Microsoft's first AI-powered computers are the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for businesses

Microsoft is gearing up for the “Year of the AI ​​PC” with two new Surface devices that won't be sold directly to consumers. Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business feature Intel's latest Core Ultra processors, Microsoft's new Copilot switch, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to accelerate some of Windows 11's existing and upcoming AI-powered features. Microsoft calls it “the first Surface AI computers are designed for business.”

Both new Surface devices haven't been redesigned on the outside, so the Surface Pro 10 for Business will look more like Intel's version of the Surface Pro 9. The Surface Laptop 6 for Business has an additional USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port. A smart card reader is optional, but the screen bezels and overall design are very similar to the Surface Laptop 5. Both will start shipping to business customers on April 9.

Microsoft usually lags behind in adopting the latest Intel chips for its Surface devices, but this time, the company is one of the first to ship Intel's new Core Ultra processors.

On the Surface Pro 10 for Business, there's a choice between Core Ultra 5 135U and Core Ultra 7 165U options, along with a base specification of 8GB of memory configurable up to 64GB of RAM. The base spec, which will retail for $1,199, will also include a 256GB SSD. The Surface Pro 10 for Business will include two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports and Microsoft's Surface Connect port for charging. Microsoft promises up to 19 hours of battery life with this new Intel chipset.

Microsoft has enhanced the 13-inch display on the Surface Pro 10 for Business with a new anti-reflective coating and 33 percent greater brightness. Despite rumors falsely claiming that Microsoft will unveil the Surface Pro 10 with OLED technology today, the Surface Pro 10 for Business will ship with an LCD display.

I asked Microsoft about the rumors of the Surface Pro 10 with an OLED display. “We're not advertising that product right now,” says Nancy Gaskill, general manager of the Surface business, in an interview. the edge. This certainly sounds like the product exists, so I asked if it existed, and Gaskill said: “We're not confirming any existing rumors at this point, and the Surface Pro 10 for Business comes with an anti-reflective display.”

Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans told me that the company will announce a consumer-focused version of the Surface Pro 10 with an OLED display at its Hardware and AI event on May 20.

In addition to the display, the Surface Pro 10 for Business also has a significantly improved front-facing camera. It has a 114-degree field of view and captures 1440p footage. “This will be the first ultra-wide field of view camera in the PC market today,” says Gaskill. Thanks to the NPU chip inside, you'll also have access to Windows Studio Effects with background blur and auto-framing during video calls.

Microsoft is also shipping an NFC reader on the Surface Pro 10 for Business, allowing businesses to easily use hardware like YubiKey NFC security keys for authentication. Microsoft is also planning a 5G option for the Surface Pro 10 for business. “It's the first time we've brought 5G to Intel on a Surface Pro,” Gaskill explains. “We had the Surface Pro 8 LTE and Surface Pro 7 Plus LTE, but we previously brought 5G to the Surface Pro 9 with Qualcomm.”

Last but not least, Microsoft is improving the Surface Pro keyboard with a new bold keyset featuring a larger font, improved backlighting, and a new Copilot key to launch the AI ​​feature in Windows 11.

The Surface Laptop 6 for Business has been “redesigned from the inside out,” according to Gaskill. Microsoft has selected Intel Core Ultra H-series chips for the Business Laptop 6, which are designed to deliver desktop-level performance. Businesses will be able to choose between the Core Ultra 5 135H and Core Ultra 7 165H, 8GB of RAM on the base $1,199 model that can be configured up to 64GB, and storage starting at a 256GB Gen4 SSD up to 1TB.

The 15-inch model will include two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports for the first time, along with regular USB-A, a headphone jack, and Microsoft's Surface Connect port for charging. The smaller 13.5-inch model will have just one USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port, along with a headphone jack and a Surface Connect port.

Microsoft hasn't made any major changes to the display on the Surface Laptop 6 for Business, but it has added an anti-reflective layer. The front camera has also been upgraded to 1080p, but it's not as wide-angle as the Surface Pro 10 for Business. You'll have access to Windows Studio Effects with background blur and automatic framing during video calls.

Microsoft claims the Surface Laptop 6 for Business will be twice as fast as the Surface Laptop 5 thanks to Ultra H-series processors. There's also an optional smart card reader in select markets, and Microsoft's new Copilot Key for accessing the AI-powered Copilot Assistant in Windows 11.

Microsoft will sell both devices exclusively to businesses through its own channels and authorized resellers, so it's not designed for consumers to pick them up from a place like Best Buy. You can still technically buy them from the Microsoft Business Store online, or through resellers. “These products are designed specifically for businesses, which doesn't mean we're not building products for consumers of the future,” says Gaskill. “We're still committed to that, but we're advertising these products that are specifically designed for commercial purposes.”

Both devices are also “the most easily serviceable Surface devices ever” from Microsoft, according to Gaskell. Microsoft has placed QR codes on the internal components of both, and there are internal markings on the Surface Pro 10 for Business to make it easier to identify screw types and driver types for specific components.

Microsoft still isn't ready to talk about many of the AI ​​features it's adding to Windows later this year, but these two new devices will be ready for them. Microsoft is now planning to hold a special Windows and Surface AI event on May 20, where Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will share the company's “AI vision” for both software and hardware.

I expect to see consumer versions of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 at the May 20 event, along with some big new AI features for Windows 11 that use NPU chips. Until then, both the Surface Pro 10 for Business and Surface Laptop 6 for Business will start shipping on April 9th ​​starting at $1,199.