Microsoft has revealed the specs for the Surface Laptop 4. It will come with 13.5 inch and 15 inch displays, and ships on April 15 in the US, Canada, and Japan. The AMD model starts at $999, while the Intel processor hikes its model’s starting price up to $1,299.
If you missed the news, that’s because Microsoft casually dropped the new release in a blog post instead of the typical 90-minute event. Here’s what to expect from the new Surface Laptop, plus a few other new devices and accessories.
Surface Laptop 4
The new model keeps the same general design as the previous one. Specs differ a little between the two: The AMD base model has the 13.5-inch display, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the Intel model starts with a higher 256GB of storage. In what’s sure to disappoint some, the AMD model does not feature the AMD 5000 series, instead using the older Zen 2-based chips.
Surface Laptop 4 specs
The Surface Laptop 4 comes with these features and functions:
- 3:2 PixelSense touchscreen displays in 13.5” or 15” models
- Built-in HD front-facing camera with low-light capability
- Studio microphone array
- 201 PPI high-contrast touchscreen display
- Dolby® Atmos™ Omnisonic speakers
- Trackpad has gesture support
- 11th Gen Intel Core processor or AMD Ryzen Mobile Processors with 8-core Radeon Graphics Microsoft Surface Edition
- USB-C port, USB-A port, headphone jack, Microsoft Surface Connect charge port
The AMD model is a lot cheaper, starting at $999, while the Intel model starts at $1299. Those in the US who pre-order a Surface Laptop 4 before April 15 through either microsoft.com or bestbuy.com will get free Surface Earbuds thrown in as well.
Should you get the Surface Laptop 4?
It’s early days still, so it’s likely worth waiting for more reviews to roll in before deciding, but it certainly seems to be a capable laptop. While you’re waiting to see if it’s good, you can check out a few other devices that Microsoft has debuted at the same time:
Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 Plus for Business
The new Surface headphones have a mouthful of a name because they’re just a refresh of the Surface Headphones 2. The specs are roughly the same, but as the “for business” name hints at, these headphones have been retooled to work well with Microsoft Teams, the company’s business-oriented video conferencing software.
Surface Headphones 2 Plus for Business come with a dedicated Microsoft Teams button and a USB dongle with a built-in LED indicator that lights up when you’re on mute, so you can tell with a glance if you need to unmute to speak.
They’re available in black, and are on sale today for $299.99 a pair.
Microsoft Modern Webcam
Microsoft also debuted a new, long-awaited webcam, which they’re calling the “Modern Webcam.” At 1080p, it’s nothing amazing, but it looks like a well-made camera for basic use.
Here are the specs:
- 30fps 1080p HDR
- USB-A connection
- Includes privacy shutter
- LED indicator lights up when active
- No Windows Hello support
It ships in June, and costs $69.99.
Microsoft Modern USB-C Speaker
Also announced is a USB-C speaker. Like the webcam, it does the basics. Unlike the cam, it comes with Microsoft Teams integrations: It has a physical button you can use to launch a Teams control panel. Here are the specs on the small five-inch-wide speaker:
- Omni-directional microphones
- Background noise cancellation
- Controls: mute, volume, call-button
- USB-C cable storage
- Carrying case
It ships in June and costs $99.99.
The Microsoft Teams integrations are another reminder that the tech company is pushing hard for its Teams conferencing solution. It’s being frequently updated with new features, and the new speakers and wireless headsets are aimed at those who use Teams constantly.
We’ve previously compared Microsoft Teams against a top video conferencing solution you may have heard of, Zoom. It’s a solid pick, even if Zoom is a tad better. And if you’re a dedicated Microsoft Teams user, these new devices certainly seem worth considering.
