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Microsoft'southward next-generation Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are both expected to be announced tomorrow, but the size of the update may disappoint those who were hoping for more a modest refresh. Having been criticized roundly in 2022 for offering a minor update to the Surface Pro 4 with the Surface Pro (2017), Microsoft is more-or-less doing exactly the aforementioned thing again, at least every bit far as the physical chassis and design are concerned. Happily, internal hardware will be getting a operation nudge.

Externally, the only difference, co-ordinate to WinFuture, is the add-on of a new black model to the Surface Laptop ii and Surface Pro 6 — which I suppose means nosotros're back to model numbers? The Surface Laptop is receiving 2 important functioning tweaks that should make it more attractive — a Cadre i5-8250U quad-cadre SoC will supercede the Core m3-7Y30 that formerly dropped into the bottom-end SKU, while RAM will get a crash-land from 4GB to 8GB. The machine will remain under-provisioned in terms of SSD storage, nonetheless, with just 128GB.

This is undeniably an improvement to the baseline model, which was previously a terrible deal, merely the impact on toll is unknown. Right at present at Microsoft, the only Surface Laptop models you tin society are the Core i5-equipped machines with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $1,299.

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Hopefully, this merely ways that Microsoft has pulled the older model just won't update the stack with new pricing until tomorrow. The alternative suggests that either the new Surface Laptops will cost more than $999 for the base unit or that MS is going to accuse one heck of a premium to move from 128GB to 256GB of storage. Given the degree to which the company now pumps its ain deject storage offerings, either is possible — Microsoft would much rather sell you a reoccurring subscription to its own services than sell you an SSD yous won't pay for in perpetuity. Hopefully, nevertheless, this is all prelude to some price cuts that bring the Surface Laptop down to a price worth paying for.

The Surface Pro half-dozen reportedly retains the Core M option, but swaps in eighth generation cores up the stack besides. This movement would give the new Pro a scrap more oomph at every level — the new Core m3-8100Y offers a maximum turbo clock of 3.4GHz as opposed to the 2.6GHz on the older m3-7Y30, while the 8th Gen Core i5 and Cadre i7 CPUs typically offered college core counts than the 7th Generation CPUs the Surface Pro 2022 relied on.

Still No USB-C

If the hardware upgrades are good news, the ongoing lack of any kind of USB-C support on either system is, well, less-adept news. Both systems reportedly retain the aforementioned port configurations: 1x USB-A 3.0 port, microSD carte reader, mini-Display Port, and the proprietary Surface Connect port for the Surface Pro, with but a USB-A port, mini-DisplayPort, and Surface Connect for the Surface Laptop. Both too characteristic a headset jack.

The lack of ports is something you're either willing to alive with or not, but the ongoing lack of USB-C back up is just laziness at this point. At that place'due south zip stopping Microsoft from offering a USB-C port and a USB-A port, thereby giving users to apply either standard. It wouldn't even need to take up more room — not if the company ditched the Surface Connect port.

Then again, ditching the Surface Connect port wouldn't let MS sell the giant adapter version of a USB-C to Surface Connect port for $lxxx, which probably explains why the system hasn't changed. Overall, we're glad to see the internal improvements, merely some connectivity enhancements wouldn't have gone amiss.

Now Read: Microsoft Surface Go Review Roundup: A Mixed Bag, Microsoft Surface Pro LTE (2018) Review Roundup: Flexible, Expensive, and Microsoft Unveils Its Second-Generation Surface Hub ii