Microsoft new Surface Pro

There are a lot of Surface Pro 4 fans out there, many of whom were a little worried when Microsoft told reporters just a month ago that there was no Surface Pro 5 in the works. However, it turns out that the company was being literal—in fact it was putting the finishing touches on its followup to the Surface Pro 4, but was dropping the expected “5.” This time around, Microsoft is skipping the numbers and going with just plain “Surface Pro.”

Introducing the new Microsoft Surface Pro

The new professional Windows 10 tablet was unveiled this week in New York.

New Microsoft Surface Pro 2017

Microsoft’s Professional Tablet Gets Better In Every Way

The Surface Pro 4 was already a very good tablet. Four generations in, Microsoft had the form factor pretty much perfected and its accessories like the Surface Pen and Type Cover were the best in the business.

Without messing with a good thing, the new Surface Pro still delivers a compelling upgrade.

The new tablet looks almost identical to the Surface Pro 4. The corners of the case have been gently rounded and Microsoft says there are roughly 800 new parts used for this version. Additionally, the 165-degree hinge from the Surface Studio has been adapted for the Surface Pro’s kickstand, so it can be used in a nearly flat mode. And the new Surfact will also support the Surface Dial.

The Surface Pro gets Intel’s newest 7th generation “Kaby Lake” Core CPUs, and the Core m and Core i5 version are fanless for silent operation. Also, the SSD is now integrated on the logic board. The combination of Kaby Lake CPUs and the new SSD bring a 50% performance improvement over the Surface Pro 4 and a whopping 13.5-hour battery life. and important addition for many wireless warriors, is that LTE will be offered as an option for the first time.


Surface Pro Key Specs

  • 12.3-inch Pixel Sense Display @ 2736 x 1824 resolution
  • 7th generation Intel Core m, Core i5 or Core i7 CPU
  • Integrated Intel Graphics 615 (m3), Intel Graphics 620 (i5), Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 (i7)
  • 4GB, 8GB or 16GB RAM
  • SSD storage ranging from 128GB to 1TB
  • Up to 13.5-hour battery life
  • 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0
  • USB 3.0, microSD, Surface Connect and Mini DisplayPort
  • Windows Hello camera (5.0MP), 8.0MP rear camera
  • Stereo microphones, stereo speaker with Dolby Audio Premium
  • Windows 10 Pro pre-installed
  • Weighs 766 g (m3), 786g (i5, i7)

New Surface Accessories

Microsoft is no longer including the Surface Pen free in the box, but the new Surface Pen is a compelling addition. Pressure sensitivity has been upped to 4096 levels, it’s much more responsive and on the Surface Pro it recognizes tilt, for enhanced shading accuracy.

The optional Type Cover that converts the Surface Pro to a laptop remains unchanged, which is a good thing. As everyone who uses one knows, the Surface is already excellent with responsive backlit keys and glass trackpad. But Microsoft is releasing the Signature Type Cover in three new colours of Alcantara fabric (you can read my review of the original Signature Type cover here, if you want to know what the fuss is about with Alcantara).

 

 

surface pro

 

You can catch up on all the great Surface products, accessories and software Microsoft is currently offering, along with Best Buy’s extensive selection of Windows PCs and tablets.

Brad Moon
Editor Computing solutions
I’m a long-time electronics and gadget geek who’s been fortunate enough to enjoy a career that lets me indulge this interest. I have been writing about technology for several decades for a wide range of outlets including Wired, Gizmodo, Lifehacker, MSN, About.com, Kiplinger, and GeekDad. I’m in my 10th year as a senior contributor for Forbes with a focus on reviewing music-related tech, Apple gear, battery power stations and other consumer electronics. My day job is with the Malware Research Center at AI-native cybersecurity pioneer CrowdStrike.