If you're a fan of Microsoft's excellent Surface range, you'll be pleased to hear a brand new model is now available: the Surface Laptop 4. Faster than ever before, the Surface 4 is the first of Microsoft's range to include a choice of an AMD or Intel processor, whichever size you decide on. Fantastically, the Surface 4 is set to be a whopping 70 per cent faster than its predecessor.
This is brilliant news for creatives who need exceptional power and speed to handle complex creative tasks. But will the new offering have the chops to take on the devices in our most powerful laptops roundup?
Microsoft needed to offer speed to compete, given Apple's recent leap into the stratosphere with its M1 silicon chip, and with a range of complicated specification options (no less than 22), it looks like it's trying to compete in other areas, too.
First up, storage has improved across the line, with Microsoft doing away with the 128GB SSD – all laptops will now have 256GB as a minimum. But there are no changes to size or screen resolution as the new range will come in the standard 13.5in and 15in sizes, with the smaller model offering a 2256x1504 resolution display and the larger hitting 2496x1664.
Other features seem aimed at remote workers. There's face recognition, a roomy glass trackpad, Bluetooth 5, the most up-to-date Wi-Fi and an HD webcam (ideal for all those Zoom meetings). The Surface 4 hangs on to the welcome addition of USB-C ports, which arrived with the Surface 3, and has USB-A, too (hallelujah).
Style-wise (we know it's important), the 15in model comes in aluminium only, but the 13.5in version can be yours in a choice of aluminium or Alcantara fabric finishes. And depending on which you choose, you could get a choice of four colours – Ice Blue, Sandstone, Platinum, and Matte Black.
Available in the US, Canada and Japan on 15 April and the UK on 27 April, the Surface 4 costs from $999/£999 – bringing it perfectly in line with the cheapest M1 MacBook Air.
Want to peruse earlier models? See our Surface 3 laptop review, and our roundup of the best Microsoft Surface deals around.
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