Items tagged with surface laptop
Windows 7 extended support ends tomorrow, as we're detailed on numerous occasions. For most people, the most obvious "fix" would be to upgrade to Windows 10, which just about anyone can do for free as long as you're running an authorized, genuine copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.x. However, the folks over at Microsoft have another, more expensive proposition for those that are running an older Windows 7 PC. The company is encouraging businesses to just buy one of its Surface-branded computers. Going out and purchasing a brand new, fully functioning PC when a free upgrade to Windows 10 would suffice for most businesses seems like overkill, but Microsoft is trying to move hardware here,...
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If you've been following Microsoft's PC hardware efforts over the past few years, then you know that the company initially had a rough start with its Surface convertibles. However, the Surface family has recently started gaining traction and has expanded to includes laptops and even an all-in-one desktop PC. While some investors have looked at Microsoft's hardware ambitions with a skeptical eye as its fortunes in "the cloud" have grown, Surface Chief Panos Panay maintains that hardware remains central to the company's mission. "It's not just a core part of our strategy and at the centre of Microsoft, it's also a core part of how we build products at Microsoft," said Panay in an interview...
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Just over a year ago, Consumer Reports caused a huge rift in the consumer electronics realm when it withheld is vaunted "recommended" rating from Microsoft's Surface family of products. The publication based its decision on a survey from 90,000 of its readers and found Surface products to be “significantly less reliable than most other brands”. At the time, the Surface Laptop, Surface Pro and Surface Book were affected by the demotion. When the Surface Book 2 launched, it too was cast off with the lepers. Surface Book 2 What a difference a year makes. The Surface family has been re-evaluated and the publication has concluded that the products can now legitimately...
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Rumblings started back in June that Microsoft had some new hardware planned for 2019. Some were surprised when Microsoft sent out invites earlier this month to a hardware event that is suggested to be for the unveiling of new Surface hardware. One of the devices expected at that hardware event scheduled for October 2 is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 2. Ahead of that event, a slew of images has leaked that claim to be of the new laptop in its various colors. The colors seen in the images include a new black laptop that reportedly replaces the Graphite Gold version offered last year. Other colors include Cobalt Blue, Burgundy, and Platinum. As for hardware expected in the machine the same screen...
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If you're a fan of Microsoft's Surface family of PC hardware, mark October 2nd on your digital calendar. That is when Microsoft will announce the latest round of updates for its hardware family. We're likely to see across-the-board updates, with the exception of the Surface Go, which launched just a few months ago. Microsoft's Surface Pro is due for a redesign, and it’s likely that the device will take some cues from the smaller Surface Go including a slightly more rounded design and the inclusion of USB-C (or Thunderbolt 3) ports. Surface Pro When it comes to what powers the next Surface Pro, there's no question that that company will want to use 8th generation...
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For those of us that have bought new laptops or convertibles in the past two years or so, USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports have become commonplace. While USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals aren't nearly as ubiquitous as those using USB-A, it's nice to have the ports built-in. Microsoft, however, has been reticent to adding even a single USB-C port to its recent Surface products. So, Microsoft has come up with the above solution and just look at it -- it's massive! That is a single USB-C port that plugs into Microsoft's proprietary Surface Connect interface on the side of its Surface Pro, Surface Book and Surface Laptop. So not only is this device large and unsightly, but it also cannot be...
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Microsoft says its Surface Laptop offers the "perfect balance of portability and performance," and for some people that is certainly true. It only weighs 2.76 pounds, boasts up to 14.5 hours of battery life, and the entry-level model wields an Intel Core i5 processor to throw at tasks. Or at least that used to be the case. Microsoft has gone and added a new entry-level SKU, one that is a full $200 cheaper, but also less powerful. The entry-level Surface now comes equipped with an Core m processor with integrated Intel HD 615 graphics. That means less computing muscle than what you would get with the Core i5 SKU with Intel HD 620 graphics, though also less of a strain on your wallet—the...
