Skip to main content

The Surface Pro 8 is its biggest redesign in 6 years. Here’s what’s new

The rumors were true. Microsoft just announced both the Surface Pro 8 and a new Wi-Fi-only Surface Pro X model at its annual Surface event. Coming on October 5 with Windows 11 on board, these new devices address concerns from Surface’s past, and seek to push Windows and Microsoft’s hardware to new levels.

The biggest highlight of the fall 2021 Surface lineup is the new Surface Pro 8, announced at the annual Surface hardware event. The Surface Pro 8 starts at $1,099 and delivers one of the most significant changes to the lineup since the Surface Pro 3.

The Surface Pro 8.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Microsoft slimmed down the bezels on all sides of the device, allowing it to fit in a display that’s 11% larger than on the Surface Pro 7, while also making the screen 12.5% brighter. The new 13-inch screen also supports a 120Hz refresh rate (though 60Hz is default) for smoother inking and web browsing.

Recommended Videos

As for what’s under the hood of the Surface Pro 8, Microsoft claims that with Intel’s latest 11th-generation processors, the device is two times faster than the Surface Pro 7, with up to 40% higher sustained CPU performance and 74% faster graphics.

The company even added Thunderbolt 4 ports, allowing for support for external GPUs and dual-monitor setups. That means that the traditional USB-A ports are now gone, with the lone port options being the two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, the headphone jack, and the Surface Connect.

All versions of the Surface Pro 8 will have a removable solid-state drive. Storage comes in at either 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB, and 1TB on the Wi-Fi-only models. RAM ranges from 8GB to 32GB.  Processor options range from Core i5-1113G7 to Intel Core i7-1185G7  on consumer models, and Core i3-1115G4 to Core i7-1185G7 on commercial models. Battery life is rated at up to 16 hours on all models, with support for a charge of up to 80% in an hour.

Of course, Surface Pro 8 still sports Microsoft’s signature kickstand and will come in either platinum or graphite colors. It has a new Type Cover, reminiscent of the one on the Surface Pro X, which has a slot for the Surface Slim Pen embedded inside.

The Surface Slim Pen.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Also coming on October 5 will be Surface Slim Pen 2. Priced at $130, this pen has been redesigned from the bottom up for the Surface Pro 8 and the new Surface Laptop Studio. It is still flat like a carpenter’s pencil, but it sports a redesigned sharper tip, as well as new haptic motors. This allows for a more realistic feel when drawing on the screen on new Surface devices.

Microsoft says that thanks to new capabilities in Windows 11 and the custom Microsoft G6 processor within Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop Studio, the haptics should “provide tactile signals that create the feeling of pen on paper.”

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Rounding out the main Surface Pro lineup for the fall will be the Surface Pro X, which starts at $900, Microsoft is dropping the LTE on this new Wi-Fi-only model, but it’s otherwise the same as previous models. You’ll find options for either the Microsoft SQ1 or SQ2 processor, as well as 8GB of 16GB of RAM. The SSD is sized at either 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB and is user-removable.

Microsoft believes that the Surface Pro X is the best way to experience the ARM-based versions of Windows. This Surface features always-on connectivity, and thanks to Windows 11, also supports both 32-bit and 64-bit apps via emulation, an omission that plagued the original version of the device and set it behind Apple’s M1 Macbooks.

All these devices are now up for pre-order at the Microsoft Store. Orders are expected to start shipping on October 5.

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
Surface Laptop Go 3 vs. Surface Pro 7+: is it an upgrade?
Microsoft Surface Pro 7

The Surface Laptop Go 3 is Microsoft's new affordable Surface laptop, with upgraded hardware and long battery life making it a compelling option for budget laptop buyers in 2023. But for anyone considering an upgrade to a Surface device at around that $800 price, the Surface Pro 7+ still presents an attractive purchase, and it can flip into a tablet when you need it.

That brings to mind the age-old question, of whether newer is automatically better. In this case, it might not be. Let's take a look at the Surface Laptop Go 3 versus Surface Pro 7+, to find out.

Read more
Everything Microsoft didn’t announce at its 2023 Surface event
Microsoft showing off the new Surface laptop Go 3 at its September event.

Microsoft unveiled several new products during its 2023 Surface event. We got lots of updates about Windows Copilot and other AI-driven software upgrades, as well as plenty of hardware, including the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the Surface Laptop Go 3.

While a lot of our early predictions came true during the Microsoft September event, there are still a few things that were noticeably missing from this year's lineup. Here's what Microsoft could have announced, but didn't.
Surface Pro 10

Read more
Surface Laptop Go 3 specs: what’s the best configuration?
Surface Laptop Go 3 at Microsoft debut event.

The Surface Laptop Go 3 is a fast, but affordable new laptop from Microsoft's latest line of Surface devices. Announced at Microsoft's September 2023 Surface event, it offers a speedy modern processor, plenty of SSD storage space, and a range of color options for the chassis. You can get the complete Surface package for $799, but you can configure it with more of less components to make it best suited for your needs.

Those extras do affect the cost, though, begging the question: Which is the best Surface Laptop Go 3 configuration? We've delved through the spec and retail listings to find out.

Read more