Microsoft’s Windows 10 device event – Everything you need to know about the Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and more

Microsoft’s big press event in New York today revealed a slew of new hardware, including its first laptop, the Microsoft Surface Book.

Microsoft Surface Book

The Surface Book is a 13.5in, 267ppi laptop with prices starting at $1499. This is a device with difference though – the screen can be removed so it can be used as a tablet, or flipped over to cover the keyboard. The body, of machined magnesium, has a premium look and feel.

Inside the Surface Book are the latest Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, coupled to an Nvidia GeForce GPU with GDDR5. However, interestingly the GPU is in the base, which means when the keyboard is detached your graphics power will be much more constrained. Clearly, this is a machine meant to be used as a laptop first and foremost, with occasional use as a tablet.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=XVfOe5mFbAE

 

Surface Book isn’t cheap, however. The lowest-cost version is $1499, with 8GB RAM and a 128GB SSD. There are four other models in the range, going up to a whopping $2699 for an i7, 512GB storage and 16GB RAM.

Microsoft Surface Book specs

Operating System	Windows 10 Pro
Exterior	Dimensions:   Laptop: 9.14 x 12.3 x 0.51-0.90 inches (232.1 x 312.3 x 13.0-22.8 mm)  Tablet only: 8.67 x 12.3 x 0.30 inches (220.2 x 312.3 x 7.7 mm)     Weight:   Laptop: Non-GPU: 3.34 lbs. (1515 g), GPU: 3.48 lbs. (1579 g)  Tablet only: 1.6 lbs. (726 g)     Mechanical features: Magnesium body, Dynamic Fulcrum Hinge, One-button Muscle Wire detach mechanism  Color: Silver  Physical clipboard buttons: power, volume
Storage	Solid-state drive (SSD) PCIe 3.0: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB1
Display	Screen: 13.5-inch PixelSense™ Display  Resolution: 3000×2000 (267 ppi)   Contrast ratio: 1800:1  Aspect ratio: 3:2   100 percent sRGB color, individually calibrated  Touch: 10-point multitouch
CPU	6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 or Core™ i7
Graphics	Intel® HD graphics 520 and optional NVIDIA® GeForce® Graphics Processor with dedicated 1GB GDDR5 high-speed memory
Memory	8 GB or 16 GB RAM
Keyboard & Trackpad	Full-size, integrated backlit keyboard with 1.6mm key travel     Precision trackpad with glass laminated trackpad (7,350 sq. mm)  Five-finger contact recognition with full Windows 10 support   Subpixel resolution
Security	TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security
Pen	Surface Pen  1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity   Magnetic storage
Network	802.11ac 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible  Bluetooth 4.0 LE wireless technology
Battery	Up to 12 hours battery life for video playback3
Cameras	Windows Hello5 face-authentication camera (front-facing)  8.0MP rear-facing auto-focus camera, with 1080p HD camera  5.0MP front-facing 1080p HD camera
Audio	Dual microphones, front- and rear-facing  Front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby® audio
Ports	Two full-size USB 3.0  Full-size SD™ card reader (UHS-II performance)  Surface Connect for power and docking (base and clipboard)  Stereo headphones/microphone jack  Mini DisplayPort
Sensors	Ambient light sensor  Accelerometer  Gyroscope  Magnetometer
Power supply	36W power supply with USB charging port  65W power supply with USB charging port (discrete GPU SKU)
In the box	Surface Book  Surface Pen  Power supply  Quick Start Guide  Safety and warranty documents
Warranty	One-year limited hardware warranty6

Surface Pro 4

Also announced was the Surface Pro 4. This latest generation of the Surface Pro series is the same size as its predecessor, but has a slightly larger screen at 12.3in. Processor options include the latest Core M, Core i5 and Core i7 versions, with Microsoft claiming the Surface Pro 4 is 30% faster than the Surface Pro 3. A redesigned Type Cover has an optional fingerprint reader, supporting Windows Hello, and battery life has been improved to around nine hours. Pre-orders start on October 6.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6Gh4o9IqeEU

Surface Pro 4 specs

Operating System	Windows 10 Pro
Exterior	Dimensions: 11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 in (292.10 x 201.42 x 8.4 mm)  6th Generation Intel® Core™ m weight: 1.69 lbs. (766 g)  6th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 weight: 1.73 lbs. (786 g)     Mechanical features: Magnesium body, kickstand with full-friction multiposition hinge, magnetic attach for keyboard fold stability  Color: Silver  Physical buttons: volume, power
Display	Screen: 12.3-inch PixelSense™ Display  Resolution: 2736×1824 (267 ppi)  Contrast ratio: 1300:1   Aspect ratio: 3:2   100 percent sRGB color, individually calibrated   Touch: 10-point multitouch with GPU-based processing
Processor	6th Generation Intel® Core™ m3, Core™ i5 or Core™ i7
Graphics	Intel® HD graphics 515 (Intel® Core™ m3)  Intel® HD graphics 520 (Intel® Core™ i5)  Intel® Iris™ graphics 540 (Intel® Core™ i7)
Memory	4 GB, 8 GB or 16 GB RAM
Storage	Solid-state drive (SSD) PCIe 3.0: 128 GB, 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB[5]
Security	TPM 2.0 chip for enterprise security
Pen	Surface Pen  1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity   Magnetic storage
Network	802.11ac 2×2 MIMO Wi-Fi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible  Bluetooth 4.0 LE wireless technology
Battery	Up to 9 hours of battery life for video playback2
Cameras	Windows Hello face-authentication camera (front-facing)  8.0 megapixel rear-facing auto-focus camera, with 1080p HD camera  5.0 megapixel front-facing 1080p HD camera
Audio	Stereo microphones  Stereo speakers with Dolby® audio
Ports	Full-size USB 3.0  Mini DisplayPort  microSD™ card reader (UHS-I performance)  Stereo headphones/microphone jack  Type Cover   Surface Connect for power and docking
Sensors	Ambient light sensor  Accelerometer  Gyroscope  Magnetometer
Power supply	24W power supply (Intel® Core™ m3)  36W power supply with USB charging port (Intel® Core™ i5 and Core™ i7)
In the box	Surface Pro 4  Surface Pen  Power supply   Quick Start Guide  Safety and warranty documents
Warranty	One-year limited hardware warranty6

