Bill Gates is known for keeping his phone choices simple, but his main computer setup says a lot about how he works. In the series What’s Next The Future with Bill Gates (2024), several shots show him using a Microsoft Surface Studio at his home office.
The Surface Studio is Microsoft premium all-in-one desktop. It has a large, high-resolution display that tilts down for sketching or writing, something Gates doesn’t do much of on camera, but the size and clarity make it ideal for reading and working with long documents. It is the kind of machine that fits someone who spends hours in front of text, data, and research.
In one scene, Gates is seen fully focused, leaning on his hand as he reads from the big screen. Another shot shows him typing directly into ChatGPT, asking it to write a text in Gen Z slang for his son. It’s a casual moment but it highlights how central this PC is to his workflow.
On his screen, you can see he’s running Windows 11 with the Edge browser, Microsoft Office apps like Word, OneNote, and Teams, along with Spotify and even the Google Photos app.
The machine is paired with a Microsoft keyboard and mouse, plus a wireless charging dock on his desk.
Every screenshot shown here is from What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates, Season 1, Episode 1, which aired in 2024.
