On Tuesday the 23rd of May, Microsoft finally announced the long awaited Surface Pro 5 – except they didn’t call it the Surface Pro 5. In a league of its own, the newest addition to the Surface Family is now simply called Surface Pro. If you’ve already got the Surface Pro 4, we’re not convinced you need to buy the upgrade, but if your work is centred around illustrating, sketching or drawing, you may be more excited about the new Surface Pro Pen. Plus, it’s the lightest, quietest and most powerful Surface Pro yet. Check out our not quite unboxing video featuring the new Surface Pro here.

What’s new about the Surface Pro?

Beneath the sleek sexy surface, what’s so fancy about this new Surface Pro? One of the most impressive upgrades is the increased battery life. Courtesy of Intel’s 7th-generation Kaby Lake processors, the Surface Pro boasts a hefty 13.5 hours of battery life. That’s a 50% battery life increase compared with its predecessor, the Surface Pro 4.

The Core i5 and Core m3 variations of the Surface Pro no longer operate with fans (the Core i7 variation will still operate with one very very quiet fan). This hardware adjustment makes for a near silent device. It also contributes to the longer battery life. Any noticeable noise made by the Surface Pro 4 is now a thing of the past!

The new Surface Pro Pen now has an impressive 4096 points of pressure sensitivity. Now double the speed of the previous Surface Pen, there is no visible lag. It also supports tilt for natural sketching and drawing as you would do with a pencil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCTExFYvL1g

LTE connectivity is also available with the new Surface Pro. If you’re out of the office more often than not, you no longer need to tether your Surface to another device to use the internet. LTE connectivity means that internet will be built into your device.

What does the new Surface Pro ship with?

Like the Surface Pro 4, the new Surface Pro type cover is sold separately. Unlike the Surface Pro 4, the new Surface Pen does not come with the device. This is now sold separately.

When can you get your hands on the new Surface Pro?

You can get your hands on it right away! The new Surface Pro began shipping Thursday 15th June.  The new Surface Pro type covers and new Surface Pro pens won’t be available until late July/early August. If you can’t wait til then, the Surface Pro 4 covers and Surface pens are compatible with the new Surface Pro and are a cheaper option.