Microsoft is working on a new mid-range laptop to be added to its Surface lineup.
This is according to a report from Windows Central, which claimed the company is looking to mirror the success of its budget-oriented Surface Go tablet with another competitively-priced offering.
The laptop, which goes by the codename of Sparti, comes in a conventional clamshell form-factor with a lightweight and compact design supposedly aimed at students.
According to Windows Central’s sources, current engineering prototypes of the laptop look and feel like the typical Surface device, which means Microsoft is not compromising on its build quality to hit the right price.
For its display, the laptop features a 12.5-inch panel, while the entry-level model comes packed with a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, and 64GB storage.
It will launch with Windows 10 in S mode, a more limited version of the operating system that only allows the installation of apps through the Windows Store and Internet browsing via Microsoft Edge.
The sources indicated pricing is expected to start at between $500 and $600. This would slot it in between the Surface Go’s $399 starting price, and the $749 price tag on the entry-level Surface Pro.
Windows Central said the new mid-range Surface is expected to be officially announced in October, together with several other Surface devices.
Surface comes to South Africa
Microsoft launched its first Surface products in South Africa in July.
This includes the convertible Surface Pro 7 and more conventional clamshell-design Surface Laptop 3.
The Surface Pro 7 is ultra-light and versatile, featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen display which can be written and drawn on naturally with the Surface Pen.
The Surface Laptop 3, meanwhile, is available in 13.5-inch and 15-inch versions.
The 13.5-inch version can be configured with up to a 10th-gen Core i7, while the 15-inch version offers up to a Ryzen 7 3780U mobile processor for powerful performance.
These laptops offer high-end hardware designed to offer maximum performance and portability as well as deep integration with Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Since they are aimed at the premium market, they are set to compete with devices such as those in Apple’s MacBook lineup locally.