Microsoft Debuts 12-Inch Surface Pro, 13-Inch Laptop With Snapdragon Elite X2 and 24GB RAM
Updated
Updated · CNET · Sep 24
Microsoft Debuts 12-Inch Surface Pro, 13-Inch Laptop With Snapdragon Elite X2 and 24GB RAM
3 articles · Updated · CNET · Sep 24
Summary
Microsoft used Snapdragon Summit 2026 to show updated 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop models with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Elite X2 chips, extending the processor to smaller Surface devices.
16GB and 24GB RAM options replace the prior 8GB and 16GB tiers, while Microsoft says the mobile-derived chip improves performance per watt, battery life and webcam image processing.
DxOMark now ranks Microsoft’s 13.8-inch Surface Laptop and 13-inch Surface Pro first and second for laptop camera quality, which Microsoft credits mainly to Qualcomm’s ISP rather than new sensors.
Battery remains a key selling point: Microsoft projects 22.5 hours for the second-generation 13-inch Surface Laptop, below its predecessor’s 24 hours but still above the 18.5-hour claims on older Intel-based models.
The launch builds on Microsoft’s broader shift toward Qualcomm silicon in Surface PCs, as the company leans on smartphone-style efficiency and imaging to differentiate Windows laptops.