The Microsoft Surface Laptop has garnered a following due to its slim design, speed, and functionality. The latest version of the laptop introduces a new generation of ARM-based Snapdragon Elite chips from Qualcomm for Windows PCs. However, Microsoft may have an unexpected development for those anticipating an Intel x86 Lunar Lake chip offering competitive performance and battery life without compromising software compatibility.
A Microsoft Surface Laptop reportedly appeared on the Chinese website Goofish, featuring an Intel Lunar Lake chip intended for ultra-small notebooks. This leak was initially noted by Reddit users and Windows Central, although Gizmodo could not independently verify the information due to the subsequent removal of the listing. According to anonymous sources cited by Windows Central, Microsoft is currently testing Surface Laptops equipped with Lunar Lake chips. These new models might become available as early as 2025.
It is unclear whether Microsoft will release a new Surface Laptop 8 or revisit the Surface Laptop 7 design. The leaked model was notably equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 268V, a noteworthy upgrade from the configurations found in some of the first sub-16-inch laptops utilizing Lunar Lake, such as the Asus Zenbook S 14, which feature the Core Ultra 7 256V or 258V. In contrast, larger laptops like the forthcoming Acer Swift 16 AI are expected to contain the Core Ultra 9 288V.
If Microsoft introduces a next-generation Surface Laptop with these specifications, it would rank highly within its class. The Core Ultra 7 268V includes four cores, four threads, a 5.0 clock speed, and the second highest-frequency Arc 140V GPU within the Ultra 2 range. While its memory matches that of the Core Ultra 9 288V, it lacks the latter’s base TDP.
The Goofish listing indicated a price of 19,000 CNY, approximately $2,600 USD, for the purported Surface Laptop. This price should be considered cautiously, as the specifications suggested a high-end configuration with 32 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage. In comparison, a current 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 featuring the Snapdragon Elite CPU, 32 GB of RAM, and 1 TB SSD starts at $2,000, while the 15-inch version begins at $2,100.
The previous Surface Laptop version, featuring first-generation Meteor Lake chips, was exclusively available through Microsoft’s business line, where enterprise laptops typically have higher prices than consumer-grade devices. This might explain the elevated price listed on Goofish.
Although Gizmodo expressed reservations regarding the form factor and battery life of the Surface Pro 11, the Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite chip displayed impressive performance. It surpassed Meteor Lake and Apple M3 chips in several multi-core benchmarks. Intel’s Arrow Lake chips aim to demonstrate that ARM technology is not the only future path, but the industry awaits the emergence of top-end chips in a fully realized laptop to validate this claim.