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Best Buy throws in a $50 gift card with the 15-inch Surface Laptop 3
If you're in the market for a good deal on a Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, you might want to check out Best Buy. The retailer is offering a $50 gift card with the system, which starts at $1,199. Best Buy is also throwing in a six-month Trend Micro Internet Security subscription worth $30. While it's not exactly a door crasher bargain, it certainly sweetens the deal.
Share your thoughts about Microsoft's Surface Laptop 2!
Microsoft's sequel to the Surface Laptop didn't just impress our reviewer last year -- the Surface Laptop 2 earned a strong score of 90, largely owing to its stunning design and fast performance. The keyboard and trackpad are a pleasure to use, the display is bright and crisp, and we also dig the new matte black color option. Also counted in the laptop's favor were upgrades to Windows 10 Home and 15-hour-plus battery life. However, we were less thrilled by the company's decision to continue using a proprietary charging port (which falls out easily) instead of switching to USB-C.
Surface Laptop 2 vs. the competition: Power and price
After years of good hybrid machines Microsoft finally built a regular laptop in 2017, scoring a home run on the first swing. We were excited by the design, screen and battery life, but less thrilled about the limited port selection. Over a year later the sequel is here and looks like it'll continue that string of excellence — though the connection options haven't improved. If you're still on the fence about your next machine, we've lined some of the more outstanding models for your benefit so you can see which one might suit you best as you gear up for the fall.
Surface Laptop 2 hands-on: An upgrade in speed and style
At its Surface event in New York today, Microsoft unveiled a slew of new devices, including an updated version of its Laptop. The Surface Laptop 2 offers some seriously upgraded internals, which the company claims deliver 85 percent improved performance. Otherwise, most of the changes here aren't immediately obvious, save for the sharp new color option. But, I have to admit, the all-black Laptop 2 is really quite attractive.
Microsoft's Surface device subscriptions start at $25 per month
Microsoft's Surface devices tend to be costly, but the company might have a way of making them more palatable. It's launching a Surface All Access subscription model that finances your PC while throwing in some of the services you need. On top of the computer itself, you're also getting "accessories," Office 365, dedicated help and Microsoft Store perks. Think of it as Xbox All Access for the productivity crowd.
Microsoft claims the Surface Laptop 2 is 85 percent faster
It's been well over a year since Microsoft released the Surface Laptop, which was the most traditional PC the company had produced. But the combo of good design, strong performance and reasonable prices made it one of the best laptops on the market, even as its processor began to age a bit. Fortunately, today Microsoft has seen fit to do away with that looming problem, as the new Surface Laptop 2 has been upgraded to feature Intel's 8th-generation Core processors, just like the updated Surface Pro. The company says that amounts to an 85 percent speed boost over the original Surface Laptop And, as the leaks indicated, the Surface Laptop 2 comes in a sleek matte black color for the first time (also just like the Surface Pro).
Leak reveals black Surface Laptop and Surface Pro
Those rumors of black Surface devices at Microsoft's impending October 2nd event might have some merit. WalkingCat (a historically good source of Microsoft scoops) has posted what appears to be a leaked press image showing matte black versions of the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, along with what's likely a refreshed Surface Studio. The leak doesn't include specs or any other details. All the devices look similar to their existing counterparts apart from the new hue, though, reinforcing claims that these would be spec bumps rather than major revisions.
Surface Pro and Surface Laptop may only receive simple spec bumps
We hope you weren't expecting major overhauls of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop at Microsoft's October 2nd event -- you might be disappointed. Sources for WinFuture have claimed that both the Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2 (not necessarily their actual names) will largely represent spec bumps. They'll be available in black in higher-end configurations, but the design would otherwise be unchanged -- and that would leave you without USB-C for yet another year. That could be particularly frustrating if you have a USB-C smartphone or other modern peripherals, especially when the Surface Go and Surface Book 2 do have the newer connector.
Microsoft offers cheaper Surface laptops with lower specs
Microsoft wants to make it easier to buy into the Surface family. The company has begun offering a lower specced Laptop running Windows 10 S -- Microsoft's take on Chrome OS -- and an Intel Core m3 processor in the US. It'll set you back $799 versus the standard model's $999 asking price, and is only available in the platinum colorway, as spotted by Windows Central. As for storage and memory, you'll get 128GB and 4GB, respectively. If you're thinking that sounds an awful lot like the $799 Surface Pro tablet, you aren't wrong. But, that won't get you a keyboard cover, which The Verge points out is a $130 add-on.
The best gadgets of 2017
2017 hasn't been the easiest year to live through, but we've found joy and comfort in some of the hardware we've tested over the last 12 months. Last year, we saw VR surge in prominence, but our picks this year are more conventional -- not to mention more diverse. The usual suspects include the iPhone X and Surface Laptop for getting helping us get things done, and the Nintendo Switch and the Sonos One for their ability to let us luxuriate at home and on the road. There's some more unexpected stuff on our list, too, like the easy-to-use DJI Spark drone as well as the Mighty, a tiny music player that won over much of the Engadget staff. Ultimately, we appreciated these picks for the ways they made our lives more pleasant, even if only a little.
Microsoft claims Surface reliability isn't really that bad
Consumer Reports said that it would no longer recommend Microsoft's Surface laptops and tablets because of "poor predicted reliability" compared to other brands, based on its surveys. Now Microsoft has responded, with a statement saying that it is "disappointed" in the decision and providing some of its own data. Panos Panay, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Devices: We are proud of our products and the amazing things our customers are doing with them. We stand firmly behind the quality and reliability of the Surface family of devices, and I can confidently tell you there has never been a better time to buy a Surface.
