Microsoft is expected to introduce its new Surface lineup of devices this Fall. This time around, though, there might be a little twist. According to a new report from Brad Sams on Petri, Microsoft is toying with the idea of putting non-Intel chips on some of the next-gen Surface devices.

It’s no secret that Microsoft’s relationship with Intel internally hasn’t been smooth, pushing Microsoft to start thinking about moving away from Intel. The company is apparently testing a 12nm AMD Picasso SoC on a variation of the Surface Laptop, according to Petri.

And on the Surface Pro, Microsoft is testing a custom SoC that could potentially power the next Surface Pro device. The company is working “extremely” closely with Qualcomm to build the new custom SoC codenamed Excalibur for the ARM Surface Pro. The custom SoC is being built closely with Qualcomm based on Microsoft’s own specifications to work better on Windows 10. Microsoft may also use the new SoC as a reference device for its OEM partners.

Here’s the thing, though: Microsoft will continue to rely on Intel for its other devices, including new Surface Book, and Pro 7. Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 7 will continue to feature a similar design to the Pro 6, and Microsoft will finally introduce a USB-C port on the device. The company was originally planning to introduce a new look for this year’s Surface Pro, though that’s apparently been pushed till next year.

October will be a big month for Redmond and Microsoft finally leading the Windows-on-ARM space with an ARM Surface Pro might just change Windows laptops as we know it.

Tagged with 8cx, AMD, ARM, ARM Surface Pro, Intel, Qualcomm, Surface Pro