Microsoft Prepares for Launch of New MacBook Air by Updating Low-Cost Surface Laptop

As Apple prepares for a rumored launch of its completely redesigned MacBook Air, Microsoft is preparing for competition by beefing up its own entry-level Surface Laptop Go with a new processor, updated thermals, and an improved webcam.

surface laptop go 2
The Surface Laptop Go, launched in 2020, has served as the entry-level Surface laptop in Microsoft's lineup. The laptop, which previously started at $549 (now $599), features a 12.4-inch touchscreen display, a full-sized keyboard, and trackpad, and runs Windows 11.

Microsoft today announced the Surface Laptop Go 2 with Intel's new 11th generation Core i5 processor and a new base storage of 128GB, up from the prior 64GB. In its press release, Microsoft directly draws a comparison between the Surface Laptop Go 2 and Apple's ‌MacBook Air‌ by saying the Surface offers "30% more key travel than a ‌MacBook Air‌.”

Powered by Intel's 11th generation i5 processor, Microsoft has improved the thermals inside the Surface Laptop Go 2 to be “quieter” and make it easier for users to focus. Microsoft also says that it's updated the webcam, however, as The Verge notes, the webcam is still stuck at 720p, so the improvements are likely in image processing. Apple's current ‌MacBook Air‌ similarly features a 720p webcam, while the MacBook Pro has been updated to 1080p.

Now starting at $599, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is considerably cheaper than Apple's ‌MacBook Air‌ which starts at $999. For the added $399, however, users benefit from the performance and energy efficiency of Apple silicon and a base storage of 256GB.

The latest ‌MacBook Air‌ was released in November 2020 with the M1 chip, but a new, completely redesigned model could be announced as soon as next week. The new model will benefit from a new or existing Apple silicon chip, alongside an entirely redesigned body that comes in several colors.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iOS 18

Here Are Apple's Full iOS 18.5 Release Notes

Tuesday May 6, 2025 2:17 pm PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate version of iOS 18.5 to developers and public beta testers, giving us a look at the final version of the update that will be provided to the public next week. With the release candidate, Apple provided release notes, so we have a more complete look at the new features that are included in the update, including those that weren't found during the beta...
siri glow

iPhone Users Now Able to Submit Claims in $95 Million Siri Spying Lawsuit

Wednesday May 7, 2025 11:40 am PDT by
If you owned a Siri-compatible device and had an accidental Siri activation between September 17, 2014 and December 31, 2024, you could be eligible for a payment from Apple as part of a class action lawsuit settlement. Apple in January agreed to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit involving Siri spying accusations, and a website to distribute the funds has now been set up and...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17: What's New With the Cameras

Friday May 2, 2025 3:52 pm PDT by
We've still got months to go before the new iPhone 17 models come out, but a combination of dummy models and leaks have given us some insight into what we can expect in terms of camera changes. Apple is adding new camera features, and changing the design of the camera bump for some models. You might be skeptical of dummy models, but over the years, they've proven to be a highly accurate...
iOS 18

Apple Says iOS 18.5 Coming Soon, Here is What's New

Monday May 5, 2025 8:19 am PDT by
In its press release for the new Pride Band today, Apple said that iOS 18.5 is "upcoming," following more than a month of beta testing. We expect the iOS 18.5 Release Candidate to be released this week, and this should be the final beta version, barring any last-minute bugs or changes. The software update should then be released to the general public next week. iOS 18.5 is a relatively...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone Said to Have Two Key Advantages

Monday May 5, 2025 6:41 am PDT by
Apple plans to release its first foldable iPhone next year, according to several reporters and analysts who cover the company. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the foldable iPhone will offer two key advantages over other foldable smartphones. First, he said the foldable iPhone will have a "nearly invisible" crease when unfolded. This means the device's...
Nineth iOS 19 Feature

iOS 19 Beta is a Month Away With These New Features for Your iPhone

Thursday May 8, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is just one month away, and there are already many new features and changes that are expected with it. Apple should seed the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Apple's Foldable iPhone Display Tech May Set New Industry Standard

Thursday May 8, 2025 3:29 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will feature a new type of display panel developed by Samsung that has never been used in a foldable product, claims a source with links to Apple's supply chain. According to the account yeux1122 on the Korean Naver blog, the foldable iPhone will use a custom display process for which Apple will hold branding trademark rights, and that meets Apple's stringent ...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...

Top Rated Comments

PieTunes Avatar
38 months ago
4GB of RAM is still a thing?

Attachment Image
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GMShadow Avatar
38 months ago


by saying the Surface offers "30% more key travel than a MacBook Air.”
Oh, well it's game over. Microsoft has won! How will Apple ever recover?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sracer Avatar
38 months ago

I dont understand the power button being second to the right ?
On the keyboard of Windows-based devices, the upper-rightmost key is generally the "Delete" key. Putting the power button there would increase the possibility of accidentally putting the system into sleep/suspend. The placement of the power key there (if there has to be one on the keyboard) is better (relatively speaking)
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ZMacintosh Avatar
38 months ago
I dont understand the power button being second to the right ?
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
38 months ago

Queue MacRumors members complaining that it looks exactly like a MacBook.
Actually looks better than many of the MBA Mockups. Proof you can make laptops in colors without ugly white/light grey bezels and keyboards.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spock Avatar
38 months ago
You gotta love when they only comparison they can really make to a MacBook Air is key travel.. They did not even mention it being cheaper than the MacBook Air. Even though getting one with similar specs to the Air makes it almost as expensive.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)