Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Microsoft’s spring Surface event could feature Surface Laptop 4 and new webcam

 

It could shape up to be a busy spring hardware season for Microsoft. The company is rumored to be launching a new webcam, as well as the Surface Laptop 4 and other peripherals, at its next Surface event in a few weeks, according to Microsoft watcher Brad Sams.

Recommended Videos

Details are naturally scarce, but it is believed that this new webcam could sport a privacy cover, as well as support for high dynamic range video. This would be Microsoft’s first external webcam since the 2006 release of the Lifecam, which is actually still available for purchase.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The more important rumor, though, is the mention of the Surface Laptop 4. Sams believes that the Surface Laptop could be refreshed at this event.

The timing would make sense, as previous leaked specs sheets obtained by the German blog WinFuture revealed that the Surface Laptop 4 could come with Intel’s latest 11th-generation processors under the hood, as well as options for AMD’s 4000 Series Ryzen processors. Additionally, for the first time, both sizes of the laptop could have options for either processor. Previously, only the 15-inch model featured AMD’s processors.

With many people still working and learning from home due to the pandemic (and with the boom for Microsoft Teams videoconferencing in mind,) a refreshed or new webcam for consumers from Microsoft would not be too surprising. It would pair up as a great accessory to enhance the Teams experience on Microsoft’s existing products like the Surface Laptop Go or the Surface Pro 7+.

However, Sams believes the new webcam might not support 4K. Microsoft has been working on webcams since 2019, according to Sams, with a product code-named “Bari,” though it is not related and is a “deviation” from what is expected to be revealed.

We’re not certain when this event will be held, but we do know it’s going to be all virtual and not the traditional in-person hardware extravaganza in New York. Microsoft has canceled all in-person events through the end of this year and is said to be considering breakout digital news events for each of its products, like Windows, Xbox, and Azure.

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
Microsoft Surface Pro vs. Microsoft Surface Laptop: mainstream battle
The edge of the Surface Pro 11.

Since releasing the original Surface tablet in 2012, Microsoft has grown its PC business into a multibillion-dollar enterprise. The mobile Surface line has expanded to include 2-in-1 and traditional clamshell laptops in various form factors. There's the Surface Pro 11, Surface Laptop 7, Surface Laptop Go 3, and Surface Laptop Studio 2. That's quite the lineup, and you'll find a Surface on a number of our best-of lists such as best tablets and best laptops.

The two most mainstream lines, though, are the Surface Pro 11 and the Surface Laptop 7. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and you'll want to keep them in mind if you're looking for a Surface and choosing between the two.
Specs and configurations

Read more
The new Surface Laptop whips the MacBook in this important test
The keyboard and trackpad on the new Surface Laptop.

With the release of the new Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7, iFixit has begun its usual investigation into just how easy it is for customers to repair the devices. And, in an unexpected, but welcome turn of events, the two Copilot+ PCs both scored a repairability rating of 8 out of 10, which represents a huge win over the 5/10 score given to the M3 MacBook Air.

Microsoft has long been a thorn in iFixit's side, with the original Surface Laptop receiving a rock-bottom rating of 0 out of 10 in 2017.

Read more
The new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are finally living up to their potential
The new Surface Pro on a table.

Copilot+ represents a new era for Windows laptops, and it's a fresh reimagining for Surface as well. You'll notice that the generational number in the name is gone with this new era -- one that comes with a new design, higher performance, and AI features.

Both the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro come exclusively with up to a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, which brings massive leaps in performance, battery life, and AI capabilities over the previous generation of Surface devices.

Read more