Each Surface Pro has arguably been better than the last, and there's good reason to believe that the Surface Pro 4 could turn out to be something special.
While the Surface Pro 2 was marketed as a tablet that could do more than other tablets (particularly Apple's iPad), Microsoft switched tact to try and make the Surface Pro 3 an all-out MacBook Air killer.
Touted "the tablet that can replace your laptop", it was lighter than Apple's popular machine, had a sharp display and excellent handwriting capabilities - but it was far from perfect. Battery life was so-so, you had to shell out for a (still pretty flimsy) Type Cover and it had a tendency to sizzle fingertips during operation.
However, with Intel's Core M 'Broadwell' CPU out (and Skylake on the horizon), in addition to Windows 10 later in the year, Microsoft has all the ingredients to make the Surface Pro 4 the 2-in-1 that could kick both your laptop and tablet into touch.
Cut to the chase
- What is it? A brand new Surface Pro
- When is it out? Could be as soon as March, as late as October
- What will it cost? From around £575 to more than £1,300
Surface Pro 4 release date
Speculation is mounting as to when Microsoft will launch the Surface Pro 4, with rumours pointing to October. That's when Windows 10 is expected to drop (Microsoft has tentatively teased "early fall"), and it's thought that the Surface Pro 4 will be one of the first to ship with Microsoft's upcoming OS pre-loaded.
It seems unlikely, but Microsoft could throw a curveball and launch the Surface Pro 4 at GDC on March 2 - 6, 2015, notes PC Advisor, citing a report by the Christian Times. That report cites insider sources from Microsoft, which point out that the Microsoft recently dropped the price of certain Surface Pro 3 configurations by $100.
Surface Pro 4 design
At 12 inches, the Surface Pro 3 is Microsoft's biggest Surface tablet (not counting the giant Surface Hub). According to Design & Trend, which points to Chinese news website cnBeta, the Surface Pro 4 will launch in two different sizes - one with a 12-inch display and a larger version with a 14-inch display (possibly to compete with the iPad Pro and other rumoured monster tablets).
Microsoft's Surface tablets have always been praised for their design, so it's hard to see the company deviating too much from what has gone before. That seems to be the case judging by a company blog post by general manager for Microsoft's Surface line Brian Hall, which says that the Surface Pro 3's accessories will be compatible with "the next generation of the 'Pro' line of Surface".
He wrote: "We are pleased to share that the following Surface Pro 3 accessories are designed with our product roadmap in mind and will be compatible with the next generation of the "Pro" line of Surface:
- Today's Surface Pro 3 Type Covers
- Our "infrastructure" accessories such as our power adapter, Ethernet adapter, and more
- The Surface Pro 3 Docking Station
"This commitment helps validate an investment in Surface Pro 3 and solidifies Microsoft's overall commitment to the continued growth of the Surface brand."
On the other hand, now that Intel's fifth-generation Core M chips are available, Microsoft could use Intel's Broadwell-Y CPU to make the Surface Pro 4 thinner than its predecessor as well as fanless while retaining compatibility with accessories.
The Surface Pro 4 could launch alongside Microsoft's long-rumoured Surface Mini tablet, which is expected to feature an 8-inch display and will be positioned to take on the likes of the iPad Mini 2 and Google Nexus tablets.
Surface Pro 4 specs
The Surface Pro 4 could offer similar storage options to the Surface Pro 3, starting at 64GB and rising to 128GB, 256GB and 500GB. It wouldn't be surprising if Microsoft introduced a Surface Pro 4 with a 1TB storage option for the first time.
According to the Design & Trend report, the Surface Pro 4 will run Windows 10 and will come with a 2,160 x 1,440 pixel-resolution display, up to 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM. It will also apparently come with Xbox game streaming.
As mentioned, it is expected that the Surface Pro 4 will come with Intel's Core M 'Broadwell' CPU, which was made available to device makers in January. In TechRadar's analysis piece, we argue that the powerful Intel Core M 5Y70 is the perfect CPU for Microsoft's upcoming tablet.
The Surface Pro 4 could also come with new accessories following Microsoft's acquisition of N-Trig, the Israel-based company behind its Surface tablets' pressure-sensitive stylus technology.
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