New Surface Laptop 5 won't be using Microsoft's very own Pluton security processor

At its Surface event today, Microsoft has announced its new Surface Laptop 5 whose specifications had leaked a few days ago. Microsoft is indeed not offering any AMD Ryzen option this time, at least not yet, invalidating earlier rumors that had suggested the idea.

What you instead get are Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake U series processors. The company claims its new Laptop 5 has over 50% the horsepower compared to the last gen model. Describing its the new product, Microsoft's Chief Product Officer Panos Panay said:

From the effortless opening and fast log-in with Windows Hello, to the touchscreen, precision touchpad, and perfect typing experience, Surface Laptop 5 offers the craftsmanship, comfort, and capabilities to jump in and produce your best work.

Surface Laptop 5 is sleek and elegant, providing all-day battery life1 as our customers have come to appreciate and expect. It now offers Thunderbolt 4, and with the latest Intel Evo platform, Surface Laptop 5 is over 50% more powerful than its predecessor.

What this does mean, however, is that Microsoft's Surface Laptop 5 is not implementing its very own Pluton security processor as it's currently only inside the Ryzen 6000 "Rembrandt" CPUs. There maybe multiple reasons for Microsoft to skip an AMD Ryzen 6000-based Surface such as poor feedback from last time or simply low supplies for AMD 6000 chips.

The new Surface Laptop 5 will come in both Windows 11 and Windows 10 flavors in case of the business models. This could be because plenty of businesses are still reluctant to move over to Windows 11 according to the latest survey data.

Here are the full specification details of the new 13.5" and 15" Surface Laptop 5 SKUs, including warranty information:

Operating system:

• Surface Laptop 5: Windows 11 Home
• Surface Laptop 5 for Business: Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro Exterior

Exterior:

• Surface Laptop 5 13.5”:
  • 12.1 inch (308 mm) X 8.8 inch (223 mm) X .57 inch (14.5 mm)
  • Weight: Fabric 2.80 lbs (1,272 g) or Metal 2.86 lbs (1,297 g)
• Surface Laptop 5 15”:
  • 13.4 inch (340 mm) X 9.6 inch (244 mm) X .58 inch (14.7 mm)
  • Weight: 3.44 lbs (1,560 g)

Colors:

• Surface Laptop 5 13.5” colors: Platinum with Alcantara , Sage, Matte Black, and Sandstone
• Surface Laptop 5 15” colors: Platinum and Matte Black

Display:

• Surface Laptop 5 13.5”:
  • Screen: 13.5” PixelSense™ Display
  • Resolution: 2256 x 1504 (201 PPI)
  • Dolby Vision IQ™2 support
  • Touch: 10-point multi-touch
• Surface Laptop 5 15”:
  • Screen: 15” PixelSense™ Display
  • Resolution: 2496 x 1664 (201 PPI)
  • Dolby Vision IQ ™2 support
  • Touch: 10-point multi-touch

CPU:

• Consumer:
  • Surface Laptop 5 13.5”:
    • 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1235U processor
    • 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1255U processor
      (All SKUs are built on the Intel® Evo™ platform)
  • Surface Laptop 5 15”:
    • 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1255U processor
      (All SKUs are built on the Intel® Evo™ platform)
• Commercial:
  • Surface Laptop 5 13.5”
    • 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1245U processor
    • 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1265U processor
      (All SKUs are built on the Intel® Evo™ platform)
  • Surface Laptop 5 15”
    • 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1265U processor
      (All SKUs are built on the Intel® Evo™ platform)

Graphics:

• Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics

Memory:

• 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB LPDDR5x RAM

Storage:

• Removable solid-state drive (SSD) options: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

Security:

• Commercial
  • TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise-grade security and BitLocker support
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
  • Windows 11 Secured-core PC
• Consumer
  • Firmware TPM 2.0 is a security processor that is designed to give you peace of mind.
  • Windows Hello face sign-in
  • Windows 11 Secured-core PC

Network and connectivity

• Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible
• Bluetooth® Wireless 5.1 technology

Battery Life:

• Surface Laptop 5 13.5”
  • Up to 18 hours of typical device usage
• Surface Laptop 5 15”
  • Up to 17 hours of typical device usage

Cameras:

• Windows Hello Face Authentication camera
• 720p HD front facing camera

Audio:

• Dual far-field Studio Mics
• Omnisonic® Speakers with Dolby Atmos

Ports:

• 1 x USB-C with USB 4.0/Thunderbolt
• 4 1 x USB-A 3.1
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• 1 x Surface Connect port

Sensors:

• Ambient light sensor

Software:

• Consumer
  • Windows 11 Home
  • Preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial
  • Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 30-day trial (Not available in China)
• Commercial
  • Windows 11 Pro or Windows 10 Pro
  • Preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, or Microsoft 365 Apps 30-day trial

Power Supply:

• 60W power supply with additional 5W USB A charging Port

In the Box:

• Surface Laptop 5 13.5” and 15”:
  • Power Supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents

Pen & accessories compatibility

• Designed for Surface Pen
• Supports Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP)

Serviceability (commercial only)

• Replaceable components include:
  • SSD
  • Display and Display Enclosure (AB Cover module)
  • Palm Rest and Keyboard Cover
  • Battery with Bottom Enclosure
  • Motherboard
  • Charging Port (Surface Connector)
  • Thermal Module
  • Thermal pad and Desense tape
  • Feet

Warranty: 1-year limited hardware warranty

You can check if the device is available at your regional Microsoft outlet here..

New Surface Laptop 5 won't be using Microsoft's very own Pluton security processor