Microsoft introduced new versions of mainstream devices that were due and also made some surprise announcements at the latest Surface hardware event. The limelight was stolen by the Surface Pro 8, a 2-in-1 tablet, which brings massive upgrade to the Surface Pro lineup powered by Intel.
Today Microsoft revealed prices and release dates for their newest Surface Pro, Go, Duo, and Laptop Studio devices. This includes everything, from the Microsoft Duo 2 with Android to the Surface Laptop Studio - the most extravagant Microsoft Surface laptop-sized device yet produced. Most of these devices will be released on October 4, 2021 - the Surface Duo 2 will arrive on October 20, 2021.
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's September event is just a few days away, and many people are already curious not just about Windows 11 but also about whatever new Surface devices the company might have in store for its faithful fans and customers. The Surface Duo 2 is already a big item on that list, and there are some whispers of an interesting new design of the next Surface Book. It almost sounds like that the Surface Pro, the progenitor of all these devices, won't be as interesting, but a new leak about the Surface Pro 8 does put it under a more favorable light.
There are many versatile Windows laptops that boast great performance, extreme power and decent battery backup. Joining the ranks is the new Surface Laptop 4, the latest entrant from the house of Microsoft that touts a massive upgrade in battery and performance from its predecessors. This Surface rendition is very nicely priced and is billed as a competitor to the M1 chip-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro.
The Surface Pro 2-in-1 detachable tablet was arguably a stroke of genius and a gold mine for Microsoft but the company may have already milked the cow dry. The product line has seen very little significant innovation or upgrade in the past generations and the Surface Pro 8 doesn't sound like something terribly exciting either. Still, Microsoft seems quite insistent on pitting the current Surface Pro 7 against the MacBook Pro and while it does make some strong arguments, it might have also missed the point, especially with Apple's latest iteration.
To date, people mostly think of Windows as an operating system for desktops and laptops. Despite Microsoft's efforts since Windows 8 and various "special editions" like Windows 10 S, the OS has struggled to fully adapt a user experience that could rival the likes of iPadOS or even Android when it comes to touch-based devices. Windows 10X, which was initially intended for the fully touch-centric Surface Neo, could be the break that Microsoft needs and a new video showing it in action could prove exactly that.
Microsoft served up something of a surprise this morning by announcing the Surface Pro 7+. This new device has a lot of similarities with the previously-released Surface Pro 7, but Microsoft has made a few key upgrades with the Surface Pro 7+. Unfortunately, we regular consumers aren't going to be able to pick one of these up right away, as Microsoft has two distinct markets in mind for the Surface Pro 7+ and we're in neither of them.
It's CES 2021 this week, kicking off a flood of new product announcements both during the event as well as long after it. One of those that may be happening this month is Microsoft's debut of its next-gen Surface products, namely its pro tablets and laptops. Leaks about the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4 haven't exactly been encouraging but this latest leak shows at least one change that could be a bit of a positive.
It's not uncommon for the first hint that a product is getting ready to launch to come in the form of filings made with the FCC. Any new electronic device that launches publicly in the US must have FCC approvals for various components inside the device. A recent FCC filing for the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 suggests that the new PC could launch soon.
Although it still enjoys some popularity as Microsoft's premier hardware product line, it has been quite a while since it has made a big change for its Surface products, especially the oldest of them all, the Surface Pro. It seems that 2021 won't be any different, at least during the early months when Microsoft is expected to launch its next line of portable computers. But while the next-gen Surface Pro 8 will likely see some welcome upgrades, a new leak hints that it won't be spread equally when it comes to LTE support.
With all that's happening in the Mac market the past weeks, it's almost too easy to forget other manufacturers have their own new wares to show. Intel is, of course, making sure no one forgets by making a lot of noise about its 11th-gen processors and new Intel Iris Xe graphics. One company that has been unusually silent, however, is Microsoft, whose line of Surface products used to be the talk of the PC town. Microsoft seems to be taking a more modest strategy if these leaked photos and information about its upcoming Surface computers are anything to go by.