Microsoft’s annual Surface event has come to a close, and the company unveiled its fair share of surprises. From updates to existing lines like the Surface Pro 8 and the Surface Duo 2 to brand new products like the Surface Laptop Studio, there was no shortage of exciting announcements.
But as always, there are a few product lines that haven’t gotten as much attention lately, leaving us to wonder when we’ll see an update. Here’s everything Microsoft didn’t announce at its Surface event.
Surface Studio 3
Of all the Surface products, the Surface Studio has grown the longest in the tooth. The Surface Studio 2 came out in 2018, and we haven’t heard the slightest of rumors about a possible update. The all-in-one PC was meant to compete with the iMac, but featured its trademark hinge, which allowed the screen to quickly transform from desktop monitor to drawing canvas.
In 2018, the Surface Studio 2 kept the same design and insanely high starting price, but bumped the specs. But in 2021, the Surface Studio 2 is hopelessly outdated, having been given an exception by Microsoft to force compatibility with Windows 11 thanks to its 7th-gen Intel processor.
I wouldn’t expect Microsoft to update the Surface Studio every year, but now that it’s been almost three years, I’m starting to wonder about the future of the line. We don’t know if the Surface Studio line is dead in the water or if Microsoft is working on an eventual update, but it’s the PC in Microsoft’s lineup that feels most in need of an update.
Surface Earbuds 2
The Surface Earbuds were Microsoft’s first attempt at wireless earbuds, first released in 2019. They had a distinctive look and fit that turned some off, and the asking price wasn’t cheap. Notably, the Surface Earbuds didn’t feature any noise cancellation either.
We haven’t heard many rumors about an update to the Surface Earbuds yet, but they’re certainly on tap for getting an update soon. If we don’t see an update in 2022, we may have some questions about what the long-term plan is for Microsoft’s attempt at wireless earbuds.
Surface Laptop Go 2
The Surface Laptop Go was a new product announced at last year’s Surface event. It was a budget-level notebook, meant to help Microsoft recapture the education market and fill a space in their lineup for lower budgets. It seems as if Microsoft only updates its most important products in the lineup every year, such as the Surface Pro or Surface Laptop — so asking for an update to the Surface Laptop Go didn’t seem may have been too soon.
Then again, with the launch of Windows 11 right around the corner, you would have thought Microsoft would want to relaunch their entire product stack to come with the new operating system preloaded. Windows 11 as an update won’t be available until 2022, and relaunching the Surface Laptop Go with updated specs and Windows 11 could have made for a killer holiday product.
Surface Book 4
Lastly, there’s the Surface Book. Due to its experimental hinge design, many onlookers thought the rumored Surface Laptop Studio would end up being called the Surface Book 4. But alas, they seem to be in different product lines altogether. It’s still possible that the Surface Laptop Studio will end up replacing the Surface Book 4, especially since it covers a lot of the same ground as a more powerful Surface device. The Surface Book was already a niche device, but now that the more conventional Surface Laptop Studio is around, it’s hard to imagine why someone would opt for one.
Still, the Surface Book 3 came out just around a year and a half ago. Microsoft could be waiting for the two-year mark in the spring of 2022 for an update, as the company usually holds a smaller Surface product launch around March or April.
