/ Before you buy a new Surface, make sure you know whether you're getting Intel or Snapdragon.
Mateo Lowe leads the Best Picks desk of TheTweaks. All the buying guides, ranked lists and gift suggestions on this website pass through his hands. He is in an editorial position that requires editorial judgment and Mateo has this. He worked seven years in retail consultancy and product research before joining the team, advising brands on the real-life purchasing decision-making process of consumers. He was a natural fit because that background made him a good fit to work at a job as he is helping readers to spend their money wisely.
Microsoft’s 2026 Surface lineup has been released into three separate waves and honestly, that’s the main reason why everyone is confused right now. The first wave introduced the Intel-powered Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 for Business featuring Core Ultra Series 3, Panther Lake. Then, on June 16, 2026, the consumer versions arrived with the same names but with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X2. A third wave will land on July 14, when the Snapdragon X2 hits the Business lineup too, giving business buyers a choice between Intel and Snapdragon under the same product names.
This guide is based on the Snapdragon X2 consumer versions because that’s the one which is actually available for sale to the majority of consumers at the moment.
| Spec | Surface Pro 12 (13″) | Surface Laptop 8 (13.8″ and 15”) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $1,499 | $1,599 |
| Consumer release | June 16, 2026 | June 16, 2026 |
| Processor | Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or X2 Elite (12-core) | Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or X2 Elite (12-core) |
| NPU | Hexagon NPU, up to 80 TOPS | Hexagon NPU, up to 80 TOPS |
| RAM (soldered) | 16 / 24 / 32 / 64GB LPDDR5x | 16 / 24 / 32 / 64GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage (removable) | 256GB – 1TB Gen 4 SSD | 512GB – 2TB Gen 4 SSD |
| Display | 13″ PixelSense Flow, 2880×1920, LCD or optional OLED, up to 120Hz | 13.8″ and 15” HDR LCD touchscreen, 2304×1536 (201 PPI), 120Hz |
| Battery | Up to 15.5 hrs | Up to 20 hrs and 19 hours |
| Front camera | 1440p Quad HD ultrawide | 1080p, DXOMARK No. 1-ranked |
| Rear camera | 10MP | — |
| Ports | 2x USB-C/USB4, Surface Connect | 2x USB-C/USB4, USB-A, 3.5mm jack, Surface Connect |
| Colors | Platinum, Black, Dune | Platinum, Black (Dune, Jade in 13.8”) |
| Cellular / 5G | Optional, select markets | Not offered |
Both lines start cheap and get expensive in a hurry. The Surface Pro 12 opens at $1,499 for the Snapdragon X2 Plus chip with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage. The 13.8 inch Surface Laptop 8 starts at $1,599 with 16GB/512GB, and the 15 inch is $100 more at $1,699, you’re paying for the bigger, sharper screen, not extra storage, since both start at the same 512GB.
Both of these devices got the same memory mountain, starting at 16GB, 24GB, 32GB, and 64GB of LPDDR5x. There’s a new 24GB option in this generation between the previously available 16GB and 32GB only memory choices, as Apple does on the Mac. Storage is configured separately. The Surface Pro’s storage is capped at 1TB, and both Surface Laptop models can have 2TB of storage. Opt for a 64GB / 1TB Snapdragon X2 Elite setup on either device and the price would be over $2,000 before getting a keyboard.
And yes, the keyboard costs extra on the Pro. A Surface Pro Keyboard or Flex Keyboard normally runs $169.99 but it’s free with any Surface Pro 12 order placed between June 16 and June 30, 2026. Surface Laptop buyers get a free Surface Arc Mouse ($89.99) in that same window, plus a discount on two years of Microsoft Complete. There’s also a trade-in promotion worth up to $900. If you’re on the fence, ordering before the end of June saves real money.
A fair amount of the Microsoft specifications are based on the term ‘AI performance’, which is somewhat meaningless without context. What it actually means is that both Snapdragon X’s have a Hexagon NPU with up to 80 TOPS (trillion operations per second), which is almost double the Hexagon NPU of the previous Snapdragon X, with only around 45 TOPS.
During video calls, the video and audio stream are rendered using that NPU to achieve background blur, eye-contact correction, automatic framing, and so on, without burdening the CPU or GPU. It’s also the technology used to power local features of Copilot+ such as Click to Do and Recall, which don’t rely on sending anything to the cloud. Creative apps that utilize AI-powered features like photo masking or video upscaling with their NPU accelerated tools consume less battery than when executed on the CPU. For users relying on these tools for everyday use, it is a significant improvement but for those who never use Windows Studio Effects or Copilot+ tools, the increased TOPS doesn’t impact their daily workflow much.
Launch date: June 16, 2026 (consumer, Snapdragon X2). July 14, 2026 (Business, Snapdragon X2 variant). May 19, 2026 (An Intel-based Business version).
