Microsoft Surface Pro 8: At First Glance
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 was unveiled during Microsoft’s Surface event on the 22nd of September 2021. It’s expected to be released on October 5, 2021, just in time for the debut of Windows 11.
Furthermore, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is the successor of the Microsoft Surface Pro 7, which was released in 2019. Moreover, compared to its predecessor, it comes with quite a significant number of upgrades.
These upgrades include a bigger display, powerful 11th Gen Intel CPUs, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and so much more. Additionally, Microsoft is currently taking pre-orders for the Microsoft Surface Pro 8, with a starting price of $1,099.99.
As mentioned above, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 will be out on October 5, 2021. Therefore, it hasn’t been released when I published this review in September 2021.
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- Choose your keyboard color: Poppy Red, Ice Blue, Platinum, and Black. (1)
- Features a full mechanical keyset, backlit keys, and large trackpad for precise navigation and control.
- Typing and writing in one without the bulk, Surface Pro Signature Keyboard delivers fast and accurate typing like a traditional, full-size keyboard, plus natural on-screen writing with Surface Slim Pen 2 (sold separately).
- Work your way anywhere. Surface Pro Signature Keyboard clicks into place instantly and stays securely attached so you always have your pen and keyboard with you. Use with Surface Pro 8 or Pro X Kickstand for a full laptop experience.
- Close to protect screen and conserve battery, or fold back completely for a tablet.
So, practically, this is a pre-release review. Therefore, I won’t be able to deliver benchmark results based on the device’s performance.
You don’t have to worry, though, because as soon as this device is out, I’ll update this review and include all relevant information.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8: Design, Dimension & Weight
For the last few iterations, the designs on the Surface Pro lineup have remained relatively unchanged. The Surface Pro 7 and Surface Pro 6, for example, were only specification and hardware updates of the Surface Pro 2017.
That wasn’t entirely a bad thing, as the four-year-old Surface Pro 2017 was a pretty sleek and beautiful device. However, now that we are in 2021, I think the Surface Pro lineup really needs a pretty remarkable redesign.
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Luckily, the Surface Pro 8 comes with some much-needed design improvements. One of the design improvements one would easily notice is the new graphite color.
In recent years, Microsoft has prioritized using lighter colors for its devices, particularly the Surface Pro lineup. However, the darker graphite color on this year’s Surface Pro 8 makes the device look bold and sleek.
Furthermore, the Surface Pro 8’s chassis has also been modified, with more rounded edges. Thanks to the rounded edges, holding the device for a lengthy period of time will be much more comfortable.
Moreover, it is better and more comfortable than the flat sides and sharp edges found on previous models’ chassis.
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Moving on, bezels on the Surface Pro 8 are slimmer than the ones found in previous models. Thanks to its slimmer bezels, the device appears more elegant than ever – which is great because it’s also more expensive than ever.
The thinner bezels don’t just make the device look good, they also allow for an 11 percent larger display. Therefore, the Surface Pro 8 now features a 13-inch Pixelsense touchscreen display rather than the 12.3-inch display found on its predecessor.
Additionally, the Surface Pro 8’s 13-inch Pixelsense touchscreen display features a resolution of 2K (2880 x 1920). According to Microsoft, this touchscreen display is more sensitive and 12.5% brighter than the ones found in previous models.
What makes this touchscreen display even better is that it features a 120Hz refresh rate. A refresh rate is the number of times per second that a display can draw a new image.
Higher display refresh rates like 120Hz are mostly found on gaming devices because they are meant to render more graphics. So, it is pretty impressive that the Surface Pro 8’s display has a 120Hz refresh rate even though it is not a gaming device.
However, Microsoft stated that the Surface Pro 8’s display will come with a default 60Hz refresh rate. This is in the interest of boosting the tablet’s battery life.
Rank #2
- Choose your keyboard color: Poppy Red, Ice Blue, Platinum, and Black. (1)
- Features a full mechanical keyset, backlit keys, and large trackpad for precise navigation and control.
- Typing and writing in one without the bulk, Surface Pro Signature Keyboard delivers fast and accurate typing like a traditional, full-size keyboard, plus natural on-screen writing with Surface Slim Pen 2 (sold separately).
- Work your way anywhere. Surface Pro Signature Keyboard clicks into place instantly and stays securely attached so you always have your pen and keyboard with you. Use with Surface Pro 8 or Pro X Kickstand for a full laptop experience.
- Close to protect screen and conserve battery, or fold back completely for a tablet.
However, you can change the display’s refresh rate to 120Hz anytime using the display settings. Moreover, once you’ve used the display with the 120Hz refresh rate, I am pretty sure you’ll never go back.
The Surface Pro 8 has a 165-degree rotating kickstand, just like its predecessor, the Surface Pro 7. Therefore, allowing you to use the tablet as a laptop.
