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Surface Neo, Microsoft’s dual-screen tablet, will launch in 2020

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During Microsoft’s annual hardware event, the company announced a slew of amazing new devices. However, one device that quickly captured many eyes was Microsoft’s first dual-screen 2-in-1 tablet.

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According to the company, the Surface Neo (previously referred to as Project Centaurus) is currently in the works. Microsoft said the Surface Neo is one of the lighter products in its Surface line, weighing in at 655 grams with a 5.6mm LCD screen, making it the thinnest LCD ever created. The Surface Neo’s small frame was designed to accommodate various lifestyles while ensuring productivity remains intact.

Surface Neo
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Microsoft confirmed that the Surface Neo would run on Microsoft’s recently speculated new operating system, Windows 10X, originally code-named Windows Lite in previous reports. With the combination of the Surface Neo and Windows 10X, Microsoft hopes to increase and re-innovate productivity.

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“Our goal is to fuel a new era of mobile productivity and creativity across two screens,” Microsoft’s lead engineer, Carmen Zlateff stated during the presentation. Zlateff also confirmed that Windows 10X would support all Windows applications, including Microsoft Office.

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If you’re looking to use multiple applications concurrently, the Surface Neo will incorporate an interactive feature called “spanning” allowing you to stretch various applications across two screens, meaning you can edit your PowerPoint presentation one screen while simultaneously watching your favorite movie on the other screen.

As far as hardware goes, to accommodate the device’s thin design, the Surface Neo will be powered by a new 11th-generation hybrid CPU designed for dual-screen devices, the Intel Lakefield. The Lakefield chip will offer an all-day battery life, thanks to its minimal power usage when a device is not currently being used.

Based on the presentation, it appears you can move the keyboard from top to bottom and have a piece of the screen position on the opposite end. Another interesting featuring is the Surface Neo’s stylus will charge on the back of the device.

Although no firm release date has been revealed, the Surface Neo is slated to launch sometime during the 2020 holiday season. If you missed the Surface event, be sure to check out all the devices announced here.

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Taylor Lyles
Taylor Lyles
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Based out of Baltimore, Maryland, Taylor is a contributing writer for Digital Trends covering the latest news in the computer…
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