Microsoft unveils 'most powerful Surface Laptop ever built' to compete head-to-head with MacBook Pro

Microsoft has just unveiled its "most powerful Surface Laptop ever built."

Called the Surface Laptop Ultra, this premium device is built specifically for creators, developers, and those working with artificial intelligence (AI). It's meant to act as a portable powerhouse designed for the kind of demanding work that budget-friendly devices like Dell's new XPS 13 aren't meant to handle, such as tackling massive creative projects and lengthy software compilation.

Microsoft said in a statement: "The work from creators, developers, and AI builders has a common shape: massive scenes, long compile cycles, local models and datasets that no longer sit politely in the background. We built Surface Laptop Ultra to meet that work without flinching.

"From the start, we channeled these makers, pushing through thermal and structural challenges, refining every detail from the inside out to create a device where uncompromising craft meets raw power."

Here's everything you can expect from this powerful device.

The Surface Laptop Ultra features a 15-inch mini-LED PixelSense Ultra touchscreen that reaches up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness. That makes it the brightest display Microsoft has ever put on a Surface device.

It's built with a taller 3:2 aspect ratio and packs in 262 pixels per inch, which is ideal if you're making precise colour and exposure decisions on your creative projects.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

• New Windows 11 update brings major speed boost to your PC
• New Oura Ring update brings one of the Ring 5's most exciting features to Ring 4
• End of Freeview? UK looks to 'switch off terrestrial television' and replace it with broadband
• Best VPN deals
• Microsoft launches game-changing Windows 11 update

Microsoft says every element was designed with both performance and portability in mind. It weighs less than 2kg and measures under 8mm thick. For comparison, the MacBook Pro 16-inch model weighs 2.16kg, but measures at 15.5mm thick.

The touchpad has grown substantially too, now more than 30% larger than previous Surface models. That extra space means better precision for creative work and finer cursor control, with haptic feedback built in for supported apps.

In terms of battery life, Microsoft promises all-day endurance on a single charge. It will also ship with a compact charger that Microsoft says is small enough to "slip into your jacket pocket."

As for connectivity, you've got everything you'd need — a USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, a headphone jack, and a full-size SD card reader. You can pick it up in two finishes — the classic Platinum or a new black option called Nightfall.

Under the bonnet, the Surface Laptop Ultra is designed to deliver one petaflop of AI computing power. To put that in perspective, it's enough grunt to run AI models with up to 120 billion parameters directly on the device itself, no internet connection required.

It also comes with up to 128GB of RAM, which is responsible for temporarily holding your data, active files, and apps you are currently using so your processor can access them instantly. For comparison, laptops built for light everyday use may only come with anywhere between 8GB and 16GB of RAM.

There's also been a massive demand from AI data centres, which are gobbling up huge quantities of available memory chips. This has been leaving less supply for various devices like laptops, tablets, mobiles, and more. Microsoft is already feeling the brunt of it, increasing the prices of its older Surface laptops in the US.

Sony recently responded to the shortage by raising the prices of its PlayStation 5 consoles by £90. The founder of British start-up Nothing has confirmed that smartphone prices will rise this year too.

The price hasn't been confirmed for this laptop quite yet, and it's not expected to be released until this autumn. However, given the current RAM trends across the industry and its premium features, we can expect it to be very pricy.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter