Surface Pro 5 Release Date

Surface Pro 5 release date, news and rumors

Surface Pro 5 features

The impressive, if a bit troubled, Surface Pro 4 is nearing its one-year anniversary, so naturally we tech lovers are already thinking about its successor. And with the Surface Pro 4 having sold nearly 10 times more than its younger (but bigger) sibling, the Surface Book, surely Microsoft has a sequel in the works.

In fact, rumors of a Surface Pro 5 release date have been floating around the internet since the current model was launched onto store shelves. The keyword there is "rumors", as none of those reported are citing trustworthy sources, if any at all.

That goes without mentioning folks clamoring across message boards, like Reddit, for their most desired features and improvements. (Can you guess the most popular one? It rhymes with "flattery.")

Cut to the chase

• What is it? The would-be fifth Surface Pro tablet
• When is it out? Current rumors point to spring 2017
• What will it cost? Likely as much as - if not a bit more than - the current Surface Pro 4

Loading pre-order widget...

Surface Pro 5 release date

As reported earlier in 2016, the second major update to Windows 10 was delayeduntil spring of next year to correspond with a new hardware launch. Purportedly, this lineup would consist of the Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2, though a new Surface keyboard appears even more imminent.

Moreover, with Intel's 14-nanometer Kaby Lake processors having just released, it wouldn't be out of character for Redmond to push back the hardware a few months. As the previous Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book encountered technical issues early on, it makes sense for Microsoft to allot itself time with the new CPU architecture.

Regardless of when the Surface Pro 5 finally arrives, you don't need to wait for the next iteration to get your hands on a Surface Pro as Microsoft recently revealed a subscription program that lets you upgrade to new hardware as it's released. Otherwise, you could snag a discounted Surface Book if you act now.

Surface Pro 5 price

In case you haven't noticed in the phone market, the prices of later iterations of modern tech products doesn't change all that drastically - if at all - between releases. Applying that logic to the eventual Surface Pro 5, it's likely that the device will start at $899 (£749, AU$1,349) and escalate from there depending on the configuration and accessories you choose.

Is there any chance that the final price will differ? Of course there is. Would it be smart for Microsoft to deviate too far from the standard it has set? Nope. Regardless, the ball is in Microsoft's court here, and the company will naturally preserve its bottom line if pricier new features are implemented as standard.

Surface Pro 5 stylus

One piece of the puzzle regarding every new Surface is how Microsoft will upgrade its Surface Pen stylus accessory that comes bundled with each tablet. Uncovered earlier this year was a patent filed by Microsoft for a stylus that features a rechargeable battery system.

Specifically, the patent details a magnetic charging dock built to give the new Surface Pen its juice, seemingly with connectors meant for a Surface Dock mounting. Such a venture makes a lot of sense for Microsoft, as the iPad Pro's Apple Pencil currently has this exact edge over the Surface Pen, able to charge by awkwardly connecting to the tablet via its Lightning port.

What we want to see

Look, as much as we've been impressed by the Surface Pro 4, firmware issues aside, there will always be room for improvement. (That would be the case even if it had earned our Editor's Choice award.)

From the screen size and resolution to the hardware inside, we have a few ideas for how Microsoft could craft an even better Windows 10 tablet.

Longer battery life

This is a bit of low-hanging fruit, but countless customers have lamented the Surface Pro 4's battery life - regardless of issues with its "Sleep" mode. We rated the device for 5 hours and 15 minutes of video playback.

That's well below Microsoft's promise of 9 hours of video playback, but we all know that few, if any, laptops actually meet their promised longevity. Our video playback figure is in line with the average laptop, though it's a far cry from what its nemesis, the MacBook Air, can produce.

Ideally, and realistically, we'd like to see at least 7 hours of battery life reliably from the next Surface Pro tablet. That would put it closer in line with the MacBook Air as well as competing tablets, like the iPad Pro.

An even sharper (and/or bigger) screen

With the Surface Pro 4, Microsoft managed to oust countless rivals in both the laptop and tablet spaces when it comes to screen resolution. With a razor-sharp 267 ppi (pixels per inch) already at 2,736 x 1,824 pixels within a 12.3-inch screen, it's not as if the Surface Pro 5 needs to be much sharper.

However, if the next Surface Pro were equipped with, say, a 4K (3,840 pixels wide, at least) screen, that would rip its productivity and entertainment capabilities wide open. Film and photo editors could work at the native resolution that's increasingly becoming the norm, while average Joe's (teehee) could finally watch Netflix in 4K on a tablet.

That said, the realm of super sharp resolutions might be reserved for the Surface Book range at this point. So, why not up its size a bit?

The Surface Pro 4 is big enough for almost all tasks, but it's still not the established default size for most laptops: 13.3 inches. Understandably, the point is for the Surface Pro to straddle both sides of the ever-eroding line between laptop and tablet.

However, maybe the iPad Pro is onto something with its 12.9-inch display. Plus, granted the resolution doesn't bump up too much alongside a size increase, the extra space could allow for a battery life boost.

It might finally be time for USB-C

We saw the latest Google Chromebook Pixel and MacBook be two of the first devices to adopt the latest in USB technology, but now it's the standard among a growing number of smartphones, tablets and laptops. Hell, even the HP Chromebook 13 has two USB-C ports.

The reversible, versatile port may be just what the Surface Pro 5 needs to alleviate the product line's slight input/output problem. A single USB 3.0 port and a proprietary charging port aren't going to cut it for much longer.

It helps that Microsoft has already well-tested the USB-C port within its new Lumia phones, so it's practically a no-brainer to apply that same tech to the Surface line.

If scuttlebutt is to be believed, we're about five months out from a release - plenty of time for the rumor mill to fire up. Stay tuned to this space in the coming months for the latest on things Surface Pro 5.

These are the best 2-in-1 laptops around