We've been tracking Microsoft Surface Pro 8 rumors for quite some time, and just when they appeared to have gone silent, we've got more smoke coming out of the rumor mill.
Windows Latest spotted an FCC certification for a new piece of Microsoft hardware that appears to be the Surface Pro 8, which is the sort of last-second leak that signals a product is nearing announcement. The entry, just modified on January 4, focuses on LTE cellular capability, and Windows Latest notes that Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 are also on the menu.
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As for when you can expect to see the Surface Pro 8? Rumors have pointed at the first half of 2021. CES 2021 is coming soon, but we wouldn't think that's where the magic will happen: Microsoft typically announces new gear at its own events.
One thing we don't know — and want to find out soon — is how long the Surface Pro 8's battery will last. Our Surface Pro 7 review revealed a disappointing 7 hours and 52 minutes of endurance, and we hope Microsoft found a way to do better with its successor.
Other Microsoft Surface Pro 8 rumors
So, the leaks have not exactly been surprising so far. For starters, the Surface Pro 8 will rock the 11th Gen Intel Tiger Lake processors with Xe graphics. That's pretty predictable, as Microsoft would have either done this or switched to AMD's latest chips.
The Surface Pro 8's design, however, sounds a bit disappointing. Leaked images show that Microsoft is sticking with the same design, which means keeping the bezels that are a little thicker than what feels right these days.
The Surface Pro 8's RAM will go as high as 32GB, an increase of 100% from the previous cap of 16GB. The Core i7 model is tipped to come with up to 1TB of internal storage. As for more affordable models, the 8GB RAM version is expected to be available with 128GB or 256GB of storage, while the 16GB RAM model will be sold in 256GB SSD and 512GB SSD versions.
About that LTE, though. It may not come standard. A previous leak suggested the LTE capability will only be available on the Core i5 version. Yes, you read that right: the mightier Core i7 Surface Pro 8 could lack a feature found in the mid-range version. Time will tell if this rumor comes to fruition.
