is reportedly reevaluating its Surface hardware strategy following a DigiTimes report and the release of 's $599 MacBook Neo. The company is exploring specification reductions for a new entry-level 12-inch Surface device to remain competitive.
Rumors from leaker KeplerL2 suggest is developing an Arm-based processor codenamed Sound Wave for these Microsoft devices. Built on 's 3nm process, the chip features six CPU cores, RDNA 3.5 graphics, and a fourth-generation AI engine for efficiency.
This shift follows the October 13 launch of the Surface Pro 12 and Laptop 13, which start at $1,149.99. A lower-cost Surface powered by the 5-10W Sound Wave chip could bridge the price gap against Apple while utilizing high-speed LPDDR5X-9600 memory tech.