What just happened? A week after launching the new Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 powered by the Snapdragon X2 SoC, Microsoft has expanded the lineup with lower-cost configurations built around an older chipset and 8GB of RAM. Neither qualifies as a "Copilot+ PC" as one of the requirements for that is a minimum of 16GB of memory.

The 8GB Surface Pro starts at $849, while the new Surface Laptop variant is priced at $949. Both are powered by the original Snapdragon X Plus SoC, include 256GB of storage, and are otherwise identical to the first-generation 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop. They are available now on the Microsoft Store.

Microsoft confirmed the configurations at last week's Surface launch event, where the company's VP of Surface, Brett Ostrum, told PC World that the new variants would ship with an older Snapdragon chip and just 8GB of RAM.

Justifying the lower memory configuration, Ostrum said: "customer needs vary by workload, and 8GB configurations give customers another entry point for everyday productivity, browsing, communication, and entertainment." He also clarified that the cheaper models are additional options for budget-conscious buyers, and not replacements for the existing 16GB variants.

With the AI boom pushing PC hardware prices to record highs, Microsoft's new 12th-gen Surface Pro and 7th-gen Surface Laptop are significantly more expensive than their predecessors, starting at $1,499 and $1,599, respectively. By comparison, the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 both launched at $999 in 2024, when memory costs were still relatively manageable.

Windows 11 technically requires a minimum of 4GB of RAM, but most users find that even 8GB can fall short of a smooth, lag-free experience. Microsoft is working to reduce the OS's default memory footprint as part of its Windows K2 initiative, but machines with less than 16GB remain a red flag for most power users.

That said, these models aren't aimed at power users. They are largely aimed at everyday consumers with basic requirements, such as web surfing, emails, and video streaming. Microsoft is betting that users who need their PCs for gaming, 3D modeling, AI inferencing, or 4K video editing will still opt for higher-end configurations, even at the steeper price points.