Microsoft has refreshed its consumer Surface laptop, promising faster performance and longer battery life, but the price has jumped considerably because of rising costs for memory and chips.
The Surface Laptop 8 replaces the seventh-generation model released in 2024, which was Microsoft’s first ARM-based, Qualcomm-powered PC designed to compete with Apple’s MacBook Air and other thin-and-light machines. Buyers can choose between Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X2 Plus or X2 Elite processors, with prices starting at £1,449 (€1,699; $1,600; A$2,799) — about £400 more than the previous model’s launch price.
Apart from new color options, including an attractive jade green, the design is largely unchanged. The laptop keeps its solid aluminium body, satisfying keyboard, and crisp 120Hz LCD screen, available in 13.8-inch (reviewed) and 15-inch sizes. It is one of the first machines to support Windows 11’s haptic signals feature, letting the generous touchpad emit small taps for actions such as hovering over the close button or snapping windows to the side of the screen.
The display is bright with HDR and Dolby Vision support, though its glossy coating can pick up glare from office lighting. The speakers are clear at high volumes but lack bass. The review unit came with the Snapdragon X2 Elite, which delivered 16 to 20 percent faster single-core performance and about 10 percent faster graphics than the previous generation — enough to feel very snappy, though still behind Apple’s M5 MacBook Air. Fans stay silent for most tasks and only become audible under heavy load.
Battery life is a major strength. In testing, the laptop lasted just under 14 hours of work involving at least 15 browser tabs, note-taking software, chat apps, and several hours of photo editing. Connectivity includes two USB-C ports, a USB-A port, a headphone jack, and Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect port. However, because no charger is bundled in the UK and EU, the Surface Connect port is effectively useless unless users buy Microsoft’s £80 power supply.
Windows 11 on ARM runs cleanly with minimal bloat, and most standard x64 applications work through the built-in Prism emulation. Some emulated apps, such as Evernote, can be a little slow, and some multiplayer games requiring anti-cheat software may not run, though recent updates have enabled Fortnite and other popular titles. The laptop is generally repairable, with a replaceable SSD, service guides, recycled materials, and trade-in and recycling schemes.
Overall, the Surface Laptop 8 is another excellent premium PC from Microsoft. It may not differ dramatically from its predecessor, but the build quality, display, keyboard, and trackpad remain among the best available on a Windows laptop, and the ARM chip’s efficiency means many users can leave the charger at home.