Get ready: Microsoft has invited everyone to tune in to an October 12 show where the company will “talk about devices” starting at 10:00 a.m. Eastern/7:00 a.m. Pacific.
This is an exciting event as Microsoft is late in announcing new Surface devices, and given the Surface-shaped image (seen above) in its promotional materials, we expect the company is unveiling highly anticipated hardware like the Surface Pro 9 and Surface Laptop. 5. We may also get more information about Windows 11 updates before the end of the year.
Additionally, we’re still expecting there to be an Apple event in October where the company might unveil new iPads and MacBooks alongside the delayed launch of iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura. Even though Apple isn’t hosting a show, we expect it to ship new computers before the end of 2022, setting the stage for a Microsoft vs. Apple showdown this holiday season.
While we can’t say for sure until we tune in, here’s what we’re expecting from Microsoft at its big October 2022 event.
How to watch Microsoft’s October 2022 event
The event will be streamed live via Microsoft’s event website (opens in a new tab) October 12. The broadcast is set to begin at 10:00 a.m. ET / 7:00 a.m. PT, and it will likely be live on Microsoft’s YouTube channel at the same time.
We’ll also be blogging live about the event, and we’ll have staff on hand in person to get to grips with all the announced devices and bring you their first impressions. We’ll be launching our live blog a few hours before the event starts, so stay tuned!
What we expect to see at Microsoft’s October event
Microsoft Surface Pro 9
More than anything, we expect to see a Microsoft unveil a Surface Pro 9 at its October 2022 event. The Surface Pro 8 was released in September 2021, and as of September 2022 Microsoft hasn’t said anything about a successor – but earlier this month, some journalists (opens in a new tab) spotted an FCC filing (opens in a new tab) in September 2022 which reveals that a device believed to be the Surface Pro 9 has been certified as compliant with FCC guidelines.
If so, the Surface Pro 9 could be on sale as early as October 2022, making it a prime candidate to be unveiled at Microsoft’s October event.
In terms of what we expect such a device to look like, chances are it won’t deviate much from the Surface Pro 8’s design. a Surface Pro 9 comes with Windows 11 and sports the same 13-inch (2,880 x 1,920) as its predecessor, though it will likely pack Intel’s latest 12th-gen processors instead of the model’s 11th-gen chips. ‘last year.
However, we have heard a credible report that Microsoft is merging (opens in a new tab) its Surface Pro X line of ultra-mobile 2-in-1 laptops with the main Surface Pro line by offering the Surface Pro 9 with Intel or Qualcomm chips inside. If true, it will spell the end of the Surface Pro X, which were actually Windows tablets with detachable keyboards (sold separately) that ran on Microsoft-branded versions of Qualcomm SoC (system on a chip) processors.
On the plus side, if true, that also means we’ll see a Surface Pro 9 being sold later this year with 5G connectivity and a Qualcomm SoC (likely Microsoft-branded SQ3) inside.
Surface 5 Laptop
Microsoft released the Surface Laptop 4 in April 2021, and since then we haven’t heard when (or if) we should expect a Surface Laptop 5.
That’s a bit surprising considering how effective an ultraportable Surface laptop is for work and school. In our Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review, I called it one of the best Windows laptops on the market, praising its comfortable keyboard, impressive speaker setup, and decent battery life (over 11 hours tested). It’s also quite powerful thanks to its 11th Gen Intel chips, but there’s plenty of room for improvement.
Which is why I wouldn’t be too upset to see a Surface Laptop 5 unveiled at Microsoft’s October 2022 event. With each iteration, Microsoft is getting closer to making the ideal Windows ultraportable, and it would be nice to see the company knock it out of the park the next time it comes along. The Surface Laptop 4 is pretty good and comes in AMD and Intel varieties, but the 13-inch and 15-inch models lack a decent network of ports, a good webcam, and the graphics muscle of a discrete GPU. Now that Apple has done such a good job of designing a powerful and sleek macOS laptop with the 2021 MacBook Pro, it would be nice to see Microsoft come up with something similar for Windows 11.
Microsoft Studio 3
At the more radical end of the spectrum, a 2016 Microsoft patent fueled rumors that the next all-in-one Surface Studio might be unveiled at Microsoft’s event and might not be an all-in-one. one at all, with hints of a module design that relies on a standalone Surface monitor with the same touchscreen capability and zero-gravity hinge, but without the PC hardware in the base. Such a change could move the Surface Studio away from the all-in-one design of previous models and closer to a high-end display paired with a compact desktop computer, similar to the best mini PCs.
Separating the screen and the PC would open up the benefits of the Surface Studio to a wider market, but it would be a radical departure from Microsoft’s current product lineup, turning a single comprehensive package into a less impressive mini PC paired with a great monitor. While I wish Microsoft offered a Surface monitor with the benefits of Studio ergonomics and input capabilities, to do so with the Surface Studio name would effectively reduce the most innovative Windows all-in-one on the market to nothing. more than a nice monitor.
Microsoft Event Outlook October 2022
Mark your calendars: October is the month when new laptops are discontinued by Microsoft. Of course, the company hasn’t confirmed anything publicly yet, but all signs point to a slate of new Surface devices being announced on October 12.
As exciting as it sounds, Microsoft could face an uphill battle to claim significant market share with its new Surface devices. While we still don’t know when (or if) Apple will hold its own event in fall 2022, we still believe the company will ship a MacBook Pro with M2 Pro (and possibly a new 2022 iPad Pro) this year. Will Microsoft put a lot of competition? Only one way to know for sure – stay tuned!
What to expect at the Microsoft Surface 2021 event
Here’s what we expect from Microsoft’s Surface event: Based on leaks and rumors so far, we’ll likely see the Surface Pro 8 revealed, hopefully bringing a new design and better specs, including including access to AMD processors. A new Surface Book is also on the way, again potentially sporting a rather different design that may draw inspiration from Surface Studio’s easel-like aesthetic.
We’re not expecting to see a new Surface Studio or a new Surface Laptop, but a Surface Duo 2 is on the cards to hopefully build on the clever design but flawed execution of the original Surface Duo. .
Speaking of smart design, while the Surface Pro X was an interesting ARM-based Windows 10 tablet, we’re not convinced a new version will be revealed at the event. That’s because we haven’t seen many leaks or rumors surrounding such a device, and we think Microsoft may have given up making its own Windows on ARM devices.
As for other things, we expect a bigger dive into Windows 11, perhaps with some insight into how it will run on different PCs and potential partner machines like Asus, Dell, Acer, Lenovo and more.
In short, we can expect a good range of products and updates based on Microsoft’s Surface and Windows 11. We’re not sure there will be a mass of surprises, although the return of the Surface Neo wouldn’t be the worst thing.
Be sure to check with Tom’s Guide for all the latest news from the Microsoft Surface event and beyond.
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