Microsoft's Surface range of laptops and tablets has evolved over the years. Now it features a bewildering array of models, and the company is about to make it even more confusing this year. What's in the mix, and how can you pick which one is right for your employees?
Once upon a time, the iPad was the only tablet in town. Since then, of course, we've seen plenty of others hit the market. One of the most appealing for businesses has been Microsoft's Surface lineup. These devices feature a tablet form factor with the added benefit of Windows, which suits many business users more than iOS.
The Surface Pro has always been a 13-in unit, giving it real credibility as a laptop replacement with its Windows functionality. The latest Surface Pro 9 replaced the Surface Pro X, which Microsoft had launched in 2019 to target the iPad Pro and which featured a custom ARM chip. It absorbed that brand into the main Surface Pro lineup, offering an entry-level version of the Surface Pro 9 featuring an ARM-based Microsoft SQ3 processor with 5G capabilities.
Microsoft introduced the Surface Go as a smaller, less powerful model designed for users on a budget in 2018. This effectively replaced the Microsoft Surface, which it had last updated with the Surface 3 a couple of years prior. The Surface Go had lower computing specs and a lower-resolution screen, but still got good reviews as a solid little unit. Since then, we have seen another two iterations of the Surface Go.
The company also shipped the Surface Laptop, a more powerful fully-fledged laptop option than the Surface Pro, in 2017. There is also a lightweight version of this called the Surface Laptop Go.
Two other units muddy the waters still further: The Surface Book, a laptop built-in discrete NVIDIA graphics processing unit. This model, aimed at gamers and creatives, doubles as a tablet thanks to its detachable screen. Now there's also the Surface Laptop Studio, which is a clamshell with a non-detachable screen that can be manipulated to lay flat on a desk or serve as an easel. Microsoft aimed this one firmly at creatives, and it will likely replace the Surface Book in time.
We shouldn't leave out the Surface Studio, an all-in-one desktop also aimed at creatives. It features built-in discrete graphics to power a large touch screen that flexes so that artists can use it as an easel.
Finally there's the oddball of the bunch: the Surface Duo 2. This is a small-footprint double-screen clam shell device based on Android that is designed as an alternative to foldable single-screen phones.
What's next for the Surface range
There's a lot of complexity in Microsoft's Surface lineup, and rumour has it that this year the company will make things more complex still. It will split the Surface Pro line into two sizes: A 13-in model and an 11-in unit. Codenamed Luxor, the latter will be closer in size to the Surface Go, albeit more powerful.
Reports from Windows Central also suggest that the entry-level model of the Surface Go 4 (codenamed Tanta) will offer an ARM processor for the first time. This Snapdragon chip will offer a longer battery life, and could even facilitate an option for built-in 5G connectivity.
Microsoft isn't known for its simple marketing and naming conventions, meaning that customers can find the various options confusing, especially when trying to pick the right model for their employees. Nevertheless, underneath the complexity lies an arrangement of extremely good kit. The Surface proposition is made more attractive in part by the fact that the company offering this hardware also makes the OS. Whichever you choose, you can be sure that you're getting a seamlessly integrated tech solution.