Although Microsoft's Windows phones might not be best sellers, their Surface Pro 2-in-1 tablet and hybrid devices are quite big in the mobile market. Of course, every great mobile device has to have a follow-up, so there is going to be Surface Pro 5. This is what we know about Microsoft's Surface 5 Pro release date, specs, price, and a comparison to the Apple MacBook Pro 2016.
According to the MNR Daily, there have been reports of the specs for the new model, improvements upon the predecessor. The Surface Pro 5 is planned to have a better battery performance, and it might be equipped with either NVIDIA's Pascal graphics processing unit (GPU) or AMD's Polaris-based cards.
It will also have the latest generation Intel Kaby Lake processor. This Kaby Lake processor will provide a 15 to 20 percent boost over its Skylake counterpart, with turbo boost and overboost as well as a more optimized architecture. So there could also be a large 16-gigabyte random access memory, which would make the Surface Pro 5 something that could be great for gaming and other high-powered applications.
As an added bonus, it could have the power of 4K videos. This is with the help of HEVC Main 10 video encoders that is capable of streaming 4K videos smoothly with frame rates that are as high as 60 fps by consuming about 3.2 watts of power. Although the i7 generation chip could stream 4K it was choppy, and consumed 16.5 watts of power.
There is also a change coming to the stylus. It will have a wireless rechargeable power rather than the old AAAA battery-powered stylus. It is also expected to have an improved camera as well.
Of course, Microsoft has to compete with Apple on a lot of things, and one of them is the Surface Pro vs. the new MacBook Pro. Apple's new laptop is expected to be announced on the September 7th presentation, and it is expected to have Intel's Skylake processor. The new MacBook Pro 2016 is also expected to have an OLED bar and USB 3.1 ports that will support Gbps.
It is believed that the Surface Pro will have their big announcement about the Surface Pro 5 in October at the earliest, but it could possibly not show up until 2017. As for the price, the Surface Pro 5 could cost about $899.
If that price is too high for you, then there could be a 2K screen resolution model for a cheaper price, according to Ecumenical News. Speaking of rebates, the Surface Pro 4 is being offered with a $280 discount on a 50-hour sale that concluded as of last month.
