Microsoft’s brand-new Surface Pro 8 features the biggest redesign of the product line since the Surface Pro 3 in 2014, and that’s exactly how Microsoft is billing it. You see, the Surface Pro 3 set the blueprint for Surface as we now know it. Before that, it had a totally different charging port, the pen used a different technology (Wacom), and the screens were 16:9.
The Surface Pro 3 changed the game with its much larger 3:2 display, Surface Connect port, and N-Trig pen technology. Over the next four generations, the Surface Pro design remained relatively unchanged. The Surface Pro 4 increased the screen size from 12 to 12.3 inches, the Surface Pro 6 added the Black colorway, and the Surface Pro 7 swapped out Mini DisplayPort for USB Type-C. Then there was the Surface Pro 7+, which added a panel for removable storage. Now we have the Surface Pro 8, and it’s finally bringing a much-needed refresh to the Surface Pro line.
Surface Pro 8 Specs
| CPU |
|
|---|---|
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics (i3) Intel Iris Xe Graphics (i5, i7) |
| Body | Dimensions: 11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37” Weight: 1.96 lbs (891g) |
| Display | Screen: 13” PixelSense Flow DisplayResolution: 2880 x 1920 (267 PPI) Up to 120Hz Refresh Rate (60Hz default) Aspect ratio: 3:2 Touch: 10-point multi-touch GPU Ink Acceleration Dolby Vision support |
| Memory | 8GB/16GB/32GB LPDDDR4x RAM |
| Storage | Removable solid-state drive (SSD) options: 128GB or 256GB (Wi-Fi or LTE) SSD: 512GB or 1TB (Wi-Fi only) |
| Security | TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise-grade security Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in |
| Network | Wi-Fi 6: 802.11ax compatible Bluetooth Wireless 5.1 technology LTE:
|
| Battery life | Up to 16 hours of battery life Charge your Surface Pro 8 to 80% in just over an hour |
| Cameras | Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing) 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p full HD video 10.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p HD and 4k video |
| Audio | Dual far-field Studio Mics 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos |
| Ports | 2 x USB-C with USB 4.0/Thunderbolt 4 3.5mm headphone jack 1 x Surface Connect port Surface Type Cover port Compatible with Surface Dial off-screen interaction |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Gyroscope Magnetometer Ambient Color Sensor (brightness and color) |
| Power supply | 60W power supply with additional 5W USB A charging Port |
| In the box | Surface Pro 8 Power Supply Quick Start Guide Safety and warranty documents |
| Color and material | Mechanical features: anodized aluminum body, kickstand with full-friction multi-position hinge to 165 degrees, magnetic attach for keyboard fold stability Colors: Platinum, Graphite |
| OS | Surface Pro 8: Windows 11 Home Surface Pro 8 for Business: Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro |
The radical Surface Pro 8 redesign isn’t so radical
The new look for the Surface Pro 8 is a good one, one that’s way overdue, but to be clear, it’s not radical. There’s nothing that’s coming out of left field here, and you can actually think of it as a cross between a Surface Pro X and a Surface Pro 7.
If you’re looking at the Surface Pro 8 from the front, it looks exactly like a Surface Pro X. It’s got the narrow side bezels, and larger top and bottom bezels. The top bezel houses the 5MP webcam and the IR camera, while the bottom bezel makes room for the keyboard to attach.
The Surface Pro 8 also uses the Surface Keyboard that was previously for the Surface Pro X. It’s the first time that the connector has been changed on an Intel Surface Pro, ever. That also means that the keyboard has a pen garage that wirelessly charges the Slim Pen 2.
The device is also thinner but heavier. It weighs about a quarter-pound more than its predecessor, being made out of aluminum instead of magnesium. It’s also thicker than the Surface Pro X, needing more space and a fan for the Intel processor.
You’ll notice that the Surface Pro 8 now has two USB Type-C ports instead of one, and the USB Type-A port that Microsoft touted for so long is finally gone. Both of those USB Type-C ports are Thunderbolt 4, so you can buy a Thunderbolt dock to power dual 4K monitors or connect an external GPU to turn this little tablet into a gaming powerhouse.
The new Surface Pro 8 comes with Intel 11th-gen processors with Iris Xe graphics, just like the Surface Pro 7+ did. In fact, it’s also got removable storage and an option for 4G LTE, which were also first found on the 7+. If you remember when the Surface Pro 7+ was released, you might have been wondering why it wasn’t called the Surface Pro 8. Now we know.
Businesses are slow to adopt new things. They might require legacy features like the USB Type-A port and the old Type Cover connector. For those customers, Microsoft is going to continue to carry the Surface Pro 7+.
The 120Hz display and Slim Pen 2
The Surface Pro 8 has a 13-inch 120Hz display, although it ships at 60Hz by default. You’ll have to turn on 120Hz in Settings. We were hoping for Dynamic Refresh Rate support out of the box, but the good news is that that’s coming later.
The higher refresh rate is beautiful, making for smoother animations and a more pleasant overall experience. I’m really excited to see 120Hz in a PC that’s not made for gaming. We tend to think of high refresh rates as ways to get an extra millisecond over an opponent when gaming, but 120Hz makes for a better experience for everyone, as I also noted in my Surface Laptop Studio hands-on.
Honestly though, I felt like the Slim Pen 2 stole the show. First of all, this is a different design than what we’ve seen from Surface Pro in the past. Historically, the Surface Pen has attached to the side. Now, it’s in the keyboard pen garage, and it’s always charged when you need it.
But the Slim Pen 2 has haptic feedback that feels like you’re writing on paper. It’s phenomenal. Apps do need to support it, as the pen knows when it’s in a space for writing and when it’s not. If you start in a textbox and drag the pen out of it, you stop getting haptic feedback. It’s really cool.
I say this as someone who’s reviewed a lot of laptops and tablets, and a lot of pens. And yes, I’m a pen-user. Using the Slim Pen 2 was a game-changer for me.
Conclusion – The Surface Pro 8 is the redesign Surface Pro needed
When we talk about going hands on with the Surface Pro 8, there’s not that much to say. After all, it’s mostly a redesign, and this new design has been seen on the Surface Pro X. Other features, such as removable storage, Intel 11th-gen processors, and 4G LTE have been seen on the Surface Pro 7+.
But this design finally modernizes the Intel-powered Surface Pro lineup. Seriously, if you looked at a Surface Pro 7 in a store and saw it sitting next to competing devices, you’d think that it was made in 2015. Of course, that’s because it essentially was. The dimensions haven’t changed in any meaningful way since the Surface Pro 4.
This is the next generation of Surface, and it’s a lot sexier.
- The Surface Pro 8 is Microsoft's flagship tablet, and it comes with an all-new design, a 120Hz display, Thunderbolt 4, and more.
- The Surface Keyboard works with the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Pro X, and the Slim Pen 2 provides haptic feedback so it feels like writing on paper.
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