Starting price: $1,499
Form factor: 2-in-1 tablet with detachable keyboard (sold separately)
For Microsoft’s tablet focused 2 in 1 design, the Surface Pro 12 is the same, with the exception that it replaces the Snapdragon X10 with the X2 Plus (10 core) or X2 Elite (12 core) processors, depending on the configuration. Microsoft claims for up to 53% faster graphics performance than the previous 11th Edition, so that’s important if you’re sketching, editing photos or using any kind of creative apps directly on the tablet.
The display will stay unchanged as a 13 inch PixelSense Flow touchscreen at 2880×1920 resolution, and can be upgraded to OLED or be left as an LCD panel option. The OLED version is not new for this generation but it now features HDR peak brightness of about 900 nits, compared with just about 600 nits for the LCD version, with the former’s chip being faster.
Battery life is rated to last up to 15.5 hours on a single charge, a slight improvement over its predecessor. It’s less than both versions of Surface Laptop’s battery numbers, to be sure, because the Pro has a slimmer tablet form factor with less space for the batteries.
From the camera perspective, you’ll find a 1440p Quad HD ultrawide front camera for video calling and a 10MP rear camera that will come in handy if you’re buying in tablet mode to scan a document or take a quick snap on the spot. The storage is a removable Gen 4 SSD with 256GB to 1TB of capacity while RAM is available in 16GB to 64GB and optional cellular/5G is available for selected markets.
For any buyer looking for a tablet that can truly replace a laptop, particularly those who sketch, handwrite notes, or would like to have something lighter to carry around for travel or fieldwork, this is the best tablet on the market. The OLED configuration is worth the upgrade, if color accuracy matters for your work.
Launch date: June 16, 2026 (consumer, Snapdragon X2). July 14, 2026 (Business, Snapdragon X2 variant). May 19, 2026 (An Intel-based Business version).
Starting price: $1,599 (13.8 inch); $1,699 (15 inch)
Sizes: 13 inch (unchanged chip), 13.8 inch, 15 inch
This marks a significant change where the Surface Laptop 8 is designed as a traditional clamshell, with a genuine chip upgrade for 2 out of 3 sizes. The 13.8 and 15 inch versions are given an upgrade to Snapdragon X2 Plus (10-core) or X2 Elite (12-core), the same chip family used in the Surface Pro. The smaller and lower cost 13 inch version is the odd one out, as it continues to run the same-generation Snapdragon X Plus (8-core) with the same 45 TOPS NPU as before. When the only reason to purchase is to upgrade the chip, consider the 13.8 inch or 15 inch version instead of the base 13 inch.
Microsoft says the new sizes deliver up to 58% more graphics performance than the 7th Edition, smoother multitasking, faster photo and video editing, quicker on-device AI. They both feature 120Hz HDR LCD touchscreens with Dolby Vision IQ and it really got up to 262 PPI this time (3270×2180). The text and pictures are significantly sharper than on the older version.
Up to 20 hours and 19 hours, respectively, for local video playback on the 13.8 and 15 inch batteries. But the 13.8 inch is closer to 16 hours thanks to Microsoft’s own web-browsing test. Both sizes come with a 1080p webcam which currently leads DXOMark’s laptop camera list, a feature that’s useful if you’re on video chat for the entire day. The 16GB-64GB is now available with a removable Gen 4 SSD up to 2TB.
Anyone looking for a conventional computer for typing, multi-tasking or video calls instead of tablet flexibility. The 13.8 inch is the ideal size for the majority of us, while the 15 inch is good for all those who give screen space a higher priority than portability.
Neither device lets you upgrade RAM after purchase. It’s infused with LPDDR5x on both laptops, so whatever you pick at checkout (16GB, 24GB, 32GB, or 64GB) is permanent. That’s not a Surface decision. It’s how the Snapdragon platform works across the board, so don’t expect that to change in the next generation either.
Storage is one area where things actually become meaningful. Surface Pro has had a removable SSD for a couple of generations already, so nothing new there. The bigger deal is the Surface Laptop: this is the first 8th Edition model to offer user-replaceable storage. That means you’re no longer stuck paying upfront for capacity you might not need yet, you can buy smaller now and upgrade the SSD later.
If you’d prefer a device to be lighter and more flexible as a tablet, Surface Pro 12 may fare better, particularly in regards to the OLED screen. If you’re looking for a classic laptop with extended battery life and the most powerful camera on the list, the Surface Laptop 8, in 13.8 or 15inch, is the better option: 13.8inch when portability is more important and the new Jade color, 15inch for screen real estate more than portability.
Either way, it’s the Snapdragon X2 chipset and accompanying 80 TOPS NPU that’s really compelling to upgrade on this cycle. If you’re considering the two operating systems, consider the price and battery life of the MacBook Air M5, and note that not all of its variants are upgraded, and the Surface Laptop has a larger library of Windows packages to choose from.
If you’re looking for other options? Read:
There are a ton of low-tech gift lists created around items which seem like they are “cool” in the photo but never get used. For…
Be respectful and constructive. Have a question or feedback? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us at contact@thetweaks.com