Microsoft will host a press event on September 22nd, where the company is expected to unveil several Surface devices. Microsoft announced Windows 11 earlier this year, and the operating system is available in beta right now. The OS update comes with stringent hardware requirements, which will leave some Windows 10 users scrambling for new PCs. Microsoft’s 2021 Windows 11 lineup might include the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Go 3. Also, a Surface Book replacement might carry a different name. The Surface Pro 8 comes right in time to take on Apple’s new iPads, as the 2-in-1 device offers might offer some people the best of both worlds. A last-minute leak reveals some of the tablet’s specs, as well as the starting price.
The rumored Surface Pro 8 specs
Apple just unveiled two new iPads, which will ship to buyers on Friday. The 9th-gen iPad packs better specs than ever before, including more storage and a faster processor. The 6th-gen iPad mini brings over a massive redesign, and a significant specs bump that includes the A15 Bionic processor and USB-C connectivity.
The Surface Pro was always a strange alternative to Apple products, with Microsoft using it to compete against the iPads and the MacBook Air. The device is a standalone Windows tablet and becomes a tablet if buyers purchase a separate keyboard accessory. The Surface Pro 8 is no different, as the machine will take on tablets and laptops alike.
Surface Pro 8
Price (Base Verient) 💰
~$799/~€680/~¥5169/~₹59,999— Sam (@Shadow_Leak) September 20, 2021
From the looks of it, the Surface Pro 8 will offer a high-end tablet experience thanks to a few notable specs upgrades. The tablet will feature a 13-inch display with thin bezels and 120Hz refresh rate support. Powering the Surface Pro 8 will be Intel’s 11th-gen Core processors.
The 2-in-1 will also feature Thunderbolt ports and replaceable SSD hard drives. Battery life details aren’t available, but the image in the tweet above implies the tablet will be relatively thin. Finally, the leak says the Surface Pro 8 will launch with Windows 11 preinstalled, which is what we’d expect from Microsoft at this point.
Starting price also leaked.
The move to USB-C ports and the support for user-replaceable SSD are two Surface Pro 8 specs upgrades that buyers will probably appreciate. The latter is exciting if you’re looking for a cheaper Surface Pro 8 version. You could avoid upgrading the storage when configuring your Surface in favor of an upgrade down the road. Also, the Thunderbolt support will ensure fast data transfer speeds between the Surface Pro 8 and external SSDs.
The same leaker who listed the tablet’s specs also posted the purported entry price for the Surface Pro 8. Assuming the information is accurate, the 2-in-1 will start at $799. It’s unclear what the base specs will be for the cheapest Surface Pro 8 or how much storage it’ll feature.
At $799, the Surface Pro 8 would be cheaper than the iPad Pro models but more expensive than all of Apple’s other iPads. It would also be more affordable than the entry-level MacBook Air. The Air and the iPad Pro all feature the Apple M1 processor, however, making them more attractive to buyers.
The Surface Pro 8 should still support stylus input as well as Type Cover keyboards. But those cost extra, just like the iPad’s similar accessories.
