14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has been working hard to become more than a software company, and developing new hardware and services became a priority since Satya Nadella took over from Ballmer, but the Redmond-based giant still has a long way to go to compete with its rivals in this regard.
But Microsoft is very close to finalizing another important product as part of its long-term hardware strategy, as sources are now pointing out that the Surface Pro 4, the company’s most awaited tablet “that can replace your laptop,” is expected to see daylight this month.
Slashgear is reporting that the Surface Pro 4 might be projected to launch in mid-May, and although this date does make sense at some level, it seems less likely when considering that Microsoft still hasn’t sent any invites for a Surface event this month. And launching the Surface Pro 4 quietly isn’t exactly the thing Microsoft would do with a flagship tablet, which makes us think these rumors might not be entirely accurate.
Possible specs
The Surface Pro 4 is expected to come with a 12-inch display with a resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels and to be powered by a 5th-gen Intel (Broadwell) Core i-series CPU. Versions with 4GB and 8GB of RAM would be offered, and so would several storage configurations going all the way up to 512GB or even 1TB.
The Surface Pro 4 will continue to be offered with a removable keyboard, which is actually the main accessory that would turn it into a fully featured replacement for a laptop. Of course, Microsoft will continue advertising it as a laptop replacement, so the keyboard is playing a key role in this regard.
A digital pen will also be offered to make drawing and handwriting easier and faster.
Needless to say, the Surface Pro 4 will be, just like its predecessor, rather expensive, so don’t expect to pay less than $2,000 (1,500 Euro) for the top-of-the-range model.
More information should, however, be provided by Microsoft itself very soon as we get closer to the product's release date.