It is worth noting that there is a shiny Microsoft logo on the back of the Surface Pro 8’s kickstand. Moreover, below is also something very important to note about the Surface Pro 8.
The Surface Pro 8 is advertised as a convertible tablet, however, it will be sold only as a tablet. So, the $1,099.99 pre-order starting price, which I mentioned in the “my initial thought” section is only for the tablet.
Therefore, it doesn’t include the Type Cover keyboard and Surface Pro pen. As a result, you will have to purchase them separately for an additional cost.
This is very bad of Microsoft, given that the starting price of the tablet itself is overwhelming. However, if you buy the type cover keyboard, it magnetically attaches to the Surface Pro 8 tablet.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchAdditionally, it acts as a safe, and also a charger for the Surface Pro pen. You can charge or store the pen using a wide space just above the keyboard on the Type Cover.
As previously stated, the Surface Pro 8 will be launched just in time for the release of Windows 11. Therefore, it is going to be one of the first devices featuring a Windows 11 operating system.
Moving on to the Surface Pro 8’s port selection, it features two USB Type-C ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The USB Type-C ports also serve as Thunderbolt ports.
Furthermore, the Surface Pro 8 also features a Surface Connect port for charging. Additionally, the Surface Connect port lets you connect the Surface Pro 8 to external displays.
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Specifically, the Surface Pro 8 measures 287 x 208 x 9.3 mm and weighs 889 g. The Surface Pro 7, on the other hand, measures 292 x 201 x 8.5 mm and weighs 775 g.
In conclusion, the Surface Pro 8 comes with the long-awaited redesign most Surface Pro lovers have been expecting. Therefore, I will rate the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 a nine in this design review section.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8: Processor (CPU) Performance
Microsoft not only made improvements in the Surface Pro 8’s design but also in its processor. It will be available with three processor configurations to choose from.
Rank #3
- Choose your keyboard color: Poppy Red, Ice Blue, Platinum, and Black. (1)
- Features a full mechanical keyset, backlit keys, and large trackpad for precise navigation and control.
- Typing and writing in one without the bulk, Surface Pro Signature Keyboard delivers fast and accurate typing like a traditional, full-size keyboard, plus natural on-screen writing with Surface Slim Pen 2 (sold separately).
- Work your way anywhere. Surface Pro Signature Keyboard clicks into place instantly and stays securely attached so you always have your pen and keyboard with you. Use with Surface Pro 8* or Pro X* Kickstand for a full laptop experience.
- Close to protect screen and conserve battery, or fold back completely for a tablet.
The processor options include Intel Core i3-1115G4, Intel Core i5-1145G7, and Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor. All three processor options are power-efficient and fast processors based on the Tiger Lake-U architecture.
Furthermore, Tiger Lake-U is the nickname for Intel’s 11th generation Core mobile processors. Additionally, it is the successor to Intel’s 10th gen Ice Lake architecture, with faster clock speed.
Therefore, with either one of these processors, the Surface Pro 8 will deliver smooth performance handling either basic or complex computing tasks. Also, compared to its predecessor, it will deliver better and faster processing power.
This is because its predecessor, the Surface Pro 7 features Intel’s 10th gen processors, which are less fast.
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Now, for the specification of the Surface Pro 8’s processor options. The Intel Core i3-1115G4 is a dual-core processor with a cache memory of 6 MB.
Additionally, it has a base frequency of 3.0 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.10 GHz. The Intel Core i5-1145G7, on the other hand, is a quad-core processor with a cache memory of 8 MB.
In addition to its cache memory, it has a base frequency of 2.60 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.40 GHz. Lastly, the Intel Core i7-1185G7 is also a quad-core processor but features a 12 MB cache memory.
Moreover, it has a base frequency of 3.0 GHz and a maximum frequency of 4.80 GHz.
As I normally do on my reviews, I carry out either a Cinebench or a Geekbench benchmark test. However, due to the fact that this is a pre-release review, I won’t be able to carry out either of these tests.
Therefore, I will be rating the Surface Pro 8 based on its processor options. So, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 gets a nine out of ten ratings from me in this processor review section.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8: Memory (RAM) Performance
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 features a single LPDDR4X RAM slot. This single RAM slot features a standard memory of 8 GB.
Moreover, users can upgrade this standard memory to 32 GB, which is the maximum memory that the tablet supports. This is quite a significant improvement because its predecessor, the Surface Pro 7’s memory isn’t upgradable.
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With the Surface Pro 8 supporting a max memory of 32 GB, most users will definitely love it. This is because none of Microsoft’s Surface Pro lineup has ever supported a maximum memory of 32 GB.
Rank #4
- Transform Surface Pro 9 into a full laptop.
