$2599 Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra | Hacker News Reader

$2599 Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra

microsoft.com

46 pointscromka49 comments

Not shown, price. It is expected to start out at $3k and top out over $7k.

    Thank you hyperscalar platforms for brutalizing
    the consumer ram/nvme market.

ref:https://us.smartprix.com/laptops/microsoft-surface-laptop-ul...

ref:https://www.tweaktown.com/news/113957/microsofts-rtx-spark-s...

They just announced it live, seconds ago. Starats at $2599, not sure the config, presumably 32GB. So not the worst.

Starts at 24 GB so not great either

Just found out how to get the $2599: it's not easy, only available in silver, 24GB RAM and 512 SSD

Oooff did not see it coming. I doubt it will sell well, considering that chip isn’t exactly the top performer

For 2.5k a 512Gb SSD seems extremely disappointing, I'd expect 1Tb on something half that price.

AFAIK, currently MBP with M5 Pro starts with 24GB and 1TB SSD at $2499.

Wonder if this seals the fate that M6 Pros will be at absolute minimum $100 more expensive?

I bought a $7000 surface studio a few years ago. It still sits in a box unused as Linux support was extremely difficult to the point I have up after trying to get it to work for a few weeks full time.

If MS get behind Linux this could be huge, but they will need to demonstrate a change in attitude

Serious people don't use windows in 2026

You bought a Microsoft computer expecting a first class Linux experience?

Sir.

They didn't mention buying it expecting a good Linux experience, but maybe later on they realized Windows was turning to shit and wanted to use Linux with it instead

I have a Studio 2 for work and even on windows it runs like absolute garbage. Almost unbelievably slow at everything and locks up frequently. Maybe I have a dud with some sort subtle hardware fault but it's by far the worst computer I've owned. Not a good look for a premium priced laptop that is supposed to be a showcase for Microsoft.

And yeah, can't run Linux on it either to try and salvage it because of all the weird and undocumented hardware.

I have a cheaper Surface Laptop 4 that I wanted to love, even for Windows, but it just has such poor support for Windows even though its a first party device that I had to kind of move on to something else. Shame, since it could have been a good laptop at the time having a custom AMD chipset it could even pull decent frames in gaming and whatever, but it just has awful driver support for the GPU / display dimming.

The battery life is also unremarkable, and having other surfaces people have dumped on me that are older and newer (but I did not buy) I don't think I like the designs of them all around.

I just wanted the monitor bit of one of those. Wish you could just do that easily.

Can you recoup the cost somehow? I’m just flabbergasted by your first sentence.

Going out on a limb by suggesting if someone dropped 7 large on an MS machine, recouping the cost isn't a huge priority.

> It still sits in a box unused

Can I have it?

> If MS get behind Linux

They only want you avoiding windows if you're renting a machine on Azure.

They also announced the price for Surface RTX Spark Dev Box (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/devices/surface-rtx-...): $5999

What is the value proposition for that over the 128 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD version of the laptop with a list price $100 less? Does it have a higher power budget or better sustained thermals?

No idea, looks like the took the price out of their a*

> What is the value proposition

Perhaps the dev kit will be released before the actual laptop, allowing companies that intend to release software for it to build their software in advance?

I got to admit that the 15" miniLED with 4:3 ratio and a nice, big haptic touchpad plus RTX Spark make it probably a perfect... Linux laptop, right next to Framework 13 Pro. Except Spark should actually support running powerful local models, if you can afford it, starting at USD 2599.

They also added magnetic USB-C port, which is interesting, considering it's typically Apple's avenue of innovation.

if you wanna risk your laptop being broken sure, if i had the money i would buy an apple

Why talk bad about stuff you obviously have no idea about? Or are you just trolling? Go and read the articles, watch the review videos, THEN comment. This new connector is not a full length usb-c plug, but much shorter, so it breaks away just as easily as magsafe!

i dont trust microsoft on hardware. I wasnt referring to the connector per se.

The MagSafe(-esque) USB-C charger is interesting. I have to assume the USB-C end is a little nub that doesn't actually go all the way in if it's supposed to pop out with a tug.

But at that point I'm not sure I understand the advantage of just having all your USB-C ports in addition to a dedicated magnetic charging port like Apple has on the MacBooks? With Microsoft's solution you're just covering a port that could be used for something else while charging.

You are looking at it the wrong way, they didnt remove any USB port for it, they changed the previous charging port to this. So now you have one extra port for when you are not charging!

