The NEW Surface Pro + Laptop - First Impressions
Summary
TLDRIn the laptop industry, the introduction of the powerful Snapdragon X chip promises enhanced energy efficiency and potentially lower costs. Devices like the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 feature OLED screens for improved image quality. Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7x and Asus's VivoBook S15, starting at $1200 and $1100 respectively, offer impressive specs and battery life, aiming to deliver multi-day use. While initial impressions are positive, the success of these ARM-based Windows devices hinges on the performance of app emulation and real-world testing.
Takeaways
- π» New laptops with the Snapdragon X chip have been launched, promising powerful performance and excellent energy efficiency.
- π The Snapdragon X chip is expected to deliver incredible battery life due to its energy-efficient design.
- π° These chips are also anticipated to be cheaper, which could lead to a reduction in the overall cost of laptops.
- π₯οΈ Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 have been updated with OLED panels, offering better contrast ratios and viewing angles.
- π The Surface Laptop 7 now features rounded corners on the display, a design change not previously seen on Surface laptops.
- π§ The keyboard on the Surface Laptop 7 includes a co-pilot key for AI functionalities, indicating a focus on AI integration.
- π The trackpads on the Surface Laptop 7 have been updated to haptic touchpads, providing a new user experience.
- π₯ The new Surface Laptop appears to have a thicker middle segment, possibly for better thermal management with the Snapdragon X Elite chip.
- π The Surface Laptop 7 has an extra USB-C port on the left side, while the right side retains the Surface Connect port.
- π€ Concerns remain about the support for nonnative apps on ARM chips, with the success of these laptops potentially hinging on effective emulation.
- π Other manufacturers like Lenovo and Asus have also introduced devices with the Snapdragon X chip, offering competitive pricing and features.
Q & A
What is the significance of the new Snapdragon X chip in the laptop world?
-The new Snapdragon X chip is significant because it is a powerful chip with excellent energy efficiency, which is expected to result in incredible battery life for laptops. It's also a cost-effective chip, potentially reducing the overall price of laptops that incorporate it.
What are the major changes in the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7?
-The major changes in the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 include the update to OLED panels for both devices, which offer better contrast ratios and viewing angles. The Surface Laptop 7 also features rounded corners on the display for the first time, and an updated haptic touchpad.
Why are the rounded corners on the Surface Laptop 7 notable?
-The rounded corners on the Surface Laptop 7 are notable because they represent a new design language for Surface devices, which previously did not have rounded corners. This change is reminiscent of Apple's MacBook design but is applied to all four corners, including the bottom ones.
What is the 'co-pilot key' and what does it do?
-The 'co-pilot key' is a new feature on the Surface Laptop 7 that serves as an AI button. When pressed, it triggers various AI functionalities and is related to the conversation around the new co-pilot and co-pilot plus features that will be discussed in future updates.
How have the trackpads on the Surface Laptops been updated?
-The trackpads on the Surface Laptops have been updated to haptic touchpads. This means they no longer use a physical lever mechanism to move up and down but instead have a motor inside that simulates the sensation of tapping on the touchpad.
What design change has been made to the new Surface Laptop to accommodate the Snapdragon X chips?
-The new Surface Laptop has a chunkier middle segment in its base design, which is believed to be to support better thermals and accommodate the higher wattage of the Snapdragon X Elite chips.
What is the potential problem with the Snapdragon X chips in terms of software support?
-The potential problem with the Snapdragon X chips is the support for nonnative apps. Many Windows apps do not have native support for ARM chips, which could be a weakness unless the emulation provided by Microsoft and Qualcomm is effective.
What are the starting prices for Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7x and Asus's VivoBook S15?
-The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x starts at $1,200, and the Asus VivoBook S15 starts at $1,100.
What are some standout features of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x?
-The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x features a full metal design, a 1.5 mm travel keyboard, a 14.5-inch OLED panel that gets super bright, and a 70Wh hour battery, all packed into a thin and light 1.29 cmet thin and 1.29 kilos body.
What makes the Asus VivoBook S15 unique among the Snapdragon X laptops mentioned?
-The Asus VivoBook S15 is unique because it has a larger 15-inch 120Hz 3K screen and offers a higher wattage of 45 Watts for the Snapdragon X chip. It also includes a lot of I/O options such as two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a Micro SD reader.
What advice does the script give to consumers about the new Snapdragon X laptops?
-The script advises consumers not to rush out and buy the new Snapdragon X laptops immediately, but to wait for retail reviews to ensure that the emulation for nonnative apps is good enough and that the devices deliver on their promises.
