Wait a minute - new Surface devices for consumers might not have Intel CPUs, just ARM chips?

You probably haven't missed that Microsoft just launched a new Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for businesses, and consumer models are inbound - except they may come with a sting in the tail.

According to chatter on the grapevine, those consumer Surface devices will be the ones to carry ARM chips - specifically the Snapdragon X Elite, or a custom version of it tinkered with by Microsoft - whereas the business-targeted models revealed today have Intel Meteor Lake CPUs.

On X (formerly Twitter), well-known Microsoft leaker Zac Bowden was talking about the new Surfaces and somebody chimed in with a question about whether there will be an Intel option with the consumer Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6.

Surely there will be, even if the focus is on the Qualcomm Snapdragon spin? Well, maybe not it turns out.

Regarding whether there will be Intel CPU-toting consumer Surfaces, Bowden said: "Not to my knowledge. Don't quote me on that though."

And yes, we have quoted the leaker on that, despite that express wish not to, and it seems Bowden is far from certain here, hence the caveat at the end.

Swerving Intel?

Nonetheless, the fact that it seems Microsoft could just completely swerve Intel for the consumer Surfaces, and only offer ARM, seems pretty gobsmacking to us. Is it really that far-fetched, though?

Well, what Bowden does point out later in that thread on X is that in actual fact, running x86 apps in ARM (emulation) gives pretty good results with the new Snapdragon X Elite.

We're told the Qualcomm SoC is very impressive for performance and efficiency, and most apps that everyday users will be firing up on their Surface will run perfectly well with the Snapdragon.

As for heavyweight apps, well, the jury is still out on those - but that's why Microsoft is offering Intel chips on the business spins of the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6. Because that's where those beefy demanding applications will be (mostly) run.

Ultimately, we're going to have to wait a while to find out the truth behind this one, because the consumer models of these Surface devices will not be revealed until May (at a press event on May 20, in fact).

The new Surface Pro 10 in particular is keenly awaited, but some potential buyers may not be quite so keen if they have to commit to ARM if they're purchasing the latest and greatest hybrid laptop from Microsoft.

Meanwhile, the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 for businesses are both available to order, starting at $1,199, with the first units set to ship on April 9.