Wintel is broken? Microsoft internally tests Surface models with ARM and AMD processors

Earlier this week, there were reports that Microsoft was working on a Surface laptop based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx platform; and the latest news indicates that the 2019 Surface is expected to be equipped with an AMD processor. According to a report by foreign media Petri, the relationship between Microsoft and Intel is in an "unstable state", but the specific reason is not clear at present. The report also pointed out that Microsoft has begun testing Surface models equipped with ARM and AMD processors.

Codename Excalibur

Sources have revealed that Microsoft is developing an ARM-based Surface device codenamed Excalibur. The device will be powered by Qualcomm's latest 8cx processor, likely the SCX8180, which offers performance equivalent to an Intel Core i5 processor with eight cores and up to 3 GHz clock rate.

We don’t know the size of the new device yet, but the new device equipped with the new chip is of course the rumored dual-screen folding Surface tablet that supports running Android applications.

AMD processors

It is reported that Microsoft is testing AMD Picasso SoC based on 12nm process and intends to use it in its own Surface laptop. As the successor to Raven Ridge, this series of processors is based on Zen+ CPU and Vega GPU architecture. Picasso processor is built with GlobalFoundries' 12nm process and contains four cores.

However, Sams pointed out that Intel is still a big player, so Microsoft does not plan to replace the entire Surface line with AMD's competing products. He also revealed that Microsoft has not yet redesigned its Surface series, but will use the USB-C interface this year. As for the new design of Surface Pro, codenamed Carmel, it will obviously not be launched until next year.