Microsoft this week quietly posted a new site that details the driver and firmware lifecycle for its Surface-branded PCs. It is the first time, to my knowledge, that the software giant has ever publicly discussed this crucial aspect of the Surface support lifecycle.
“In response to requests from customers for more detailed lifecycle information to help plan and manage hardware and software deployments, Surface is offering additional guidance on our driver and firmware updates,” the Microsoft Docs website
explains. “This lifecycle policy covers drivers and firmware releases for Windows based Surface devices. The lifecycle begins when a device is first released and concludes when Surface ceases publication of drivers and firmware updates on the End of Servicing date.”
Looking over
Microsoft’s Surface support lifecycle list, you can see that many older Surface PCs are already no longer supported, which makes sense. The Surface RT, Surface Pro, Surface 2, and Surface Pro 2 are no longer supported.
This means, of course, that Surface PCs newer than Surface Pro 2 are still supported. But the support timetable varies from machine to machine.
Surface Pro 3, Surface 3, Surface Book, Surface Pro 4, Surface Book with Performance Base, Surface Studio, Surface Laptop, and Surface Pro 5 are all supported until November 13, 2021. Surface Book 2 is supported until November 17, 2021. Surface Pro LTE is supported until December 1, 2021. Surface Go is supported until August 2, 2022. Surface Studio 2 is supported until October 2, 2022. Surface Laptop 2 and Surface Pro 6 are supported until October 16, 2022. And Surface Go with LTE Advanced is supported until November 20, 2022.
As for the most recent Surface PCs, Surface Laptop 3 and Surface Pro 7 are supported until October 22, 2023, Surface Pro X is supported until November 5, 2023. Surface Go 2 is supported until May 6, 2024. Surface Book 3 is supported until May 26, 2024. And Surface Pro X SQ2 and Surface Laptop Go are supported until October 13, 2024.
Windows 10 support varies from PC to PC as well, and Microsoft maintains a separate site that explains
which Windows 10 versions are supported on each Surface PC. Businesses will also need to check out another site that describes
Surface PC compatibility with Windows 10 Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC).
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