Prepare for computers with AI.
The first Consumer Electronics Show (CES) since generative artificial intelligence (AI) took over the tech industry is coming up, and while it will undoubtedly be a manufactured mess, there could be some significant announcements. According to rumours, Microsoft will be present to unveil a new generation of Surface computers, and yes, AI will be incorporated into their design.
Over the course of the last year, Microsoft has provided updates for the Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Laptop Go, and Surface Go. These updates have primarily consisted of small spec boosts, and there has been no indication that Microsoft will be showcasing a new Surface Laptop or Surface Pro at CES.
Microsoft is more excited about the Arm systems, which will have a version of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X chips. Windows Central reports that 2024 will mark the first time Microsoft offers both the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop with Arm and Intel options side by side. There is not much information available about the supposed specs of the Intel machines, but the computers are expected to have dedicated AI processing hardware, which suggests the latest Meteor Lake CPUs, which are the first Intel chips to have a neural processing unit (NPU).
There are rumours that the next Surface Laptop 6 will be available in two sizes: a 13.8-inch model and a larger one that is 15 inches in size. More ports will be present this time around, including two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, and the standard Surface Connect. A haptic feedback touchpad and a dedicated Copilot button will also be present.
Though Microsoft may offer a non-HDR option on cheaper versions of the machine, the Surface Pro 10 (which Microsoft likely regrets releasing as a Surface Pro X in 2019) will maintain the tablet-style form factor of previous iterations. The main change for this machine is the addition of a brighter 13-inch display with HDR support. The Surface Pro 10 will not ship with the keyboard, but there might be a Copilot button on that, too.
The company’s GPT language models have revolutionised the technology industry in the last year (and gotten both Microsoft and OpenAI sued). But will consumers care about AI laptops? This could be the time to shake up Surface with a new focus on AI—the division is just a few months away from the departure of longtime head Panos Panay, who left to work at Amazon after taking over Windows development in 2020. Microsoft is at the forefront of AI thanks to its massive investment in OpenAI.
Companies typically start previewing their announcements in the days preceding the conference, so we might learn more about the impending Surface refresh in approximately a week. CES 2024 will take place from January 9 to January 12.