Outlines
π» New Laptops with Snapdragon X Chip
The laptop industry has seen a significant launch with the introduction of devices featuring the new Snapdragon X chip, which is reputed for its high performance and impressive energy efficiency. This chip is expected to extend battery life and reduce the cost of laptops. The script discusses initial impressions of the new Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, both from Microsoft, which now boast OLED panels for enhanced image quality and contrast ratios. The Surface Laptop 7 introduces rounded corners on its display, a design choice that aligns with the overall aesthetic of Surface devices. Additionally, the inclusion of a 'co-pilot' key hints at AI functionalities to be explored further in the future. The trackpads have been updated to haptic touchpads, and the device appears to have a thicker middle segment, possibly for better thermal management. The script also mentions the retooling of Microsoft's hardware to accommodate the Snapdragon X Elite chip, indicating a commitment to delivering a quality ARM-based Windows device. Concerns are raised about the support for nonnative apps on ARM chips, with the hope that emulation will be effective. Pricing details are not provided, but the expectation is that these devices will be more affordable than anticipated.
π Impressions on Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x and Asus VivoBook S15
The script also reviews Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7x and Asus's VivoBook S15, two laptops that integrate the Snapdragon X chip and offer impressive specifications at competitive starting prices of $1,200 and $1,100, respectively. The Yoga Slim 7x features a full metal design, a responsive keyboard, and a 14.5-inch OLED panel capable of reaching peak brightness levels of 1,000 nits. It is remarkably thin and light, with a 70Wh battery that promises multi-day battery life, potentially up to 21 hours, although this claim is yet to be verified. On the other hand, the VivoBook S15 offers a larger 15-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3K resolution. It is not as premium as the Yoga Slim 7x but includes a higher wattage Snapdragon X chip and a range of I/O options, such as two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a Micro SD reader. The script expresses optimism about the launch of Snapdragon X devices, noting the quality of the devices and the commitment shown by companies like Microsoft in retooling their hardware for ARM chips. The author advises potential buyers to wait for retail reviews before making a purchase, with a particular focus on the performance of app emulation on these new devices.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Snapdragon X chip
π‘Energy Efficiency
π‘OLED panels
π‘Surface Pro 11
π‘Surface Laptop 7
π‘Co-pilot key
π‘Haptic touchpad
π‘Snapdragon X Elite
π‘Nonnative apps
π‘Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x
π‘VivoBook S15
Highlights
New laptops launched with the powerful Snapdragon X chip, known for its energy efficiency and potential for long battery life.
The new chips are expected to be cheaper, which could lower the overall price of laptops.
Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 feature OLED panels for improved contrast ratios and viewing angles.
Surface Laptop 7 introduces rounded corners on the display, a first for the product line.
Keyboard includes a new co-pilot key for AI functionalities.
Surface Laptops now have haptic touchpads replacing the traditional mechanical lever mechanism.
Surface Laptop 7 appears to have a thicker middle section, possibly for better thermal management.
Microsoft has retooled their Surface Laptop hardware to better support ARM chips.
An extra USB-C port has been added to the Surface Laptops.
Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus chips are yet to be fully evaluated for performance in retail units.
Lenovo's Yoga Slim 7x starts at $1,200 and offers a full metal design with a 14.5-inch OLED panel.
Yoga Slim 7x is incredibly thin and light with a 70Wh battery for potentially multi-day use.
Asus's VivoBook S15 starts at $1,100 and features a 15-inch 120Hz 3K OLED screen.
VivoBook S15 has the highest wattage Snapdragon X laptop seen so far at 45 watts.
The new Snapdragon X devices are expected to have good emulation support for nonnative apps.
A detailed review of the performance and features of these new devices is forthcoming.
Transcripts
today is a big day in the laptop world
because a bunch of devices were launched
with the new Snapdragon X chip this is
supposedly a very powerful chip with
awesome Energy Efficiency so like
incredible battery life and these are
supposed to be cheaper chips so it' be
able to put this type of chip into a
laptop makes that whole product come
down in price okay I was able to spend a
little bit of time with a few of them
and these are some First Impressions I'm
going to start off with some surface
devices so with the Surface Pro 11 and
the surface laptop 7 with the laptops
having the biggest changes the screens
on both devices are now OLED panels so
the 13.5 in IPS panel for the previous
generation has now been updated to a
13.8 in OLED panel and the 15-in panel
as well but they both have much better
contrast ratios and viewing angles just
better image quality they would get with
OLED Tech and you get thinner bezels but
you also get for the first time that I
can think of on a Surface laptop rounded
corners on the display now Apple's been
doing this on their MacBooks for like
over a decade at this point but they
only do the top corners like the top
left top right this on the surface
laptop here we're seeing it on all four
corners including the bottom ones and
it's just I don't know I like the look I
don't think it's for everyone but I
think it's just like a nice design
language that I think goes really well
with the overall design of the surface
devices uh the keyboard hasn't really
changed other than the inclusion of
their co-pilot key which is like their
AI button you press that and it'll do
wonderful AI things that whole
conversation of co-pilot and the new
co-pilot plus that's a whole separate
convers ation that'll come in the future
the trackpads on the surface laptops
have also been updated they're now a
haptic touchpad in the sense that
they're no longer like a physical can