Lumia 950 and 950XL

The company also announced new additions to the Lumia range, the Lumia 950 and 950XL. The first Windows 10 Lumia phones, both devices include the ability to utilise a new Display Dock accessory, allowing them to act like a PC with the addition of a keyboard, mouse and monitor. In addition, the phones include a new “PureView” camera with a 20-megapixel sensors, triple LED natural flash and are capable of 4K video capture. Both should be available in November. Full details of the two Lumia’s here.

Finally, Microsoft also announced the Microsoft Band 2, a redesigned (and much sleeker) fitness tracker which now includes the ability to use Cortana to reply to texts and set reminders.

Windows 10 Lumia phones

With the imminent release of Windows 10 Mobile, you can bet your sweet Clippy that Microsoft is planning to roll out the new operating system with new Lumia phones to match.

Images of the 5.7in Cityman (Lumia 950 XL) and the 5.2in Talkman (Lumia 950) have already leaked online, so it’s likely we’ll see those two handsets making an appearance later this afternoon.

Previously leaked information collected by Windows Central points to the phones featuring 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage expandable via a microSD slot, a 20-megapixel rear camera and a 5-megapixel front camera. The Lumia 950 is set to be getting a Snapdragon 808 processor and a 3,000mAh removable battery, while the Lumia 950 XL will get a Snapdragon 810 processor and a 3,300mAh battery.

There are also rumours that a budget Lumia 550 could feature in the lineup, which would showcase the ability to run Windows 10 on a less-than-high-end piece of hardware. That device is rumoured to include a 4.7in screen and a Snapdragon 210 processor. We’ll be updating our articles on the new phones, and for an alternative view keep an eye on Expert Reviews coverage of the Lumia 950 and 950XL.

Surface Pro 4

Another piece of hardware that’s very likely to make its debut is the Surface Pro 4. Times have changed since the release of the Surface Pro 3, with Apple’s iPad Pro and Google’s Chromebook Pixel both carving out a chunk of the professional laptop-tablet market. How will Microsoft react with its next-gen hybrid?  

If the new Pro does burst onto the stage, we’ll expect it to come with an Intel Core Skylake CPU in tow for the 12in (and maybe 14in) models and an Intel Atom Cherry Trail or Core M Skylake CPU for the 8in “mini” version. For the 12in model we’re predicting a 2,160 x 1,440 screen, up to 16GB of RAM and an SSD of up to 1TB. Windows 10 will, of course, also factor. Our friends at Expert Reviews will be taking a detailed look at the specs for the Surface Pro 4 too, when they’re announced.

Design-wise, we don’t expect Microsoft to stray too far from the winning aesthetics of the Surface Pro 3, although there are reports that the sequel may be significantly thinner and quieter due to an intriguing fanless design. As for price, we’d pitch an entry-level model at no less than £600, and with top-end configurations you’ll be looking at £1,600.

Microsoft Band 2

While the focus of the event is expected to linger on Windows 10 phones and tablets, Microsoft is also likely to throw light on the follow-up to its Band fitness wearable. Leaked images suggest that the new Band could be getting a design overhaul – with Microsoft opting for a sleeker setup and a curved display that tucks the battery underneath.

With companies from Samsung to Apple focusing on the appearance of smartwatches and wearables rather than specs, it makes sense for Microsoft to follow suit.

Wildcard – HoloLens

While the focus of the event will firmly be fixed on Windows 10 hardware ahead of the holiday season, there’s no reason why Microsoft won’t talk up some of its more experimental projects. The most likely of these to pop up will be the Google Cardboard-aping Microsoft VR Kit or the augmented-reality (AR) HoloLens.

 

HoloLens is still a long way off for consumers, with a developer release expected by mid-2016, but with Sony, Valve and Oculus massively upping their stakes on the VR front, Microsoft may want to remind people that it has a horse in the race.

During Microsoft’s Build event, we had a look at some more serious applications for the HoloLens. We saw how it can work with Internet of Things devices, help with medical science education and could even allow artists to create, manipulate and alter 3D models to be exported to 3D printers. With all the phones and tablets being shown, putting something like this on stage would add an element of future-gazing to proceedings.  

Make sure to check back here for our LIVE commentary when the even starts. And in the meantime, check out our article on what we expect from the Surface Pro 4 – will the rumours be correct?