Surface Pro 5 rumors are light, so, in the absence of real information, we can only assess the Surface Pro 4 successor in terms of what other tablets have done. If the iPad Pro and Asus Transformer 3 Pro are any indication, here are five specs and features the next iteration must have.
1) Improved Battery Life: An issue that has dogged the Surface Pro 4 since its release is poor battery life. On most benchmarks the tablet struggles to come close to Microsoft’s promised nine-hour stretch, and that’s a huge problem.
This is especially true considering Apple’s iPad Pro generally offers 10 consistent hours of juice depending on the task. While not widely released or reviewed, the Transformer Pro 3 also takes jabs at Microsoft by alleging “all-day” battery life and a quick-charge feature that touts 60 percent of a full charge in just 50 minutes. The jury’s still out on how well that stuff delivers, but the implication is clear: Microsoft must make battery life a priority for the Surface Pro 5.
2) Gaming Features: People often purchase devices like the Surface Pro 4 for their mobility, but gaming options are a highly requested addition amongst a subset of the Surface audience. The vast majority of new PC games won’t run on this premiere tablet.
While it’d be a bit expensive to include a GPU in the Surface Pro 5’s actual specs, a possible solution would be to offer an external one. The Transformer 3 Pro has a probably pricey accessory that contains an actual NVIDIA GTX 1080 when extra power is necessary. Something like that is great as an optional product for those that want it. Even without a ton of GPU muster, at least the iPad Pro has a large library of new App Store games to play. As PC gaming continues to grow, the Surface should grow with it.
3) Greater Connectivity: The Surface Pro 4 does a fairly decent job including relevant ports like USB, DisplayPort and microSD, but it’s missing some really obvious additions like USB-C, Thunderbolt and HDMI.
Many high-end tablets like the iPad Pro and Transformer 3 Pro feature these sources of connectivity, and that allows for greater device compatibility, higher data transfer rates and improved charging speeds. HDMI and USB-C are especially modern amenities. A modern device like a hypothetical Surface Pro 5 must include both.
4) Included Keyboard: Microsoft almost always markets its Surface line with the Type Cover accessory as an essential part of the experience. That’s a good idea, but one isn’t featured in the box. Instead, consumers have to shell out an additional $130 on top of what’s already a pretty costly purchase depending on the desired model.
Many convertible tablets choose to sell accessories in a similar way, but there are a few, like the Transformer, that don’t. If Microsoft really wants to spark interest in the Surface Pro 5, it’d be awesome to add value to the package even with a cheaper version of the standard Type Cover. Give consumers a true Surface experience from the start.
5) Lower The Price For The Specs: The Surface line has always been something of a premium product, and that’s OK. That being said, hitting true critical mass with any sort of device mandates a cost that a wide range of consumers is willing to accept. The Surface always seems to be sitting just outside that barrier of expectation.
While not every example here is detachable, devices like the Yoga 710, iPad Pro or Transformer 3 Pro all undercut the Surface in terms of value from a straight cost perspective or by including a keyboard. At this point there’s no way the 8 GB i7 model should cost well over $1,000. Microsoft can afford to make the Surface Pro 5 cheaper, so they should.
The Surface Pro 5 has not been officially revealed at this time, and we think it won’t release in 2016.
Do you think Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 successor should borrow specs and features from other tablets? What do you want from the Surface Pro 5? Tell us in the comments section!
