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Windows 11 users and Surface enthusiasts had a busy week. Microsoft held an event to showcase the Surface Laptop Ultra, a new Search experience, and a bunch of AI<\/a> features and integrations across Microsoft services.<\/p>\n Like the original Surface Pro, this week\u2019s Windows and Surface event tried to be a 2-in-1. Unfortunately, just like the first-gen Surface Pro, the event failed to thrive in either of its two categories.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first 20 minutes of the event felt like a Build session. That\u2019s not a bad thing. Build is an important event for developers. But it\u2019s not aimed at general audiences and is full of technical jargon.<\/p>\n Latest Videos FromWindows Central<\/p>\n Biggest News of the Week<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \nMicrosoft wants you to “break up with your MacBook” for a Surface Laptop Ultra\n<\/p>\n Microsoft is offering up to $1,000 cash back to MacBook Pro owners<\/a> who switch to the new Surface Laptop Ultra, and that’s on top of trade-in value.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \nI almost want this new Windows wallpaper more than any of the RTX Spark laptops\n<\/p>\n A new Windows 11 wallpaper appeared on RTX Spark laptops, but Microsoft hasn’t shared it, leaving fans to recreate it with AI<\/a>.<\/p>\n \nThe Windows community reacts to Surface Laptop Ultra pricing and features\n<\/p>\n Microsoft revealed the Surface Laptop Ultra’s price and availability on October 7, along with a further explanation of some key features. Here’s how the Windows community reacted<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \nYou can now test Microsoft’s new Windows Search experience\n<\/p>\n Microsoft is rolling out its redesigned Windows Search experience<\/a> to Insiders, complete with faster performance and early support for inline actions.<\/p>\n \nMicrosoft finally confirms Surface Laptop Ultra pricing and release date\n<\/p>\n Surface Laptop Ultra is available to order now<\/a>, with shipments expected to begin on October 16.<\/p>\n Anyone who tuned in to the Windows and Surface event hoping for a closer look at the Surface Laptop Ultra would have glazed over at talks of Llama.cpp and Microsoft Execution Containers.<\/p>\n After watching several speakers focus on the technical aspects of AI and development, I assumed the entire event would be like that. Which made the rest of the event confusing.<\/p>\n After filling our eyes and ears with jargon and likely convincing many to stop watching, Microsoft switched gears and showed off a truly useful feature for Windows 11.<\/p>\n The improved Search experience is a consumer-facing feature that is a breath of fresh air to Windows 11. It looks good, is more functional than what it replaces, and according to Microsoft is more efficient while also performing better.<\/p>\n Shortly after unveiling the new Search, Microsoft shared details about the Surface Laptop Ultra. That PC is designed and priced for developers and power users, but it is intriguing to enthusiasts. On top of being the most powerful Surface ever, it has cool features like its magnetic USB-C port.<\/p>\n Microsoft appears confident in the Surface Laptop Ultra. The company\u2019s website now features a banner telling people \u201cbreak up with your MacBook.\u201d<\/p>\n But the event wasn\u2019t structured in a way that showed the same confidence. The event felt like someone pasted PowerPoint slides from different presentations into a single document.<\/p>\n Who was this event for? <\/p>\n I expected to be frustrated by the Windows and Surface event. I said two weeks ago that Microsoft undercut the event<\/a>. And I\u2019ve said all year that Surface has lost its identity<\/a> as a brand.<\/p>\n While I am frustrated, it\u2019s for an entirely different reason than I expected. Microsoft announced interesting things for Windows and Surface. I think the event lived up to its description on YouTube that promised to show “RTX Spark and new experiences designed to unlock more possibilities for developers and builders.”<\/p>\n But I don\u2019t think that was shown off in a way that appeals to the masses. The features and devices shown on stage may create buzz, but the event itself did not.<\/p>\n Shopping with Sean<\/p>\n Amazon Prime Big Deal Days came and went, but some of the best tech deals are still live. My top pick is a small discount on the XPS 13 that drops the laptop to $799.99.<\/p>\n![\"Surface](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/5pxR2dohHiEUNPRak7GE6X-3956-80.jpg\")
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