Microsoft has launched a new Surface Pro. It’s name? The ‘new Surface Pro’ - yes, really. The bizarre name echos Apple’s 2012 ‘The new iPad’ and will provoke criticism that it isn’t worth the ‘Surface Pro 5’ brand [it isn’t]. Nevertheless Microsoft’s new machine makes subtle and important upgrades in many areas.
So let’s break down the differences between the New Surface Pro and its predecessor, the Surface Pro 4...
Design - It’s Now A Laptop
Look at the outside of the New Surface Pro and it looks almost identical to the Surface Pro 4 and even the Surface Pro 3:
- Surface Pro 3 - 292 x 201 x 9.1mm, 794g to 814g
- Surface Pro 4 - 292 x 201 x 8.4mm, 766g to 786g
- New Surface Pro - 292 x 201 x 8.5mm, 766g to 786g
More subtly you’ll also find the New Surface Pro has more rounded corners, redesigned heat venting, an improved 165 degree kickstand [vs 150 degrees on the Surface Pro 4] and stronger magnets for the Surface Pen - at long last. Webcams on the front [5MP] and back [8MP] also blend in more which is a small but stylish touch.
Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 [pictured] remains the core for the New Surface Pro
Microsoft
And yet, despite their similarities, Microsoft is marketing the New Surface Pro as “the most versatile laptop” while the Surface Pro 4 was the “tablet that can replace your laptop”. Why probably comes down to customer research, but it puts the ‘Surface Laptop’ in an odd position.
Display - Old Dog, New Tricks
As you might expect, given the dimensions, the New Surface Pro also has the same 3:2 12.3-inch PixelSense display as the Surface Pro 4. The native resolution remains 2736 x 1824 pixels [267 ppi] and there’s the same support for 10 point multi-touch.
Out the box though, the New Surface Pro has native support for the Surface Dial - something I suspect was behind the deeper 165 degree kickstand. The good news, however, is Dial support will come to the Surface Pro 4 later in the year via a firmware update.
The New Surface Pro with Microsoft's Surface Dial
Microsoft
Performance - Laptop Class
What does help give the New Surface Pro some laptop credentials, however, is its upgraded specs. The range moves to Intel’s ‘Kaby Lake’ chipsets with the following options:
- Core m3-7Y30 with HD Graphics 615
- Core i5-7300U with HD Graphics 620
- Core i7-7660U with Iris Plus Graphics 640
Interestingly both the m3 and i5 variants will be fanless and therefore silent. Microsoft claims the top end i7 model will be quieter than ever, though it does pack a fan which also accounts for an extra 20g in overall weight.
What is unchanged are RAM options [4GB, 8GB or 16GB of 1866Mhz LPDDR3] and storage [128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB via a PCIe NVMe SSD].
Software - Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 S
At launch the New Surface Pro will ship with Windows 10 Pro, but Microsoft has confirmed it will also sell the range with Windows 10 S eventually. Then again why you’d want to opt for Windows 10 S [given its obvious limitations], is beyond me.
Connectivity - One Step Forward, One Step Back
With the arrival of the New Surface Pro Microsoft is finally adding the option for integrated 4G LTE. Unfortunately, however, progress here is marred by a strange refusal to adopt technology’s hottest connector.
The New Surface Pro has no USB Type-C connectivity
Microsoft
Remarkably USB Type-C is nowhere to be seen on the New Surface Pro other than via a supplied dongle. Meanwhile the proprietary Surface Connector power port remains alongside mini DisplayPort, a microSD slot and just one full-sized USB 3.0 port. At least Bluetooth moves from v4.0 to 4.1.
So while Apple may have gone too far in replacing every port on its MacBook Pros with USB Type-C, Microsoft has definitely not gone far enough.
Battery Life - The Best Change
The shift to Kaby Lake is a big deal and with it comes Microsoft’s bold claim that the New Surface Pro will last up to 13.5 hours on a single charge. This compares to nine hours with the Surface Pro 4 which is a massive 50% improvement, though it is worth noting the figures refer solely to video playback.
Personally I have not got close to nine hours out of my Surface Pro 4, but I have a lot of Chrome browser tabs open and do a lot of image editing. So - depending on your work - your mileage will vary with the New Surface Pro. Still any increase of this size is to be welcomed.
Price - More Through Less
On paper Microsoft is retaining the same pricing with the New Surface Pro as the Surface Pro 4 with prices starting from $799. And yet the reality is Microsoft’s charging more because the Surface Pen [$99] is no longer included.
The New Surface Pro price hasn't changed, but you'll need accessories
Microsoft
This won’t be missed by many customers so the move is understandable, but the Surface Pen has also been greatly improved for this release with twice the accuracy, 4x the pressure sensitivity [4096 vs 1024 levels], new tilt shading functionality and it requires half the pressure [10g vs 20g] to register input.
Similarly the optional-yet-compulsory New Surface Pro Signature Type Cover is an extra $159. Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 covers can be purchased from as low as $129, though the new Alcantara cover has 1.3mm of key travel and a full-size glass trackpad with 500 dpi resolution and five-finger multiple touch recognition.
The New Surface Pro and all its accessories will launch on June 15th.
Bottom Line
The New Surface Pro may not be worthy of the name ‘Surface Pro 5’, but it is a practical and worthwhile update. Surface Pro 4 owners are unlikely to be motivated to upgrade, but Surface Pro 3 owners will be tempted along with any Windows users looking for such a flexible hybrid device.
Will Microsoft win over MacBook users? For loyalists the change of operating system may prove too much, but given the pricing of Apple’s MacBook Pro models the New Surface Pro’s appeal is likely to run deep…