Microsoft has announced that its new Surface Laptop Ultra, priced at $2,599, is now available for preorder and will ship starting October 16. This laptop is designed to leverage AI capabilities, allowing users to run various AI models locally without incurring high cloud costs.
The device features a magnetic USB-C port and can support up to 128 gigabytes of unified memory, delivering computing power comparable to Nvidia's 2016 DGX-1 data center server, which was valued at $250 million. Despite being the leading operating system for PCs, Microsoft is not among the top six PC vendors by unit shipments, according to Gartner.
The company aims to enhance its role in the AI sector, competing with tech giants like Apple and Google, who are also focusing on enabling more AI functionalities on devices. Analysts, including Max Weinbach from Creative Strategies, have noted that this product could attract users back to Windows.
Additionally, Microsoft is updating its Windows 11 setup to facilitate the use of open-source AI software, indicating a strategic shift in its market approach as it seeks to solidify its presence in the evolving AI landscape