Just a couple of months after release, it looks like Microsoft is already upgrading the Surface Laptop 3 lineup. Noted by Neowin, some retailers are now offering options for the Surface Laptop 3 with an Intel Core i5 processor paired with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.
Although the Microsoft Store itself doesn’t yet sell the Surface Laptop 3 in this variant, this is quite a change for consumers looking for a more powerful Surface device. Typically, getting a Surface device with 16GB of RAM would only be an option if you configured it with an Intel Core i7 processor. With this new Core i5 and 16GB RAM option, you’ll be able to boost your Surface’s performance without jumping up to a more expensive model or a more powerful Core i7 processor.
The new configurations apply to both the 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3, as well as the 15-inch model Surface Laptop 3 for Business (which anyone can buy.) As listed on Connection, prices on the 13.5 inch Core i5 and 16GB RAM model start at $1,449. The same configuration on the larger 15-inch model, meanwhile, comes in at $1,450 on Insight.
The Intel Core i5-1035G7 processor Microsoft used in these models comes with the same Intel’s Iris Plus graphics found in the higher-end Core i7 configuration, so the higher price may well be worth it for some. A typical 13.5-inch Surface Laptop 3 with 256GB of storage, the Intel Core i7 processor with 16GB RAM comes in at $1,600. Meanwhile, the Surface Laptop 3 for Business with the same configuration starts at $1,700.
If the choice of processor doesn’t bother you, by buying these new models, you’d be saving $151 on the 13-inch model and $250 on the 15-inch model, respectively. Do you think this is a good deal? Let us know in the comments below.
