Microsoft has announced a new 2-in-1 Surface Pro tablet, once again powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipsets instead of Intel or AMD processors. It starts at $799, but it might be the least ‘Pro’ Surface Pro to date.
The 7th generation Surface Laptop and 11th generation Surface Pro were both released last year as some of the first Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X chipsets. They were generally well-received, with battery life and power efficiency closer to the MacBook Air. Now there’s a new Surface Pro alongside the updated Surface Laptop, and it’s a Windows 11 Copilot+ PC.
Hardware and Connectivity
The new Surface Pro has roughly the same design as the previous model, measuring 10.8 inches across (274 mm), 7.47 inches tall (190 mm), and 0.3 inches in depth (7.8 mm). It also weighs 1.5 pounds (686 grams), making it about as heavy as the 13-inch iPad Air at 1.3 pounds (616 grams). Thankfully, there’s still an integrated kickstand, so you can sit it up on a flat surface without the need for a case or cover.
The screen is a 12-inch LCD panel—slightly smaller than the 13-inch panel on the previous model, with an aspect ratio of 3:2 and a resolution of 2196×1464. The refresh rate runs at up to 90Hz. As with all previous Surface tablets, it supports both touch and stylus input.
The new Surface Pro has an 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chipset, paired with 16GB of RAM, 256 or 512GB storage, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. That’s a step down from the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus used in the base configuration of the previous Surface Pro, and there’s no higher-end option with an X Elite chip at all. That hardware should still be more than enough for most productivity work, but it’s strange to not even have an option for higher-end hardware on a “Pro” tablet. The less-powerful CPU will be especially noticeable in games and other applications that aren’t native to Windows 11 on ARM yet and have to be emulated.
For connectivity, you get two USB Type-C ports that support charging, data transfer with USB 3.2, and DisplayPort 1.4a with up to two 4K monitors at 60 Hz. The tablet can charge at up to 45W, but there is no power adapter included in the box—just a USB-C cable. There are no USB Type-A ports, and no headphone jack. Just like Apple and Samsung, Microsoft has decided that you don’t need wired audio on a tablet, at least not without an adapter.
You might notice another port missing: the proprietary Surface Connect port used with Microsoft’s external docks and hubs. That marks the end of an era that started with the Surface Pro 3 in 2014, but with Thunderbolt and USB docks becoming widespread, there wasn’t much of a need for that anymore.
However, it’s not clear if the Surface Pro supports Thunderbolt or USB 4. The chipset it’s using does work with USB 4, but the specifications page provided by Microsoft only mentions USB 3.2. We’ve asked Microsoft for confirmation, and we’ll update this article when we hear back.
Keyboard and Stylus
Microsoft has updated the keyboard cover again for the new Surface Pro, but it doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade. The company says “The new keyboard attaches easily and lies flat for a grounded and quiet typing experience. It features a smooth-matte palm rest for comfort and durability, a full-size backlit keyset and customizable precision touchpad with adaptive touch mode.”
Earlier keyboards for the Surface Pro could swap between a flat and angled position, going as far back as the Surface Pro 3, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. It’s available in three colors: Slate, Ocean, and Violet. The keyboard is still not included in the box, and it’s unclear if the new Surface is compatible with older Surface keyboards.
The new Surface Pro is designed to be used with the Surface Slim Pen 2nd Edition, and the tablet has a magnetic mount and charger for the stylus on the back. It still supports the same Microsoft Pen Protocol, though, so you can use any stylus that has that standard.
Pricing and Availability
The new Surface Pro starts at $799, which is the same starting price as the previous model. However, you do get a smaller screen (12” vs. 13”), a less-powerful chipset (8-core Snapdragon X Plus vs. 10-core, and possibly other downgrades. There’s also no option for an OLED screen, higher-end chipset, or more than 512GB of integrated storage. Also, the keyboard and Surface Pen are still not included in the box.
You’ll be able to buy the Surface Pro from Microsoft’s online store starting on May 20. It will also be available from other retailers like Best Buy. You might also want to check out the new Surface Laptop.
Source: Microsoft
