SAN FRANCISCO—Perhaps unsurprisingly, AI was the core focus of Microsoft's latest event. Most importantly, the company finally revealed details about its Nvidia RTX Spark-powered Surface Laptop Ultra, which marks the beginning of the age of agentic-focused Builder PCs. But Microsoft also unveiled the concept of Hybrid Intelligence for Copilot+ PCs, along with a couple of improvements for regular Windows users.
Read on for our in-the-moment reactions to the live event, along with some follow-up analysis on the biggest news from the event. If you missed the livestream, you can watch a supercut of the highlights above.
What Was the 2026 Microsoft Surface and Windows Event?
The event included plenty of news about RTX Spark PCs (including the Surface Laptop Ultra), with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang making an appearance to talk about the future of AI agents. Microsoft also further detailed its vision for "hybrid intelligence," which gives Copilot more local capabilities.
When Was the 2026 Microsoft Surface and Windows Event?
The event started on Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. EST) and lasted about an hour and a half. Hands-off demos followed the presentation. You can watch the full replay at the top of this article.
Where Did the 2026 Microsoft Surface and Windows Event Take Place?
Microsoft hosted the event at a private conference venue in San Francisco, Calif.
About Our Experts
From the laptops on your desk to satellites in space and AI that seems to be everywhere, I cover many topics at PCMag. I've covered PCs and technology products for over 15 years at PCMag and other publications, among them Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, and TWICE. As a hardware reviewer, I've handled dozens of MacBooks, 2-in-1 laptops, Chromebooks, and the latest AI PCs. As the resident Starlink expert, I've done years of hands-on testing with the satellite service. I also explore the most valuable ways to use the latest AI tools and features in our Try AI column.
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I've been writing about technology for more than 15 years and using it in earnest for over twice as long. As a member of PCMag's software team, I focus on Windows coverage, but also write about other key desktop operating systems and system apps. (I used Windows 3.1 upon its release and have followed every subsequent release closely).
Prior to joining PCMag, I wrote for How-To Geek starting in 2011, and my articles amassed over a billion page views. I went on to run the publication as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. I have also contributed to Computerworld, Fast Company, PCWorld, Reader's Digest, The New York Times, and many other outlets about everything from AI to PC hardware to Windows. I founded and ran my own direct-to-reader Windows-focused newsletters, Windows Intelligence and The Windows ReadMe, working in partnership with Thurrott.com.
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