News
Microsoft Updates Surface for Business PCs with New Intel AI Chips and Enterprise Features
- By Chris Paoli
- May 21, 2026
Microsoft this week rolled out a refreshed Surface for Business portfolio built around Intel’s latest Core Ultra processors, signaling the company’s continued push to position AI-capable PCs as standard equipment for enterprise customers. New Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors offer more on-device AI performance and several IT-focused manageability and security additions. The updated lineup includes new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro models with enhanced on-device AI performance, upgraded display technology and additional security and manageability options aimed at corporate deployments. With this update, devices are positioned around enterprise AI, endpoint security, and fleet management, as organizations continue their evaluation of PC refresh cycles tied to Windows 11 and Copilot+ PC requirements.
The hardware refresh arrives as Microsoft and its OEM partners increasingly compete on Copilot+ PC capabilities, with enterprises weighing how AI acceleration hardware can support Windows 11 features, local inference workloads and productivity tools. The new lineup features the Surface Laptop for Business in 13-inch, 13.8-inch and 15-inch models, along with a new 13-inch Surface Pro for Business. Now available in select markets and powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, with Snapdragon X2-based models expected later this year, the devices aim to accelerate AI-driven tasks.
"Surface was created to set the standard for what a premium Windows PC can be, and that standard has never been higher," wrote Nancie Gaskill, vice president of Surface Business and COO at Microsoft.
Microsoft said the Intel-based Surface Laptop for Business and Surface Pro for Business deliver up to 50 TOPS of NPU performance for on-device AI tasks. The company is pitching the devices as endpoints for hybrid AI workloads, where some processing happens locally and some remains cloud-based through Microsoft 365, Windows and Azure services.
The 13-inch Surface Laptop for Business starts at $1,499 in 16GB and 24GB configurations, with an 8GB model coming later this year starting at $1,299.99. Microsoft said the 13-inch model includes Wi-Fi 7, a removable Gen 4 SSD and on-device AI processing.
"The new Surface Laptop for Business 13-inch is the most portable Surface Laptop, ready for the AI era from the moment it is deployed," Gaskill wrote. "With on-device AI processing, Wi-Fi 7, and a removable Gen 4 SSD designed for enterprise serviceability, it brings the full Surface experience to the entry-premium tier without asking IT or employees to trade off performance and productivity for portability."
The 13.8-inch and 15-inch Surface Laptop for Business models start at $1,949.99 and are available with up to 64GB of memory and up to 1TB of storage. The systems also add an advanced haptic touchpad, with tactile feedback for actions such as window snapping, resizing and drag-and-drop operations. Select 13.8-inch configurations include an optional integrated privacy screen with anti-glare, which can be turned on by users or managed centrally by IT.
The new 13-inch Surface Pro for Business also starts at $1,949.99, not including the keyboard. It supports Intel Core Ultra 5 and Core Ultra 7 processors, up to 64GB of memory, up to 1TB of storage, optional OLED display configurations and optional 5G connectivity.
For IT departments, Microsoft is emphasizing management consistency across the Surface fleet. The company said the new devices can be managed through Microsoft Intune, Windows Autopilot and the Surface Management Portal, giving administrators a way to provision devices, apply policy and manage lifecycle tasks from Microsoft’s endpoint management stack.
"Surface for Business does not just transform the experience for employees, it transforms the experience for IT," Microsoft said in its announcement. "From UEFI to browser, it can be managed through Microsoft Intune."
Security is also a central part of Microsoft’s enterprise pitch. The company said every new Surface for Business device ships as a Secured-core PC and uses chip-to-cloud protections aligned with Microsoft’s broader security stack. Firmware updates are delivered through Windows Update, which Microsoft positioned as a way to reduce third-party update complexity for IT teams.
Microsoft also pointed to firmware and hardware-level security work, including Project Mu, Open Device Partnership UEFI, Rust-based drivers and a secure embedded controller rooted in hardware-based protection. The company said the work is intended to address persistent firmware vulnerability classes.
Repairability and sustainability are part of the refresh as well. Microsoft said nearly every major component across the Surface for Business portfolio is replaceable, with parts available through authorized commercial device resellers. The 13.8-inch and 15-inch Surface Laptop for Business and 13-inch Surface Pro for Business use recycled aluminum in their enclosures.
The launch comes as Microsoft continues to tie Surface hardware more closely to its AI PC strategy. The company said later Snapdragon X2 models will deliver up to 80% faster local AI inferencing than prior Snapdragon-based Surface systems, extending the lineup beyond Intel-based systems for organizations standardizing around AI-capable Windows endpoints.