Overview
- Preorders for the Surface Laptop Ultra are open and Microsoft says shipments will begin next week after the early October unveiling.
- The promotion advertises up to $1,000 cash back for eligible MacBook Pro trade-ins, with the bonus paid after Microsoft receives and evaluates the returned device and added on top of the standard trade-in value.
- Reported trade-in estimates vary widely by model and condition, ranging from very low sums such as about $45 for older entry-level MacBooks to as much as $2,115 for a high-spec 2025 MacBook Pro.
- The cash-back offer appears to be U.S.-focused and uses third-party trade-in partners that can lower quoted values on inspection, so sellers may get less than the online estimate and could earn more by selling privately.
- The Surface Laptop Ultra ships with Nvidia RTX Spark silicon, a mini-LED screen, a magnetic USB-C port, and a lower starting price among RTX Spark machines, but reviewers say independent tests of battery life, thermals, and sustained AI performance are still needed to judge real-world competitiveness.