Microsoft’s plans for its Surface Laptop series might have leaked, thanks to a listing on a Chinese site that’s raised eyebrows. Spotted on Goofish by a Redditor, a seller has listed what seems to be an unreleased Surface Laptop prototype, boasting Intel’s upcoming Lunar Lake chip, which hasn’t even been officially unveiled by the company.
The leak hints that the new device, possibly a high-end model, could mark Intel’s return to the Surface Laptop lineup after Microsoft’s recent preference for Qualcomm processors. As can be seen in the listing, the model being sold carries Intel’s Core Ultra 7 268V chip, also known as the Lunar Lake processor, and it comes paired with 32GB of memory and a hefty 1TB SSD.
The price? A steep 19,000 CNY, roughly translating to $2,600, considerably higher than current Surface Laptops available in Microsoft’s store. This might suggest the device is aimed at the top-tier market, or it could just be the seller’s way of cashing in on its exclusive early access.
Leak: Lunar Lake Surface Laptop 7 on Chinese eBay
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What Is Lunar Lake?
Intel Lunar Lake is a series of processors that Intel announced in 2023. They are part of Intel’s Meteor Lake family of processors, which were released in 2024. Lunar Lake processors are designed for thin and light laptops, and offer improved performance and battery life over previous generations of Intel processors.
The Surface Laptop series recently pivoted toward Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips for its latest iteration. Microsoft ditched Intel for most consumer models in favor of ARM-based processors, which offered better battery life and efficiency. Yet, this Intel-powered device could indicate a split approach moving forward, catering to both ARM enthusiasts and those loyal to Intel’s architecture.
The leaked listing on Goofish described this device as featuring Intel’s Core Ultra 7 268V processor, which is expected to be part of Intel’s upcoming Lunar Lake line. The specifications also included an Intel Arc 140V GPU and the AI-focused Intel AI Boost NPU, boasting up to 40 TOPS (tera operations per second). These specs point to a powerful machine, possibly intended for professional users or those needing heavy AI or GPU workloads.
Surface Laptops: Splitting Between Qualcomm and Intel?
With Microsoft moving forward with Snapdragon-powered laptops earlier this year, some users have been hesitant about ARM-based devices, despite their efficiency gains. This Lunar Lake-powered Surface Laptop might appeal to those not yet ready to shift from Intel’s tried-and-true x86 architecture.
The Intel variant could also provide a middle ground for users who want more traditional performance while still benefiting from Microsoft’s latest PC features, like Copilot+ Recall, which requires the newest processors from both Intel and AMD.
What’s unclear, though, is whether this device will launch as a variant of the current Surface Laptop 7, or if it’s the start of a new generation entirely. Sources have hinted that Microsoft is testing these Lunar Lake versions internally, but there hasn’t been any official word yet about a public release.
Is This a Business Model or Consumer Version?
Interestingly, the presence of Intel’s vPro technology in the leaked prototype has led some to speculate that this device could be part of Microsoft’s business-focused lineup. Previous Intel-powered Surface Laptops were often exclusive to the “for business” models, leaving consumers with Qualcomm options.
The vPro label typically indicates a model geared toward enterprise customers, offering extra security and management features that most consumers might not need. Still, there’s a possibility that Microsoft could release both business and consumer variants of this Lunar Lake-powered laptop, much like how they’ve handled previous releases, offering users the choice between Intel and Qualcomm chipsets.