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When Microsoft released the original Surface Pro five years ago, the mobile market was completely different – Windows tablets were an afterthought and weren’t the svelte and snappy performers you can buy today. The first-generation Surface Pro wasn’t perfect, but it was a huge step in the right direction for Windows 2-in-1’s and tablets. Today’s mobile computing device landscape is completely different versus five years ago and one could argue it was significantly re-shaped by the success of the Surface Pro. Each notebook manufacturer has its own interpretation of mobile nirvana. Whether it’s the HP Envy, Dell XPS, Lenovo Yoga or ASUS Zenbook, there are plenty...
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Microsoft really wants PC users to embrace the Surface Laptop, however, the rub for some people is that it runs Windows 10 S and some want the real deal when it comes to Windows 10. To make these folks happy, Microsoft has been allowing users who like the Surface Laptop, but don't want Windows 10 S to upgrade to full Windows 10 Pro at no cost. That upgrade normally costs $50 on other notebooks. Originally Microsoft planned to allow the free migration to Windows 10 Pro until the end of 2017, but that has changed (for the better). Microsoft is now saying that Surface Laptop owners will be able to upgrade at no cost through March 31, 2018. That means that all the folks out there hoping Santa will...
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At some point in time, it is reasonable to expect that Microsoft will refresh its Surface Laptop line with 8th Generation Kaby Lake-R processors, which offer up to a 40 percent boost in certain benchmarks versus 7th generation Kaby Lake CPUs (largely the result of having more cores). In the meantime, Microsoft is taking pre-orders on a decked out Surface Laptop with oodles of system memory and storage space. To be more specific, you can now head to the online Microsoft Store and configure a Surface Laptop with a Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB solid state drive. The top-end setup is only available in the Platinum color option and not the newer Graphite Gold, Burgundy, or Cobalt Blue...
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Microsoft has a public perception problem on its hands. The company’s Surface family of PCs has run afoul with Consumer Reports, which could be detrimental in its efforts to win over mainstream shoppers. In a survey of its readership, the publication found that Microsoft’s Surface line was “significantly less reliable than most other brands” and decided to drop recommendations for the products. We’ve already seen Microsoft’s public response to the damning Consumer Reports takedown, but veteran Microsoft watcher Paul Thurrott has some insight into internal discussions that have been brewing within the company for quite some time. For starters, Thurrott reports that initial problems surrounding...
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Microsoft’s Surface family of hardware products have generally been lauded by the press for their seemingly high-quality designs, first-party status, and for getting most of the details right with regards to ergonomics and functionality (often times, later being copied by third-party manufacturers). Publications like Consumer Reports have also given Surface laptops and tablets recommended ratings based on their own in-house testing. However, Consumer Reports is now walking back its recommended rating after receiving tens of thousands of responses from its subscribers. In particular, the publication says that the predicted reliability of the Surface Book and the recently introduced Surface...
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Microsoft’s Surface Laptop is its first full-fledged, no compromises take on the traditional notebook form-factor. The Surface Book and Surface Pro can operate as quasi-notebooks with their keyboards attached, but they are tablets first and foremost. While the Surface Laptop is a desirable piece of hardware in its own right, it ships from the factory with Windows 10 S installed. For those unfamiliar with this Windows 10 SKU, you cannot install or run Win32 apps with Windows 10 S; instead, you’re relegated to installing Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps from the Windows Store. Given the rather limited selection of apps on the Window Store, Windows 10 S a compromised solution from the start....
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We have said it before and it bears repeating—the majority of today's mobile devices are simply not built with do-it-yourself repairability in mind. Some products are worse than others when it comes to home repairs and upgrades. Two products that fall into that "worse than others" category both belong to Microsoft—its latest Surface Laptop and Surface Pro models, both of which failed to make a positive impression during a teardown analysis.The folks at iFixIt show no bias when it comes to tearing apart electronic gadgets. We mention this because Apple is notorious for intentionally making its products difficult to repair or service at home, but clearly the Cupertino outfit is not the only culprit....
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