Microsoft Autumn 2022 rooftop event It has just concluded! It was a packed event with three new Surface computers, a handful of new accessories, and a few new apps and services for Microsoft 365 subscribers. Here’s a summary of all the announcements from the event!
The company says that several new devices and accessories will begin shipping on October 25 in “select markets” with Pre-orders directly now. (Opens in a new tab)
Surface Pro 9
The highest billing in this event was the new Surface Pro 9, which includes both 12th generation Microsoft SQ3 chips and ARM in the same product line. The Surface Pro X is gone, and in its place is a 5G version of the Surface Pro 9. Inside, the Microsoft SQ3 is based on the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3, and offers significant performance improvements over the Surface Pro X.
Surface Pro 9 with 5G features a NPU (Neural Processing Unit) that delivers smart AI effects natively within Windows 11. Using the NPU, users will be able to enable camera and microphone effects such as photo background blur, audio focus, audio sharpening, and automatic camera framing in any app, enabled at the whole system level.
The Intel variant does not have an NPU, so it has many of these features missing. Inside, we have a 12th generation U-series processor, which delivers up to 50% more performance compared to the 11th generation chips found in the Surface Pro 8. The Intel Surface Pro 9 is also available in a wider variety of colors, including Two new colors named Sapphire and Forest.
There’s even a special 10th anniversary edition of the Surface Pro 9, which was designed in partnership with Liberty and features a laser-etched floral pattern with a matching Type Cover. It’s an amazing device and makes memorable very nicely.
Pre-orders are valid now, starting at $999. You can learn more about the new Surface Pro 9 here.
The Surface Pro 9 family comes in either an Intel or Arm flavor this year, so make sure you choose the right silicone for the job.
Surface Laptop 5
a New version of Surface Laptop It was also announced at the event, although the updates here are quite minor. We’ve got a new Sage green color, which matches the Surface Laptop Go 2 launched earlier this year. In terms of design, everything remains the same.
Changes are inside, with new Intel 12th-gen-series chips on the front. We’ve also got Thunderbolt 4 support built in for the first time on the Surface Laptop, and the device is now also certified for Secured-Core PC. Microsoft is also touting improvements to the camera and microphones for better Teams conferencing, as it does every year.
Oddly enough, Microsoft removed AMD from the lineup this year. Microsoft has included AMD Ryzen’s “Surface Edition” chipset options with the Surface Laptop since 2019, but the Surface Laptop 5 is the first Surface Laptop since the Surface Laptop 3 that doesn’t include these options.
When asked, Microsoft released the following statement regarding this topic:
“With each product and with the goal of delighting customers, we choose components that are appropriate for the form, scenario, and customer we envision. It is a thoughtful process through which we work closely with our partners to fine-tune and perfect the overall experience. To that end a product, we are excited about Intel’s 12th generation processors. These chipsets, which will help Created on the Intel® Evo™ platform, the Surface Laptop 5 strikes the perfect balance between style and power. This balance has consistently led to the Surface Laptop being the most loved Surface.”
Pre-orders are valid now, starting at $999. You can learn more about the new Surface Laptop 5 here.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 5
The Surface Laptop 5 gets a modest upgrade from the previous generation. You’ll get new Intel CPUs, Thunderbolt 4 support, and the branding Intel Evo this time around along with a small bump in battery life. Choose from two screen sizes: 13.5 and 15 inches.
Surface Studio 2+
It’s been four long years, but Microsoft has finally updated the Surface Studio with a new version. It’s called Surface Studio 2+This is a very frequent upgrade to the Surface Studio line, featuring the same design that shipped with the original Surface Studio in 2016, but with more powerful (but still outdated) specs.
Inside, the Surface Studio 2+ rocks an Intel 11th-gen Core i7-11370H and NVIDIA RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. This delivers twice the performance compared to the older Surface Studio 2 with a meager 7th generation chip, all in the same thermal package that’s great.
But on paper, these specs are definitely the latest generation. Less so on the GPU side, although the RTX 40XX GPUs are pretty close. Other improvements to the Surface Studio 2+ include the addition of three USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt 4 on the back, and the removal of the SD card reader.
The monitor is also now Dolby Vision certified and features an improved camera and microphone setup for Teams conferencing. Only one configuration is also available this time, the one with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.
Pre-orders are valid now, priced at $4,499. Learn more about Surface Studio 2+ here!
Microsoft Surface Studio 2+
A massive GPU upgrade makes the Surface Studio 2+ even more attractive to content creators and those looking for a futuristic all-in-one desktop this year. Sudio 2+ retains Microsoft’s signature desktop design.
Microsoft Audio Dock
the new Microsoft Audio Dock The reveal was somewhat of a surprise, being a unique take on the traditional PC docking experience. It’s an excellent speaker, good for listening to music and Teams conferences, and this also includes a full-featured docking experience on the back side, allowing you to connect a PC to monitors and other peripherals.
On the back, it has an HDMI 2.0 port, two USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 ports, and a USB-A 3.2 port. It also supports power lane up to 60W, which helps keep your computer charged when plugged into the dock. Acoustically speaking, on the inside we have a 15W woofer and 5W tweeters, which Microsoft says provide room-filling, multi-dimensional sound and deep bass for music and…meetings of course.
It has a few dedicated controls along the top, including a dedicated Teams button, mute button, and volume buttons. This is certainly one of the more unusual accessories to come out of Microsoft this year, but it’s also great to see Microsoft investing in audio peripherals outside of headphones.
Pre-orders are valid now at $250. Learn more about Audio Dock
Enjoy high-resolution audio and music while connecting additional peripherals and managing cable clutter on your desk with the new Microsoft Audio Dock. The Microsoft Audio Dock combines a USB hub with pass-through charging and a built-in speaker into a simple solution.
Microsoft Presenter +
along with acoustic basin A new remote terminal for Teams known as . has been announced Microsoft Presenter +. What is this thing? Well, it’s a remote control that lets you control your PowerPoint presentations, point and mark things on the screen, and mute/unmute your audio with the click of a button.
It operates at a distance of up to 32 feet, and has a battery life of up to 6 days on a single charge. It’s also certified for Microsoft Teams, and has programmable buttons that let you customize what the buttons do within certain apps. It also comes with a stylish USB-C charger that supports the remote control when not in use.
Pre-orders are valid now, priced at $79. Learn more about Microsoft Presenter + here.
Microsoft Adaptive Extensions
Microsoft Adaptive Accessories weren’t a new reveal at the event, as they were announced earlier this year. But, it did announce that the accessories will be generally available along with shipping of the new Surface devices on October 25th. that’s cool. The accessories range in price from $15 to $45, so they’re affordable, too.
Find out more about Microsoft Adaptive Extensions here!
Microsoft designer
Microsoft Designer is a new graphics design app with built-in AI capabilities. Powered by DALLE-2 technology by OpenAI, users can create unique images and graphics by simply typing what they want to see in their project. It’s crazy technology, and it makes creative tasks and projects accessible to more people, including those who aren’t familiar with graphics and artwork creation.
Microsoft Bing Image Creator
OpenAI’s AI-based DALL-E 2 technology is also coming to Microsoft Bing. Users will be able to create images just by typing a few keywords. Microsoft says it is working with OpenAI to make sure the resulting results are not offensive, and that the service will continue to evolve over time. It will be released in a limited preview in the coming months.
Learn more about Bing Image Creator.
Create Microsoft
Finally, Microsoft really wants to highlight the many apps and services it has under the Microsoft 365 umbrella that are designed to help consumers create content. With Clipchamp, Designer, Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, and more, the new Microsoft Create site is designed to bring all of these services together in one big discoverable place.
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