Microsoft’s 4th-gen Surface Pro tablet has a 12.3 inch, 2736 x 1824 pixel display with 267 pixels per inch. It’s bigger than the 12 inch screen on the Surface Pro 3, but the tablet is the same size since it has thinner bezels.

Speaking of thinner, the new tablet is actually thinner and lighter than last year’s model, but Microsoft says it’s also the most powerful mode to date.

The Surface Pro 4 features a 6th-gen Intel Core “Skylake” processor and supports up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

Prices start at $899, and the Surface Pro 3 will ship on October 26th. Pre-orders open today.

spro_01

Like all Surface tablets, Microsoft is positioning the Surface Pro 4 as a tablet that can replace a laptop, and the newest version of the company’s keyboard dock includes backlit keys and wider touchpad.

The new Surface Pen has a full year of battery life, supports 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, and includes a tail eraser. The pen is available in 5 different colors and supports interchangeable pen tips.

surface pro 4_05

The pen also attaches to the side of the tablet via magnets, making it easy to store the pen when it’s not in use without resorting to a loop in a case or cover or slot in the case.

So how much more compact is the new Surface Pro? It’s 8.4 mm thick, compared with 9.1mm for the Surface Pro 3, and the new model weighs 1.73 pounds, compared with 1.76 pounds for last year’s model.

How much more powerful is the 2015 model? Microsoft says it offers 30 percent better performance than last year’s model.

There’s a new $199 Surface Pro docking station that works with both the Surface Pro 3 and 4 models. It has two DisplayPort connectors that let you hook up dual 4K displays, Ethernet, and four USB 3.0 ports.

surface pro type cover_02

Microsoft’s new $130 Surface Pro Type Cover is a thinner and lighter cover which also works with Surface Pro 3 or Pro 4 models. It has an integrated backlit keyboard, a precision glass trackpad that’s 40 percent bigger than those on earlier models, and keys with 1.3mm travel.

There’s also a new $160 Surface Pro Type Cover with a Fingerprint reader for Windows Hello authentication.

An entry-level Surface Pro 4 features an Intel Core M3 processor with Intel HD 515 graphics, 4GB of RAM, and 128GB of solid state storage. But Microsoft also offers models with up to a Core i7 Skylake processor with Intel Iris graphics, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage.

Other Surface Pro 4 tablet features include 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, an 8MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, a full-sized USB 3.0 port, a microSD card slot, stereo microphones, and stereo speakers.

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20 replies on “Microsoft launches $899 Surface Pro 4 (Thinner, lighter, faster)”

  1. I hope this new line of Surface devices don’t have the same Marvell WiFi chip as the Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3. They’ve been having on going issues where they get download speeds of 100 kbits/s. I feel sorry for the Surface Pro 3 users who’ve been living with the WiFi issues for a year now.

    One of the suggested solutions in the MS forums is to use a USB WiFi dongle…

  3. I’m extremely disappointed by the active cooling. I really really wanted a surface pro but again I have to wait another generation. There are no alternatives, core M is too weak, and I really want a kickstand.

  4. Need more details on the stylus pen with the 1 year
    battery life. Apparently the battery is not rechargeable.
    Does the pen have a removable battery, or is
    the stylus pen now considered a consumable/disposable
    item? Hate that N-trig and Synaptics pens use a
    AAAA battery.

    1. Obviously it uses a battery, the guy was talking about it needing to be re-filled so to speak like a real pen.

    2. Guess what. My Surface Pro 3 pen has been going strong since January with no sign of letting up–and I use it to take hand-written notes in meetings at least 3 or 4 time a week. I don’t think that it’s a stretch in any way to believe it could last a year or more even with this older model. The new pen could last even longer.

    1. Yeh, alot of rumours were suggesting passive cooling. There are even some sites reporting this morning that it is fanless. But the video clearly shows a fan.

      1. Thanks for the clarification. I’m not sure how to feel about that. I definitely want a totally silent computer (as I’m pretty much used to it after two years with the DV8P), but both BayTrail and CherryTrail seems to be crippled with overheating problems and CoreM was kind of a hothead too. Maybe I’ll just wait till the non-Pro Surface 3’s price drops…

        1. I agree. I use an asus x205 with passive cooling and it’s heaven but it’s not suitable for anything else than typing and browsing. Maybe the skylake core M’s will be enough? Cause then we’ll have the Lenovo surface clone as an alternative, I think it’s fanless, but not sure.

      2. The base $899 model uses Skylake Core m3 – it will be fanless.

  6. I count 1x Displayport. This may be something that was misinterpreted, perhaps Microsoft meant to say Dual-mode Displayport? Or they were outlining that DP 1.2 has support for dual displays from 1x port?

    1. Way too early to make that assertion. It’s one thing to come out with the hardware, it’s entirely another to use it to win market share from a very well entrenched competitor.

  8. Man they are really putting out flagship productivity tablets. Rest of the world is playing catchup to MS..who would’ve thought three years ago!

    My first hint that this might happen was when I tried a windows hybrid 2 years ago, and found I could finally do all my consumption and productivity on one device Still have my iPhone but I never looked at the iPad again, and thought to myself, “this is probably going to catch on once people get tired of using tablets to play candy crush all the time and want to get real work done on one.”

    Response to common naysayers argument “windows hybrid owners use it as a laptop 90% of the time, so why not just get a laptop.” Wrong. I use mine in tablet mode on the couch/in bed/etc. 60% of the time, and 40% of the time with keyboard and occasionally with mouse as well. my one device offers a perfect combination of all use cases for my life, thank you very much.
    Don’t believe the hype – try one!

    1. Or just wait a few days until all the marketing hype wears off and use the time to consider how you can better spend that money…?

      1. Did you see the video though? THUNDERSTRUCK! :p

        edit: All kidding aside, I just want the new keyboard, it’s backwards compatible so I’ll just pick that up 🙂

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