Microsoft announces new Surface Pro, packs optional 4G LTE support, improved 13.5 hour battery-life

Microsoft's 5th-generation Surface is here, but don't call it the Surface Pro 5. It's just the Surface Pro. Although the design remains unchanged for the most part, the insides have gone through a thorough transformation.

Surface Pro 4 Specifications and Features

You still get the same and excellent 12.3-inch (2160x1440 pixels) display up front with support for the Surface Pen. The display has been improved to now recognize up to 4096 levels of pressure, meaning more accuracy and less latency as well, although that has to attributed to software.

Coming to the insides, the all-new Surface Pro is powered by Intel's latest Kaby Lake processors, with a choice of Core m3, Core i5 or Core i7. You can also choose from 4GB RAM with 128GB storage, 8GB RAM with 256GB storage and 16GB RAM with 512GB or 1TB storage options. Microsoft has also added 4G LTE as an optional feature.

But you still get dual-band WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.1, Full-size USB 3.0 port, microSD card reader, Mini Display port, Surface Connect, however, no USB Type-C port. The Surface Pro also has an 8MP autofocus rear and 5MP front cameras, both capable of recording 1080p videos.

The biggest change here though is to the battery life, which Microsoft now claims to be 13.5 hours on a single charge. That's mostly due to Intel's 7th-gen processors but also software optimizations. The company also added the new Surface Pro would offer about twice as much battery life as the outgoing Surface Pro 4. Another new addition is a full 165-degree motion for the hinge, which almost lets you prop the tablet on a flat surface.

The new materials used in the build also make the Surface Pro one of the lightest 2-in-1s available especially considering the amount of power it has under the hood.

Microsoft Surface Pro Pricing and Availability

The Surface Pro starts at $799.99 (Rs. 51,900) and goes up to a whopping $2699 (Rs. 1,75,000) for the Core-i7 variant with 16GB RAM / 1TB Storage. The new improved Signature Type Cover with 1.3mm key travel is priced at $129 (Rs. 8400) while the Surface Pen still comes in at $99 (Rs. 6400). At present, there is no word on the pricing of the LTE variant.

These start shipping worldwide from June 15, but sadly these won't be making their way to India.