Microsoft hasn’t given much away. Its only hint so far is that “something new is coming from Windows,” and that line won’t mean much until someone actually takes the stage.
That moment arrives today in San Francisco, where Microsoft intends to reveal what comes next for Windows and Surface. The company will also host what it describes as a “conversation on how local AI will shape the next chapter of the PC.”
Who’s on the stage
This is a bigger lineup than you would normally see for a hardware refresh. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will join that conversation, along with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Pavan Davuluri, who runs Windows and Surface.
Bringing Huang to a Windows event sends a fairly obvious message about which company’s chips Microsoft wants on your mind.
The Nvidia angle is the one to watch
Nvidia’s RTX Spark platform should get plenty of attention. We also expect to learn more about the Surface Laptop Ultra, which runs on Nvidia’s new Arm-based chips.
The laptop is the bigger story. Windows on Arm has a spotty history, so Microsoft has to demonstrate real performance and app compatibility rather than just pitching “local AI.” A polished keynote won’t answer those questions. Hands-on testing will.
When and where to watch
The keynote begins Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET, and the whole presentation is expected to last about an hour.
You can watch it live on Microsoft’s YouTube stream.
If you can only catch part of the show, watch for the Surface Laptop Ultra segment. That’s when Microsoft needs to put hardware you can actually buy behind its promise that something new is coming from Windows.