Microsoft is planning a two-stage rollout of the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro models.
While the Intel-based variants could launch this spring, the Snapdragon X2 models could launch in the summer, reportedly due to supply chain constraints (via Windows Central).
What actually changes for Surface buyers?
Upgrades include display improvements, with Microsoft adopting OLED panels for the Surface Laptop for the first time (although this is limited to high-end configurations), along with a higher resolution screen, rumored for some models.
Along with the Intel and Qualcomm chipsets, the notebooks could come with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage on their base models, while the top variants could come with 64GB RAM and 2TB storage.
Additionally, the report also mentions updated hatpics. However, the upcoming lineup doesn’t really answer the MacBook Neo question that Apple asked all manufacturers in March 2026.
The upcoming Surface lineup is almost certainly in the premium and ultra-premium notebook category; Unlike the MacBook Neo, it’s not really attractive to budget buyers.
Why is the price difference important?
Microsoft’s cheapest Surface PC, the 12-inch Surface Pro, has already risen from $799 to $1,049 due to the ongoing memory shortage. The Surface Laptop 13-inch is the second cheapest option, starting at $1,149.99.
A regular user looking for a capable everyday laptop now has a difficult choice: a $599 MacBook Neo with 256GB of storage ($499 with education pricing), or a Microsoft Surface laptop that starts at almost twice the price, with double the storage but similar storage.
I understand and appreciate that Microsoft relies on display upgrades and chip performance when selling its premium Surface offerings, but for a regular user who just wants a solid device to take to school, work, or vacation, they may not be able to justify the price when it comes to the MacBook Neo.
Apple is winning the budget laptop game
This is exactly where the MacBook Neo comes in and could do so in the near future. Even compared to budget Windows laptops or Chromebooks, not to mention Microsoft’s Surface lineup, the Neo comes out on top with a superior battery, solid build quality, and useful AI features in a lighter package.
Take the Acer Chromebook Plus 514 or the Asus Chromebook Plus CX34, both well-regarded options in the $400 to $600 price range. However, they run on Chrome OS, effectively locking users out of full desktop applications.
Affordable Windows devices like the Lenovo IdeaPad or the HP series with Intel Core i3 and 8 GB of RAM are roughly at a similar price level, but often stumble on battery life and build quality (they are significantly heavier), which the MacBook Neo doesn’t mind.
As Chromebook and Windows OEMs face rising memory and component costs, Apple appears to have used its position as one of the largest laptop sellers to timely match the market and undercut the most popular options.
MacBook Neo could still win with a small price increase
Even if Apple launches a new MacBook Neo with 16GB of RAM and a more powerful chipset and raises the price to $600 or $700, it will still be one of the most affordable devices for everyday use, something that’s a given for iPhone users but perhaps a thinker for Android users.
Currently, Microsoft’s inability or unwillingness to chase the price of the MacBook Neo is a sign of a deeper strategic gap. In the past, Apple has reacted first and Microsoft has reacted later, and perhaps that will happen in this scenario too.
