Microsoft is building a Surface PC with two screens that will run a new version of Windows called Windows 10X, which will be launched at a later date. There is little information about the Surface Neo right now, and this seems like a conscious move to keep fans interested and not give the competition an edge by bringing it to market.
To keep everything in one convenient place, we’ve written down everything we know about the Surface Neo.
Surface neo hardware
Surface Neo is a device with two LCDs connected by a unique hinge design that allows the screens to be multitasked or used individually together. It is designed like a book but can also be used in many different positions such as a laptop or tablet if needed. The displays themselves are 9 inches each, which equates to 13.1 inches of screen space when used together.
When closed, the device is 11.2 mm thin, so that both halves are 5.6 mm when open. It’s also 655 grams, which is a bit heavier but adds to the overall premium feel of the device. On the outside, the device is covered with glass, a departure from other surface products that have used magnesium or aluminum in the past.
The Neo also has a Windows Hello IR display on the upper bezel on the left side of the device and a corresponding front camera. On the left side of the device are the power and volume buttons. A single USB-C port is located near the hinge on the right side of the device.
Inside, the Surface Neo rocks an Intel Lakefield processor as well as an LTE modem for always connected functions. We don’t know anything about RAM or storage right now, although we expect it to be available in your traditional 8GB / 16GB RAM configurations along with 128GB / 256GB of storage.
Surface Neo software
Source: Windows Central
On the software side, the Surface Neo is running a new version of Windows called Windows 10X. This is a new modern operating system from Microsoft designed for lightweight computing and modern experiences regardless of the device. It includes legacy components and functionality, which means that everything from the Windows shell to the underlying operating system has been rebuilt using modern technologies while maintaining support for older apps for those who need it.
Windows 10X on foldable PCs has an advanced user interface designed with touch as the primary input method. It has a minimized taskbar that can be swiped up to reveal your running and pinned apps, including the usual Start and Task View buttons. Tapping an app icon on either display will launch that app on the display you are interacting with. It can be spread across both screens by dragging the app onto the center bezel.
There is a new action center that places more value on quick actions and offers the option of jumping into certain actions for further control without leaving the action center. It’s also designed to mimic a control center and have notifications about it stored in a separate box. This new action center contains things like volume controls, power options, battery percentage, and music controls.
Since Windows 10X is still Windows, all common Windows programs can be run, including those from outside the Microsoft Store. Microsoft categorizes the Surface Neo as a PC and allows you to run these PC apps when you need to. Since Windows 10X is a modern operating system, these legacy applications run through a container. This container contains a stripped-down version of Windows 10 for powering Win32 programs and places the application on the modern Windows 10X desktop as if it were a native app.
Unlike older applications, modern UWP and web applications run natively on Windows 10X. Microsoft has worked hard to make sure there isn’t a noticeable difference in performance between legacy apps and modern apps. However, there may be a slight delay in launching a legacy app if no other legacy apps are running. Due to the way containerization works, Win32 apps are stored in a sandbox under Windows 10X and cannot influence the overall system. This means that programs that affect system files or partition hard drives are not allowed.
Surface Neo also offers faster updates thanks to Windows 10X. It takes less than 90 seconds for feature updates to restart once a feature update is ready.
Surface Neo accessories
In addition to the hardware itself, Microsoft has introduced two accessories that can be combined with the Surface Neo. The first of these is a magnetic keyboard that plugs into the display and allows you to type with tactile feedback, just like you would on a laptop with a dedicated keyboard. The keyboard can also be attached to the outside of the device, where it can be wirelessly charged when not in use. The other accessory is the new Surface Pen, which also charges wirelessly on the back of the device.
When the keyboard accessory is connected to the display, the “Wonderbar” is activated, which essentially transforms half of the display into an extended TouchBar. You can find emoji, control functions, and even use a virtual trackpad.
Surface Neo release date
Microsoft originally planned to ship the Surface Neo in late 2020. However, that plan has been delayed and now the product is with no known release date. Rumor has it that Surface Neo won’t arrive until 2022 at the earliest, so Windows 10X can start shipping commercial laptops first. As a result, we have no idea how much Surface Neo will cost, but given that Surface Duo started at $ 1,400, we’d expect Surface Neo to cost significantly more.
Time to build
Microsoft Build 2021 dates confirmed
It looks like the leaked data for Microsoft build 2021 was almost accurate. The developer conference will take place from May 25th to 27th.
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