Microsoft drops smaller, cheaper Surface Copilot+ PCs

Microsoft just lowered the price of entry for AI-powered Windows laptops.

The tech giant expanded its Copilot+ PC family with two smaller and cheaper models: the Surface Pro 12-inch, starting at $799, and the Surface Laptop 13-inch, starting at $899. Both machines hit shelves on May 20, 2025, with commercial versions coming on July 22.

Snapdragon power in smaller frames

Both devices are powered by an 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor featuring a 45 TOPS NPU, keeping local AI performance intact despite the lower prices.

The 13-inch Surface Laptop is Microsoft's thinnest and lightest laptop yet. Microsoft claims it is 50% faster than the Surface Laptop 5 and outpaces Apple's M3 MacBook Air.

Battery life is a standout feature, promising up to 23 hours of video playback and 16 hours of web browsing. It features an anodized aluminum body in Ocean, Violet, and Platinum, alongside USB-C fast charging and a dedicated Copilot key.

Meanwhile, the 12-inch Surface Pro takes the crown as the thinnest and lightest Copilot+ device, weighing just 1.5 pounds. The Slim Pen now snaps magnetically onto the back of the tablet for wireless charging and storage.

Microsoft also redesigned the matching detachable keyboard so it can fold completely flat against the back for sketching. On the sustainability front, both models feature 100% recycled cobalt in their battery cells.

An AI agent inside your settings

Local NPU power unlocks familiar tools like Recall, Click to Do, and natural-language system search. But Microsoft also teased new capabilities rolling out to Windows Insiders.

The most notable addition is an AI agent inside the Windows Settings menu. Users can describe a PC issue in plain English, and the agent can recommend fixes or even make the configuration changes on your behalf with permission.

Windows is also adding Photos Relight for professional lighting adjustments. Third-party developers are jumping onboard too: Music.AI's Moises Live separates audio stems 35 times faster on the NPU than on a standard CPU, while Topaz Labs' Gigapixel AI upscales images up to 16 times locally.

Why it matters

We think this launch gives Microsoft its best shot yet at convincing mainstream users to adopt ARM-based Windows machines.

Until now, Copilot+ PCs felt locked behind premium price tags. Bringing the barrier down to $799 makes a genuinely portable, 1.5-pound 2-in-1 accessible to students and mobile professionals who care more about battery life than raw desktop computing power.

The timing is hardly a coincidence. With Windows 10 officially reaching its end of support on October 14, 2025, Microsoft needs a compelling and reasonably priced replacement ready for millions of aging enterprise and consumer PCs.

Putting an autonomous AI agent directly into system settings is also a clever play. Instead of pitching abstract productivity concepts, fixing pesky Wi-Fi glitches or display settings hands-free provides immediate, practical value to non-technical users. The lingering question, however, remains software compatibility for niche legacy applications on Snapdragon silicon.