The Surface Duo and the dual-screen notebook Neo steal the show at the Microsoft event

Nowadays, there are hardly any product presentations where all the announcements are not leaked in advance. The Surface event in New York this morning or afternoon Swiss time was an exception. Not everything was new. But the new things hit like a bomb. Our man on site, Martin Jud, will soon be bringing you his personal hands-on impressions. Until then, here is an overview of all the products on show.

Surface Duo

In the style of "One More Thing", Microsoft saved the biggest surprise until the end of the presentation. The Surface Duo is a smartphone based on Android. It is based on a 360-degree folding design consisting of two screens. This is intended to make the use of smartphones and computers more fluid. Unfortunately, Microsoft was somewhat stingy with the hard facts of how this is supposed to work. The user interface is strongly reminiscent of Windows.

The Surface Duo will be released at the end of 2020.

Surface Neo and Windows 10X

At first it was rumoured that Microsoft was postponing the launch of the hotly debated dual-display device, but the Redmond company has taken another swipe at the internet. The Surface Neo is almost like the Duo's big brother. It consists of two 9-inch displays with a 360-degree hinge. There is an optional fold-down magnetic keyboard on the back. This means you don't have to type on the touch display. With the keyboard attached, a wide strip remains free on the lower display on which you can write with the pen or select app-specific shortcuts.

The displays are each 5.6 millimetres thick. It is said to be the thinnest LCD ever produced. Microsoft has also developed a new version of Windows called 10X for the new display shape.

The Surface Neo will not be released until the end of 2020.

Surface Pro 7 and Pro X

The Surface Pro 7, the classic 2-in-1 device, hasn't changed much visually. At least it now has the much-requested USB-C port. Surface Connector, card slot and USB-A remain the same. Thanks to fast charging, you will be able to charge the device to 80 per cent in less than an hour.

The seventh Surface generation is powered by Intel's new 14 nm Comet Lake processor.

The Pro models are supplemented by the new X variant, which is based on ARM. Nevertheless, the full Windows 10 version runs on it. This is probably the device referred to in leaks as the Surface Campus. The performance is said to be three times that of a Surface Pro 6. The edges are slightly narrower and the device has become a little thinner. The display measures 13 inches, but the chassis has remained the same as the 12-inch Surface devices. The Pro X has two USB-C ports. Unlike the Pro 7, the ARM model does not have a headphone jack. Instead, the SSD can be replaced in a few simple steps. A 4G module is installed on top.

The optional Type Cover has a small recess for the pen. This has also been updated, is now called the Slim Pen and is charged at the same time as being stored.

The prices vary between 899 and 2599 francs for the Surface Pro 7 and between 1199 and 1699 francs for the Pro X, depending on the version. In Germany, prices start at 899 euros for the Surface Pro 7 and 1149 euros for the Surface Pro X.

Surface Laptop 3

Microsoft's laptop now comes in a 15-inch form factor as well as a 13-inch version. As with the Surface Pro 7, little has changed visually. In terms of connections, Microsoft has opted for Surface Connector, a USB-A port and a USB-C port. The trackpad is 20 per cent larger than its predecessor. Studio microphones should ensure better recording quality when dictating text or making phone calls. Martin can tell you more about this if he does a hands-on. Another new feature is that you can now have the device without the iconic Alcantara finish.

As with the Surface Pro, the laptops are capable of fast charging.

The 13 model is powered by Intel's 10th Core generation, while the larger model is powered by an AMD processor in combination with a Ryzen Vega 11 GPU. According to Microsoft, it should be the fastest laptop processor in its class - whatever that means.

Prices vary between 1199 and 1499 francs for the 13-inch model and 1399 to 1699 for the 15-inch model, depending on the version. In Germany, the starting prices are slightly lower at 1149 and 1349 euros.

Surface Earbuds

With the Surface Headphones, Microsoft already has headphones in its range. This is now being expanded to include the Surface Earbuds. They are touch-sensitive and can be controlled by tapping and swiping. By integrating them with Office 365, you can also control your PowerPoint slides.

Each Earbud has two microphones for better speech recognition and noise reduction. Microsoft promises a battery life of 24 hours.

As mentioned, our colleague Martin will soon be bringing you his impressions of the new Surface products directly from New York. Just look how excited he is.

You can order all the devices presented on the following page