Microsoft Surface Pro 6: Microsoft finally confirmed the Surface Pro 6 successor to the 2017 Surface Pro at its October 2 Surface event. The design of the Surface Pro line of 2-in-1 laptops has remained consistent for several years, including its most recent update in 2017, which was simply referred to as “the Surface Pro.”
That, however, is a good thing. In our hands-on review of the new device, we noted that the Surface Pro has offered a compelling mix of tablet and laptop since day one and that after years of refining and polishing what that means, Microsoft has struck a winning balance with the Surface Pro. Don’t muck around with success. Everything you need to know about the Surface Pro 6 is right here.
Microsoft Surface Pro 6 Processor
One of the most important aspects of an annual refresh is incorporating Intel’s most recent processors, and Microsoft is now transitioning the Surface Pro from 7th-generation chips to quad-core 8th-generation chips on the Surface Pro 6.
Microsoft claims that the change in chips can provide up to 3.5 hours more battery life than the previous Surface Pro generation, and our review results were similar. They also mentioned a total of 13.5 hours of battery life and 67 percent more performance than the previous generation, which is consistent with our findings. That’s actually quite good.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 6 No new Surface Pen
While it is now black, Microsoft’s recent investments in ink have not resulted in a significant change for the Surface Pro 6. The company has filed a number of patents over the years, indicating where it intends to innovate, but not all of the technologies that Microsoft is investigating will make it to a final consumer product.
According to one patent, Microsoft may be developing a Surface Pen with a retractable tip, similar to regular pens. For example, a patent for haptic feedback on a Surface Pen allows the pen tip to retract when pressed against the screen. The coil inside the pen will activate and vibrate when pressure is applied. The pen would function similarly to Apple’s 3D Touch on the iPhone today.
Another pen patent that appears less likely to be released next year is a Surface Pen that can recharge itself while in use by harnessing the light from the Surface Pro’s LCD screen.
Microsoft last updated the Surface Pen when it released the 2017 Surface Pro. Microsoft’s pen was more sensitive than the one it replaced, with a pressure sensitivity range of 4,096 levels. Microsoft removed the pen clip from the previous generation model with the current pen. Microsoft suggests in one patent that it could add a touchpad to the pen clip, allowing the pen to replace a mouse. If this occurs, the Surface Pen may regain the clip. These pen changes should appear in the Surface Pro 7 next year.
The pen isn’t the only thing that could change with the next Surface Pro model. The Type Cover detachable keyboard is also being considered, and a recent patent suggests that a thinner version is in the works.
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Microsoft Surface Pro 6 New black color
Microsoft confirmed that the new Surface Pro 6 and Surface Laptop 2 will go “back to black” — and that’s exactly what we got. Surface devices have been available in black for several years (after their initial release, they were only available in silver), but Microsoft has now brought the color back to provide more design options.
It’ll be a welcome change for those who prefer darker-colored computers, and we also see a new color option for the new Surface Laptop 2. Some recent Surface Pro 6 customer complaints suggest that the material used to create the black color may not be very durable, so keep that in mind.
Aside from the new color, the Surface Pro 6 appears to be fairly standard. While some rumors suggested a design overhaul with a drastically different appearance, the Surface Pro 6’s only major design changes are more rounded edges and new 1.7-pound weight. Microsoft also says the 12.3-inch display has 267 PPI, which is 3.8 million more pixels than the MacBook Pro.
No USB-C
The design includes some expected features, but one detail disappointed many fans: the Pro 6 lacks the latest USB-C port, as previously rumored. This would have been a significant upgrade that would have solidified USB-place C’s as the must-have port upgrade, but Microsoft appears unwilling to take that step for both the Pro 6 and the Surface Laptop 2 — at least for the time being.
Surface Connect port handles charging via a magnetic connector, similar to Apple’s now-defunct MagSafe charging tip. The tip appears to have received a larger redesign, but the connector is otherwise the same. Even though the Surface Book 2 could be charged via the USB-C port, Microsoft recommended that customers use the Surface Connect port for faster charging. The retention of the Surface Connect port would satisfy corporate owners who have invested in the Surface Dock.
Microsoft’s desktop Surface Dock connects to the Surface Pro via the Surface Connect port as well. Microsoft recently released an $80 USB-C adapter that connects via the Surface Connect port as an accessory for those who have already purchased USB-C peripherals such as external storage drives.
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Release Price
The Intel Core i5 Surface Pro 6 costs $900 and was released on October 16. It should be noted that this is a full $100 more than the current entry-level Surface Pro 2017, which costs $800, but it does get you a Core i5 processor rather than the slower Core m3 that was the previous model’s base. The base price does not include the Type Cover keyboard, which will set you back at least $100 depending on which model you select.
As is customary, there will be a variety of configuration options that progress up the processor, RAM, and storage ladder.
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