Microsoft's Surface Laptop and Surface Pro Get Faster, But Pricier

Microsoft has announced updates to its Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices, both of which are being refreshed with the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 chips. The company hasn’t given specific names to this new generation of devices, but this is technically the eighth-generation Surface Laptop and 12th-generation Surface Pro. These new Qualcomm chips provide “up to 53 percent faster graphic performance than the previous generation,” as well as 15.5 hours of battery life.

The new Surface Laptop starts at $1,599, a $600 increase over the $999 starting price of the previous generation. The initial $999 price was then officially increased a couple of months ago, bringing it up to $1,499. The new Surface Laptop comes with 256 GB of storage—half as much as the previous generation.

All the models still come with 16 GB of RAM. The Surface Pro’s new pricing starts at $1,499 while the storage has dropped back down to 256 GB. Microsoft isn’t alone in this price hike.

Other Windows laptops sporting the latest silicon from Intel or Qualcomm have been priced quite high, while previous-generation laptops have stuck around in retail channels. The prices provide a snapshot of how strong of an effect the component supply shortage continues to have on the PC industry, where RAM and storage prices remain dramatically inflated. Many of the favorite features of the Surface Laptop are still in place, whether that’s the taller 3:2 aspect ratio display shape or the supreme detachable keyboard.

The only other changes in this year’s Surface devices are some new colors. There’s a new greenish color option called Jade for the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop, while the Surface Pro now comes in a goldish Dune color. The new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are both available starting today.

These new Surface devices are the follow-up to Microsoft’s flashier announcement earlier this month, the Surface Laptop Ultra. That one is based on the anticipated Nvidia RTX Spark chip, which is coming out later this year and will serve as the company's proper MacBook Pro alternative. Why this matters: The price increases for Microsoft's Surface Laptop and Surface Pro reflect a broader trend in the PC industry, where component shortages continue to drive up costs.

For consumers, this means that upgrading to the latest devices may come with a hefty price tag. Developers and businesses may need to reassess their budgets for device upgrades, and consider alternative options. Moreover, the industry's reliance on premium pricing raises questions about accessibility and affordability of technology.

As the PC market continues to evolve, it remains to be seen how manufacturers will balance performance, features, and pricing to meet the needs of a wide range of users.