The Surface Pro 9 is now almost a year old, meaning a successor could be just around the corner. Microsoft makes one of the best productivity tablets on the market, so I’m pretty excited to see what’s next for the Pro series. Here’s what I want to see from the Microsoft Surface Pro 10.
A design refresh
Microsoft hasn’t made many major changes to its Surface Pro hardware since the 8th generation model in 2021. I’d love to see a bigger design change to celebrate the Pro’s 10th anniversary with a big bang, but every leak so far points to a more modest refresh in terms of design.
Microsoft’s Surface strategy has largely been about refinement and polish instead of introducing major overhauls. That’s a good thing, as the Surface is one of the better-looking productivity tablets on the market.
That isn’t to say nothing new is coming. A strong rumor from Windows Central suggests an 11-inch model will debut alongside the Pro’s more typical 13-inch display. The same report claims the Surface Pro 10 will have smaller bezels, and both models will have a 120Hz refresh rate. Considering the Pro 9 already has 120Hz on the 13-inch display, it’s unsurprising that the 11-inch model would also get the same refresh rate.
Snapdragon X Elite
The Surface Pro was originally an Intel-only affair until the Surface Pro 9 absorbed the Surface Pro X Arm-based line. While the Wi-Fi-only Pro 9 uses an Intel processor, the Pro 9 with 5G opts for an Arm-based Microsoft SQ3 SoC.
What about the Surface Pro 10? Will it have Arm and Intel flavors as well? Yes, eventually. Microsoft remains pretty committed to Arm and tablets in general. Windows 11 recently got a few useful tablet-centric updates, and rumors claim this trend will continue with Windows 12 in 2024.
What’s uncertain is if the Arm version will launch simultaneously with the Surface Pro 10’s Intel variant.
There will likely be an Arm and Intel version, though it’s unclear if both will launch at same time.
Right now, the Pro 9’s SQ3 SoC utilizes the latest Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 technology, making it about as good as it gets with Arm at the moment. With the Snapdragon X Elite on its way, I hope that Microsoft will wait until it’s available in 2024 to take advantage of the more powerful silicon.
The Intel side of things is a lot clearer. The Surface Pro 10 will likely utilize Intel’s 13th-gen Raptor Lake processors with a choice between the Core i5 and i7. The processors are widely available and are a logical upgrade path for Microsoft’s hybrid tablet. Just like last year, I imagine the Surface Pro 10 Intel model will not have a 5G option.
I really want more ports
The Surface Pro 9 has just two USB-C ports and a Surface Connect charging port. There’s no USB-A or HDMI here. While Microsoft has to make some concessions due to the Pro’s relatively slim profile, the least they could do is give us one legacy USB-A port, right?
An option with an integrated GPU
The Surface Pro already sets itself apart from Apple by running a full desktop OS. The Intel variant can, therefore, run tons of legacy programs that help make it a great workhorse. One missing thing is dedicated graphics.
I get it; this wouldn’t be easy. There are potential heat issues with putting a dedicated GPU in such a thin and light machine, and there would likely be a few design trade-offs to make it work. It would also give it a huge advantage over competing tablets, gifting users a device that can be used for gaming and video editing.
The move to OLED would be lovely
The Surface Pro 9 has a great display and will get even better with a smaller screen choice, but I also would like to see Microsoft move away from its PixelSense IPS LCD panels. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing inherently bad about the Pro 9’s display, and the variable 120Hz refresh rate works well.
Nonetheless, a move to OLED or micro-LED would help it better compete with high-end options from Samsung and Apple. There’s no word on if such a change might happen, but it’s certainly a possibility.
Which upgrade would you like to see most on the Surface Pro 10
4 votes
Will there be a Microsoft Surface Pro 10?
Microsoft has released nine different main iterations of the Surface Pro so far, making it almost guaranteed we’ll see a Surface Pro 10. It’s also worth noting that this would mark the tenth anniversary of the Pro, so it’s very possible Microsoft will go all out when it releases. As for when we’ll see it? It’s very likely the tablet won’t arrive on the scene until 2024.
The Surface Pro 10 release date isn’t known for sure, but we can certainly take a guess. The Surface Pro usually comes out sometime between September and October. Of course, it doesn’t always happen annually. After all, there was a two-year gap between the Pro 7 and Pro 8, with the Pro 7 Plus slotting in between the two. It also doesn’t help that the Surface Pro 10 was a no-show during Microsoft’s Surface event in late September.
Should you wait for the Microsoft Surface Pro 10?
If you’re looking for a high-end tablet that can also play nicely on productivity, the Surface Pro series is a great choice, and the Pro 9 ($830 at Amazon) already packs a ton of power. Still, the Surface Pro 10 is likely a few months away, and for that reason, I’d wait. The Surface Pro 10 could have some big upgrades, for starters. It also means the Surface Pro 9 will likely be cheaper soon as stores look to unload their existing inventories.
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Alex Smith is a writer and editor with over 10 years of experience. He has written extensively on a variety of topics, including technology, business, and personal finance. His work has been published in a number of magazines and newspapers, and he is also the author of two books. Alex is passionate about helping people learn and grow, and he believes that writing is a powerful tool for communication and understanding.