Consumer Reports pulls recommendation from Surface PCs
While Consumer Reports has previously given Microsoft Surface products good reviews for lab performance measures like battery life, speed and display quality, it's now pulling its "recommended" rating from four Microsoft laptops due to reliability issues. Through surveys conducted on over 90,000 tablets and laptops that Consumer Reports subscribers purchased between 2014 and early 2017, the company estimates that 25 percent of Microsoft laptop and tablet owners will experience problems like freezing, unexpected shutdowns and unresponsive touch screens by the end of the second year of ownership.
The best computers for students
What would a back-to-school guide be without a healthy dose of computer recs? Other than a small dorm TV, perhaps, it's the single most expensive investment you're likely to make as you begin college -- and if you're graduating or pursuing an advanced degree, it's possible you've been waiting patiently for a reason to upgrade. As you can imagine, our guide includes a slew of laptops and convertibles (eight, to be exact), along with a detachable (that would be the new Surface Pro) and a pair of desktops, in case you're content to work just in the dorm. And that's not counting the three gaming notebooks we recommend in our shopping guide for PC gamers! With starting prices ranging from $469 to $1,550, and screen sizes running the gamut from 12 inches to 27, we found something for just about every use case.
New in our buyer's guide: The OnePlus 5 and two Surface devices
This month's buyer's guide additions fill almost every product category: We've got a smartphone, VR headset, games console, notebook and a 2-in-1. Those last two both come from Microsoft in the form of the Surface Laptop and the new Surface Pro. At the smaller end of the screen-size spectrum, we have the new OnePlus 5 the Nintendo Switch and Google's Daydream View headset. Find all that in more in our buyer's guide, and stay tuned for even more updates in the coming weeks.
At last, you can get Microsoft Office from the Windows Store
The excellent Surface Laptop is now available in stores, and Microsoft Office is now in the Windows Store for the first time. This is a necessary step in Microsoft's plan for laptop domination, as the Surface Laptop is the first computer that runs Windows 10S -- a custom version of Windows that can only run and install apps from Microsoft's official software storefront. Of course, Microsoft's web versions of the Office apps are pretty robust at this point (and they'll work with the Surface Laptop), but some users won't be happy without a desktop app for offline access, among other features.
Microsoft's Surface Laptop and Pro are now available worldwide
If you're looking to buy the Surface Laptop or the Surface Pro, there's a chance that you'll be able to get it right now, even if you're not in the US. Both PCs are now available in over a dozen markets across the globe. The Surface Laptop is now out in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It's the flagship device for Windows 10 S, Microsoft's ChromeOS-like platform for the education market meant to run web apps and software from its official store. A Surface Laptop will set you back at least $999 in the US and £979 (up to £2,149) in the UK.
The Surface Laptop is the pinnacle of design
Just a few years ago, the idea that Microsoft could be one of the most exciting PC makers around would have seemed insane. The first Surface didn't inspire much hope. (I distinctly remember wanting to throw it out of a window during my review). But, like any wise newcomer, Microsoft learned and improved with every new Surface. The year 2015 was when it all came together, with the excellent Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. (That the upcoming Surface Pro looks almost exactly like its predecessor is a testament to great design.) And earlier this year, we got the Surface Studio, a unique attempt at reinventing the all-in-one PC. With all of that innovation, the idea of a traditional Surface notebook seems, well, a bit boring. But the Surface Laptop is anything but. It might not have the flashy features of its siblings, but it's far more focused on one thing: being a great notebook. Not everyone wants a hip hybrid tablet. Many people just want a portable, well-built and powerful machine with great battery life for getting all of their work done. In that respect, the Surface Laptop delivers in spades. The only problem? It's powered by Windows 10 S, Microsoft's more restrictive OS meant for schools, which could end up frustrating plenty of consumers.
Microsoft's new Surface Pen should feel more like writing on paper
A new Surface Pro just wouldn't be the same without improvements to its companion pen, and Microsoft is going all-out with the upgrades this time around. It's introducing a new Surface Pen that it claims is the "fastest pen ever" on any platform -- with a 21ms latency, it's supposedly fast enough that it'll feel more like you're writing on paper than glass. There's also a whopping 4,096 pressure points (up from 1,024), reduced parallax (the mismatch between where your pen is and where input appears onscreen), and an Apple Pencil-style tilt feature that lets you apply artistic flourishes like shading.
How Microsoft's Surface went from flop to serious contender
Five years ago, Microsoft wasn't known for its hardware. Sure, it made a few forays into accessories and the Xbox had been around for awhile, but when it came to PCs, it stayed true to its software roots. That is, until mid 2012. That's when Microsoft announced the Surface Pro and the Surface RT, two tablets that marked the company's official entry into the PC business.
Windows 10 S is a gamble on the future of desktop apps
So what is Windows 10 S? Is it the perfect OS for school kids and teachers, or is it the OS that will make Microsoft's new Surface Laptop shine? Can it be both? If you don't have 105 minutes to watch the presentation, Windows 10 S is a skew of Microsoft's OS that only runs Windows Store apps. Because of this, it's purportedly faster and, thanks to app sandboxes, more secure than Windows 10 Home or Pro. Before its unveil, it was widely assumed that 10 S was all about competing with Chrome OS at the low end. But despite introducing the OS at an education-focused event, Microsoft and its hardware partners will sell Windows 10 S machines to the masses, with prices ranging from $189 to more than $2,000 for the most expensive Surface Laptop.
