Microsoft has begun selling the Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro pre-installed.
It’s not widely available as you’ll have to go through the company’s commercial store, but the option exists to get a model with a more capable version of Windows running right out of the box.
The configurations available through the commercial store mostly replicate what you’d find online or in a Microsoft Store location. Only choices for 4GB of RAM and the Graphite Gold color are missing. Otherwise you’re still choosing between multiple colors, processors, memory sizes, and storage sizes.
If you already have Microsoft’s latest computer, you can still upgrade from Windows 10 S to Windows 10 Pro for free until March 31.
When the Surface Laptop launched last summer, the company made it pretty clear who the target was. The ultra-thin design and modest specifications made it obvious that Microsoft wanted to sell the laptop to students and professionals who want portability with decent power. And, to drive costs down and compete against Google’s Chrome OS, the Surface Laptop shipped with Windows 10 S. The decision to offer a Windows 10 Pro-based model shows that maybe a stripped down version of Windows isn’t what anyone really wants after all.
Getting the Surface Laptop with Windows 10 Pro pre-installed through the commercial store doesn’t require any special credentials. It’s open to anyone, and you’re paying the same price you would if you got the Windows 10 S model and upgraded the software.
