Microsoft's latest Surface Laptop features a trackpad that vibrates similar to a game controller.

      **TL;DR** Microsoft has released new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro models equipped with haptic trackpads that provide vibrations during interactions with Windows 11. These devices use ARM architecture exclusively, powered by the Snapdragon X2, starting at $1,500.

      The redesigned trackpad in Microsoft's latest Surface Laptop and Surface Pro offers haptic feedback that vibrates while using Windows 11. For instance, snapping a window to the side or aligning an image in PowerPoint produces tactile responses, and scrubbing through a video timeline yields vibrations that correspond to your actions.

      Brett Ostrum, Microsoft VP for Surface Devices, likened the experience to the rumble feature in game controllers. The haptic features function across Windows 11 and various applications, not limited to Microsoft's own software. The Slim Pen also benefits from similar haptic feedback.

      The internal hardware relies solely on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 platform, with the consumer Surface Laptop and Surface Pro available in Snapdragon X2 Plus or Snapdragon X2 Elite configurations — no Intel versions are offered. Microsoft has allocated Intel’s Panther Lake chips for the Surface Pro for Business line, meaning corporate buyers are required for an x86 Surface.

      The 15-inch Surface Laptop boasts a higher display resolution at 261 PPI, an upgrade from the previous generation's 200 PPI. Battery life is estimated at up to 20 hours for the 13.8-inch model and 19 hours for the 15-inch variant. Memory options range from 16 GB to 64 GB of RAM, while storage options vary from 512 GB to 2 TB.

      Pricing commences at $1,600 for the Surface Laptop and $1,500 for the Surface Pro, with the Flex Keyboard priced separately at $360. These prices reflect those of the previous models following Microsoft’s price hikes linked to increased memory and component costs. The base specifications are adequate but not particularly impressive, as configurations with additional RAM or storage can significantly increase the cost.

      Since introducing the original Surface Pro X in 2019, Microsoft has been advocating for ARM on Windows. Although compatibility has seen significant improvement, legacy Windows applications may still encounter odd driver issues on ARM. A more ambitious offering will arrive later this year with the Surface Laptop Ultra, which will utilize Nvidia’s N1X chip built on Blackwell GPU cores, targeting the MacBook Pro market.

      The color options stand out the most in this update, with a clay-like “Dune” Surface Pro and an olive “Jade” laptop replacing the traditional black and grey. The haptic trackpad presents a true enhancement in usability, but it remains to be seen if these features justify the $1,500+ price tag for a laptop that cannot natively run Intel software.