Microsoft Surface Head Explains Absence of AMD Processors
Microsoft's limited product portfolio is the reason for the absence of AMD-based Surface devices for over five years, according to Brett Ostrum, head of Surface.
Microsoft's Vice President for Surface, Brett Ostrum, has addressed the company's decision to forgo AMD processors in its Surface devices for more than five years, with the last model being the Surface Laptop 4 in 2021.
Ostrum cited Microsoft's "limited product portfolio" as the reason, requiring "very smart decisions" about product development and chip choices. He emphasized that Microsoft values its partnership with AMD, despite their exclusion from the latest Surface hardware.
AMD remains a key hardware partner for Microsoft in other areas. The company supplies the System on Chips (SoCs) for the Xbox gaming console and is also the chip supplier for the ROG Xbox handheld. Microsoft also utilizes a significant number of AMD's datacenter-grade products.
This strategic choice comes as Microsoft rolls out new Surface devices powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Plus processors and upcoming Surface Laptop Ultras featuring NVIDIA chips. The company appears to be diversifying its silicon partners for the Surface line, focusing on specific architectures for different product tiers.