Surface Pro 5 didn’t make an appearance at Microsoft’s recent Windows 10 event. That was something we predicted, but it goes a long way toward validating release date and spec-related rumors we’ve heard about the Surface Pro 4 successor. Here’s what we suspect and what this fall’s shun tells us.
First and foremost, it’s almost a sure thing the Surface Pro 5 will indeed release in early 2017. Just take a look at the evidence– during the event, the bulk of Microsoft’s reveals were related to Redstone 2, now called the Creators Update. Coming early next year, the software refresh promises a swath of improvements to Microsoft Edge, personalization tweaks and in-app adjustments.
What’s been speculated about Redstone 2 for a while now, directly from Microsoft, is that it was delayed from 2016 to support a new line of Surface devices. Obviously, that could tie to the revised Surface Book or the new Surface Studio PC revealed this week, but both of those are 2016 devices. That essentially tells us that there has to be something else planned for early 2017 that prompted the update’s delay. With the Surface Book updated, Surface Pro 5 is the only high-profile example left. It’s worth recalling that the Surface Pro 4 launched alongside a big Windows 10 update too.
With a release window more firmly established, that also cues us in a bit closer to the Surface Pro 4 successor’s specs. As we speak, Intel has begun sending out larger amounts of its new Kaby Lake chips to various hardware partners. The latest configuration seems like it will offer performance boosts of about 25 percent and will have a marked impact on efficiency and battery life. It seems like a no-brainer that Microsoft wait for that next-gen processor considering the Surface Pro 4’s endurance issues.
It’s true that these release date and spec rumors about the Surface Pro 5 have been swirling for a long time, but Microsoft’s most recent events validate them even further. At this point, a 2017 Surface Pro 5 with a Kaby Lake CPU seems like a can’t miss.
Until then, the Surface Pro 4 is available now.
What do you think of these rumors? Were they validated by Microsoft’s event? Are you willing to wait on the Surface Pro 5? Tell us in the comments section!
