Microsoft says its own limited portfolio is why AMD chips are missing from Surface devices

For the first time, Microsoft has officially explained why AMD chips aren't in its current Surface lineup. Speaking to Windows Central's Zac Bowden, Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrum stated the decision comes down to portfolio size rather than any issue with AMD itself.

"We love working with AMD. We have a limited portfolio, and so we have to make our choices pretty wisely in terms of what we're doing and where we're doing it," Ostrum said, additionally stating, "I love working with AMD."

AMD did actually have a run in Surface before. The Surface Laptop 3 launched in 2019 with an AMD option alongside Intel, and it was also an option in Surface Laptop 4 before being halted entirely with the Surface Laptop 5. Currently, the Surface catalog includes Intel, Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2, and soon NVIDIA's custom RTX Spark chip in the upcoming Surface Laptop Ultra. However, this new lineup includes no AMD silicon.

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This is despite how AMD-friendly the rest of Microsoft's hardware lineup is, with AMD powering every current Xbox console and set to power the next-generation Xbox, too. Ostrum's statement doesn't clearly explain why that same partnership hasn't carried over to Surface, especially since Microsoft proved with the Surface Laptop 3 that it could offer the same chassis with either AMD or Intel inside.

The only thing that could change Microsoft's decision is AMD's first Arm silicon in over a decade. The Arm-based chip, codenamed "Sound Wave," has been in development since 2024 and is supposed to pair a small CPU core count with AMD's own Radeon graphics instead of licensed Arm GPU cores, targeting a sub-10W power envelope for thin, light devices. It was expected to release in 2026, with leaks linking it to a future Surface device. However, as of this report, there are no indications of the chip, and Ostrum didn't mention it either.

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Story Q&A

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From TweakTown's coverage of this story.

Which AMD processor options were available in the Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Laptop 4?

The Surface Laptop 3 offered an AMD processor option alongside Intel, and the Surface Laptop 4 also offered an AMD option. The specific AMD processors are not identified here.

What reports have linked AMD's Sound Wave chip to a future Microsoft Surface device?

Leaks have linked AMD's Arm-based Sound Wave chip to a future Microsoft Surface device, but no specific report is named. Sound Wave was expected in 2026, though there were no indications of the chip at the time of the story, and Microsoft Surface CVP Brett Ostrum did not mention it.

How does AMD's Sound Wave Arm chip compare with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 for thin-and-light laptops?

AMD's Sound Wave is a planned Arm chip for thin, light devices, targeting under 10W with a small CPU core count and Radeon graphics. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 is already in the current Surface lineup; the separate story "Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X2 Elite, Elite Extreme SoC: up to 5.0GHz with up to 18 cores" reports up to 18 CPU cores for those models. There are no Sound Wave benchmarks or direct performance and battery-life comparisons with Snapdragon X2 here.

What AMD processor configurations did Microsoft offer in the Surface Laptop 4?

Microsoft offered an AMD processor option in the Surface Laptop 4 before dropping AMD from the Surface Laptop 5. The specific AMD processors and configurations are not identified.

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For now, Microsoft firmly stands by its decision not to include AMD in its Surface Laptops, simply as a smart portfolio choice. Once Sound Wave actually ships, we'll see whether that decision changes.