Microsoft will launch new Windows 11 hardware on September 22

New hardware will be a great showcase for Microsoft's next OS

New Microsoft hardware
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft is going to unleash new hardware at an event on September 22. On a mostly blank web page the company invites one and all to join to “see what’s next”. In the image is a shot of a Surface, so at a guess at least one new model of that range. 

This will be an important event for the company. Windows 11 is coming soon and having some hardware to showcase it will be important. I’ve already written quite a bit about the problems Microsoft faces with the roll out of Windows 11. It will be the company’s most restrictive operating system, when it has previously prided itself on supporting hardware that goes way back. 

The event may not just be about Windows hardware though, with The Verge suggesting that we could see an updated version of the Surface Duo, the phone which promised much and was met with a considerable lack of interest from the general public. With Samsung’s new foldables upping the game, Microsoft’s folding phone will need a bit more than two screens on one device to break through. Certainly the rumoured hardware specs of a Snapdragon 888, with 5G could be a good basis to build on. 

In terms of laptops we might see a Surface Book update and a new Surface Pro for consumers. We should expect to see a lot of new hardware from manufacturers hoping to leap on the Windows 11 hype train. With so many existing computers being shut out of Windows 11, there is clearly an effort to get people to upgrade their hardware. Although I suspect that for the vast majority of users it’s more likely they will stick with the much-loved Windows 10 until they naturally need to upgrade. 

It will be great to see how Microsoft is going to showcase its new operating system with glamorous hardware. If you want to watch along you can do so by heading to the Microsoft site on September 22 at 8am PT, 11am ET, 4pm GMT. 

Ian has been involved in technology journalism since 2007, originally writing about AV hardware back when LCDs and plasma TVs were just gaining popularity. Nearly 15 years on, he remains as excited about how tech can make your life better.