Microsoft Surface Pro 4 vs. Surface Pro 3 Specs Comparison: What to Expect From New Hybrid Tablet
Over a year has passed since Microsoft released its latest tablet the Surface Pro 3 last June 2014. As early as a few months after the release, rumors started circulating that the company is working on its next generation tablet which will be Surface Pro 3's successor. Recently, reports have started coming out that the Surface Pro 4 will be hitting the shelves before the end of the year.
According to a report in Tech Radar, the latest rumor about the new tablet's release date puts it at some time October. An earlier rumor that Microsoft will unveil the tablet together with the release of Windows 10 last July 29 has been debunked after the date passed without any word about the new tablet.
Another report in Tech Times also speculated an October release. Both reports point to an inside source that is privy to Microsoft's supply chain schedules. According to the source, Microsoft has reportedly scheduled the mass shipment of 256 GB SSDs in September in anticipation for the Surface Pro 4's release a month after. These SSDs from Samsung are an integral component of the new tablet.
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The new tablet's rumored specifications builds on what Microsoft wants its tablet to be known as – "the tablet that can replace your laptop." When it came out with the Surface Pro 3 in 2014, this was the marketing tactic that the company was taking.
The Surface Pro 3 has a clear advantage over other laptops in terms of weight (it weighs only 800 grams). Under the hood, it is powered by fourth generation Intel processors with either 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM. It has a fully functional keyboard, which also serves as a dock and is also enabled with excellent handwriting and touch capabilities, especially when used with the Surface Pen.
Microsoft has not yet released any of the specifications of the Surface Pro 4, but that does not stop rumors from going around. The Tech Radar report claims that the new tablet will not be any different with its predecessor design-wise as the ultra-thin form and the bezel size was a plus for the Surface Pro 3. The reports are saying that if there will be any changes, it will be more on the hardware.
One report claims that the Surface Pro 4 is reportedly going to sport the latest Intel processor called Skylake. Other reports however are saying that its processor will be Intel's Core M "Broadwell" CPU, which can mean that the new tablet may be quieter and fanless, with a better design that allows better heat radiation and dissipation.
The tablet is rumored to not just come in one size which is 12 inches, but may also come in a bigger size that is said to rival the rumored iPad pro. There is also another rumor that a Surface mini is also being developed which may possibly take on the iPad mini.
Screen resolution is speculated to remain at Full HD, with 2,160 x 1,440 pixel-resolution display. Storage options for the Surface Pro 4 may be the same as its predecessor, starting from 128 GB, 256 GB and 500 GB, although one report said that a 1 TB option may not be impossible.
