Microsoft just announced even more Surface devices for us to gawk at. The Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 have been refreshed with Snapdragon X2 chips, placing the latest processors in Surface's flagship devices.
While the new Surface Pro 12 ($1,499) and Surface Laptop 8 ($1,599) appear to be lovely PCs, they start at $500 and $600 more than their predecessors did at launch, respectively.
I hate seeing people priced out of buying a PC they want, but that's the market we live in right now.
It's a terrible time to buy any premium PC (or most MacBooks)
Due to the ongoing component shortage, which is best known for the RAM crisis, computer prices have gone up significantly in the last year. Microsoft increased prices for all Surface PCs back in April, making flagships $500 more expensive than at launch. But Microsoft is far from the only laptop maker to raise prices.
Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others have raised prices since the summer of 2025. The size of those increases depends on how many components the respective companies stockpiled, but every laptop maker has felt the squeeze.
Even Apple, with its tight grip on its own hardware and supply chain, has raised prices over the last year.
Laptops with 8GB of RAM are back on the menu to provide some sort of budget option. Windows 11 is better with 8GB of RAM than many give it credit for, but many people want at least 16GB of RAM in a PC.
It's difficult to recommend any premium laptop right now unless there's a good deal.
Budget laptops are carving a new niche
Affordable laptops are nothing new. But the latest wave of budget laptops stand out due to their build quality and design. The new Dell XPS 13 looks sleek, has a 120Hz display, supports Dolby Atmos, and has modern specs like dual Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7. It's a great choice for students or people who want an affordable PC for everyday computing.
Apple disrupted the budget laptop market with the MacBook Neo. With a starting price of $599, the MacBook Neo made some OEMs scramble. Even manufacturers that had budget laptops in the works before the MacBook Neo have to face head-to-head comparisons because of Apple's surprise announcement.
👉 MacBook Neo is no longer the best deal in computing
Premium devices like the Surface Pro 12 and the Surface Laptop 8 provide better experiences than budget offerings. But the difference in price is difficult to justify for everyday users.
The component shortage and the fact that high‑end laptops now overshoot everyday needs have made machines like the new XPS 13, the MacBook Neo, and other sub‑$700 options the smarter buy for most people.
Surface sales are still lacking
Surface shopping is even worse since quality sales are few and far between. Even if you buy last-gen tech, you'll pay current-gen prices.
The Surface Laptop 7 came out in 2024. While it's a nice laptop, it shows its age when compared to something like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11). That means that even a discounted Surface Laptop 7 is a poor choice compared to newer options in the same price range.
The Surface Pro 11 is a bit different because of its form factor, but it's still difficult to find one at a good price.
You can find small discounts on the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 if you look around. Best Buy has discounts of up to $400 on the Surface Pro 11 right now. But they're a far cry from the sales we saw last year around the holidays or before the RAM crisis really took off.
If you absolutely need a Surface right now, you should look at models on clearance or certified refurbished models.
With the base price of PCs going up, sale prices aren't as good as they used to be. In some cases, a $400 discount just drops a laptop to what it cost one year ago.
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