Tech Titans Unveil Latest Gadgets: Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft's Big Reveals

Politics, News Sept. 20, 2023, 12:08 a.m.

Tech giants Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft are unveiling their latest products. Microsofts event promises new Surface laptops, AI developments, but will miss the charismatic Panos Panay.

In the tech world, it's that exciting time of year when industry giants unveil their latest innovations, gearing up for the upcoming holiday season. Just last week, Apple wowed the world with the introduction of the iPhone 15 and new Apple Watches. Amazon is poised to steal the spotlight this Wednesday with the anticipated launch of new Echo devices. Meanwhile, Microsoft is keeping us on the edge of our seats with a "special event" scheduled for Thursday, where we eagerly await the unveiling of new Surface laptops and updates on their AI endeavors.

Rumors in the hardware arena have been buzzing, hinting at the arrival of the Surface Laptop Studio 2, Surface Laptop Go 3, and Surface Go 4. According to reports from WinFuture, the Surface Laptop Studio 2 is poised to feature a brighter display, powered by a 13th Gen Intel "Raptor Lake" chip, and equipped with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. Notably, this device will also mark a significant milestone as the first Surface product to boast an impressive 64GB of RAM.

Reflecting on our 2021 review of the Surface Laptop Studio, it was clear that this device was brimming with innovative features, positioning itself as a trailblazer in the laptop world, particularly appealing to creative professionals enamored with pen input. However, performance was a minor drawback that Microsoft aims to address with its successor.

As for the Surface Laptop Go 3, experts at XDA-Developers anticipate more of a refresh than a complete overhaul. Expect to find 8GB of RAM and an increased internal storage capacity of 256GB, a notable upgrade from the base model of the Surface Laptop Go 2, which featured 4GB of memory and a 128GB solid-state drive. The heart of this laptop will likely beat to the rhythm of a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor.

While the Surface Go 3 may not have surpassed Chromebooks or iPads in our testing, it did earn the title of the best budget Windows 2-in-1 tablet. According to reports from Windows Central, the Surface Go 4 is unlikely to undergo significant aesthetic changes, but it will undoubtedly boast a more potent processor and an updated internal design with replaceable components and UFS storage. There may also be a shift towards a single 8GB RAM configuration, potentially leading to a slight price increase. Despite murmurs of an ARM-based Surface Go 4, Microsoft has chosen to stick with an Intel N200 chip for this 2-in-1 device.

Microsoft's deep dive into the world of artificial intelligence is evident in its substantial investments, including its partnership with ChatGPT creator OpenAI and the development of its own Bing AI chatbot. Features such as Copilot, an AI assistant capable of crafting emails, creating PowerPoint presentations, and even composing entire business proposals, are a testament to Microsoft's AI ambitions. Windows Central reports that the upcoming event will feature discussions on enhancing artificial intelligence in Windows with dedicated hardware. We may also witness the integration of AI features in software like Photos, Paint, and the Snipping Tool.

For those eager to catch the Microsoft event, mark your calendars for September 21 at 10 a.m. ET. While the event won't be live-streamed, a replay will be available starting at 1 p.m. ET. Rest assured, PCMag will be on-site, delivering the latest news as it unfolds.

One notable absence at the event is Panos Panay, who recently announced his departure from Microsoft after an impressive 19-year tenure. Serving as the EVP and chief product officer, Panay became a fixture at Surface events, known for his dramatic presentations. As he transitions to Amazon, it's unlikely we'll see him take the stage this week, showering praise on Microsoft's Surface and other products.