At its ‘Something new is coming from Windows’ livestream event on October 7, Microsoft has formally taken the wraps off the Surface Laptop Ultra, its new creator-grade notebook that’s powered under-the-hood by the brawny ARM-based Nvidia RTX Spark chipset.
Microsoft first teased the Surface Laptop Ultra back at Computex 2026 in June, but we now have pricing and availability information. The device starts at $2,600 in the US, with pre-orders now open to the public, and a ship date of October 16. There’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the laptop, which features a powerful cooling system, a bright peak HDR display panel, and a clean industrial design.
Of particular note is the introduction of a magnetic, breakaway USB Type-C port on the Surface Laptop Ultra, which Microsoft describes as being the “world’s first built-in magnetic USB-C charging experience.” In essence, the system works a lot like Surface Connect or MagSafe, but without sacrificing on the universality of USB-C.
The USB-C port found on the right-hand side of the Surface Laptop Ultra is slightly larger than a typical Type-C port, and the receptacle at the end of the charging cable appears unique in its construction. Magnets latch the connector to the port when in proximity for easy charging, without the need for a proprietary I/O port.
Taking a look at Microsoft’s official US storefront, it appears that the Surface USB-C Magnetic Connect Cable is included in the box, as is a Surface 140W USB-C Power Adapter. This is great news, as it means you won’t have to purchase these accessories separately to gain access to the breakaway charging system unique to the Laptop Ultra.
The return of Surface Connect
Magnetic charging makes its triumphant return
I was quite upset when Microsoft decided to ditch its dedicated, magnetic Surface Connect port on the 12-inch Surface Pro and the 13-inch Surface Laptop. Despite being a proprietary system, I’ve always been a fan of its ingenuity as a breakaway charging cable, capable of preventing a given device from hurling off a table when yanked from its cord.
As a PC user, and within the context of Microsoft phasing out Surface Connect, I’ve been envious of Apple’s decision to bring back MagSafe to the Mac in recent years. Magnets are just plain fun, and they genuinely elevate the user experience of charging up a notebook.
As you might imagine, I’m happy to see the rebirth of Surface Connect in the form of Magnetic Connect. As a spiritual successor, it ropes in the benefits of a breakaway, magnetic charging mechanism, all while maintaining compatibility with the full breadth of USB-C peripherals and accessories in the process.
…I’d go as far as to say that I’d love for magnetic USB-C to become a standard across the industry.
Magnetic Connect is the best of both worlds, and I honestly hope to see it gain traction beyond the (admittedly expensive) Surface Laptop Ultra. Personally, I’d love to see a next-generation Surface Pro adopt the charger technology and embrace it wholeheartedly.
In fact, I’d go as far as to say that I’d love for magnetic USB-C to become a standard across the industry, across phones, tablets, laptops, and all other consumer devices. Perhaps Microsoft could license the tech out to its third-party original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners like Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
If nothing else, I’m just glad to see Microsoft continuing to innovate in the PC hardware space. Surface devices aren’t as bombastically boundary-pushing as they used to be, but, with Magnetic Connect, it’s clear that the tech giant still has some excellent and innovative ideas up its sleeve.
