Microsoft unveils Surface Pro 4; packs in an impressive specification set!

We expected Microsoft to release a couple of Lumia devices, which they did with the Lumia 950 and 950XL . We also expected Microsoft to launch the Surface Pro 4, which they did. However, the offering did leave most of us surprised.

With the kind of specification set that Microsoft has packed into the Microsoft Surface Pro 4, it seemed like it didn’t want to leave any room for competition to have an edge. In that whole long debate of whether tablets are work ready yet or not, Microsoft simply gave the answer. Yes it is.

During the launch of the iPad Pro we said how we would have preferred the iPad Pro to have run Mac OS. And for good reason. If you create a tablet meant for work, you need to go with the whole ecosystem at work. And currently that’s Windows primarily, and then Mac to a certain extent. Apple did surprise us by creating an extended iPad with a stylus called Pencil.

But Microsoft seems to have checked the right boxes. And in fact, exceeded expectations to a great deal. As far as real world performance is concerned, we’d get an idea only when we experience it first hand. But as far as the spec sheet goes, it feels too good to be real. There is a big downfall, especially for the Indian market, and we’ll come to it later.

What’s the big deal?

Upto 1 TB SSD, support for microSD card, sixth-generation Core M3, i5 or i7, Intel Graphics, up to 16 GB RAM. Sounds good, right? And then to add a bit more, there is support for a docking station that has four USB 3.0 ports, two 4k display ports as well as Ethernet ports.

Indeed they did surprise us. What’s significant is that Microsoft went ahead and created the hardware as well. So, it also serves as a reference device for its partner network to match in terms of experience.

The finer details

Display

In terms of display, the Pixel C cramps in nearly as many pixels in the Surface Pro 4’s 12.3 inch display within a 10.2 inch display. While the Pixel C offers 2560x1800 pixels in a 10.2 inch display, the Surface Pro 4 offers 2736x1824 pixels in a 12.3 inch display. That’s 308ppi in the Pixel C as compared to 267ppi in the Surface Pro 4.

Processor

The Surface Pro 4 comes with a Core i7 processor, which makes it laptop-grade, comparable to the Macbook lineup, rather than the iPad. In case of the Pixel C, it’s powered via Nvidia X1 quad-core chip.

RAM

The Surface Pro is also powerpacked with upto 16GB RAM, clearly outdoing the Macbook Air with 8GB and way ahead of the 3GB RAM in the Pixel C.

Operating system

The Surface Pro runs the full fledged Windows 10 Pro, as compared to the mobile iOS on the iPad Pro and Android on the Pixel C. If you mean work, this is the way to go. And Microsoft also mentioned that the Surface Pro 4 was designed on the earlier Surface Pro 3, highlighting its work readiness.

What’s the raw deal?

Sure, a quality product demands a price. But considering that the previous Microsoft Surface Pro 3 hasn’t been retailing in India and has been demanding a premium tag of close to Rs 1 lakh, it tends to be a bit more than what most users would prefer to opt for. The one way for Microsoft to deal with this is to aggressively offer exchange programs and incentives to shift to the Surface Pro, and more importantly launch it in India. We’d await details on that from Microsoft.

Essentially, it’s the price that we expect to pinch most consumers in India. By a great deal. But those who travel to the US, would want to try their hands on a device once it launches.

Specification sheet

For those of you who want to evaluate the specifications of the Surface Pro 4:

Processor: Intel 6th-gen processor (Core M3, i5 or i7)

Graphics: Intel HD graphics 515 (M3), Intel HD graphics 520 (i5) and Intel Iris (i7) graphic cards

Stylus: Microsoft Pen with custom Touch G5 chipset by Microsoft. Surface Pen stylus (five colors and interchangeable pen tips)

Dimensions: 7.93 x 11.5 x 0.33 inches (201.4 x 292.1 x 8.4 mm)

Weight: Between 766 and 786g (depending on processor)

Display: 12.3-inch PixelSense display with 2736 x 1824 resolution. 3:2 aspect ratio with 267 ppi and Gorilla Glass 4 screen

RAM: Choice of 4/8/16 GB

Storage: Choice of 128/256/512GB/1TB SSD

Networking: Wi-Fi 802.11 ac/802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 LE support

Supports microSD card

USB 3.0 and Mini DisplayPort connectivity

Camera: 8MP rear and 5MP front-facing camera, both supporting 1080p HD recording

Fingerprint sensor

Battery: Up to 9 hours of video playback

Operating System: Windows 10 Pro

Surface Pro 4 docking stations (four USB 3.0, two 4K DisplayPort and Ethernet ports)

Surface Pro Type Cover

Let us know what you think of Microsoft’s latest tablet, which it calls the thinnest, most powerful tablet ever. Does it offer enough for you to choose it over the Pixel C or iPad Pro?