Microsoft has officially announced their new 2017 Surface Laptop, which will launch with their new Windows 10 S operating system.The recently announced operating system was designed to give consumers a more focused Windows experience, this streamlined variant of Windows 10 aims on delivering core functionality for those who are looking for a computer experience that best fits into their work and or studying sessions, similar to that of Google’s Chrome OS on their Chromebook line of computers.
Microsoft’s devices chief, Panos Panay has said that the new Surface laptop is primarily targeting young students that are about to enter college, who when asked about what they want in a laptop, responded by stating that they wanted a Surface-style laptop. Microsoft’s answer to this is the $999 Surface Laptop. The 13.5inch laptop bridges the gap between Microsoft’s Surface line of touch-screen tablet computers with the design principles of a more, modern standard clamshell styled laptop. The speakers of the laptop are situated underneath the machine, allowing sound to travel outward from where the keyboard rests. The keyboard itself utilizes Alcantara fabric, the same quality keyboard found in the Surface Pro 4.
Aesthetically, Microsoft’s new Surface laptop takes the established sleek and metal design of their existing line of Surface products and marries it with familiar and minimalist trappings found in brands such as Apple, specifically their MacBook and iPad line of hardware. The Surface Laptop will feature a touch screen that supports Microsoft’s Surface Pen, which will allow the end-user to write directly on the screen, akin to the likes of tablet. The PixelSense display features a 3:2 aspect ratio, giving it a considerable amount of room to work with.
Performance wise, Panay has stated the new machines will come equipped with the latest Intel core i5 and i7 processors, with a battery life that can last up to 14.5 hours. Microsoft has said that the Surface laptop surpasses all of Apple’s MacBook line of computers in terms of battery life and some instances, performance. Microsoft has already opened up pre-orders for the Surface Laptop, which starts at $999 for the core i5 model, that comes equipped with 4Gbs of RAM and a 128 SSD drive. The Surface laptop will ship on June 15, 2017.