect track record of keeping things under wrap until today. Kind of a d*ck move by TheWalkingCat, I mean the event is just &lt;24hrs away and why not respect the desire for Panos Panay to drop truth bombs on stage? Oh well!</p><p>But about the device, this thing looks great, but pricing is everything. And also only if you could upgrade this to Windows 10 Home for cheap, without losing support.</p>

    • Gavin Groom

      02 May, 2017 - 12:18 am

      <blockquote><a href="#105872"><em>In reply to rameshthanikodi:</em></a></blockquote><p>Cats are known for not giving a s**t!</p>

      • rameshthanikodi

        02 May, 2017 - 1:08 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#106047">In reply to Gavin Groom:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yeah that is true, cats don't give a shit!</p>

    • falito

      02 May, 2017 - 12:24 am

      <blockquote><a href="#105872"><em>In reply to rameshthanikodi:</em></a></blockquote><p>Why don´t you blame on Paul … he sure is not gonna get one to try…</p>

      • Daishi

        Premium Member
        02 May, 2017 - 12:40 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#106074">In reply to falito:</a></em></blockquote><p>Paul/Brad could do nothing to stop this getting out. That had already happened. All they could do was punish themselves by not publishing a story everyone else was going to run with.</p><p><br></p><p>The Walking Cat not putting it out could have stopped it leaking at all. Of course leaking Microsoft stuff is what he does so why would he do that?</p>

      • rameshthanikodi

        02 May, 2017 - 1:09 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#106074">In reply to falito:</a></em></blockquote><p>From what I know, Microsoft almost never sends Paul their devices for review. Paul always ends up paying and buying them so that he can review it for his readers (us!) on this site. And if he likes the device, he keeps it, and he uses it.</p>

        • thisisdonovan

          02 May, 2017 - 2:06 am

          <blockquote><a href="#106286"><em>In reply to rameshthanikodi:</em></a></blockquote><p>Ummmm, not sure how you got that idea. Microsoft ALWAYS sends their hardware to Paul. </p>

          • rameshthanikodi

            02 May, 2017 - 3:30 am

            <blockquote><em><a href="#106534">In reply to thisisdonovan:</a></em></blockquote><p>No, Microsoft doesn't "always send their hardware to Paul".</p>

    • Chris_Kez

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 1:01 am

      <blockquote><a href="#105872"><em>In reply to rameshthanikodi:</em></a></blockquote><p>I agree the leaking was lame.</p>

    • PeteB

      02 May, 2017 - 2:07 am

      <blockquote><a href="#105872"><em>In reply to rameshthanikodi:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><span style="background-color: rgb(245, 245, 245);">A little sad that this got leaked, the Surface team had a perfect track record of keeping things under wrap until today.&nbsp;</span></blockquote><p>Who cares. Leaks happen. </p><p>What's it to you anyway? </p>

      • rameshthanikodi

        02 May, 2017 - 3:34 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#106535">In reply to PeteB:</a></em></blockquote><p>Nothing, I just like a well-executed presentation with a surprise, but now we can't have it. I want(ed) to see the Surface team's story and reveal. Same goes for every single hardware event, not just Microsoft. I didn't like it when Samsung's S8 was leaked so thoroughly before the real unveil.</p>

    • Rafael Rivera

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 3:05 am

      <blockquote><a href="#105872"><em>In reply to rameshthanikodi:</em></a></blockquote><p>The content is reportedly all coming from Microsoft's own websites.</p>

      • rameshthanikodi

        02 May, 2017 - 3:36 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#106794">In reply to Rafael Rivera:</a></em></blockquote><p>Yeah I just saw Tom Warren's tweet, it is a f-up on Microsoft's part, but still, the source of the leak for the rest of us is TheWalkingCat's Twitter.</p>

  • Cain69

    01 May, 2017 - 11:51 pm

    <p>USB-A and DisplayPort…I do not see those in the pics – am I missing something? </p><p>The other day I was working on a document – my 11 yr old son was watching me work and was curious as to what some of the stuff I was doing. I showed him about references and how they work, etc. He asked me how to do it in Google Docs…and that is where it ended. These kids now days are so ingrained with Google products. Hopefully this will help push some of that back…</p>

