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Microsoft Launches New Surface Devices, Let’s Hope They Are Stable

Microsoft who has a history of problems with their Surface devices is having another crack at trying to grow market share with three new models that are not that much different from prior models.

The software Company has also announced an update to their Windows OS.

Among the new models is the Surface Pro 6 and the Surface Laptop 2, both are available in a matte black colour scheme and like several new notebooks from the likes of Acer, MSI and Dell they also have the latest Intel processor offering.

The Surface Pro 6 starts at $1349 in Australia, the price in the USA is US$899 (A$1250). It has an n 8th-Gen processor (i5-8250U or i7-8650U) and 8GB base of RAM, which can be upgraded to 16GB.

Like most notebooks running the new Intel 8th-generation Core processor the new Microsoft Surface devices get a significant speed bump.

The Surface Laptop 2 also delivers 14.5 hours of battery life, while the Surface Pro 6 still gets a solid 13.5 hours on a single charge.

The Surface Pro 6 maintains its part-tablet, part-laptop functionality due to the use of a full-friction hinge that enables ‘seamless transitions between Laptop Mode, Studio Mode, and Tablet Mode,’ according to Microsoft.

In Comparison Lenovo is bringing out a similar specked device however the big difference is that the hinge has been cleverly designed to be a speaker complete with built in sub-woofer and multiple speakers. The device has a 12.3-inch display and 16 gigabytes of RAM.

The most noticeable difference is the Surface Laptop 2 which comes with a 13.5-inch display, and a wafer-thin revamped touchscreen.

The keyboard is covered in Microsoft’s ‘Signature Alcantara’ fabric.

The Surface Laptop 2 is available in black, burgundy, platinum and blue, while the Surface Pro 6 comes in black and platinum.

Alongside the Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6, Microsoft also unveiled a new Surface Studio 2 – an update to its first Surface desktop computer, which launched in 2016.

It boasts a 28-inch display that’s said to be 38 percent brighter than the original Surface Studio, as well as 22 percent more contrast.

It also includes a brand-new Surface Pen with tilt sensibility, as well as the Surface Dial controller with haptic feedback.

The Surface Studio 2 is available for pre-order starting today Pricing will start at a $5,499 and becomes more expensive when you add 32GB RAM ($6,599) and 2TB storage ($7,499). New and similar offerings from Acer are set to be cheaper.

The surprise at the New York event was the release of a pair of Surface Headphones that incorporate adjustable noise cancellation, automatic pause and play, which pauses the video a user is watching when they take the headphones off.

Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant, is also built into the headphones. It can offer ‘proactive guidance, read you emails, or kick off your conference call,’ according to the firm.

The headphones are set to be over %500 in Australia.

Microsoft also announced that there will be a major Windows update on 10 October.

A ‘Your Phone’ feature, lets users mirror activity from their smartphone or PC, or vice versa.

It will support phones running Android 7.0 or Google’s mobile operating system.

Users can mirror their smartphone activity onto their PC to access photos and even send text messages from their computer.

What’s more, users can even send Snapchats from their PC using the ‘Your Phone’ tool.

The update also brings a dark mode for File Explorer, making it easier on users who prefer to work at night.

There’s also a new ‘Snip & Sketch’ feature that lets users capture and draw on screen captures.

Surface Pro 6 specs

12.3-inch 2736 x 1824 PixelSense display
Windows 10 Home OS
Intel Core 8th Gen i5/i7 CPU
8GB/16GB RAM
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB storage
Up to 13.5 hours battery life
8MP rear and 5MP front cameras
USB 3.0, mini DisplayPort, Surface Connector ports
Platinum or matte black colour options
292 x 201 x 8.5 mm, 770g

Surface Studio 2
It has a new NVIDIA Pascal graphics card built in.

28-inch 4500 x 3000 PixelSense display
Windows 10 Pro OS
Intel Core 8th Gen i7-7820HQ
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/1070 8GB GPU
16GM/32GM RAM
1TB/2GB storage
1080P HD front camera
4 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB-C, Sd card reader. 3.5mm headphone jack, 1 gigabit ethernet ports
637.35 x 438.90 x 12.50 mm, 9.56kg

Surface Laptop 2

This device will come with 8GB RAM and an 8th Gen processor and have the same upgrade options, and no USB-C. Pricing will start at $1,499.

13.5-inch 2256 x 1504 PixelSense display
Windows Home 10 OS
Intel Core 8th Gen i5/i7 CPU
8GB/16GB RAM
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB storage
Up to 14.5 hours battery life
720P HD front camera
USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort, Surface Connect Port, 3.5mm headphone jack ports
Burgundy, platinum, cobalt blue, matte black colour options
308.1 x 223.27 x 14.48 mm, 1.25kg