Surface Laptop 8 launched with Snapdragon X2 Plus

Microsoft has introduced the Surface Laptop 8, a new laptop designed for consumers, released alongside the Surface Pro 12. The model features Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Plus chip, which is positioned below the more powerful Snapdragon X2 Elite in the company’s lineup.

Technical specifications and pricing details

The Surface Laptop 8 comes with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, making it the most affordable option for the 13.8-inch model. It is priced at 1,449.99 euros on Boulanger, with a 100 euro discount available using the code SNAP100, bringing the price to 1,349.99 euros. However, the charger is not included in the box and must be purchased separately.

Display features and design

The laptop includes a 13.8-inch PixelSense touchscreen with a resolution of 2,304 x 1,536 pixels. It has a 3:2 aspect ratio, which is ideal for work tasks, offering more vertical space for reading documents or web pages. The screen is touch-sensitive, HDR-compatible, and can reach 120 Hz for smooth animations in Windows 11. However, it is an LCD with a glossy finish, which may cause reflections in bright environments.

Portability and connectivity options

The Surface Laptop 8 has dimensions of 30.1 x 22 cm, a thickness of 1.75 cm, and a weight of 1.34 kg, making it easily portable in a backpack. Connectivity includes two USB-C USB4 ports, one USB-A 3.2 port, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and a Surface Connect port.

Performance and compatibility

The laptop uses facial recognition via the webcam for unlocking, with no fingerprint reader available. It features Dolby Atmos speakers and a 10-core Snapdragon X2 Plus processor with up to 4.0 GHz clock speed, supported by 16 GB of LPDDR5x and a 512 GB SSD. It is suitable for office tasks, browsing with multiple tabs, video calls, and light photo editing but not for gaming due to its integrated Adreno GPU. Some software may require emulation if not adapted to the ARM architecture. The laptop is compatible with Copilot+ and has access to the AI functions of Windows 11.

Battery life and wireless capabilities

Microsoft claims up to 20 hours of battery life for video playback and 16 hours for web browsing, measured with the brightness set to 150 nits. These figures may vary depending on usage. Charging is done via USB-C, requiring a minimum of 39 W charger, with 60 W or more for fast charging. The laptop includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless connectivity.