Best upcoming laptops 2024: Apple, Microsoft and more
We're waiting for the arrival of more ultraportable and powerhouse laptops
Predicting the release of new smartphones is relatively straightforward- Samsung in the spring, followed by Apple and Google in the fall, with others sprinkled in elsewhere on the calendar. On the other hand, forecasting upcoming the best laptop release dates is a bit more challenging.
Apple and Microsoft typically stick to their own schedule, launching most new products in September or October (with a few Spring exceptions). Google is a dark horse, doing its own thing with ChromeOS. Other laptop makers make their announcements in January, usually at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), in time with new CPUs and graphics chips from Intel, AMD and Nvidia. Here’s what we’re expecting to launch in 2024.
Apple MacBook Air (M3)
Ever since Apple introduced the M3 generation of home-grown CPUs, it’s been a waiting game as to when they’ll turn up in the MacBook Air range.
As a refresher, the 13in MacBook Air has been an ultraportable staple for years. It was the addition of M1 (and subsequent M2) silicon that turned it into a battery life behemoth, capable of lasting entire days of work between trips to a power socket. The MacBook Air 15in then joined the line-up at the 2023 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).
It’s a given that the M2 Max and M2 Ultra CPUs will remain the preserve of the MacBook Pro range, but adding M3 to the MacBook Air range should bring even more performance, without compromising on energy efficiency.
Microsoft Surface Laptop 6
The Surface Laptop 5 is approaching its first birthday. It didn’t cause all that much excitement when it launched at the end of 2022, as apart from a few internal upgrades, it kept everything else the same. Perhaps most worrisome, today’s Surface Laptop still looks much like the first one that Microsoft revealed in 2017.
Could a significant update be in store for the Surface Laptop 6? Perhaps, at least, if you believe Wccftech. The website says Microsoft plans on revealing two Surface Laptop 6 models. The first could feature a 13.5in display with a 2256×1504 resolution. The other, a 15in model, could feature 2496×1664 resolution. The rumor mill suggests you can choose between the Intel Core i5-1335U and the Core i7-1355U.
Microsoft Surface Pro 10
Microsoft’s last Surface event was earlier in October when it announced the Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Go 3. The model that launched the Surface brand, the Surface Pro, remained untouched – suggesting it’ll be 2024 when we see a successor.
Despite representing a 10th-anniversary milestone, the upcoming model isn’t expected to be all that much different than the Surface Pro 9. One significant change: this new Surface Pro could see the return of more size options. In this case, we could see an 11in and 15in Surface Pro. At least the 11in model could feature thinner bezels and a 120Hz refresh rate screen.
Samsung Galaxy Book 4
With AMD and Intel set to reveal new mobile processors imminently, and with more on the way at CES, we’re expecting plenty of laptop makers to announce new models. Samsung will be one of the first, with leaks all but revealing a new Galaxy Book 4 range before the official announcement.
The Galaxy Book 4 Pro will be the most portable of the bunch, with 14in and 16in screen options. The Galaxy Book 4 Pro 360 provides a 2-in-1 convertible option, and the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra packs in a dedicated graphics card instead of an integrated GPU for extra oomph in gaming. All four get 3K resolution AMOLED touchscreens with 120Hz refresh rates.
Power will come from an Intel Core Ultra processor, which adds a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for the AI acceleration. The Ultra model has the choice of RTX 4050 and RTX 4070 GPUs. Pricing and availability will be announced very shortly.
Bryan M. Wolfe