  • MutualCore

    02 May, 2017 - 12:03 am

    <p>My body is ready.</p>

  • techieg33k

    02 May, 2017 - 12:09 am

    <p>I might get flamed for this one, but I wonder if you will be able to side-load a Linux build onto this like you can some Chrome books?</p><p>It looks great and for a low enough price it might be the way I go – PS I refuse to waste money on a Chromebook itself as it doesn't do enough for my needs.</p>

  • JCerna

    Premium Member
    02 May, 2017 - 12:27 am

    <p>Am I the only one that thinks its a bit wierd how the screen and base dont seem to have hinges or gap. Cant wait to see this in release tomorrow. Hope it has ink support.</p>

  • nbplopes

    02 May, 2017 - 3:38 am

    <p>This device looks really nice. It looks more polished than both Surface Pro and Sufacebook. I guess that the Surface Studio design was a turning point in looks for MS. Nice nice.</p><p>Having said this, I'm still waiting for the Creators update on Surface Pro 3 of my wife (it was mine before). Granted if could not wait in excitement I can install it out of update band but lack the time for testing.</p><p>One note, I hope MS has fixed this somehow. After two years of using the SP3 I've noticed that my eyesight was really bad up close. Went to the doctor, got some glasses. Later I gave the SP3 to my wife and got myself another laptop for other reasons. My eyesight up close seams to be recovering, don't use glasses anymore. Don't know if this just coincidence, but it looks like there is a connection somewhere, …, still doing some research.</p><p>Cheers.</p><p><br></p>

  • digiguy

    Premium Member
    02 May, 2017 - 4:15 am

    <p>2.76lbs (1.25kg) wow, this is light for 13.5" ! And small bezels. Wish they have a high end version of this with 16GB ram and 512GB SSD….</p>

  • Ugur

    02 May, 2017 - 5:26 am

    <p>Looks quite nice to me.</p><p>I think they should have both USB-A and USB-C (and for larger devices also card reader, hmdi etc)</p><p>I hope they also release a 15 inch version with more oomph and more ports and well, larger screen to see more/better.</p><p>Depending on price i might actually buy this one =)</p>

  • Ugur

    02 May, 2017 - 5:31 am

    <p> Oh, one thing i wonder about is if one can flip the keyboard all the way around and if it has pen/ink support, too.</p><p>Because while the clamshell design is nice, taking notes with a pen can be quite handy in class, too.</p>

  • dcdevito

    02 May, 2017 - 6:46 am

    <p>If it isn't $400 or less it's DOA </p>

    • SleepingPelican

      02 May, 2017 - 8:15 am

      <blockquote><a href="#107555"><em>In reply to dcdevito:</em></a></blockquote><p>Depends on what is inside it.</p>

      • Polycrastinator

        02 May, 2017 - 8:30 am

        <blockquote><a href="#107980"><em>In reply to SleepingPelican:</em></a></blockquote><p>And what's bundled. I'm expecting this to be a package including laptop, management services, Office, storage.. if they really want to upend things, they could include cellular connectivity which I think for certain income brackets could be enormously beneficial.</p>

  • Chris Payne

    02 May, 2017 - 8:31 am

    <p>I will withhold complete judgment until the event, but I really don't see the purpose of this device, unless by going clamshell they are somehow able to reduce the price to $300. Which doesn't seem likely. It also looks like a generic thin laptop… cheap and generic aren't what the Surface brand is about… unless MS is changing directions there.</p><p>I'm hoping they still have something up their sleeve, because this thing on&nbsp;its surface (bam dum chh) is not going to take over the education market, nor is it going to inspire other vendors to up their education game.</p>

  • Waethorn

    02 May, 2017 - 9:15 am

    <p>Last time I looked, a Surface keyboard is $150.</p><p><br></p><p>Unless the rest of the computer is $150 or less (extremely doubtful given the screen), this is NOT for the EDU market.</p>

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