The Surface Pro 9 is now almost a year old, meaning a successor is likely just around the corner. Microsoft makes one of the best productivity tablets on the market, so we’re pretty excited to see what’s next for the Pro series. Here’s everything we know and want to see from the Microsoft Surface Pro 10.
Microsoft Surface Pro 10: At a glance
- When is it coming out? The Microsoft Surface 10 release date isn’t officially set yet, though it will likely launch this fall sometime between late September and October.
- What’s new? The Surface Pro 10 will likely have two displays, an improved CPU, and several other refinements.
- How much will it cost? We expect the Surface Pro 10 series to begin somewhere around the $1,000 mark, though the 11-inch model could be a little less than this.
Will there be a Microsoft Surface Pro 10?
Microsoft has released nine different main iterations of the Surface Pro so far, making it almost guaranteed we’ll see a Surface Pro 10. It’s also worth noting that this marks the tenth anniversary of the Pro, so it’s very possible Microsoft will go all out when it releases. As for when we’ll see it? It’s very likely the tablet won’t arrive on the scene until 2024.
What is the Microsoft Surface Pro 10 release date?
- Surface Pro 7: October 22, 2019
- Surface Pro 7 Plus: January 11, 2021
- Surface Pro 8: September 22, 2021
- Surface Pro 9: October 12, 2022
The Surface Pro 10 release date isn’t known for sure, but we can certainly take a guess. As you can see, the Surface Pro usually comes out sometime between September and October. Of course, it doesn’t always happen annually. After all, there was a two-year gap between the Pro 7 and Pro 8, with the Pro 7 Plus slotting in between the two.
The good news is we’ve already heard more than a few rumors that indicate the Microsoft Surface Pro 10 is coming this year. Unless Microsoft pushes things back further, it is safe to assume the Pro 10 will arrive sometime this fall.
What specs and features will the Microsoft Surface Pro 10 have?
There’s still at least a month until the Microsoft Surface Pro 10 launch, but we already know a few things about it, thanks to the rumor mill.
Design
Microsoft hasn’t made many major changes to its Surface Pro hardware since the 8th generation model in 2021. It’s possible we could see a bigger design change to celebrate the Pro’s 10th anniversary with a big bang, but every leak so far points to a more modest refresh in terms of design.
Microsoft’s Surface strategy has largely been about refinement and polish instead of introducing major overhauls. We’d say that’s a good thing, as the Surface is one of the better-looking productivity tablets on the market.
That isn’t to say nothing new is coming. A strong rumor from Windows Central suggests an 11-inch model will debut alongside the Pro’s more typical 13-inch display.
The same report claims the Surface Pro 10 will have smaller bezels, and both models will have a 120Hz refresh rate. Considering the Pro 9 already has 120Hz on the 13-inch display, it’s unsurprising that the 11-inch model would also get the same refresh rate.
Specs
The Surface Pro was originally an Intel-only affair until the Surface Pro 9 absorbed the Surface Pro X ARM-based line. While the Wi-Fi-only Pro 9 uses an Intel processor, the Pro 9 with 5G opts for an ARM-based Microsoft SQ3 SoC.
What about the Surface Pro 10? Will it have ARM and Intel flavors as well? Yes, eventually. Microsoft remains pretty committed to ARM and tablets in general. Windows 11 recently got a few useful tablet-centric updates, and rumors claim this trend will continue with Windows 12 in 2024.
What’s uncertain is if the ARM version will launch simultaneously with the Surface Pro 10’s Intel variant.
There will likely be an ARM and Intel version, though it’s unclear if both will launch at same time.
Right now, the Pro 9’s SQ3 SoC utilizes the latest Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 technology, making it about as good as it gets with ARM at the moment. With the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 4 on its way soon, it’s possible that Microsoft will wait until 2024 to launch the 5G model to take advantage of the more powerful silicon.
The Intel side of things is a lot clearer. The Surface Pro 10 will likely utilize Intel’s 13th-gen Raptor Lake processors with a choice between the Core i5 and i7. The processors are widely available and are a logical upgrade path for Microsoft’s hybrid tablet. Just like last year, we imagine the Surface Pro 10 Intel model will not have a 5G option.
As for the rest of the specs, we imagine there will be integrated graphics and RAM configurations of 8-32GB of RAM at minimum. A 64GB option would be nice, though there’s no indication that is happening just yet. We also don’t know much about battery, storage, or camera. We’ll be sure to update this guide as more rumors hit.
What will the Microsoft Surface Pro 10 price be?
- Surface Pro 7: Starting at $749
- Surface Pro 8: Starting at $1,099
- Surface Pro 9 (Intel): Starting at $1,000
- Surface Pro 9 5G (ARM): Starting at $1,300
Prices for the Pro line jumped dramatically with the Surface 8 before dropping back down by $100 with the Pro 9 series. We’d imagine that the Surface Pro 10 will, at a minimum, start at around or even a little under $1,000 dollars.
The catch is that this could very well be for the 11-inch version. Adding a smaller screen size means Microsoft can probably get away with charging a premium for the 13-inch model. We’re also seeing more companies jack up prices to combat inflation, which could prove to be a factor.
The ARM version will likely continue to start at around $1,300, as these versions tend to be more expensive, even if the Intel version is actually the much more powerful choice.
Should you wait for the Microsoft Surface Pro 10?
If you’re looking for a high-end tablet that can also play nicely on productivity, the Surface Pro series is a great choice, and the Pro 9 ($830 at Amazon) already packs a ton of power. Still, the Surface Pro 10 is likely just a month or so away, and for that reason, we’d wait. The Surface Pro 10 will have some big upgrades, for starters. It also means the Surface Pro 9 will likely be cheaper soon as stores look to unload their existing inventories.
Microsoft Surface Pro 10: What we want to see
For the most part, the Surface Pro 9 got a lot right. It’s likely the Pro 10 will be even better, especially with the addition of a second screen size. Still, we’d love to see at least a few things improved upon.
We really want more ports
The Surface Pro 9 has just two USB-C ports and a Surface Connect charging port. There’s no USB-A or HDMI here. While Microsoft has to make some concessions due to the Pro’s relatively slim profile, the least they could do is give us one legacy USB-A port, right?
An option with an integrated GPU
The Surface Pro already sets itself apart from Apple by running a full desktop OS. The Intel variant can, therefore, run tons of legacy programs that help make it a great workhorse. One missing thing is dedicated graphics.
We get it; this wouldn’t be easy. There are potential heat issues with putting a dedicated GPU in such a thin and light machine, and there would likely be a few design trade-offs to make it work. It would also give it a huge advantage over competing tablets, gifting users a device that can be used for gaming and video editing.
The move to OLED would be lovely
The Surface Pro 9 has a great display and will get even better with a smaller screen choice, but we also would like to see Microsoft move away from its PixelSense IPS LCD panels. Don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing inherently bad about the Pro 9’s display, and the variable 120Hz refresh rate works well.
Nonetheless, a move to OLED or micro-LED would help it better compete with high-end options from Samsung and Apple. There’s no word on if such a change might happen, but it’s certainly a possibility.