I don't know if you're making a joke but it has 3 USB-C ports, so while you're charging you can plug in 2 other things. As opposed to Apple's solution where you can plug in 4 things regardless of whether or not you're MagSafe charging.

(The SL Ultra also has a USB-A port for what that's worth? I personally believe not much in 2026)

(I realized after writing this the current MBP has 3 USB-C ports, not 4. But my point still stands that it's a benefit to not have charging using one of them)

Yeah. You forget that Magsafe is just power, this is full USB-C.

Meaning you won't rip off your port when you're connected to docking station or monitor.

This is still massive innovation, no need to be Apple apologist. Look at the reviews, the charger can be used with other devices if you flip the cord, at which point the magnetic bit still works, except it disconnects at the charger if tripped.

It's essentially a USB-C port "plus".

Compared to all the other $2600+ Windows laptops that just use a normal USB-C port, this one gives you the ability to plug in quickly without having to align it perfectly every time. So that's a pretty good benefit i'd say.

I'd still prefer a dedicated shallow port like you said, but this is still pretty cool and it's technically not replacing anything that would've been there otherwise.

There's nothing "plus" about that. The alternative, which it's directly competing with, is the same quick magnetic attachment to charge, except it doesn't eat up one of your USB-C ports. What advantage does it get from being doubled up functionality with one of the USB-C ports?

If anything the MacBook Pro's ports are USB-C "plus" because you can use all of them while charging.

> What advantage does it get from being doubled up functionality with one of the USB-C ports?

OMG dude, you need to stop with this crap. Magsafe is just power, this is full USB-C! Single cable to your monitor/docking station that won't get ripped!

I love Apple products but comments like this is exactly why people pick at Apple fanboys.

I don't get it why it seems to be so similar in shape and color to macbook pro instead of make use of Surface classic design which is already its' trademark.

Because all what consumer hardware companies can do is copy Apple.

It's been 14 years since the first Arm-based Windows laptop. What's the state of the system software-wise? I feel they largely failed to make any significant inroads.

Last time I checked, MS SQL Server still wasn't supported on windows arm, which is about when I gave up on windows arm.

The tech specs section is just dozens of FAQs. No good visuals of the product, nor any other details. What are they selling again?

Wow, that machine is such a Mac Pro ripoff. Yet Microsoft still does not get it. We don't buy Apple machines for what they look like. We buy Apple machines because they have all day battery and because they don't run Windows. This thing, at gazillions of dollars willl still run Windows 11. Certainly the Pro Edition, but that's still a turd wrapped in a box of gold.

Microsoft seriously needs to develop the Windows 11 Deluxe Edition if they are to sell machines at this cost.

and dont forget the touchpad.. for me, it was always about the touchpad.

Have you used a Surface recently? The touchpads have been great for a long time, and the newer ones have advanced haptics that Macs don't have yet.

I own surface pro 11 gen from my work and mac air m2 for my personal stuff. The windows touchpad experience is not even comparable to the macbooks'. There's a reason why people always being a mouse with them.

> Yet Microsoft still does not get it. We don't buy Apple machines for what they look like. We buy Apple machines because they have all day battery and because they don't run Windows.

Not to be Microsoft apologist, but this doesn’t make logical sense. Should MS not make laptops because they’re not Apple laptops? Which you can get from Apple as you should if you want one?

Sorry, I wasn't clear. Other way around.

I'm clearly part of the target market for this thing. But they think they can appeal to me by making the laptop look like a MacBook Pro. MacBook Pro isn't bad, but there is plenty of room to innovate in looks and port selection.

What isn't nearly good enough is Windows 11. I'm not buying a car just because it looks like some other car if all the seats have been replaced with liquid poo. The problem isn't that the mirror has a different curvature. It's that the internals are filled with liquid poo.

And Microsoft needs to fix Windows 11.

> We buy Apple machines because they have all day battery and because they don't run Windows.

> I'm clearly part of the target market for this thing.

> What isn't nearly good enough is Windows 1

Honestly, you are not. They target Windows developers, especially those who develop using CUDA for AI and other purposes.

Its looks has nothing to do with it, you don't get CUDA on macOS and I think you're showing a bit of "Apple arrogance" here, with all respect.

> Windows 11 Pro Edition > Windows 11 Deluxe Edition

This sounds insane to a Mac user.

HN Hug of death :-)

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$5,899.99 for 128G.

lol at Microsoft and Windows. Why don't they start producing table lamps or something?

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