A Closer Look at Surface Laptop Configurations

A Closer Look at Surface Laptop Configurations

We’re all very excited about the new Surface Laptop, which will be available for pre-order today and will ship on June 15. Here are your model choices.

There are a couple of surprises. Yes, you can get a Surface Laptop for $999 … but you won’t get a color choice; only platinum is available. Even stranger, you can get a Core i7 processor and Iris graphics too. But only in platinum. So only one model provides those color choices.

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Anyway, here are the specs for each model.

Surface Laptop (Core i5)

Surface Laptop (Core i5).

Specs: 128 GB SSD, 4 GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics 620
Color: Platinum
Price: $999

Surface Laptop (Core i5).

Specs: 256 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM, Intel HD Graphics 620
Colors: Burgundy, Platinum, Cobalt Blue, Graphite Gold
Price: $1299

Surface Laptop (Core i7)

Surface Laptop (Core i7).

Specs: 256 GB SSD, 8 GB RAM, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
Color: Platinum
Price: $1599

Surface Laptop (Core i7).

Specs: 512 GB SSD, 16 GB RAM, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
Color: Platinum
Price: $2199

 

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Conversation 38 comments

  • Pbike908

    02 May, 2017 - 12:28 pm

    <p>Finally, a Surface Product that appeals to me!!!</p><p><br></p><p>I can't wait to watch other manufacturers come up with less expensive knock offs — as all I want is the 3:2 screen size, a 1920 display is enough for me, and an I5 256GB SD with 8 GB RAM…</p>

  • scumdogmillionaire

    02 May, 2017 - 12:33 pm

    <p>I am almost considering a trade of my Surface Book i7 16GB to the Laptop i7 16GB. I am a developer and have no use for the detachable display. In fact the only time I detach it is when the keyboard and trackpad stop working and I have to detach/reattach to get it to work again.</p><p><br></p><p>Is the processor as good/better in this than the Book?</p>

    • Polycrastinator

      02 May, 2017 - 12:54 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109418"><em>In reply to scumdogmillionaire:</em></a></blockquote><p>Looks like they're only saying "i5" or "i7," which really isn't enough to say.</p><p><br></p><p>It looks nice, but it's expensive, I don't think the pen is useful if you can't lay the display flat, and unlike with the Book and Pro, this is an already competitive space. I have really mixed feelings about this device.</p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 2:16 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109418"><em>In reply to scumdogmillionaire:</em></a></blockquote><p>The Surface Laptop has Kabby Lake whereas the Surface Book has Skylake. Assuming your Surface Book has a dedicated GPU you would lose that if you switch. You would also lose a USB port. I read the Laptop only has one USB port. I don't think it justifies switching, but it's your choice (and money). </p>

      • scumdogmillionaire

        02 May, 2017 - 5:59 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#109810"><em>In reply to lvthunder:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Yeah, the more info that was revealed it's not worth the switch. Once I'm ready to replace the Surface Book I may look into the current gen Surface Laptop which may be a better fit.</p>

  • Jaxidian

    02 May, 2017 - 12:38 pm

    <p>From everything I've seen, this is an incredibly nice laptop! I'm a fan of ultra-portables of the ~13" screen variety. I don't care much about the 2-in-1 factor (have owned multiple Surface Pros, no SurfaceBook). This laptop is almost perfect for me when I'm ready to upgrade from an XPS 13.</p><p><br></p><p>My only complaints:</p><ol><li>No USB Type-C and only one USB Type-A? Ugh.</li><li>I'd like an i7/8GB/512GB model in Blue. Doesn't seem that's an option yet. Hopefully it will be if/when I'm ready to buy one (maybe the next generation?)</li></ol><p><br></p><p>Again, this looks like an incredibly nice laptop that would be high on my consideration list if I were shopping for one today. Still need to see the prices of those higher-end models though.</p>

    • IVEST

      02 May, 2017 - 7:20 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109431"><em>In reply to Jaxidian:</em></a></blockquote><p>"This laptop is almost perfect for me when I'm ready to upgrade from an XPS 13."</p><p>How can this possibly be an upgrade from an XPS 13? The Dell is superior in almost every way as far as I can see. And it comes with a USB-C port.</p>

      • JudaZuk

        04 May, 2017 - 1:00 am

        <blockquote><em><a href="#110587">In reply to IVEST:</a></em></blockquote><p>Agree, and it does not have Alcantare so it's better just because of that. :)</p>

