Microsoft Surface Pro 8 gets performance boost plus Thunderbolt 4
Latest generation of the perennial tablet favorite, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 arrives today with the newest iteration of the Surface Pro X (2021), offering touch-first Windows 11 with the flexibility of a removable keyboard cover. Promising to be the biggest change since the launch of the Surface Pro 3, the Surface Pro 8 doubles the speed of its predecessor, while also finally embracing Thunderbolt 4.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8
It is, Microsoft claims, the most powerful 2-in-1 on the market, and the company's rejoinder to Apple's latest iPad Pro. Delivering that is a choice of quad-core 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 or quad-core 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7 processors, on the Intel Evo platform. They're paired with either 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB of storage.
![](https://www.slashgear.com/img/gallery/microsoft-surface-pro-8-gets-performance-boost-plus-thunderbolt-4/microsoft_surface_pro_8_16-1.jpg)
The screen is a 13-inch PixelSense Flow display, with 2880 x 1920 resolution, Dolby Vision support, and up to 120Hz refresh rate. There's 10-point multi-touch and GPU ink acceleration, using the Intel Iris Xe graphics. For storage, there's a removable SSD: up to 256GB in the LTE configurations, or up to 1TB in the WiFI models.
Despite the new hardware, the Surface Pro 8 is just 0.37-inches thick, and 1.96 pounds. It still has the popular multi-position hinge, which can adjust to up to 165 degrees, and an anodized aluminum body. Microsoft will offer it in Platinum or Graphite finishes.
![](https://www.slashgear.com/img/gallery/microsoft-surface-pro-8-gets-performance-boost-plus-thunderbolt-4/microsoft_surface_pro_8_22-1.jpg)
For connectivity, there's WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and an optional Snapdragon X20 LTE model. Maybe more exciting, though, is the arrival of two USB-C ports supporting USB 4.0 and Thunderbolt 4. There's also a Surface Connect port, a Surface Type Cover port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The front gets a 5-megapixel 1080p webcam, while the back has a 10-megapixel camera with autofocus and up to 4K support.
For power, there's up to 16 hours of battery life, Microsoft claims. A zero to 80-percent charge takes just over an hour, with the included 60W power supply; that has a useful 5W USB-A port for charging up accessories at the same time. There are dual far-field Studio Mics, and 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos.
![](https://www.slashgear.com/img/gallery/microsoft-surface-pro-8-gets-performance-boost-plus-thunderbolt-4/microsoft_surface_pro_8_17-1.jpg)
With the new Surface Slim Pen 2 – which docks and charges in a slot in the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard – there's support for inking, annotation, and sketching. Windows 11 should deliver more than 40-percent higher sustained CPU performance and 74-percent faster graphics sustained performance, Microsoft claims, versus the Surface Pro 7.
Preorders kick off today, with the Surface Pro 8 priced from $1,099.99. The Surface Slim Pen 2 is $129.99.
Microsoft Surface Pro X (2021)
For the Surface Pro X, the changes are a little more straightforward. Microsoft is adding a new WiFi-only model to the range, joining the model of Surface Pro X with Gigabit LTE support. It'll bring the starter price down to $899.
![](https://www.slashgear.com/img/gallery/microsoft-surface-pro-8-gets-performance-boost-plus-thunderbolt-4/microsoft_surface_pro_x_2021_4-1.jpg)
As before, there's Windows 11 on ARM, with support for x86 and x64 emulation. The 13-inch PixelSense touchscreen is carried over too, with a 5-megapixel camera above it, and there are dual far-field Studio Mics. Support for the new Surface Slim Pen 2 is included, too, with a charging nook for the stylus in the Signature Keyboard.
The Surface Pro X WiFi configuration is available to preorder from today.