This week, Microsoft took a bold-step into the world of dual-screen devices as it refreshed its lineup of Surface computers.
At a launch event in New York on Wednesday, the company introduced two dual-screen devices, namely the Surface Neo and Surface Duo for 2020. It also added AMD and ARM processor configurations to its lineup.
The Surface has been an indicator of ideal form factors for other manufacturers to adopt for showcasing the full capabilities of its Windows platform. As a result, any departure from conventional formats may mean new ranges from other manufacturers too. In the past, however, South Africans paid little attention to new Surface devices, as they have not been formally on sale in this country.
Gadget asked Microsoft’s corporate vice president for worldwide consumer and device sales, Ami Silverman, to provide insight into the status of Surface devices in South Africa.
“It is our goal and our objective to bring Surface to South Africa,” she told us. “We’re not in a place where we have a date or time. For now, Windows works well on many devices from our multinational partners, such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, and the great local partners that produce devices here in South Africa.”
The answer to the slow entrance into the South African market may lie in a slower computer refresh cycle in this country.
“In South Africa, the move to modern computers has been a little bit slower than other markets,” says Bradley Hopkinson, Microsoft VP of consumer and device sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa. ”It’s our job as Microsoft to support the ecosystem and work with multinational partners like Intel, AMD, and others, to support more modern devices to showcase the high functionality of these devices.”
Click here to read about the devices that were launched at the event.
Starting with the refreshes, Windows has adopted a sleeker take on its devices. It updated the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, bringing them into their third and seventh generation respectively.
The Surface Laptop has been slightly altered to offer two sizes, namely 13.5” and 15”. Each size comes with its own configuration: the 13.5” getting an upgrade to the 10th generation Intel Core processors, while the 15” adds a new AMD Ryzen specifically optimised for the Surface.
This partnership with AMD is interesting, considering how Intel has led the charge for many years. AMD has created an impressive line-up of processors with its Ryzen lineup. Some of these processors are not only superior to their Intel equivalents, but carry a much lower price tag.
The new Surface laptops feature the latest specs, like Type-C connectivity and fast charging. They feature a USB Type-C as well as Type-A port, although just one of each. Microsoft says the fast charging funtion will charge the computer up to 80% in about an hour.
The Surface Laptops start at $999 for the 13” and $1199 for the 15”.
Next up is the Surface Pro, the 2-in-1 pro device that supports the Surface Pen. It also features the 10th generation of Intel Core Processors, USB Type-C, and a new keyboard case that houses the Surface Pen.
New to the Surface 2-in-1 lineup is the Surface X, and you know it’s serious because they put an X in the name. It’s a 760g, 5.33mm device that runs Microsofts new SQ1 ARM chip. It is most likely contending with the iPad Pro, in terms of functionality. Microsoft worked with Qualcomm to make this chip, and it can process up to 2 teraflops of graphics processing power (which is a lot for a handheld tablet, considering the Mac Pro desktop processes up to 56 teraflops).
It also features an attachable keyboard, which has space for a new stylus called the Slim Pen.
Click here to read how Microsoft is breaking away from the traditional computer layout with its new two screen devices.
Breaking from the traditional computer layout, Microsoft launched two dual-screen mobile options. It offers a larger 9” offering and a smaller 5.6” pocket sized device, both of which feature a 360 degree full-friction hinge that connects two displays.
The larger device is the Surface Neo which, when unfolded, offers a larger 13” display. It operates like a laptop, and has a removable, flip-over style keyboard that provides an Apple Touch Bar-like experience above the keyboard, adjusting to app functionality. It is compatible with the Surface Pen.
The smaller device is the Surface Duo, which we reported on and featured the video for here.