Microsoft Surface Neo has folding design, dual displays, and all-new version of Windows 10
MICROSOFT has offered a glimpse at a new Surface gadget – the Surface Neo – that won't ship until Christmas 2020. It has two touchscreens, an all-new Intel processor, a redesigned Surface Pen and new wirelessly-charging keyboard attachment. Oh, and an entirely new version of Windows 10, too.
Microsoft has unveiled a new device that will not be ready to ship until next Christmas. The company said it wanted to offer fans a sneak peak at “the future” and “the next category” of devices.
It also admitted it needed developers to create software designed to work with the new form-factor – something that's likely to take time. By announcing it early, those applications will likely be ready in time for launch. The announcement took place during its annual hardware event in New York City, where Microsoft also revealed the Surface Laptop 3, a new Surface Pro 7, Apple AirPods competitor called Surface Earbuds, and a new 4G-enabled, ultra-thin two-in-one called Microsoft Surface Pro X.
But back to that intriguing new dual-screen device. Dubbed Surface Neo, the new gadget resembles a traditional filofax, or notepad.
It’s a dual-screen device that can be used to run multiple apps side-by-side and has a smaller Surface Pen that magnetically attaches to the back of the Gorilla Glass design. When it’s attached to the rear glass panel, the pen charges. So you won’t have to worry about fiddling around with AAA batteries, unlike the Surface Pen that ships with the Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Pro 7.
There’s also a keyboard attachment that can be overlaid onto one of the displays to help with typing. In a demo, Microsoft showed the foldable two-screen device resting on a tabletop like a laptop, with the keyboard accessory on the bottom display.
However, the Redmond-based company also showed the keyboard detached from the screen and separately on a table. If you’re doing more serious work and need both displays available to you, this set-up gives you the most screen real estate.
And when you’re done, you can attach the keyboard attachment to the back of the device – just like the Surface Pen. And like the stylus, it will also charge wirelessly through the glass case.
So, you’ll only ever need to charge the Surface Neo – none of the accessories to keep powering through the day.
Microsoft unveil the new touchscreen Surface Neo
Microsoft says “there is truly nothing else like this out there”.
Each side of the device 5.6mm thin. Microsoft says this is possible because it boasts the thinnest LCD display that has ever been created. Like the rest of the Surface portfolio, the hinge is critically important here.
The hinge on the Surface Neo can rotate 360°, so you can fold the device around onto itself, so that it lies flat on a, ahem, surface.
The latest addition to the Surface line-up will be powered by Windows 10 X, which has been designed to support dual-screen devices. For example, when you tap to launch an app, Windows will open-up the application on whatever display you initially invoked it. According to the company, that means users are invited to launch another app on the second screen to cross-reference between the two panels.
Of course, you can launch an application across both screens if you need to. To do that, you just need to drag the application window across the dual displays. Rotating the device, the Surface Neo will automatically re-adjust the apps so that they’re orientated in the right direction.