Microsoft has softened the blow of rising PC prices by launching cheaper versions of its Surface Pro and Surface Laptop – but buyers will give up access to its flagship AI PC features.

The company has introduced new 8GB RAM configurations of the 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop, creating a lower entry point for both models.

In Australia, Microsoft lists the 8GB Surface Pro from A$1,437, while the 8GB Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at A$1,597. Both models use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus processor and include 256GB of storage.

The move comes as PC makers grapple with higher component costs, particularly memory, which has pushed up pricing across the premium laptop market.

However, the reduced memory means the new Surface models do not qualify as Copilot+ PCs.

Microsoft’s Copilot+ certification requires at least 16GB of RAM, meaning these cheaper devices miss out on on-device AI features such as Recall, Live Captions with translation, Cocreator and Windows Studio Effects.

For everyday users, Microsoft argues the 8GB models are aimed at common tasks such as web browsing, email, Office apps, video calls and entertainment. The company is also working to make Windows 11 run more efficiently on lower-memory systems.

The trade-off is likely to divide buyers.

While 8GB of RAM may be enough for students and casual users, power users running demanding workloads, heavy multitasking or creative software will likely need to step up to a 16GB configuration.

Microsoft’s higher-end Surface devices continue to start with 16GB of RAM and retain Copilot+ PC support.

The launch highlights the broader challenge for the PC industry of keeping new laptops affordable while trying to push AI-capable hardware into the mainstream.