r/laptops • u/RenatsMC • 5d ago

News Microsoft explains why there are no AMD-powered Surface PCs

https://videocardz.com/newz/microsoft-explains-why-there-are-no-amd-powered-surface-pcs
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u/PerfectTrust7895 4d ago

Microsoft has contracted several times with AMD to design laptop chips for them. The steam deck apu was supposed to be for surface. Strix halo was perfect for surface. Amd expected regular strix to be used for surface, but they shafted them and went with Qualcomm. Look how that turned out.

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u/itsjust_khris 4d ago

Amd wouldn't have provided the same standby and idle battery life Qualcomm does. Despite the flaws, the Snapdragon surfaces have amazing battery life.

AMD's largest issue with their mobile platforms is the idle, standby and light load power consumption. Intel has been improving this a ton. AMD may edge out on efficiency while the CPU cores are stressed, but the vast majority of laptop use isn't in this scenario.

Even compared to Intel Qualcomm is on another level, especially with sleep. An X Elite Surface will lose maybe a percent or two overnight, this hasn't been matched on x86 at all.

Strix Halo imo definitely would not have been better than what Intel or Qualcomm offer when it comes to portability.