As expected, Microsoft is revealing its third-gen Surface Laptop… or laptops, actually. The new Surface Laptop 3 comes in two sizes: 13.5 inches and 15 inches.

The screen size isn’t the only difference — Microsoft says the smaller Surface Laptop 3 features a 10th-gen Ice Lake processor and a choice of all-metal or metal + Alcantera fabric bodies, depending on the color. Meanwhile, the new 15 inch model sports a custom AMD Ryzen processor and an all-aluminum chassis.

The Surface Laptop 3 is up for pre-order today and set to ship October 22nd. Prices start at $999 for the Surface Laptop 13.5 and $1199 for the 15 inch model.

Microsoft’s Panos Panay says the new Ryzen chip is the fastest laptop processor available today, which is a claim that I’m sure will be put to the test soon.

It also features “unique GPU cores” that AMD co-designed with Microsoft.

Microsoft says, like all of the company’s new Surface products being announced today, the Surface Laptops will also feature support for fast charging, with the ability to go from 0 to 80 percent in an hour.

Here’s a run-down of the color/material options available at launch:

  • Sandstone (metal) – 13.5 inch only
  • Platinum (metal + fabric) – 13.5 inch only
  • Cobolt Blue (metal + fabric) – 13.5 inch only
  • Black (metal) – 13.5 inch or 15 inch
  • Platinum (metal) – 15 inch only

Here’s an overview of the specs/options for each model:

Surface Laptop 3 13.5″

  • Display: 13.5 inch, 2256 x 1504 PixelSense w/201 ppi
  • Processor options: Intel Core i5-1035G7/Core i7-1065G7
  • Graphics: Intel Iris Plus
  • Memory options: 8GB or 16GB LPDDR4x RAM
  • Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB SSD (removable)
  • Ports: 1 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, 1 x Surface Connect, 3.5mm audio
  • Camera: 720p Windows Hello-compatible
  • Microphones: Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • Speakers: Ominsonic Speakers w/Dolby Audio Premium
  • Wireless: 802.11ax, Bluetooth 5.0
  • Dimensions: 12.1″ x 8.8″ x 0.57″
  • Weight: 2.8 pounds

Surface Laptop 3 15″

  • Display: 15 inch, 2496 x 1664 PixelSense w/201 ppi
  • Processor options: AMD RYzen 5 3580U/Ryzen 7 3780U
  • Graphics: Radeon Vega 9 MS Surface Edition/Radeon RX Vega 11 MS Surface Edition
  • Memory options: 8GB/16GB/32GB DDR4
  • Storage options: 128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB SSD (removable)
  • Ports: 1 x USB-C, 1 x USB-A, 1 x Surface Connect, 3.5mm audio
  • Camera: 720p Windows Hello-compatible
  • Microphones: Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • Speakers: Ominsonic Speakers w/Dolby Audio Premium
  • Wireless: 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0
  • Dimensions: 13.4″ x 9.6″ x .57″
  • Weight: 3.4 pounds

Note that while Microsoft says the SSDs are “removable,” that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to save money by purchasing a cheaper model with less storage and upgrading at home. Microsoft says repairs need to be performed by a “skilled technician” and that opening the Surface Laptop 3 yourself will void your warranty.

Here are a few sample prices representing the cheapest and most expensive models currently available:

  • 13.5 inch/Intel Core i5/8GB/128GB for $999
  • 13.5 inch/Intel Core i7/16GB/1TB for $2399
  • 15 inch/AMD A9/8GB/128GB for $1199
  • 15 inch/AMD A11/32GB/1TB for $2799

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5 replies on “Microsoft launches Surface Laptop 3 in two sizes (13.5 inch Ice Lake or 15 inch Ryzen)”

  1. I thought the fabric body on the older Surface laptops would be a nice feature, but everytime I see them on display at Best Buy, they’re completely stained with finger grime, and then I reconsider.

  2. I really hope that the Surface Book 3 has a Thunderbolt 3 port unlike these

  3. “Microsoft says the smaller Surface Laptop 3 features a 10th-gen Ice Lake processor and a fabric-and-metal body”
    Is that not a typo? A FABRIC and metal body? I didn’t see any fabric in the pictures. I’ve seen leather accents on a laptop but am struggling to imagine where one would use fabric on a laptop.

    1. The first and second-gen Surface Laptop featured Alcantera fabric around the keyboard. Microsoft was a little confusing about the materials for the Surface Laptop 3 during the press event, but it looks like the 13.5 inch model will be available with all-metal or metal-and-fabric options, depending on the color.

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