  • vernonlvincent

    Premium Member
    02 May, 2017 - 12:38 pm

    <p>$999 seems a bit low for a device with 4GB of RAM, but that's not necessarily a dealbreaker. The overall finish of the Surface Laptop looks incredible. Another excellent reference device.</p>

  • GeorgiaITGuy

    Premium Member
    02 May, 2017 - 12:40 pm

    <p>According to their pre-order/config page, the i7-8GB-256GB config is $1,599, and the i7-16GB-512GB is $2,199. The latter is shown as "Ships by 8/15/2017"</p>

  • lhavenst

    Premium Member
    02 May, 2017 - 12:40 pm

    <p>According to the store link:</p><p>https://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/productID.5102691100/VID.5102691200/config.true/</p><p><br></p><p>The i7 8GB is $1599 and the i7 16GB is $2199.</p>

  • ponsaelius

    02 May, 2017 - 12:45 pm

    <p>Is it US Only?</p>

    • TheJoeFin

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 3:21 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109451"><em>In reply to ponsaelius:</em></a></blockquote><p>no, it is launching in 20 countries according to MS, I can't find the list though</p>

  • Thayios

    02 May, 2017 - 12:51 pm

    <p>Is the Surface Book still going to be sold/updated? I rarely use the tablet mode but when I do, I'm happy to know it's there (and the hinge doesn't bother me at all).</p><p>K12 here (I.T.), I don't see this taking off in my state unfortunately. They're still going to go after the dirt cheap chrome books which are a pain to manage.</p>

    • JacobTheDev

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 1:31 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109475"><em>In reply to Thayios:</em></a></blockquote><p>I'd wager they'll continue making new Surface Books; each machine has it's own niche.</p>

  • Kevin Flanagan

    02 May, 2017 - 1:43 pm

    <p>Still too expensive. I can get a Dell/HP i5 / 256GB/8GB for a lot less. Maybe this one gets better battery life, and has a better screen, but it's a premium price and for that price it should have more.</p>

    • Spineless

      02 May, 2017 - 3:57 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109726"><em>In reply to Kevin Flanagan:</em></a></blockquote><p>I think you significantly undervalue a premium screen, along with premium support/maintenance. The Surface process for providing timely and automatic updates, is worth a some amount as well. No need to go around hunting for drivers and firmware updates.</p>

    • Mestiphal

      02 May, 2017 - 3:58 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109726"><em>In reply to Kevin Flanagan:</em></a></blockquote><p>I got my daughters Dells i5 8GB 1tb drives for like $700 each, maybe a little less, might not be a SSD, but it's for school, not like Chrome and Word are going to lag that bad. if they break them, it's half the price still… Either they are going after the wrong market, or they simply had nothing to say about education so they introduced a $999 – $2200 notebook, but it's way way too expensive for that market. </p><p>When I was a college student I was broke, and I sure wouldn't give that to my daughters when something half the price is just as good to write essays and look up information online.</p>

      • Darmok N Jalad

        02 May, 2017 - 8:05 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#110140"><em>In reply to Mestiphal:</em></a></blockquote><p>Yes, I wonder what this aspirational device is supposed to do? It looks like a good business or professional laptop, but it ships without a business or professional OS. </p>

        • Jorge Garcia

          04 May, 2017 - 2:21 am

          <blockquote><a href="#110633"><em>In reply to Darmok N Jalad:</em></a><em> Exactly. I can't see who this is for. Unless this executive happens to work at a company that has ALL their software online, then maybe…but who would subject themselves to ONLY the infuriating Edge browser? I guess they'll be paying for the "upgrade" right away.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • scd147

    Premium Member
    02 May, 2017 - 2:10 pm

    <p>Hmmm, but will it run Crysis? ;-)</p>

    • Waethorn

      02 May, 2017 - 4:42 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109794"><em>In reply to scd147:</em></a></blockquote><p>No.</p>

  • Peter Vassiliou

    02 May, 2017 - 2:25 pm

    <p>Still not available worldwide. Microsoft must improve that asap. Apple can do it, why not Microsoft too? The Surface Laptop should be available at the same time in all major markets. This is a big issue and I cannot understand how a big company like Microsoft cannot make it happen.</p>

  • dcdevito

    02 May, 2017 - 2:53 pm

    <p>How is this a Chromebook competitor at these prices? Schools don't care about high end</p>

    • SleepingPelican

      02 May, 2017 - 3:16 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109933"><em>In reply to dcdevito:</em></a></blockquote><p> It's not a Chromebook competitor. It seemed targeted to college students during the presentation. The Chromebook competitors are the $199 laptops from Asus, Dell, etc</p>

