Insider sources close to Windows Central inform that Microsoft is planning to release upgraded Surface notebooks in the first quarters of 2021. It looks like Microsoft will focus on updating the hardware specs for models like the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, while the external designs will probably not undergo any major facelifts. This information is essentially backing up the leaked benchmarks for those “Surface Edition” processors we reported on a few days ago. Moreover, Microsoft is considering launching the Surface Duo phone in a few more countries in Q1 2021.
Some of the hardware upgrades for the upcoming Surface Pro 8 supposed to launch in February 2021 include the latest Tiger Lake CPUs from Intel, which integrate the more powerful Iris Xe GPUs, plus users will be able to configure their systems with up to 32 GB of RAM. Additionally, Microsoft may be adding an LTE modem for the models that only feature Wi-Fi connectivity.
As for the fourth iteration of the Surface Laptop, this one is expected to launch in the Q2 2021 and will feature Intel Tiger Lake, as well as AMD Renoir CPUs, plus up to 32 GB of RAM. Microsoft will add custom "Surface Edition" Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 4000-series APUs to both 13.5-inch and 15-inch sizes, but, by then, we should also see competing models with the new Ryzen 5000 APUs.
I first stepped into the wondrous IT&C world when I was around seven years old. I was instantly fascinated by computerized graphics, whether they were from games or 3D applications like 3D Max. I'm also an avid reader of science fiction, an astrophysics aficionado, and a crypto geek. I started writing PC-related articles for Softpedia and a few blogs back in 2006. I joined the Notebookcheck team in the summer of 2017 and am currently a senior tech writer mostly covering processor, GPU, and laptop news.
> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2020 12 > Microsoft expected to launch new Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4 models in early 2021
Bogdan Solca, 2020-12- 9 (Update: 2020-12- 9)