Microsoft has unveiled a new laptop which will start being shipped on June 15. This laptop at the moment is called the Surface Laptop. This name is not to be confused with previous Microsoft devices with extremely similar sounding names such as anything from the Microsoft Surface Pro series, or Microsoft’s previous iterations of laptops called Surface Books, or even the Microsoft Surface which was a table, no I did not mean to type tablet, Microsoft actually sells multiple devices which are computer tables which started being sold back in 2008 and 2012.
The new Microsoft Surface Laptop looks impressive. The Surface Laptop is slim, and weighs in at 2.7 pounds. As is typical in the current laptop trend of pursuing slimness, this likely means that the Surface Laptop will not have a CD/DVD tray, which is a deal-breaker for anyone who needs to use disks on a normal basis. The laptop will be available in 4 colors at launch, including platinum, graphite gold, burgundy, and cobalt blue.
Following the trend of Microsoft Surface Pro devices, the Surface Laptop boasts impressive specifications to back up its aesthetic appeal. The Surface Laptop can come with either an Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor. In terms of memory storage, the Surface Laptop comes with SSD storage in three size options, 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB. However, to get the 512 GB storage option you have to get the laptop with 16 gigabytes of RAM. The Surface Laptop can also come with 4 gigabytes or 8 gigabytes of RAM if you do not see yourself needing 16 gigabytes.
Although this device is certainly aesthetically pleasing, and it definitely has impressive specifications, Microsoft may have accidently shot itself repeatedly in the foot with this release. If Microsoft was only releasing this new laptop it would be releasing a great competitor in the broad laptop marketplace. But Microsoft did not just release this new laptop, Microsoft also decided to release a new version of the Windows operating system which will be tied to the Surface Laptop – Windows S.
The gimmick of the new operating system, Windows S, is that it will only be able to use and run programs which are available on the Windows Store or programs which are web tools which function with Microsoft’s Edge web browser. This drastically limits the usefulness of this device, and at the moment it means that you can’t even use Google Chrome, Firefox or a myriad of other essential programs if you were to be running Windows 10 S. The Windows 10 S operating system does not seem to be designed with the average consumer in mind, instead it seems to be designed for educational facilities or other institutions which would want to severely limit what you can access or perform through your device.
Overall, the Surface Laptop is an impressive device, but if you unless you are someone who wants a high-security laptop or needs to rent laptops for educational purposes, I do not really see this laptop being the best option for you. As an average consumer there is simply too much that this laptop cannot do due to the current known limitations of the Windows 10 S operating system, so unless you are an educator or an event planner hosting an event in which your required programs are on the Windows store, I would highly recommend seeking a Microsoft Surface Pro rental instead if you are looking for a Microsoft brand laptop rental.
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