Though images were leaked ahead of its official launch, the Surface Laptop Studio name was not. Most people thought the images showed the Surface Book 4, but the Studio is – in Microsoft’s words “a fresh take on our powerhouse laptop”.
It doesn’t have a detachable screen, so can’t be used as a tablet. Instead, just like the all-in-one desktop version (the Surface Studio), the Surface Laptop Studio is for creative pros, designers, artists and what Microsoft calls ‘weekend gamers’.
It has a 14.4in screen and, thanks to the Dynamic Woven Hinge, it can be tilted back just like any laptop as well as pulled forward over the keyboard for ‘Stage mode’. This is useful for presentations, watching videos, even gaming (using an Xbox controller, for example).
The final mode is Studio mode. The screen lies almost flat on top of the keyboard and is what you’d use for sketching, writing and “other creative pursuits”. Here’s everything you need to know.
When was the Surface Laptop Studio released?
- 5 October 2021 in US
- 22 February 2022 in UK/EU (rumoured), pre-orders live now
After being announced on 22 September 2021, the Surface Laptop promptly went on sale in the US from 5 October – you can buy it now.
However, we’ve had to wait a lot longer elsewhere. Microsoft simply mentioned ‘early 2022’ at the time, although pre-orders are now finally live on the company’s UK site. Anyone who takes advantage will also get a free Surface Slim Pen 2, usually worth £119.99.
The actual release date is still yet to be confirmed, but an Italian tech site that correctly predicted UK pricing suggests later this month:
Surface Laptop Studio in GB/EU: 22 February 2022 🧐
— Aggiornamenti Lumia (@ALumia_Italia) January 21, 2022
However, it’s unclear when the Laptop Studio will arrive in other countries where Surface products are usually sold.
How much does the Surface Laptop Studio cost?
- Starts at $1600 in the US
- From £1,449 in the UK
- RTX 3050 Ti only available on Core i7 models
We only got confirmed US pricing at launch, but with pre-orders live, we now know how much you’ll have to pay in the UK. Wherever you’re based, it doesn’t come cheap. Here’s the full breakdown:
- Core i5, 16GB RAM, 256GB storage: £1,449/$1,599.99
- Core i5, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage: £1,649/$1799.99
- Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage: £1,899/$2099.99
- Core i7, 32GB RAM, 1TB storage: £2,477/$2699.99
- Core i7, 32GB RAM, 2TB storage: £2,879/$3099.99
If you want one with the Nvidia RTX 3050 Ti GPU, you’ll need to go for the Core i7 model. Pricing elsewhere in the world is roughly in line with what you see here.
Surface Laptop Studio design & features
- 14.4in, 2400×1600, 120Hz screen
- Dimensions: 322x229x17.7mm (12.7” x 9.0” x 0.7”)
- Weight: 1.74kg / 3.83lb (Core i5); 1.82kg / 4lb (Core i7 models)
If you’re in any doubt about this being totally new, the 14.4in screen should help. No Microsoft Surface laptop has had a display this size before, and it sits right in the middle between the 13.5in and 15in Surface Book 3 models. However, Microsoft does refer to it as the Surface Laptop Studio 15″.
It has a 120Hz refresh rate, a resolution of 2400×1600 (that’s 3:2) and support for Dolby Vision. Oddly the contrast ratio is only 1500:1 according to Microsoft’s specs and no brightness figure has yet been given. The screen’s corners are rounded, which is another first for a Microsoft laptop.
As with other new Surface devices, the Laptop Studio runs Windows 11, but you can opt for Windows 10 Pro if you prefer.
No surprise at this price there’s the latest standards for connectivity: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 and a pair of USB 4.0 ports with Thunderbolt 4 support. But you also get old tech: the 3.5mm headphone jack is welcome. On-board audio is supplied by four ‘Omnisonic’ speakers and support for Dolby Atmos. There are dual far-field mics and a 1080p front-facing camera (which supports Windows Hello) for video calls.
The keyboard is both full size, with a separate row of function keys, and it’s backlit. Microsoft says the touchpad is new and has haptic feedback. It’s not the first Windows laptop to have a haptic touchpad, but it’s still relatively unheard of.
Another feature worth mentioning is that the Surface Slim Pen 2 can be ‘docked’ under the front edge of the Laptop Studio where it’s held by magnets and also recharges. The stylus itself, though, isn’t included: it’s a $129.99 optional extra.
Battery life claims are impressive: the Core i5 models can run for up to 19 hours of ‘typical device usage’, and it’s only one hour less for the Core i7. However, those are almost certainly based on a very low screen brightness and undemanding tasks, such as reading a document. Expect much shorter runtimes if you’re going to be using demanding software (including games) and using the screen at its brightest.
Microsoft announced other Surface devices you may like to read about:
We also discussed the Surface Laptop Studio – alongside the rest of the Surface devices announced – in Episode 84 of Fast Charge. Take a look below: