The days of the big product event are on hold for the foreseeable future. Until then, a big blog post will have to do. A day after announcing that Microsoft would be shifting focus away from dual-screen devices, Chief Product Officer Panos Panay took to the company’s Devices blog to show off a slew of new products.
The headliners here are the latest versions of the Surface Book and Surface Go. There are also updates on the line’s headphone offerings. The compact Go is one of the more compelling additions to the Surface family, and the original model was fairly well received, so let’s start with that.
The goal of the initial Go was offering a more affordable entry level into the Surface line, coupled with a portable form factor — smaller and cheaper. The Go 2 retains its predecessor’s footprint, while increasing screen size ever so slightly, from 10 inches to 10.5. The processor has been upgraded to an 8th-gen Intel, up from a Pentium. Both the microphones and the front-facing camera got upgrades as well, along with some new apps for the Surface Pen. The Go will be available May 12, priced at $399.
The Surface Book’s upgrades are largely internal. There’s a 10th-gen Intel processor, coupled with 32GB of RAM and improved graphics. Microsoft says the laptop should get up to 17.5 hours of life on a charge. That one’s available May 21, starting at $1,599.
Microsoft’s new wireless earbuds work with Office — no, seriously
The Surface Headphones have gotten an upgrade, as well, with up to 20 hours of battery life on a charge. There’s improved sound quality and adjustable active noise cancellation, while the ear cups have been redesigned to offer more rotation for the users. Those will be priced at $249. They’re hitting stores (well, online, at least) May 12.
Ditto for the long-awaited Surface Earbuds. One of the odder additions to the family, the AirPods competitor seeks to set itself apart with the inclusion of various Office-related features, including Word, Outlook and PowerPoint diction. Those include a wireless charging case, all priced at $199.
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