'Prices are probably going to be so bad, no one will be able to afford the things anyway': worrying rumor aired on the cost of Microsoft's next-gen Surface devices

• Rumor has it the next-gen Surface devices have been delayed by a month
• A further suggestion is that "prices are probably going to be so bad" that nobody will be able to afford them
• Big price hikes on existing Surface devices have already raised concerns that the new hardware will be really expensive

Ever since the recent leak about Microsoft's next-gen Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, there have been concerns that the devices will be too pricey, and a fresh rumor will be precious little comfort to those laboring under that fear.

It should be made clear that the hardware itself is still a rumor, but another well-known leaker believes these refreshes are inbound, but they've apparently been slightly delayed, and might be very pricey.

Notebookcheck.net spotted Roland Quandt posting on Bluesky that: "So it looks like Surface got pushed out by about a month. Wonder why that is. Shouldn't matter as the prices are probably going to be so bad, noone will be able to afford the things anyways..."

As per the most recent rumor on these Surface devices, the hardware with Intel CPUs inside was expected to arrive in the spring in the US, followed by the Snapdragon (Arm) models in the summer (from June). So, given that May is the last month of spring and what looks like the targeted launch month at this point, the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are now coming in June instead. And that would align with a reveal at Microsoft Build 2026, early in that month.

All of this is in theory, of course, as is the info on pricing, so sprinkle seasoning liberally.

Analysis: increasingly ominous

A reply to Quandt's post on Bluesky questions whether this means Microsoft is set to launch the Arm and Intel variants of these devices at the same time now. That might be the case, and Quandt acknowledges it, though he doesn't know.

Whatever he's heard then is presumably vaguer whispers on the release schedule, and nothing concrete on how the timing between the Arm and Intel-powered versions might fall.

That prices are expected to be "so bad" that no one can afford the new Surface Laptop or Pro sounds ominous to say the least. Unfortunately, expensive next-gen devices make sense given what's happened with current-gen models recently.

Microsoft just hiked the prices of the existing Surface range significantly, with some versions getting jacked up to the tune of $500 in the US. And while I wouldn't trust early pricing from retailers – because these are placeholder guesswork, as a rule – the hints we've caught from European websites suggest price tags will be weighty indeed.

If true, that'll be a shame, as Surface products themselves tend to be good, but pricing could very much spoil the appeal if they end up being very costly. Especially if price tags are pushed to extremes, whereby MacBooks end up seeming relatively affordable.

These rumors – and the very real price hikes on existing Surface products – underscore how Microsoft is struggling with the RAM crisis and, what I can only assume, weakness in its hardware supply chain. The rumored delay in launching the new Surface Laptop and Pro would make sense in that light, too.

Apple looks much more robust in this respect, especially considering it has managed to launch a successful new budget laptop in this climate, the MacBook Neo.

It's no secret that Apple has more hardware clout than Microsoft, but the extent to which the latter seems to now be flailing is perhaps worrying. Microsoft may argue that its software is way more important than the hardware anyway – and of course, it is, and the focus is naturally that big drive to fix Windows 11 – but it's not a good look if the firm's laptop range is starting to come apart at the seams, which seems to be the suggestion from the rumor mill.

The best laptops for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best laptops
1. Best overall:
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5
2. Best budget:
Apple MacBook Neo
3. Best Windows 11 laptop
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch
4. Best thin and light:
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i
5. Best Ultrabook
Asus Zenbook S 16

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