Microsoft's new Surface devices are a big disappointment for private customers
Microsoft switched to ARM processors from Qualcomm for its Surface device mid-2024 and both the Surface Pro as well as the two Surface Laptops models were only available with Snapdragon X processors. However, there were plenty of compatibility issues with Windows on ARM especially at launch, because the existing x86 software did not always work properly and some peripherals simply did not get any ARM drivers. As a result, many customers were disappointed and returned their devices.
It seems business customers were not happy about the switch to the ARM architecture, either, because Microsoft quickly launched its devices with Intel processors for business customers. We reviewed these business editions as well and the devices with Intel's Lunar Lake mobile processor were better products overall.
Qualcomm launched the second generation of its Snapdragon X processors earlier this year and Microsoft continues its strategy and only offers ARM versions for private customers. Business customers can once again decide between ARM or Intel's new Panther Lake mobile processors. This eliminates compatibility issues, but Microsoft also offers more hardware options. The Surface Pro for Business can be equipped with a 5G module, for example, but the general performance is comparable between the two models.
The situation is more problematic for the Surface Laptop, because Microsoft also offers the two versions with Intel's new Core Ultra X CPUs, which are equipped with the fast Arc B390 iGPU. This means both the graphics as well as gaming performance are elevated to a completely new level, which is not possible with the Snapdragon models. The Surface Laptop for Business models are also available with anti-glare displays and integrated privacy filters. Our experiences with these integrated privacy screens were not great in the past (they visibly affect the image quality), so this factor is probably not a huge deal-breaker.
We have talked about it in the past and we still do not support Microsoft's strategy, especially since customers now do not have access to the more powerful components. Yes, you can get the business models in regular shops as well, but the prices are very high and there are usually no discounts, while the prices of the Snapdragon versions will probably drop very quickly. This makes the Intel SKUs pretty uninteresting for many potential buyers, even though they should be good devices. If Microsoft is so convinced by the ARM models, they should let the market decide and not force private customers to get the Snapdragon models.
For more details on the new 2026 models of the Surface Pro as well as the Surface Laptop 13.8, please see our comprehensive reviews:
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