Microsoft Surface Pro LTE Arrives December 1st With Snapdragon X16 Modem

by Brandon Hill — Wednesday, September 27, 2017, 02:26 PM EDT

When Microsoft announced the current generation Surface Pro (4^th gen, if you're keeping score), the company revealed that an LTE model would be added to the product mix. Well, it's over four months later and we still haven't laid eyes on this mysterious Surface Pro LTE. However, a new report suggests that the cellular SKU is just a few months away.

This news comes courtesy of Tim Golik, who is a program manager for the Surface Pro. According to Golik, the LTE-equipped version of the Windows 10 convertible will be available on December 1^st. We were not made privy as to whether the device will be available to purchase on that date, or if it will simply be available for pre-order.

Microsoft refused to confirm the December 1^st date, and gave the following statement instead. "The Surface Pro with LTE will be available later this year. We will have more to share regarding specific timing and market availability in coming months."

There was also one other tidbit of information that was revealed by Golik during a Microsoft Ignite developer session: the Surface Pro LTE will ship with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X16 modem. This is the same LTE modem that can be found in devices like the Apple iPhone 8/iPhone 8 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S8/Galaxy S8 Plus. The chip will enable the Surface Pro LTE to work on any wireless networks across the globe.

There is no word on pricing for the LTE option, but competitor Apple offers LTE connectivity on its iPads for an extra $130. The Surface Pro currently starts at $799, and that price gets you an Intel Core m3 processor, 4GB RAM, and a 128GB SSD.

Tags: Microsoft, LTE, Qualcomm, Surface Pro, (nasdaq:msft), snapdragon x16

Brandon Hill

Brandon received his first PC, an IBM Aptiva 310, in 1994 and hasn’t looked back since. He cut his teeth on computer building/repair working at a mom and pop computer shop as a plucky teen in the mid 90s and went on to join AnandTech as the Senior News Editor in 1999. Brandon would later help to form DailyTech where he served as Editor-in-Chief from 2008 until 2014. Brandon is a tech geek at heart, and family members always know where to turn when they need free tech support. When he isn’t writing about the tech hardware or studying up on the latest in mobile gadgets, you’ll find him browsing forums that cater to his long-running passion: automobiles.

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