Microsoft Refreshes Surface Pro 12-inch and Laptop 13-inch with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Plus

Microsoft's latest attempt to challenge the MacBook Air on its own turf is the updated Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch. Both devices retain their previous bodies but are now powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, which promises significant improvements in performance and battery life.

The Surface Pro 12-inch has a new brightness rating of 500 nits, up from 400 last year, making it more suitable for outdoor use. It still lacks a fan, relying on heat dissipation through its design. The display itself remains the same, with a 2196 x 1464 LCD at 90 Hz and 220 PPI. Microsoft claims an extra hour of web browsing time, but this is measured with brightness locked at 150 nits.

The optional 5G model for the Surface Pro 12-inch is a welcome addition, allowing users to stay connected without relying on hotel Wi-Fi. Microsoft's new feature, Ink Canvas, provides a pen-first space for sketching and summarizing, but it requires a Microsoft 365 subscription with usage limits and costs extra.

Microsoft highlights the performance gains of the X2 Plus chip, including an 18% battery efficiency gain and a 95% jump in NPU inferencing. However, these figures are based on Microsoft's own testing, and independent verification is needed to confirm them.