14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft announced the Surface Pro 7 during the company’s Surface event on October 2, and the device is projected to go on sale on October 22, with pre-orders available right now.
At first glance, Surface Pro 7 is super-similar to the Surface Pro 6, but at closer inspection, Microsoft has implemented a series of refinements that make this new model a worthy upgrade.
First and foremost, Surface Pro 7 comes with the same display as the model it replaces. The device features a 12.3-inch PixelSense display with a resolution of 2736x1824 pixels and 3:2 aspect ratio.
Surface Pro 7 comes with a choice of three different Intel processors, whereas the Surface Pro 6 only offered two different configurations.
All SP7 models are powered by 10th Gen Intel Core processor, and the base model features a dual-core i3-1005G1 chipset. The middle-range version is powered by a quad-core i5-1035G4 chip and the top model features a quad-core i7-1065G7 processor.
Surface Pro 7 was offered with 8th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 chips, so this is clearly a welcome upgrade.
Additionally, Microsoft has also added three different RAM options, up from two on the older model, so the Surface Pro 7 can be ordered with 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB RAM. Surface Pro 6 was only available with 8GB and 16GB RAM.
Storage options are pretty much the same, so the new model can be ordered with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage.
On the other hand, the GPU has obviously been upgraded for more power, so the Intel Core i3 versions of the Surface Pro 7 come with integrated Intel UHD Graphics, while the i5 and i7 versions are equipped with Intel Iris Plus Graphics. Previously, both the i5 and i7 were paired with an Intel UHD Graphics 620 chipset.
Bigger changes come in the connectivity department.
First and foremost, Surface Pro 7 comes with one USB-C port, and by the looks of things, this can also be used for charging. Surface Pro 6 only featured one USB 3.0 port, but on the new model, the USB-C port is also paired with one USB-A slot. While 3.5mm headphone jack and the Surface Connect ports are still there, the Mini DisplayPort is not, and this isn’t such a big loss given the addition of USB-C.
Additionally, Microsoft has upgraded the wireless connectivity support, so instead of Bluetooth 4.1, you now get Bluetooth 5.0 for faster speeds. Furthermore, Surface Pro 7 also features Wi-Fi 6 support.
While we don’t have the actual specifications of the battery, Microsoft says Surface Pro 7 should last some 10.5 hours with typical device usage, which could be lower than the 13.5 hours provided by the Surface Pro 6 for local video playback. Of course, the actual battery performance can vary depending on how you use the device.
Otherwise, the two are pretty similar, and only subtle differences are available in terms of weight. Surface Pro 7 tips the scales at 775 grams for the Intel i3 and i5 versions and at 790 grams for the i7 configuration. This is nearly the same as the Surface Pro 7, whose i5 version weighted 770 grams, while the i7 sibling was a bit heavier at 784 grams.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is available from $749 and can be pre-ordered right now from the Microsoft Store. Needless to say, the more powerful it gets, the more expensive it becomes, so the top-of-the-range version of the Surface Pro 7 can be purchased for $2299 with an Intel Core i7 chip, 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and Platinum finish.
