Surface Laptop: Everything you need to know

The Surface Laptop stole the show at Microsoft’s May 2 event. The focus may have been on education, Windows 10 S, and affordable laptops for classroom use, but the oohs and ahhs went to the Surface Laptop for its beautiful display and Alcantara-clad keyboard, not to mention its light weight and long battery life. College kids are the Surface Laptop’s purported target user, but a lot of regular folks are intrigued by this new addition to Microsoft’s premium Surface family—and, frankly, many students won’t be able to afford it anyway.
Interested? You’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about the Surface Laptop. We have the pricing and release date, answers to your most burning questions, our video coverage, and all the specs. Click a link to the left to jump to a specific section, or just start reading.

Pricing and release date

You can preorder the Surface Laptop now. Units will begin shipping June 15.

[ Further reading: Our picks for best PC laptops ]

Pricing starts at $999, and quickly goes up from there. We’ve summarized the pricing per configuration below, and detailed specs follow:

Intel Core i5 CPU, 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD: $999

Intel Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD: $1,299

Intel Core i7 CPU, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD: $1,599

Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD: $2,199  

Frequently asked questions

The Surface Laptop’s debut hand-in-hand with Windows 10 S has created a lot of confusion. Here are some answers, and we’ll keep posting more as we learn more.
What is the Surface Laptop?
The Surface Laptop is a thin, light, high-design laptop that Microsoft unveiled May 2 as part of a larger event about education. Distinguishing features include a gorgeous display, a laser-cut keyboard tray made of Alcantara fabric, and a claimed battery life of up to 14 hours. At the same event, the company introduced the secure, manageable Windows 10 S operating system, which will come preinstalled on the Surface Laptop as well as a lower-cost flock of laptops intended for K-12 classroom use.
What are PCWorld's first impressions? 
PCWorld's Mark Hachman was among the first to try the Surface Laptop at the May 2 event. A seasoned user of both the Surface Pro and Surface Book, he saw the family resemblance in the Surface Laptop's dazzling display and Alcantara fabric-clad keyboard. This is, indeed, a laptop that could turn the heads of MacBook Air faithful. What's less clear is how the Surface Laptop's thin-and-light compromises will play out: the new Kaby Lake CPU and big battery vs. the skimpy RAM in entry-level models, not to mention the scant port connectivity.
Who’s it for?
Microsoft is aiming the Surface Laptop at style-conscious, MacBook-Air-loving college students, though many non-student users are clearly intrigued by it.
How does it relate to the Surface Book and Surface Pro 4?
The Surface Laptop’s clamshell design adds another form factor to Microsoft’s premium line of Surface products, all of which boast beautiful displays and unique features. The Surface Book is the most expensive of the family: a premium 2-in-1 laptop with a striking Dynamic Fulcrum Hinge. The keyboard base is stuffed with extra battery and, in some configurations, a discrete GPU. The Surface Pro 4 is a 2-in-1 that leans more toward a tablet, with a kickstand and the option of a lightweight keyboard. Given the Surface Laptop’s pricing, the Surface Pro 4 is now the lowest-cost product in the family.

How much does the Surface Laptop cost?
The base model starts at $999, and the most expensive model costs $2,199.
Why is it so expensive?
Looking at the Surface product line’s history, Microsoft has focused on high-end “halo” hardware that can inspire other hardware vendors to make similar products (that probably won’t be quite as expensive). This is a way for Microsoft to lead hardware innovation without being overly competitive with other vendors.
When does it ship?
The Surface Laptop will ship June 15. You can preorder now.
Does it come with Windows 10 S?
Yes, Windows 10 S is the installed operating system regardless of where you buy it.
What if I don’t want Windows 10 S?
All Windows 10 S products, including the Surface Laptop, will be upgradable to Windows 10 Pro. For students and some other users, that upgrade will be free, with some deadlines and conditions. It'll cost you $49 otherwise, so read the fine print and Mark Hachman's detailed explanation.

First impressions 

PCWorld’s Mark Hachman posted his first impressions of the Surface Laptop when it debuted May 2. Leaked images had suggested a laptop would be announced along with Windows 10 S, but no one expected it to be a high-end flagship such as the Surface Laptop clearly is. This is a device meant to compete with the MacBook Air and thin-and-light Windows machines.
The Surface Laptop hits a lot of high notes. There's the gorgeous 13.5-inch, 2256x1504 display, for starters, plus Core i5 and Core 17 CPUs and SSD storage. Then there's the keyboard, with a nice 1.5mm travel and a tray made of laser-cut Alcantara fabric from Italy. What really pricked up our ears was the claimed 14 hours of battery life.
Sure, something this thin and light isn't going to satisfy everyone. The Surface Laptop's ports are startlingly sparse, with a single USB 3.0 Type A and no USB-C in sight. Integrated graphics will limit its gaming prowess.
The lingering question is: What's a beautiful laptop like this doing with a constrained operating system like Windows 10 S? We foresee many buyers will squirm out of its Windows-Store-only clutches and upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. And we'll dig deeper into the Surface Laptop's performance, features, battery life and more when we do our full review