lever mechanism that goes up and down it
is now a motor on the inside that
simulates the sensation of tapping on
that touch pad and both the 13.8 and
15-in devices have this change another
thing the new Surface laptop seemed a
little chunkier than before so like the
base of the device has a beefier middle
segment which I actually like to see
because usually that means better
thermals and I imagine they went with
this kind of chunkier design because
they wanted to be to support the highest
tier of Snapdragon X chips like the
Snapdragon X Elite that has a slightly
higher wattage and they want to be able
to run that chip on these new Surface
devices but the interesting thing to me
is that for years now the surface
laptops when it came to the Intel
chipped versions those were just barely
able to keep up with the heat output of
those Intel chips but they retooled
everything for the arm chips which to me
is like okay Microsoft at least on the
hardware level is very committed or
seemingly very committed to actually
delivering a good product here because
they actually spent all the money and
resources to retool this entire products
lineup that's good to hear now in terms
of ports you get an extra USBC on the
left side and on the right side is just
the surface connect okay the performance
of this chip so these chips the
Snapdragon X Elite and the Snapdragon X
Plus they're both supposedly awesome but
we've only seen it with synthetic
benchmarks and stuff that the companies
have demo mode with intent the real
question and really think the only kind
of potential problem that we might see
with this product is the support for
nonnative apps so if you're new to this
whole conversation of like arm chips
with Windows devices all the stuff seems
good so far right but the one weakness
is a lot of Windows apps do not have
native support for this type of Chip
These Arm chips and we've been promised
from the developers from Microsoft from
Qualcomm that this time around they
they've got it they've got it all
covered the emulation will be good
everything will be solid but I need to
see the performance with my own eyes on
retail units none of this like Early
Access stuff uh the other product from
Microsoft is their Surface Pro 11 so
this now has an OLED screen which looks
quite a bit better than what they had
previously because it's OLED the size
seem the same and same with the bezels
they didn't change it it's a good thing
I think with a tablet you need to have a
good amount of bezel so you're not like
accidentally misclicking when you're
holding it as a tablet most of this
device seemed completely unchanged from
the exterior it still has the same clean
design on the back and you still have
easy access to the SSD by pushing the
metal plate that has magnets holding it
now at the time of shooting this I don't
have specific pricing on any of those
Microsoft service devices I was told
that they'd be cheaper than I would
expect but because of the live event
I'll be updating any kind of pricing and
extra details down the description but I
do think that they'll be cheaper than
before but I do have two other devices
that I think are arguably more
interesting and I do have details and
pricing the first one is this one this
is lenovo's yoga slim 7x and this thing
starts at $1,200 and for the money you
get a crazy amount of Awesomeness in a
laptop so this is a full metal design
like classic yoga build right but the
keyboard is just it's awesome this is a
1.5 mm travel it's strangely responsive
but because this is so thin like look at
this thing man this is 1.29 millimet
thin sorry 1.29 cmet thin so 12.9
millimet it's super thin super light at
1.29 kilos and it's
like it it's crazy how compact this
thing is with a 14-in screen so this is
a 14.5 in OLED panel that gets super
bright I think it Peaks at 1,00 nits
this is all like pre-release or pre-
retail soft or Hardware so I can't
really I don't want to measure it and
give you numbers but the the goal of it
is be able to hit 1,000 nits at Peak but
this thing is so good for the money
because typically if you're going to get
a device like this with an Intel or AMD
chip this thing would have been like
1,500 bucks easy but to get this kind of
performance and a 70w hour battery so
the 70w hour battery combined with the
Snapdragon X chip my guess they wouldn't
give me numbers yet but my guess is it's
going to be like a 20h hour claimed
battery this is supposed to be a
multi-day battery product uh I legit
think they're going to be like this
thing's 21 hours like out of the box
that would be crazy but again all the
testing has to come later but for the
money I think this is really solid the
other product I want to dry your
attention to is the Viva book S15 from
Asus this is an even cheaper device
starts at $1,100 but this has a bigger
screen at 15 in it's also a really nice
looking panel 120 HZ 3K but this isn't
as premium of a product overall as the
Lenovo Yoga slim 7x I do think that
because of the bigger screen you'll also
have a slightly shorter battery life
they both have 70w hour batteries but
the interesting thing about this Asus
product the Viva book S15 is it does
have the highest wattage of the
Snapdragon X laptops I've seen so far so
45 Watts at the top end you also get a
lot of IO including two usba and an HDMI
port and a Micro SD reader to boot so my
initial impression on this whole like
launch of Snapdragon X devices it's just
so much better than I than I thought it
would be like when they first announced
it we saw all the launch partners and it
seemed like okay there's a lot of
companies on board but I'm impressed by
the caliber or devices that are coming
out the fact that Microsoft like
retooled their surface laptop Hardware
finally but for arm devices like that's
telling uh and then you just saw like
two other really good devices like I
think the the options are really good
for consumers at this point don't go out
and buy it until you see the retail like
reviews I think my hope is that the
emulation is going to be good enough it
it better be or else all of this is just
going to go to waste but wait for the
reviews uh I'll be doing pretty
extensive reviews on the performance and
the stuff so be tuned for that if you're
interested uh but there you have it the
Snapdragon X laptops are finally here
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