Early Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Rumors Point To Evolutionary Design And Kaby Lake Power

Microsoft first introduced the Surface Pro 4 way back in October 2015, and it has soldiered on since then without major updates. That will change, however, this year when Microsoft introduces the Surface Pro 5.

The latest rumors surrounding the Surface Pro 5 come from a well-connected source: Paul Thurrott. The Surface Pro 5 is expected to retain Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect power connector — there is no mention whether the Surface Pro 5 will also feature a USB-C connector.

Surface Pro 4

Microsoft’s decision to stick with Surface Connect adheres to the company’s promise to ensure that Surface Pro 3 accessories (i.e. Type Covers, docking stations) would remain compatible with future generations. However, it would be a surprising omission if Microsoft turned its back on the USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 interface for a new mobile device shipping in 2017.

As expected, the Surface Pro 5 will also take advantage of Intel’s seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors. Current Surface Pro 4 convertibles use Intel’s sixth-generation Skylake processors. When it comes to the design of the tablet, Thurrott says we should expect “nothing dramatic”, meaning that that the Surface Pro 5 will likely stick close to the shape that we saw with the Surface Pro 3, which was further refined on the Surface Pro 4. That’s not necessarily a bad thing given that the Surface Pro 4 is a well-made and sturdy industrial design.

Other rumors have suggested that the Surface Pro 5 will have a 4K display and will perhaps might support SSDs larger than 1TB in size.

Another well-sourced individual, Mary Jo Foley said that we definitely won’t see the Surface Book 2 at Microsoft’s upcoming spring hardware event. It’s also unlikely that the Surface Pro 5 will appear at the event.