Microsoft Launches Intel-Powered Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 for Business

Today, Microsoft revealed new Intel-powered versions of its Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 for business customers, which will start shipping on February 18. The new Surface for Business devices are powered by Intel’s latest Core Ultra CPUs, and they meet the requirements for Copilot+ PCs features.

Back in September, Microsoft had already launched business versions of its Qualcomm-powered Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, though enterprise users may prefer to stick with Intel CPUs to ensure optimal app and driver compatibility. In March 2024, Microsoft also launched the Intel-powered Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for Business and described them as its first “AI PCs,” but that was before Microsoft and its hardware partners created the new “Copilot+” category with specific hardware requirements.

“Starting Feb. 18, business customers can choose between Intel and Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs from Surface, and experience the most advanced, intelligent and secure PCs available across both platforms,“ said Nancie Gaskill, General Manager for Surface products today.

These new Surface for Business devices come with Intel’s latest Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 mobile CPUs with 40 TOPS and 47 TOPS NPUs, respectively. The two devices also offer either 16GB or 32GB of RAM, up to 1TB of removable SSD storage, two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4/USB4 capabilities, and a Microsoft Pluton security processor. They are what Microsoft now calls “Secured-core PCs” offering the highest level of protection against security threats.

Because they’re also Copilot+ PCs, these new Surface for Business devices also support Windows Studio Effects in video calls, as well as other AI-powered features that are currently in preview. That includes Windows Recall, Click to Do, and the improved Windows Search experience that lets users find files using natural language prompts. This currently only works for local files, but Microsoft is planning to add support for OneDrive for Business content soon.

In detail, the new Intel-powered Surface Pro 11 for Business offers the same optional OLED display as the Qualcomm version, but it also has a built-in NFC reader and is certified for use with Imprivata Enterprise Access Management (EAM). The new Intel-powered Surface Laptop for Business, however, remains available with 13.8” and 15” display options, and the latter offers a MicroSD port and an optional smart card reader.

The two new Surface for Business devices will have the same $1,499 starting price, and they will both be available on February 18. On February 24, Microsoft will also launch a public preview of its new Security Copilot in the Surface Management Portal, which will simplify the device management experience for IT admins with generative AI.

Later this year, Microsoft will also offer its Surface Laptop for Business with 5G connectivity for the first time. The company previously released the Surface Pro 10 for Business with 5G last year, but cellular connectivity on a laptop form factor may be more attractive for enterprise customers.

New Surface USB4 Dock and Surface Hub 3 experiences

Today, Microsoft also revealed the new Surface USB4 Dock, which includes two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4/USB4, one USB-A 3.2 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port, and an HDMI port. The Surface USB4 dock connects to Surface devices via USB-C, and it supports commercial
manageability features such as PXE boot and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). The Surface USB4 Dock will also be available starting February 18, 2025, at $199.99.

Lastly, Surface Hub 3 customers are getting a couple of new features, including the ability to share content to the digital whiteboard with Miracast. Microsoft’s Edge browser is also coming to the Surface Hub 3 with a public preview expected to start in the second quarter of 2025.

On a separate post on the Surface IT Pro blog, Microsoft also Surface Hub 2S customers to prepare for the end of support of the Windows 10 Team edition OS on October 14, 2025. Microsoft offers a migration path to the new Teams Rooms on Windows experience, which is already available on the Surface Hub 3 that launched in the fall of 2023.