Intel Lunar Lake-powered Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 leaked — Core Ultra 7 268V CPU power the laptop alongside 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD

News
By
published

The new Surface lineup with Intel's Lunar Lake chips might launch early next year

Microsoft Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7
(Image credit: iFixit)

Microsoft is reportedly working on a new Surface Laptop powered by Intel's Lunar Lake processors, following leaks from Chinese marketplace Goofish discovered by Windows Central. The recently launched Core Ultra 200V processors are expected to bring improved power efficiency and better graphics performance compared to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X chipsets currently used in Microsoft’s consumer Surface Laptop lineup.

The leaked prototype suggests that the new Surface Laptop, potentially the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, will feature the Core Ultra 7 268V, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, offering notable enhancements for power users. The launch is speculated to happen in 2025, possibly around CES or later in spring.

While the leaks are not highly credible, they echo a similar situation from previous years, when a Surface Pro 7 Plus prototype was leaked before its release. Additionally, the prototype’s "NOT FOR SALE" engraving further indicates that the device could be a legitimate early sample unit.

Image 1 of 4
Surface Laptop 7
(Image credit: Goofish)

Notably, the design of the leaked device appears to retain the same aesthetics as the Surface Laptop 7, meaning that the refresh will mainly focus on internal upgrades. The possibility of a 2025 release aligns with Microsoft’s typical product update schedule, and many speculate that CES 2025 could be the platform for the official unveiling.

Microsoft partnered with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X chipsets earlier this year, receiving exclusive access to its new consumer Surface Laptop and Surface Pro releases. As the company continues to refine its Surface line, including Lunar Lake processors, it may offer users more powerful and versatile hardware options, addressing the growing demand for efficient and performance-oriented laptops.

Intel’s Lunar Lake processors prioritize power efficiency while delivering robust performance, especially in GPU-intensive tasks like gaming. Initial impressions of Intel’s Lunar Lake architecture on laptops like the Asus ZenBook S 14 have been primarily positive. The new Core Ultra 200V outperforms Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite by a good margin, especially in games offering playable frame rates at 1080p resolution, a feat beyond the capabilities of current Snapdragon-powered Surface devices.

As with all leaks, the final specifications and design are subject to change until Microsoft provides official confirmation.

Kunal Khullar
Kunal Khullar
News Contributor

Kunal Khullar is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware.  He is a long time technology journalist and reviewer specializing in PC components and peripherals, and welcomes any and every question around building a PC.

4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • cyrusfox
    Why does the Surface line always seem to be a year behind when it comes to Intel chips? It’s puzzling, especially since other OEMs are launching devices with Lunar. Microsoft seems to be pushing to challenge x86 dominance by exclusively using Qualcomm’s latest chips for the Surface line, alongside the slow rollout of Copilot+ for both AMD and Intel. If Qualcomm could deliver competitive chips across all price ranges, they could really benefit, but the $1200+ market is tough to crack.
    Reply
  • -Fran-
    That looks so uninspired, it is kind of insulting.

    Regards.
    Reply
  • Mama Changa
    cyrusfox said:
    Why does the Surface line always seem to be a year behind when it comes to Intel chips? It’s puzzling, especially since other OEMs are launching devices with Lunar. Microsoft seems to be pushing to challenge x86 dominance by exclusively using Qualcomm’s latest chips for the Surface line, alongside the slow rollout of Copilot+ for both AMD and Intel. If Qualcomm could deliver competitive chips across all price ranges, they could really benefit, but the $1200+ market is tough to crack.
    And how far are they behind wih AMD chips?????
    Reply
  • cyrusfox
    Mama Changa said:
    And how far are they behind wih AMD chips?????
    Check the wiki... AMD only saw any introduction on the surface Laptop 3 & 4, Surface is now on the 7th, Intel was last included on the 6th (Released this April 2024 with Meteor lake, Meteor lake Laptop launched Dec 2023). Qualcomm appears to be a tight launch partner, Intel rounds out the rest of the offering s but usually trail wide Intel release by 4-8 months. Perhaps due to additional validation. I never cared for Surface line due to the abysmal repairability and user upgrade capability.
    Reply