Microsoft Surface laptop 2 with 8th gen Intel Core processors launched at $999

Focussing on their more traditional, clamshell laptop, Microsoft also launched the Surface Laptop 2 on Tuesday. And similar to the Surface Pro 6, there may not be design overhaul here but it does feature a number of upgrades, worth taking note of.The new Surface laptop remains very similar to the original model that came out last year, offering the same 13.5-inch display with a resolution of 2256 x 1504 and a claimed battery life of 14.5 hours. Microsoft does let you pick up a matte black colour variant of the laptop this year, alongside the usual burgundy, cobalt blue and platinum options.[caption id="attachment_5306021" align="alignnone" width="1024"] The Surface Laptop 2 looks identical to its predecessor. Image: Microsoft[/caption]Things have only changed in the internals. The Surface Laptop 2 now features Intel's 8th-generation processors, which Microsoft claims to deliver an 85 percent boost in performance when compared to last year's laptop. The keyboard this year is also quieter in comparison to its predecessor. As far as the base variant is concerned, the amount of RAM available has been doubled to a minimum of 8 GB along with a 128 GB SSD. The Surface laptop 2 caps out with a 16 GB Core i7 and a 1 TB SSD[caption id="attachment_5305991" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Surface Laptop 2 comes in four colour with the matte black option being the new addition. Image: Microsoft[/caption]What a number of users will be disappointed about here is the lack of a USB-C port and Thunderbolt support which a number of competing laptops do offer. All you get is a single USB 3.0 port and a mini display port. However, considering Microsoft is targeting the college student and the everyday customer who just wants a reliable machine to get things done, it shouldn't be a dealbreaker for most.The Surface Laptop 2 starts at $999 with preorders beginning today and will be sold starting 16 October.