Microsoft readying Haswell and Tegra 4-based Surface 2 devices

[Matthew DeCarlo]

It's no secret or surprise that Microsoft is preparing a successor to its hybrid Windows 8 tablet and freshly leaked details about the Surface Pro 2 have emerged just in time for you to regret the discounted Surface Pro you bought last week. According to Neowin and Paul Thurrott, the next Surface Pro will ship with improved specifications including a Hawell-based Core i5 CPU.

Shifting to Intel's fourth-generation Core chips will obviously be snappier than existing Ivy Bridge-based Surface Pros, but they should also help improve the system's battery life -- the lack of which being a primary complaint about Microsoft's first attempt. The Surface Pro is limited to about five hours of usage, while its follow up will reportedly provide up to seven hours.

Microsoft will also ship the Surface Pro 2 with more memory than its predecessor had at 8GB versus 4GB, though that's as much as anyone is willing or able to share about the device's internals. Externally, you can reportedly expect a "refined" integrated kickstand with multiple positions, while the system's overall aesthetics should remain largely unchanged from today's model.

As for the most important information -- when it'll be available and what it'll cost -- we don't know and we don't know. Neowin says Microsoft is readying a media campaign -- perhaps for Christmas, which happens to be a perfectly sensible time to sell your new product, not to mention that Windows 8.1 is slated for a mid-October release (Friday the 18th if you want to mark your calendar).

As for pricing, we can't see Microsoft getting away with charging more than it did for the original Surface Pro ($899-$999) and asking any less wouldn't put enough of gap between generations without further reducing the cost of its older models. If a $1,000 SKU is inbound, it would be nice to see it come with a Touch/Type Cover of some sort out of the box at a discount, however slight.

Microsoft also plans to use Nvidia's Tegra 4 SoC in an updated Surface RT that will simply be called the "Surface 2," while a 7-inch "Surface mini" is expected to target the Kindle Fire HD, Nexus 7 and iPad mini. With a Surface refresh, a Windows update, a new Xbox and internal restructuring that includes Ballmer's departure, the folks in Redmond are in for a hectic holiday 2013.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/53891-microsoft-readying-haswell-and-tegra-4-based-surface-2-devices.html

 

[Vrmithrax]

With a Surface refresh, a Windows update, a new Xbox and internal restructuring that includes Ballmer's departure, the folks in Redmond are in for a hectic holiday 2013.

If this next generation's Surface sales are anything like the first ones, the only thing hectic at Redmond will be the Xbox One sales and the accountants scrambling around trying to figure out how to explain to stock holders why they need to have yet another huge write-off of unsold Surface units... Let's hope they price themselves more competitively and actually gain a little traction this go-round... While I'm not a fan of Windows 8 (or 8.1) for my desktop, my experiences with the Surface products have actually been very positive. Hate to see them fail miserably. Again.

 

[VitalyT]

If this next generation's Surface sales are anything like the first ones, the only thing hectic at Redmond will be the Xbox One sales and the accountants scrambling around trying to figure out how to explain to stock holders why they need to have yet another huge write-off of unsold Surface units...

Not really. The only hectic thing that's going on with Microsoft accounts right now and will continue through the holiday season is their 5-minute old purchase of Nokia. Nothing else compares to the scope of this restructure both organizationally and financially - that's where investors' attention now also, and not on the new Surface Pro, for which it is perhaps already factored in to make little financial impact on the company.

 

[Jad Chaar]

If the Surphace Pro is less than $800 I will be interested.

 

[Arris]

I've yet to see anyone with either Surface RT or Pro products. As rare as Blackberry Playbooks.

 

[coppersloane]

I've yet to see anyone with either Surface RT or Pro products. As rare as Blackberry Playbooks.

More people play than work on their devices. Surface owners are the rare few who work more than they play. Hence the rarity.

 

[cliffordcooley]

In my opinion Surface (that goes for any tablet or netbook) is not large enough for work or play. Even if I had one, you would rarely see me with it. I prefer a real machine, not some hand-held toy.