Microsoft has given a rare glimpse into its Surface hardware lab, showcasing the company's meticulous approach to designing and engineering its latest smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop devices. The lab tour, attended by Tom Warren, senior editor at The Verge, revealed the extensive testing and refinement process that goes into creating these compact yet powerful devices.

One of the significant challenges Microsoft faced was attaching the Surface Pen to the rear of the 12-inch Surface Pro tablet. To achieve this, engineers designed different magnet combinations and tested their effectiveness using machines that record the force and distance needed to remove the pen. The team then tweaked their tests and designs to ensure a consistent feel on every single Surface Pro.

The same testing is used for the hinge design and magnetic keyboard. Microsoft has created a variety of tests to measure pass and fail rates on prototypes of keyboards to ensure they can attach at multiple angles. This is particularly important on a smaller keyboard, and it's something that will be put to the test in reviews of the Surface Pro 12-inch.

Performance and battery life were also key areas of focus for Microsoft's Qualcomm-powered Surface Laptop devices. While the new Surface Pro has moved to a fanless design, Microsoft is sticking with a fan on the new 13-inch Surface Laptop to help cool the chips inside and provide competitive performance. To ensure its prototypes meet their targets without throttling too soon, Surface engineers use smoke to simulate airflow through the cooling system.

The smoke test allows engineers to see how airflow is working on a Surface Laptop 13-inch, identifying any potential blockages that could affect performance. Once the fan prototype is tested inside a thermal chamber, the temperature is set to 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) to see how well the fan and cooling perform at this kind of heat. Microsoft measures areas like the palm rest part of a laptop to ensure they're staying within thermal limits and that the device is still comfortable to use.

In addition to these rigorous tests, Microsoft also subjects its Surface devices to real-world violence, including drop tests and electrical discharges. The drop chamber is designed to validate Microsoft's simulation data against the reality of dropping a device on concrete flooring. While the Surface Pro 12-inch can withstand a drop from a height of two meters onto a hardwood floor, it did dent when dropped on a concrete floor, although it remained functional.

Electrical discharges are also used to ensure that extreme scenarios won't kill Microsoft's hardware. The company tests above regulatory limits to guarantee that its devices can withstand electrostatic discharges that could lead to software crashing or even a USB port failing. A special radio frequency chamber is used to test frequency interference in a sealed room.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Surface labs tour was the use of robots to test the devices. Microsoft has robots set up to tap the screens of its Surface prototypes 8,000 times to ensure the whole touch panel works every time and no touches are misregistered or inaccurate. The robots can even change the tool used to tap a screen to simulate different finger shapes.

In another room, robots were busy swiping away on a Surface screen to test gestures, while a larger robot was drawing a doodle to celebrate Microsoft's 50th anniversary. Smaller robots were testing palm rejection and tilting with the pen. The attention to detail and commitment to innovation demonstrated by Microsoft's hardware engineering team are a testament to the company's dedication to pushing the boundaries of PC design.

As Microsoft continues to innovate and refine its Surface devices, it's clear that the company is still committed to bringing category-defining designs to the market. With its meticulous approach to hardware engineering, Microsoft is poised to remain a leader in the tech industry for years to come.