    • TheJoeFin

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 3:22 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#109933"><em>In reply to dcdevito:</em></a></blockquote><p>Windows 10 S is the Chromebook competitor, this is the College MacBook competitor </p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      03 May, 2017 - 4:22 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#109933">In reply to dcdevito:</a></em></blockquote><p>The Pixel cost around $1500, so similar pricing.</p>

  • Graham Wilton

    02 May, 2017 - 3:20 pm

    <p>Wow its Windows 10 RT 13" inch laptop</p>

    • KingPCGeek

      Premium Member
      02 May, 2017 - 3:46 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#110019"><em>In reply to Graham Wilton:</em></a><em> Upgrade to Windows Pro is free through the end of the year.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

      • Darmok N Jalad

        02 May, 2017 - 8:03 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#110103"><em>In reply to KingPCGeek:</em></a></blockquote><p>Sure, that solves the next 8 months, but then there's 2018. Does anyone think the store will see a huge boon in that amount of time, or will 2018 result in the average buyer paying the cost of a Surface Laptop plus another $50?</p>

      • Jorge Garcia

        04 May, 2017 - 2:19 am

        <blockquote><a href="#110103"><em>In reply to KingPCGeek:</em></a><em> All they did was add a "gatekeeper" to prevent people from accidentally installing undesirable .exe's… so removing that "gatekeeper" should be totally free (in perpetuity) and instant, if you already have a device that came pre-loaded with Windows 10 s, that is.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • MacLiam

    Premium Member
    02 May, 2017 - 3:24 pm

    <p>Attractive device, to be sure, but I don't see myself buying one just to have it when a couple of somewhat powerful older but reliable laptops are still on or near desks around my house, not to mention a decent Surface Book. Windows 10 S? I don't think of it as a crippled 10 Pro, so I don't object to it and see why it would be a good idea for members of some user groups. </p><p>I would expect the Surface Laptop to sell well because it offers a lot to people who need a nice mobile computer. If my backup machines give up the ghost over the next couple of years, I could see myself getting one of these or something very much like it to backfill the hole. The lowest end version looks a little skimpy at 4/128, and I'm not sure I would ever need a 16/512, a zone covered by other devices I'm running. The 8/256 variety looks like the Goldilocks version. </p><p>No SD slot, I take it. That may not be a crippling defect, but it does lower desirability to some extent. The extra storage slot has been a familiar feature in the Surface line so far.</p>

  • Delmont

    02 May, 2017 - 4:57 pm

    <p>Can you upgrade the RAM?</p>

    • RobbeB32

      05 May, 2017 - 2:54 am

      <blockquote><a href="#110316"><em>In reply to Delmont:</em></a></blockquote><p>pretty sure you can't, since it's not even meant to be opened and even the ssd is soldered on the motherboard</p>

  • SvenJ

    02 May, 2017 - 7:34 pm

    <p>I'd bet the color options expand over time. I imagine they know what is going to sell the best, so they have more options/stock laid in for that. </p>

  • rafaelsolmaker

    03 May, 2017 - 12:57 am

    <p>Core i5/256 SSD/8 GB RAM sounds appealing to me, but… Unfortunately not available in Brazil. Again, as every Surface product. At least it's being offered in more countries from the start. I still have some hope…</p>

  • sharpsone

    03 May, 2017 - 3:14 pm

    <p>I want one though I'm not sure why 4GB is an option in 2017. Every PC I've worked from with W10&nbsp;and 4GB has&nbsp;begged for more memory.&nbsp;</p>

  • Jorge Garcia

    03 May, 2017 - 4:11 pm

    <p>Nice hardware, but nobody under 25 will ever voluntarily buy a Windows machine again. Some today still "grin and bear it" if they NEED to use Windows to type out college reports, etc, and others voluntarily suffer through the learning curve since it's the ONLY way to get to the high-end PC Games they want to play (currently the case), but I can vouch that the "way" we interact with Windows, constantly, and very precisely single-clicking, double-clicking, right-clicking looks ancient to youngsters. As soon as there is another affordable, viable, pleasant (Non-Mac) way to "coffee-shop laptop", which I can only assume will be when iOS-Desktop Edition and Android Desktop Edition are mature and widespread, they will abandon Windows in a heartbeat. Samsung needs to release their DeX OS on $200-300 laptop and market it as the "Windows" that can Snapchat…now THAT would have legs.</p>

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