Microsoft is reportedly considering AMD for future Surface devices

In a recent report from The Verge, Microsoft may be considering AMD processors for their 2019 Surface Laptop device, citing the company’s struggles with Intel when developing their recent Surface Go and other mobile computing devices. 

In Beneath A Surface, a recently released book from Brad Sams, it is suggested that Microsoft is impatiently waiting for Intel’s 10nm processors, hoping for the new lithography node to improve the performance of their low-power Surface lineup drastically. In recent years AMD has started to deliver strong competition within their CPU market, with their move to 7nm bringing with it an opportunity for Microsoft to move away from Intel. 

Intel is infamous for pushing high margins on their customers, preventing the company’s most efficient chip designs from hitting lower price points. As a company, AMD is more willing to accept lower margins to achieve larger sales volumes, giving Microsoft an opportunity to develop cheaper devices and fire some warning shots at Intel in the mobile CPU market. Microsoft is reportedly considering AMD’s Picasso chips for a planned Surface Laptop device.