Microsoft Surface Laptop, Pro CoPilot+ PCs With Snapdragon CPUs Launched

Microsoft has brought its latest Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon CPUs, to India. These new models were announced in late May, when Microsoft unveiled its new AI-first strategy for Windows 11 PCs, which will be marketed with the CoPilot+ label. The launch is notable as it propels Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X CPUs, based on the Arm architecture, to the mainstream where Intel and AMD have dominated with the X86 architecture since the beginning of the PC era. 

Promising new AI-powered experiences, all-day battery life, and class-leading performance in thin and light packages, the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro tablet are now available for pre-order in India at Amazon, Croma, Vijay Sales, Reliance Digital, and other authorised retailers, with sales likely to begin from August 5. Buyers who pre-order will receive a free Marshall Major IV wireless headset worth Rs. 14,999 as well as one-month subscriptions to Microsoft 365 and PC Game Pass.

Microsoft has kicked off a new era of ‘CoPilot+’ PCs, defined by their use of CPUs with integrated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to power AI workloads. The first of these, including the company’s own Surface models, will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus CPUs. Microsoft has ditched generation numbers and is just calling them Surface Laptop and Surface Pro.

With CoPilot+ PCs, users can images based on rough sketches and prompts, and get help with composing text. Conversations in videos or live chats can be transcribed to text in real-time. AI can also be leveraged in video calls to improve audio and image quality, including background noise reduction, portrait blurring, and creative filters.

Recall, the other headlining CoPilot+ feature announced at the time of launch, has been withheld over privacy and security concerns. This advanced search feature was intended to let users find anything they were previously doing on a PC, including within the contents of documents and Web pages. Microsoft has announced that it will be enabled in a future Windows 11 update after it takes the necessary steps to prevent misuse.

The new Surface Laptop (7th Gen) with a 13.8-inch display, 10-core Snapdragon X Plus CPU, 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD is priced at Rs. 1,16,999 in India. Options include up to a Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, with prices going up to Rs. 2,07,999. The 15-inch Surface Laptop is available only with a 12-core Snapdragon X Elite CPU and is priced starting at Rs. 1,42,999.

RAM is soldered but the SSD is upgradable. Both the 13.8-inch and 15-inch models have 3:2-aspect ratio 120Hz colour-calibrated screens with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Battery life is rated at up to 20 and 22 hours respectively, and they weigh 1.34kg and 1.66kg respectively. Both feature 1080p front-facing cameras, two USB4 Type-C ports, one USB 3.1 Type-A port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack, while the larger model also has a MicroSDXC card slot. 

The Surface Pro (11th Gen) will cost Rs. 1,16,999 with a 13-inch LCD screen, Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. Prices go up to Rs. 2,37,999 for the top-end variant with a 13-inch OLED screen, Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Some variants are available in both Platinum and Black, while others are only sold in Platinum or Black. 

The Surface Pro has a kickstand, but the keyboard attachment is sold separately. Variants with 5G cellular connectivity will be announced later this year. Microsoft promises up to 14 hours of battery life. The Surface Pro without keyboard weighs 895g and is 9.3mm thick. You also get stereo speakers, a 1440p front-facing camera, 10-megapixel rear-facing camera, two USB4 Type-C ports, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4.