The news
Microsoft (MSFT) introduced new Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch models on September 23, 2026, powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, with consumer prices starting at $1,149.99 and $1,199 and availability from October 13 in select markets.
Brett Ostrum, corporate vice president for Surface, announced the second-edition devices in a Windows blog post. Commercial versions are sold through Surface for Business, and the Surface Pro 12-inch offers an optional 5G configuration for business customers. Microsoft also launched a $79.99 Surface Mouse with haptic feedback and a customizable Copilot button.
Against the first-generation models, Microsoft claims up to 17% faster Office productivity, up to 18% better battery efficiency, more than 60% faster graphics and up to 95% faster local AI inference on the neural processing unit (NPU), the chip block that runs AI tasks on the device. It rates the Surface Laptop 13-inch at 22.5 hours of local video playback and says both screens are 25% brighter.
The entry price has moved up. 9to5Google reported that Microsoft dropped 8GB memory configurations, leaving 16GB or 24GB of RAM with 256GB or 512GB of storage, and that the Surface Pro's base price is $300 higher than last year's, or $100 higher when comparing like-for-like 16GB/256GB models, while the Surface Laptop's is $50 higher.
Microsoft also introduced Microsoft Ink Canvas, an AI-powered, pen-first app for sketching and annotating. It comes preinstalled on the Surface Pro 12-inch and will be available on October 13 in the Microsoft Store for other supported devices, with its AI features requiring a Microsoft 365 subscription.
For IT departments, Microsoft highlighted Secured-core PC protections, its Pluton security processor with TPM 2.0, and firmware built on its open-source Project Mu, along with a Surface Tools for Business suite that includes a management portal, a support portal, an IT toolkit and a repair tool. Two days later, on September 25, 9to5Google reported that Ostrum said the new devices are not called Copilot+ PCs, though they meet all of that program's hardware requirements; the publication said the remark all but confirmed the end of that branding.
The numbers
- Surface Pro 12-inch starting price (consumer)
- $1,149.99
- Surface Laptop 13-inch starting price (consumer)
- $1,199
- Local AI inference speedup vs. first generation (per Microsoft)
- Up to 95%
- Surface Laptop 13-inch video playback (per Microsoft)
- 22.5 hours
- Availability
- October 13, 2026
Why CEOs should care
For IT buyers, the smallest Surfaces now start with 16GB of memory, which suits AI features and heavier multitasking but raises the per-device floor. Re-price your refresh budget using the new base configurations rather than last year's list prices. If you run mixed fleets, confirm that your core line-of-business applications, security agents and VPN clients are certified on Snapdragon-based Windows devices before a broad rollout, and pilot the 5G Surface Pro for staff who work away from secure Wi-Fi. Also check whether your Microsoft 365 licenses cover the AI features in Ink Canvas for the staff who would use them.
For CISOs, the security baseline is solid on paper: Secured-core protections, Pluton with TPM 2.0 and Microsoft-maintained firmware. The practical questions are whether your endpoint management and detection tools fully support these devices on day one, and how quickly Microsoft ships firmware fixes through the Surface management tools it provides to businesses.
For CFOs and procurement teams, the missing Copilot+ PC label on these Surfaces is a reminder to buy against specifications, not marketing programs. Write NPU performance, memory and security requirements directly into purchasing standards. That protects the organization if brand names change again while the underlying hardware requirements stay the same.
The bigger picture
Microsoft is pushing AI features onto the device as well as the cloud. The Surface launch landed the same week it relaunched Copilot around Home, Code and Autopilot on September 25, and Microsoft's pitch for Surface is that organizations can run supported AI experiences locally, in the cloud or across both. Leaving the Copilot+ PC branding off these devices suggests the company now sees on-device AI hardware as standard rather than as a premium tier that needs its own badge. For Qualcomm, the refresh keeps its Snapdragon X2 line inside Microsoft's own Surface hardware.
What’s next
The devices ship on October 13. Watch for independent battery and performance tests, commercial pricing for 5G models, and whether other Windows PC makers follow Microsoft in dropping Copilot+ PC branding from their own business laptops.
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