Surface Pro 5: 5 Features Expected In 2017 Model

Microsoft's Surface Pro series has been due for an update since 2015, when Surface Pro 4 hit the shelves. The company held an event Oct. 26, where it showcased devices such as the Surface Studio and Surface Book i7, but the Surface Pro 5 tablet was a no-show.

The device is rumored to launch in spring 2017, after the Windows 10 Creators Update rolls out for existing devices. Will it replicate the success of the Surface Pro 4 for Microsoft? Will it have standout features similar to the recently launched devices? Well, it remains to be seen.

Until Microsoft makes official announcements about what the Surface Pro 5 will have, here are some rumors and speculations about what the device may offer.

Display

Surface Pro 5 might feature a 4K/UHD display having a 3860 x 2560p display with the same 3:2 aspect ratio that Microsoft has been using since the Surface Pro 3.

The existing model - the Surface Pro 4, comes with a 2736 x 1824p IPS LCD display with a pixel density of 267 ppi. A 4K display may cause a significant price bump and also eat into the battery life, so this feature might be limited to a top-end version of the device rather than coming on the standard Surface Pro devices.

Processor

Surface Pro 4 came with a Skylake processor inside, but the most popular rumor about the upcoming device is that it might come with the new Intel Kaby Lake Processors. The new processors have faster clock speed changes due to a 14 nanometer device architecture. The processor series is expected to offer better graphics support for devices.

It is also notable that Intel is currently working on Cannonlake chips, but Kabylake is the one that Surface Pro 5 is expected to come with as Cannonlake might not ship before 2017.

Stylus Support

Stylus support is one of the standout features of the Surface Pro, so much so, that even competitor Apple decided to ship its iPad Pro with one. Microsoft's Stylus, called the Surface Pen, launched with the original Surface Pro and has been available with each upcoming model since 2012.

The new Surface Pen is expected to be more pressure sensitive than the current one.

USB-C support

Microsoft might finally add USB-C support to the Surface Pro series, beginning with Surface Pro 5.

USB-C is becoming the universal standard for many devices, including the ones recently launched from Google and Apple. As more accessories get designed to work with USB-C, the company is expected to endow its upcoming tablet with a relevant port.

Multiple device connection capability

It is expected that Surface Pro 5 will allow multi-device usage seamlessly. Users might be able to connect other Windows 10 devices with it and work across devices easily. They could pick up work they have done on the Surface Pro 5 and continue it on another device.

A patent filed Jun. 26 by Microsoft explains how users could access the keyboard, mouse, memory and OS from connected devices. The company already has a PC-smartphone connected device, the Continuum. If Surface Pro 5 comes with the same feature, it could get a leg up on competitors such as the Apple iPad Air 2.