With new Surface devices, Microsoft presents its Windows 11 hardware vision

Surface Pro 8, Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Duo 2, and Surface Go 3 are among the new devices Microsoft unveiled earlier this week. While these devices were mostly touted as successors to the previous generation Surface models, the Redmond-based company brought them unique elements, which make them perform better than their predecessors. In particular, the Surface Laptop Studio grabbed attention at launch for its distinctive design that unlike traditional 2-in-1 devices. Microsoft has also provided necessary updates to the Surface Duo 2, with features like triple rear cameras and improved displays, as well as a faster next-generation Qualcomm processor to compete with Apple and Samsung.

On Orbital Gadgets 360 podcast this week, editor Jamshed Avari and I - Orbital producer Jagmeet Singh - join host Akhil Arora to talk about what makes all of these new Surface devices interesting.

The discussion starts with the Surface Pro 8 which is the successor to the Surface Pro 7 and features new Intel Core processors and is based on the Intel Evo design. The tablet also includes a 120Hz display with Adaptive Color technology and Dolby Vision support.

Pricing for the Surface Pro 8 starts at $ 1,099 (around Rs. 81,200), which is higher than the Surface Pro 7 which started at $ 749 (around Rs. 55,300). Microsoft also hasn’t made any significant design changes in the new model.

The Surface Pro 7 was launched in India at a base price of Rs. 72,999. However, Microsoft has yet to reveal the Indian price for the Surface Pro 8.

Unlike the Surface Pro 8, the new line includes the Surface Laptop Studio with an all-new design that is billed as “the evolution of the Surface Book”. It can function as a tablet, laptop or canvas, thanks to the dynamic woven hinge.

Surface Laptop Studio is for developers, creative professionals, designers, and gamers looking for a distinctive machine, not a traditional laptop or tablet. It comes with a starting price of $ 1,599 (approx. Rs. 1,18,000) which is identical to the Surface Book 3. The latter arrived in India at an initial price of Rs. 156,299.

Microsoft also brought the Surface Duo 2 as a response to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. The new Surface Duo has all the good things that the original model lacked, including three rear cameras on one and the Qualcomm Snapdragon top of the line. 888 SoC vs. Snapdragon 855. The new dual-screen phone is also 5G compatible and runs Android 11.

Microsoft Surface Duo 2 comes with a list of improvements over its predecessor
Photo credit: Microsoft

Since Microsoft has chosen to go for a dual-display design instead of a single foldable display, the Surface Duo 2 seems more durable than the Galaxy Z Fold 3, although Samsung has made improvements in this direction with its foldable. Microsoft also has strong partnerships with developers and this could help it bring new experiences to the Surface Duo 2 over time.

Pricing for the Surface Duo 2 starts at $ 1,499 (around Rs. 1,10,700), which is $ 100 (around Rs. 7,400) more than the Surface Duo which launched at the original price of $ 1,399 (around Rs. 1). 3,300 Rs.). The previous version did not arrive in India, and it is still not known if we could see its successor soon.

At the event, Microsoft also announced its partnership with game developers to deliver 150 games optimized for the dual-screen setup. The company also named Asphalt Legends 9, Modern Combat 5, and Dungeon Hunter 5 as three popular games specially optimized for the new phone.

We’re also touching on the Surface Go 3 which hasn’t changed much if you’ve seen the Surface Go 2 earlier. It comes with newer Intel Core processors - the high-end variant has the 10th generation Intel Core chip which is said to offer 60% faster performance than the previous version of Surface Go.

The Surface Go 3 comes with a starting price of $ 399 (around 29,500 rupees). It’s the same we had for the Surface Go 2 last year. The previous model arrived in India at a starting price of Rs. 47,599.

Most of the new Surface offerings are, of course, designed to help project key Windows 11 functionality. But models like Surface Duo 2 could become a benchmark even for other manufacturers.

We talk about the feasibility of the new Surface line comparing it with the latest hardware from companies like Apple and Samsung. The discussion also revolves around the Indian perspective of new Microsoft devices.

You can listen to our full episode of Orbital on the Surface Family 2021 by pressing the play button on the Spotify player above.

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