One of the standout features is Recall, an AI-driven system search tool. Recall allows users to find what they need by describing the content, its origin, or even providing a vague description of a conversation. This innovative tool leverages a new semantic database that indexes all user activity—from individual files to conversations on platforms like Slack and Discord. This comprehensive indexing, organized on a timeline, ensures that users can accurately locate specific information, even if their description is something as general as “the report discussed in the Wednesday meeting” or “the presentation featuring the purple chart with a handwritten note.”
In essence, Microsoft’s integration of advanced AI capabilities in Windows 11 signifies a transformative step, heralding a new era for personal computing.
With Recall, Copilot intuitively grasps your intent, analyzes the context to accurately pinpoint the desired information, and retrieves the necessary file efficiently.
Co-Creator leverages generative AI to transform your sketches into high-quality images. By employing diffusion-based image generation alongside language prompts and iterative sketch refinement, you can swiftly evolve from basic doodles to functional artwork.
Live Caption takes innovation to a new level, offering speech-to-text functionality across any video call, streaming content, and more—and it supports nearly any language. With automatic translation capabilities spanning over 40 languages, it promises to revolutionize communication for global teams and online communities.
Currently, this capability is fueled by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X processors, heralding a transformative period for laptops. Both the new Surface Pro tablet and Surface Laptop are equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus processors, leveraging the Hexagon NPU for advanced on-device AI processing. Microsoft has fully committed to Qualcomm for this release, touting that the Snapdragon NPU delivers enhanced performance, capable of executing 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS).
Although both AMD and Intel have introduced processors equipped with Neural Processing Units (NPUs), neither has yet met the 40 TOPS minimum requirement necessary to run Microsoft Copilot natively. Intel, however, has made bold claims, asserting that its upcoming “Lunar Lake” Core Ultra chips will deliver up to 100 TOPS, aiming to surpass Qualcomm. While TOPS is often an unreliable metric for gauging true AI performance in varied scenarios, one thing is certain: the competition for AI supremacy is intensifying.
The New Microsoft Surface Pro Tablet
Microsoft’s newest iteration of the Surface Pro tablet will be instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with the Surface lineup. It boasts an all-screen front, an integrated kickstand at the back, and a sleek, lightweight magnesium-alloy frame that houses the internal components. This design continues the tradition of combining form and function in a slender and portable package. If you find yourself puzzled by the choice of naming—simply “New Surface Pro” instead of Surface Pro 10—you’re not alone. Nevertheless, these are the official titles designated for the 2024 releases: the New Surface Pro and the New Surface Laptop.
This iteration introduces significant enhancements, particularly in the display department. The new OLED screen offers superior contrast and HDR support, setting a new standard in visual fidelity. Surface devices have consistently delivered sharp and vibrant displays, but this latest version represents the pinnacle of Microsoft’s display technology to date.
Another significant enhancement is the newly introduced Surface Flex Keyboard. This pen-storing screen cover and keyboard accessory transforms the tablet into a robust 2-in-1 device. Microsoft has reinforced the keyboard with a carbon-fiber backing and introduced a particularly noteworthy feature: Bluetooth connectivity. This addition allows for the keyboard to be used independently from the tablet.
Connect the keyboard, and it will initiate charging for the internal battery while automatically establishing a wireless pairing. Detach the keyboard, and you can continue typing even when away from the display. During a demonstration at a recent Microsoft event, the two components were showcased working in unison: the user typed on the keyboard while simultaneously drawing on the tablet, positioned side-by-side.
Starting at $999.99, the newly unveiled Surface Pro is equipped with the Snapdragon X Plus chip—a tier below the top two X chips—and boasts an LCD screen that maintains the same resolution as its OLED counterpart: 2,880 by 1,920 pixels. Standard configurations include 16GB of memory and a 256GB solid-state drive. Additional features comprise Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, a 1440p Surface Studio webcam, dual USB4 ports, and a Surface Connect port, all within a sleek 0.37-inch, 1.97-pound frame. According to Microsoft, the device’s battery can deliver up to 14 hours of local video playback.
For those seeking enhanced performance, the OLED variant comes with the Snapdragon X Elite processor, along with expanded RAM and SSD options, and starts at $1,499.99.
The New Microsoft Surface Laptop Line
The newly unveiled Surface Laptop models, available in 13.8-inch and 15-inch variants, may exude a more conventional aesthetic, but they represent the pinnacle of Microsoft’s laptop engineering to date. Designed with impressive battery performance, these laptops can sustain up to 20 hours of local video playback for the 13.8-inch model and up to 22 hours for the 15-inch model, according to Microsoft. Furthermore, these devices boast robust multi-display capabilities, supporting up to three 4K external monitors in addition to the native display, as illustrated below.
Microsoft is clearly positioning its Surface Laptop series to be evaluated alongside Apple’s MacBook Air range, and this comparison holds merit. Both feature ultra-slim chassis, lightweight designs, and promises of all-day battery life, clearly targeting the ultraportable laptop market dominated by Apple. Additionally, the multi-monitor functionality in Surface Laptops appears to be a direct response to features offered by the MacBook Air.
