Microsoft cuts Surface entry prices with new 8GB models
The cheaper 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop keep the same chip and storage but drop from 16GB to 8GB of RAM.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Microsoft has added 8GB RAM versions of its 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop, bringing the entry prices to $849 and $949, according to The Verge and Microsoft Store listings. The new configurations lower the cost of buying those devices after earlier price increases, but they cut memory from the 16GB base models and drop Copilot Plus support.
The Verge reported that Windows Central first spotted the lower-cost models. Microsoft lists the 12-inch Surface Pro with 8GB of RAM at $849, while the 13-inch Surface Laptop with 8GB of RAM starts at $949.
What changed
The main change is memory. According to The Verge, Microsoft has not altered the other listed specifications for these cheaper versions: both still use an 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chip and include 256GB of storage.
The trade-off affects Microsoft’s AI branding. The Verge reported that the 8GB models do not support Copilot Plus, Microsoft’s built-in AI technology, because Copilot Plus requires at least 16GB of RAM.
That means buyers can now pay less for the same Surface designs and core processor, but they give up half the memory offered in the previous base configurations. The change also leaves the new entry models outside Microsoft’s Copilot Plus category, based on the requirement reported by The Verge.
How the pricing compares
The 12-inch Surface Pro and 13-inch Surface Laptop launched in 2025 with base configurations that included 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, according to The Verge. At launch, The Verge reported, those models started at $799 for the Surface Pro and $899 for the Surface Laptop.
Microsoft later raised those prices in April 2026, according to The Verge. After that increase, the 12-inch Surface Pro started at $1,049 and the 13-inch Surface Laptop started at $1,199.
The new 8GB versions sit below those higher April prices, but they do not return the devices to their original launch value because the memory has been reduced. Compared with the current 16GB starting prices reported by The Verge, the 8GB Surface Pro is $200 cheaper and the 8GB Surface Laptop is $250 cheaper.
The Verge also connected higher Surface pricing to broader memory cost pressure, saying that a memory crunch has pushed up starting prices for Microsoft’s newest Surface models. Microsoft has not changed the processor or storage on these two cheaper models, according to the report.
Competition at the low end
The Verge noted that the new 8GB Surface devices remain more expensive than Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo. The Verge has described that laptop as a lower-priced competitor with strong performance for its cost.
Microsoft’s move gives Surface buyers a cheaper option inside its own lineup, though the lower price comes with a clear specification cut. For shoppers comparing entry-level laptops and tablets, the key differences are now price, RAM and whether Copilot Plus support matters.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.