Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 to launch with various improvements but no AMD Ryzen APU options
Windows Central has offered some insights into a second-generation Surface Laptop Studio, currently referred to as the Surface Laptop Studio 2. To recap, the Surface Laptop Studio successor was last seen in February on Geekbench via three benchmark listings. As we discussed at the time, the prototypes featured the Intel Core i7-13700H and Core i7-13800H, two Raptor Lake-H processors with 14 CPU cores and 20 threads operating within a 45 W TDP.
Additionally, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 will feature up to 64 GB of RAM and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, an AD107-based graphics card with 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM and a 35-115 W TGP. Elsewhere, Windows Central claims that the Surface Laptop Studio 2 will be the first x86-based device to support Windows Studio Effects, which were previously exclusive to the ARM platform. Moreover, the website expects the second-generation model to retain its predecessor's design, sole platinum colour option and 14.4-inch display. While there is no larger 16-inch planned, Microsoft is said to have expanded the port selection beyond the 3.5 mm jack, Surface Connect and two Thunderbolt 4 ports that it included in the original Surface Laptop Studio.
Surface Laptop Studio 2 pricing has not emerged yet, but Microsoft's processor choice suggests that it will be considerably more expensive than its predecessor. Reportedly, Microsoft will not sell Core i5 SKUs this time around, nor any AMD APU options either. Citing unnamed sources, Windows Central states that the Surface Laptop Studio 2 will likely launch in September or October, with its release timed for the arrival of Windows 11 23H2. Purportedly, Microsoft will introduce the second-generation laptop, codenamed Ersa, with a 'handful of other Surface products', possibly the Surface Go 4 and Surface Pro 10.
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