- New Sapphire and Forest[1] colors are made with partially biobased Alcantara material.[2]
- Designed for Surface Pro 9, Surface Pro 8, or Surface Pro X.
- Surface Slim Pen 2 (not included) recharges in the built in storage tray.
- Full mechanical keyset, backlit keys, and large touchpad.
In conclusion, I believe the Surface Pro 8’s impressive memory pretty much justifies its expensive starting price. Therefore, I will rate the Surface Pro 8 a nine out of ten in this memory performance review section.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8: Storage Options & Performance
In terms of storage, there really isn’t much difference between the Surface Pro 8 and its predecessor, Surface Pro 7. They both feature an SSD that supports a maximum storage capacity of 1 TB.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →However, the Surface Pro 7 features an SD card reader for storage expansion. The Surface Pro 8, on the other hand, doesn’t have an SD card reader.
Given the tablet’s price and size, I was expecting an SD card reader. However, Microsoft disappointed us, this is basically the main area where I believe the Surface Pro 8 falls short.
Moreover, this is bad news for storage-hungry users. The reason it is bad news is that once you run out of storage space on the typical SSD, there won’t be any alternative for extra storage.
Therefore, I will rate the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 an eight out of ten in this storage review section. This rating is based on the fact that it doesn’t feature an SD card reader, unlike its predecessor.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 8: Graphics Card Performance
Now for the graphics cards, the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is available with two graphics card options. Both graphics card options are integrated graphics cards.
Specifically, they are Intel UHD Graphics and Intel Iris Xe Graphics. The Intel UHD Graphics has a base GPU frequency of 400 MHz and a boost GPU frequency of 1250 MHz.
The Intel Iris Xe Graphics, on the other hand, also has a base GPU frequency of 400 MHz. However, its boost GPU frequency is1350 MHz.
As mentioned earlier, both graphics card options are integrated graphics cards. This means that they are integrated into the Surface Pro 8’s processor chip.
Specifically, the Intel UHD Graphics is integrated into the Surface Pro 8’s Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor option. Therefore, if you purchase the Surface Pro 8 with an Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, you will get an Intel UHD Graphics.
The Intel Iris Xe Graphics, however, is integrated into the Intel Core i5-1145G7 and Intel Core i7-1185G7 processor. Therefore, if you buy the Surface Pro 8 with either processor, you will get an Intel Iris Xe Graphics.
Furthermore, as integrated graphics cards, the Intel UHD Graphics and Intel Iris Xe Graphics lack dedicated VRAM. Therefore, to perform, they will share the system memory with their respective processors.
As a result, they won’t have the capability to run graphically demanding games or apps. However, they are capable of handling casual or low-end games and less-graphics demanding applications.
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- Enhance your experience With the new microphone mute key and snipping key
- Full keyboard experience. Features a full mechanical keyset, backlit keys, and a large trackpad for precise navigation and control. Optimal key spacing allows fast, fluid typing.
- Slim and compact Performs like a traditional, full-size keyboard.
- Clicks in place instantly Use in combination with the Surface Pro (11th Edition), Pro 9 and Pro 8* kickstand for a perfect laptop experience anywhere.
All things considered, I will be rating the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 a seven out of ten in this graphics performance review.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8: Battery Life & Performance
For battery, you can either buy the Microsoft Surface Pro 8 with a 50.2 Wh or 51.5 Wh battery. Both battery options, according to Microsoft, can last up to 16 hours on a normal workload.
However, due to the fact that this is a pre-release review, there is no way I can carry out a battery test. But, don’t worry, just make sure you come back to www.itechguides.com when the Surface Pro 8 is finally out.
After the release of the Surface Pro 8, I will update this review and include the battery test results. So, in the meantime, I will rate the Surface Pro 8 based on its battery options.
Therefore, I will rate it a nine out of ten.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 will be released on October 5, 2021
Yes, of course. The Surface Pro 8 has high-end specifications and features. It’s also lightweight and portable, making it easy to transport to lectures. As a result, the Surface Pro 8 is very much recommended for students.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 has a pre-order starting price of $1,099.99. However, this price doesn’t include the device’s Type cover and Surface Pro pen – they are sold differently at extra costs.
No, it doesn’t.
The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 supports a maximum RAM capacity of 32 GB.
Conclusion
Overall, the revamped Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is a strong device that most people would definitely love. It features a bigger display, a faster processor, and a maximum memory capacity of 32 GB.
However, this device is pretty pricey and it doesn’t even come with an SD card reader. Nonetheless, the Surface Pro 8 is still miles better than previous models in the Surface Pro lineup.
So, if you need a solid convertible tablet for work, school, or general use, get your hands on the Surface Pro 8 once it is out.
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Hello. I just purchased a Surface Pro 8 and mine comes with an SD Card reader. I found this because I was looking to upgrade my 256 to 500 or 1TB. I guess I’m confused.