Microsoft could be making a Surface Gaming Laptop — full spec leak shows its a beast
A Surface laptop for gamers with RTX 3070 Ti power
Microsoft is rumored to be working on a new Surface Gaming Laptop, which is expected to launch in a surprise autumn hardware event this year. Now, a mysterious leak has revealed a full spec list of the gaming laptop, and it claims it will be equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU.
Leaked by Prime Gaming (via NotebookCheck), the technical spec sheet details everything from the dimensions to the display of the Microsoft Surface Gaming laptop. According to the spec sheet, we can expect a 16-inch (2560 x 1440) PixelSense Flow display with a 165Hz refresh rate and Dolby Vision support, all in a 14.07 x 9.65 x 0.77-inch form factor. That's a step up from the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio and 15-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 4.
Under the hood, the sheet claims we'll see up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12700H, up to an RTX 3070 Ti with 8GB GDDR6 video memory, up to 32GB of LPDDR4x RAM, and up to 2TB of storage. This is where we start to get skeptical, seeing as the latest gaming laptops are moving to LPDDR5 RAM.
In terms of ports and connectivity, it will have three USB-C ports with support for USB4 and Thunderbolt 4, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Surface Connect port. Plus, you can expect Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1. However, with Wi-Fi 6E making the rounds, it's hard to imagine a new Microsoft Surface Laptop for gaming would stick to Wi-Fi 6.
We can also expect the usual features, including Windows 11, a 1080p webcam with Windows Hello face authentication, and a magnesium and aluminum casing — just like the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio. However, it will apparently come in Platinum and "Matt Black," according to the sheet. Microsoft has "Matte Black" Surface Laptops, so the spelling is a bit of a throw-off, too.
Prime Gaming is a leaker we haven't come across, and there are questionable specs on the sheet that could turn out to be false, so take this all in with a pinch of salt. Still, it isn't out of the realm of possibility that Microsoft would make a gaming laptop of its own. With these specs, it would certainly be a powerhouse. What's more, the Surface Laptop Studio we reviewed had the optional Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU.
More Surface Laptops to come
Recent reports from WinFuture claim Microsoft will introduce the Surface Pro 9 and Surface Laptop 5 — successors to the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4. According to the report, the latter will be available in 13-inch and 15-inch display models, and may again have Intel or AMD chips available.
As for the Surface Pro 9, it could come with an ARM SoC from Qualcomm's Snapdragon. With this in mind, we could see it turn into a "Surface Pro 9 5G," as the report points out.
Surface Pro 9 and Surface Laptop 5 are incoming... no SP10 yet. Yes, Microsoft is doing ARM (w/ 5G) or Intel in the Surface Pro now and Surface Laptop will again be available in 13 and 15in sizes: https://t.co/ci6CtgBDVlSeptember 5, 2022
Rumor has it we'll also see a Surface Studio 3, but we won't know until Microsoft officially reveals its new slate of Surface laptops. This could come at the rumored Surface Event, expected to take place this October.
We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, check out the best gaming laptops on the market today, and if you're looking for more power on a budget, find out the best gaming laptops under $1,500.
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Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.