Microsoft makes lots of exciting Surface products these days, but you shouldn’t overlook the regular Surface Laptop.
Available in 13.5- and 15in sizes, it offers a traditional Windows 11 experience within a familiar, reliable design. But with the latest Surface Laptop 5 retaining a very similar design to 2017’s original , more significant changes are expected on the upcoming Surface Laptop 6.
A new model is thought to be in the works, but we might be waiting a while for any official announcement. Here’s everything we know at this stage.
When will the Surface Laptop 6 be released?
Microsoft is holding an event in New York on 22 September 2023, with new Surface products expected to be among the announcements.
However, Zac Bowden at Windows Central says that won’t include the Surface Laptop 6 or Surface Pro 10 . Instead, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 , Laptop Go 3 and Go 4 are expected.
According to Bowden, Microsoft might be timing their launch to coincide with Windows 12 , which is thought to arrive in 2024. If true, a launch in the usual September or October slot is more likely than the spring.
Waiting more than a year between generations is nothing new for the Surface Laptop, as you can see from the release dates below:
- Surface Laptop 5 – October 2022
- Surface Laptop 4 – April 2021
- Surface Laptop 3 – October 2019
- Surface Laptop 2 – October 2018
- Surface Laptop – May 2017
How much will the Surface Laptop 6 cost?
Pricing is usually one of the last things to be revealed, so our best guess comes from previous Surface Laptop generations:
- Surface Laptop 5 – from $999/£999 (13.5in), from $1,299/£1,299 (15in)
- Surface Laptop 4 – from $999/£999 (13.5in), from $1,299/£1,299 (15in)
- Surface Laptop 3 – from $999/£999 (13.5in), from $1,199/£1,199 (15in)
- Surface Laptop 2 – from $999/£979 (13.5in)
- Surface Laptop – from $799/£649 (13.5in)
The 15in model was only introduced with the Surface Laptop 3 . There are no signs of it going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean we’ll see similar pricing next time out.
Any substantial upgrades (as opposed to the iterative ones we’ve seen recently) are likely to drive up the price. Then there’s the current rate of inflation in many countries, which has meant almost everything is getting a lot more expensive.
With that in mind, it’d be no surprise to see a Surface Laptop 6 that costs more than its predecessor.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
What about the Surface Laptop 6 specs and design?
There’s only been one Surface Laptop 6 leak so far, but it was a big one.
In May 2023, Laptop Root (via Wccftech ) reported what looks to be an official spec sheet, revealing almost all key specs. The differences compared to the Surface Laptop 5 are highlighted in bold:
- Display: 3:2 PixelSense LCD touchscreen ; 13.5in (2256×1504), 15in (2496×1664)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-1335U (13.5in only), i7-1355U (13.5- and 15in)
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
- Memory: 8/16/32GB LPDDR5x RAM
- Storage: 256/512GB/1TB SSD ( upgradeable )
- Ports: 1 USB-C 4.0/Thunderbolt 4, 1 USB-A 3.1, Surface Connect, 3.5mm audio jack
- Camera: 720p front-facing with Windows Hello support
- Wireless: WiFi 6 (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.1
- Operating system: Windows 11 Home
- Colours: Platinum, Sandstone, Matte Black, Emerald Brown
- Battery life: Up to 21 hours (13.5in), up to 20 hours (15in)
- Weight: 1.27kg (13.5in, fabric), 1.29kg (13.5in, metal), 1.54kg (15in)
As you can see, there are very few changes.
New Intel processors were always likely, but it’d be a disappointment to see current Raptor Lake rather than upcoming Meteor Lake if it launches in 2024. Laptop versions of the latter are expected at CES in January 2024. It’d also be a shame to still be limited to the low-power U-series chips, as is the case on the Surface Laptop 5 .
Keeping RAM and storage options the same is fine, especially with Wccftech speculating the the latter will be upgradeable.
And it’s not a surprise to see Microsoft stick with Iris Xe integrated graphics rather than a discrete GPU. The latter will probably remain exclusive to the Surface Laptop Studio and Laptop Studio 2 among Microsoft laptops.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Microsoft ditched the option for AMD CPUs with the Surface Laptop 5 , and there’s no sign of the company bringing it back. An ARM-based chip (such as the SQ3 on the Surface Pro 9 ) is also unlikely.
Battery life improvements (up from max 18 hours on 13.5in and max 17 hours on 15in) are always welcome, but it’s not clear if this is the result of just processor power efficiency gains or also a larger capacity.
But elsewhere, aside from a very slightly lighter chassis and new colour option (replacing the current Sage), it’s essentially the same device.
It means no improvement to the 60Hz screen refresh rate, despite the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop Studio having 120Hz displays. The webcam will also supposedly remain at 720p, despite many laptop makers shifting to at least 1080p for better video calls.
There’ll also be no support for 4G or 5G connections, so you’ll still have to rely on Wi-Fi.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
There’s also no mention of charging speeds or a fingerprint sensor, with latter a notable omission. It means you’ll still be relying on the Windows Hello face unlock as the only alternative to entering a PIN or password.
Windows 11 already runs well on both sizes of the Surface Laptop and is mentioned in that spec sheet, but the Laptop 6 may be one of the first devices running Windows 12 . We’ll update this article once more is revealed.
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Author: Anyron Copeman, Mobile Editor, Tech Advisor
Anyron is Mobile Editor at Tech Advisor, where he’s been a mainstay of the editorial team since 2019. In his current role, Anyron is responsible for all smartphone, tablet and mobile network coverage on the site. A BA Journalism graduate, he has experience with a wide range of consumer tech products and services, including smartphones, tablets, foldables, wearables and more.
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