New leaks for the Microsoft Surface Laptop 5

17/3/2022

The Surface Laptop 5 is expected in the second half of 2022, complete with new processors, a 120Hz display and an upgraded webcam.

Since making its debut in 2017, the Surface Laptop has consistently ranked among the best thin and light laptops you can buy. Microsoft chose not to release a new entry in the lineup last year (aside from the budget Surface Laptop Go), but it’s put that right in 2021.

The Surface Laptop 4 arrived in the spring slot usually associated with other devices, but it was undoubtedly a cautious upgrade. Despite impressing in core areas such as display, performance and battery life, it’s clear Microsoft could go further to make the device best in class.

That’s exactly what we’re hoping for from the Surface Laptop 5, which is expected in 2022. Here’s everything you need to know at this early stage.

What will the Surface Laptop 4 successor look like?

When will the Surface Laptop 5 be released?

Second half of 2022 release date expected
Usual September/October window is most likely
Microsoft may surprise us with brand new release window

Microsoft is yet to even confirm the existence of the Surface Laptop 5, but it looks like the device will arrive at some point in 2022. That's what Windows Central's Zac Bowden believes, suggesting a release date in the second half of the year. If true, that would put the gap between generations roughly in line with previous entries in the lineup:

Surface Laptop – June 2017
Surface Laptop 2 – October 2018
Surface Laptop 3 – October 2019
Surface Laptop 4 – April 2021

However, predicting when it’ll arrive next year is more difficult. Microsoft most commonly launches new Surface hardware in either September or October, making those months the most likely.

But there’s also a chance Microsoft will surprise us by announcing the Surface Laptop 5 at a different time, as it did with the education-focused Surface Laptop SE in November 2021.

How much will the Surface Laptop 5 cost?

Similar starting price (SG$1,248.00) likely
Cheaper models may continue to use AMD Ryzen processors
Intel Core CPUs likely only for more expensive models

Microsoft brought AMD Ryzen processors to the 13.5in Surface Laptop 4 for the first time. This allowed it to drop the starting price, as these are from the older (but still very capable) Ryzen 4000 Series. Here’s how that compares to previous generations:

Surface Laptop – from ~S$1,400
Surface Laptop 2 – from S$1,528
Surface Laptop 3 – from S$1,488 (13.5in), from S$2,188 (15in)
Surface Laptop 4 – from S$1,248 (13.5in), S$1,754 (15in)

Remember, the 15in model was only introduced with the Surface Laptop 3. Assuming Microsoft continues with both screen sizes, prices will probably be similar.

Surface Laptop 5 design & new feature rumours

New Intel and AMD processors expected
120Hz display and Thunderbolt support likely
Could have a new design

The first big news comes courtesy of WindowsPrime, where you'll find full specs for a device claiming to be the Surface Laptop 5. Its layout mirrors what you'll find on the Microsoft website for existing Surface products, but that doesn't mean it's guaranteed to be accurate. It's the only page on the whole site, and WindowsPrime has no track record when it comes to leaks. However, the specs it predicts don't seem too far wide of the mark.

Microsoft will supposedly stick with 13.5in and 15in models for the Surface Laptop 5, although both will now have a 120Hz refresh. That mirrors what we've seen in the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio. It's likely to also be adaptive, meaning it can automatically adjust according to what you're doing - this should help conserve battery life.

Talking of battery life, the Laptop 5 will apparently have a capacity somewhere between 53Wh and 58Wh. Depending on the processor and size, this will get you somewhere between 17.5hrs and 21hrs of maximum battery life.

The main processors available will be from Intel's 12th-gen lineup (i5 or i7), although custom Ryzen 6000 Series chips (Ryzen 5 or 7) will also be on offer. These will combine with Iris Xe and Radeon integrated graphics respectively.

The only other new features of note are a new 1080p webcam (up from 720p on the Laptop 4) and Windows 11 running out of the box. You'll still get 8/16/32GB of RAM and SSDs from 256GB to 1TB, as well as a relatively limited selection of ports will also remain - that means Surface Connect as the main charging method.

That leak has revealed many of the upgrades we were expecting to see, but it's still not clear if the Surface Laptop 5's design will be updated. Its predecessor is beginning to look outdated, so it'd be nice to see something similar to the Pro 8.

We'll update this article if any more information is revealed, or if more sources become available to consolidate this leak.