The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is expected to launch later this year, with Microsoft previously sticking to an annual update cycle for its tablet/laptop hybrid.
While there is no official word from Microsoft regarding the Surface Pro 8, the company has seemingly submitted a patent showing an identical device with solar panels (seen below) integrated into the kickstand. A second patent shows a Surface Pro kickstand featuring a speaker.
While the likelihood of these features arriving on the Surface Pro 8 is pretty low, it’s still rather interesting that Microsoft is exploring the idea of embedding new technology into the kickstand.
It’s also likely that the Surface Pro 8 will see a processor update, especially with Intel’s Tiger Lake laptop chips expected to arrive shortly. Although it’s not out of the question that Microsoft will use AMD’s Ryzen 4000 processors, especially after the rumours regarding the Surface Laptop 4.
For more details on the Surface Pro 8, including our own wish list, keep scrolling down and make sure Trusted Reviews is bookmarked.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 8 release date – When will it launch?
The Surface Pro 8 is likely to arrive in October.
Microsoft has a habit of hosting an October launch event for all of its new products, and then releasing them later on in that month. It’s possible that such a routine could have been disrupted by Covid-19, but we remain optimistic it will go ahead in digital form.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 price – How much will it cost?
The Surface Pro 8 will likely have a starting price of around £799.
This is the same original retail price of the Surface Pro 7, as Microsoft is known for maintaining the same price point between generations. However, it’s possible Microsoft will bump up the price if it opts for newer processors and a redesign.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 8 design – How will it look?
There haven’t been a lot of rumours or leaks for the Surface Pro 8 so far, although two Microsoft patents have emerged from USPTO.
The first patent shows a Surface Pro device to be sporting a kickstand with an embedded solar panel, which could potentially help power the attached Type Cover or tablet itself. Giving the battery life a boost would be a great move by Microsoft, although it’s very atypical for high-end devices to use solar panels, so we’re remaining sceptical for now.
A second patent (seen above) shows a speaker integrated into the kickstand, which we think makes a lot more sense since it would free up more room on the tablet itself. We advise keeping your expectations low for now though, especially since the patent has emerged during the same year as the expected release of the device.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Specs – How powerful it be?
There haven’t been many reports or rumours regarding the Surface Pro 8 specs, but we reckon it’s a safe bet that it will feature Intel’s upcoming Tiger Lake processor.
Microsoft always seems keen to use Intel’s latest and greatest processors, and it’s looking increasingly likely that they’ll launch around September, which is perfect timing for Microsoft.
Don’t discount AMD though, as the processor manufacturer has a great relationship with Microsoft following the Xbox Series X and Surface Laptop 4 collaborations, and there are plenty of Ryzen 4000 chips that would make a good fit for the Surface Pro family.
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Our Microsoft Surface Pro 8 wish list
Redesign with a smaller bezel
The latest trend in the laptop world is to shave the bezel down until it’s barely visible, with the Dell XPS 13 2020 being the most obvious example. For some reason, Microsoft has been reluctant to jump on the bandwagon, leaving its Surface devices looking a little outdated. We’re hoping 2020 is a turning point, as the Surface Pro could really do with a physical makeover.
Faster SSD
With Microsoft pitching the Surface Pro as the tablet device for professionals, you’d expect its SSD to offer competitive speeds for saving and loading data. Unfortunately this is not the case, with our review unit of the Surface Pro 7 only mustering an 805MB/s write speed. To give credit to Microsoft, speedy SSDs are expensive and so can bump up the price, but this is one area rivals are starting to improve on, so we’re hoping the Pro can follow suit.
Thunderbolt 3 support
It felt like a missed opportunity when Microsoft confirmed the Surface Pro 7 won’t feature Thunderbolt 3 for speedy data transfers. Microsoft has since confirmed it snubbed the technology due to justifiable security concerns, but with other manufacturers embracing the technology we’re hoping Microsoft makes a U-turn.
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