After 12 months, we ushered in Microsoft’s new era of 2-in-1 skinny and lightweight Surface Pro 9. The most remarkable change is the addition of 5G assist (non-obligatory) for the primary time. The processors embrace Intel’s 12th-generation Core Duo and Microsoft’s third-generation customized processing.
Surface Pro 9 Release date and price
After months of hypotheses and leaks, Microsoft introduced the Surface Pro 9 on October 12th, 2022, just a little over a yr after the Surface Pro eight was launched. Pre-orders already reside, so you should purchase them properly now.
For pricing, the scenario is a bit completely different. The Intel-based model of the Surface Pro 9 truly begins at $999.99, a $100 decrease from what the Surface Pro eight began. However, the 5G mannequin comes with a fundamental value change in comparison with the Surface Pro X.
It now starts at $1,299.99, a $300 improvement from the LTE-enabled variants of the Surface Pro X. Here’s the complete checklist of SKUs and pricing:
Finally Surface Pro 9 Officially Released: First 5G SQ3 CPU
Last 12 months, Surface Pro 8 was redesigned from within, the lightest and thinnest in the historical past. The display is enlarged, helps a 120Hz excessive refresh charge, and offers two Thunderbolt Four ports.
This 12-month Surface Pro 9 principally continues the mildew design of the earlier era with an anodized aluminum physique and a 165-degree multi-angle bracket. The thickness remains to be 9.4 mm, and the burden is barely thinner, with the lightest being solely 878 grams.
The colors are more prosperous. Extra lovely Sapphire and Forest are added on the premise of graphite grey and shiny platinum.
The display stays identical because of the 13-inch PixelSense, with a decision of 2880 x 1920 and a pixel density of 267PPI. Surface Pro 9 helps 120Hz excessive refresh charge, 10-point contact, 1200:1 distinction ratio, sRGB color gamut, and Dolby Vision IQ (Wi-Fi model), overlaying Corning. Gorilla 5 Glass.
Surface Pro 9 Full Specification
| General | Item Name: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Brand: Microsoft Model: Surface Pro 9 Type: Laptop Status: Available |
| Display | 13-inch PixelSense Flow display, 3:2 aspect ratio Resolution: 2880 x 1920 (267 PPI) Color profile: sRGB and Vivid Dynamic Refresh Rate up to 120Hz Contrast ratio: 1200:1 Adaptive Color 10-point multi-touch Corning Gorilla Glass 5 Auto Color Management supported (Wi-Fi only) Dolby Vision IQ (Wi-Fi only) |
| Hardware | Wi-Fi Consumer 12th-generation Intel Core i5-1235U 12th-generation Intel Core i7-1255U Business 12th-generation Intel Core i5-1245U 12th-generation Intel Core i7-1265U 5G Microsoft SQ3 processor Neural Processing Unit (NPU) Graphics Wi-Fi Intel Iris Xe graphics 5G Microsoft SQ3 Adreno 8cx Gen 3 RAM Wi-Fi: 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB LPDDR5 5G: 8GB or 16GB LPDDR4x Storage Wi-Fi: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB SSD (removable) 5G: 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB SSD (removable) |
| Camera | Front-facing 1080p full HD camera Rear-facing 10MP autofocus camera 5G model: Windows Studio Effects |
| Battery | Wi-Fi: Up to 15.5 hours of typical device usage 5G: Up to 19 hours of typical device usage |
| Other Features | Wi-Fi model: 2 x Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 (USB Type-C) 5G model: 2 x USB-C 3.2 1 x Surface Connect port 1 x Surface Keyboard port 5G model: nano-SIM slot Wi-Fi Intel Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax Bluetooth 5.1 5G Intel Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax Bluetooth 5.1 Location: GPS, Glonass, Galileo, Beidou NanoSIM and eSIM support |
| Dimensions & Weight | Size (WxDxH): 287.02 × 208.28 × 9.4 mm Weight: Wi-Fi: 1.94lbs (879 grams) 5G (sub-6GHz): 1.84lbs (878 grams) 5G (mmWave): 1.95lbs (883 grams) |
Surface Pro 9 Features
The entrance digicam remains to be 5-megapixel 1080p, and the rear remains to be 10-megapixel 4K. However, the 5G model can assist Windows Studio Effects with Windows 11 and may obtain background blur, automatic centering, and eye contact throughout video conferences.
The processor may be very wealthy. The Wi-Fi model has been upgraded to the 12th-era Core U sequence low-power model, which has the strict Intel Evo certification.
The 1265U has two large, Eight small, and ten cores and integrates the Iris Xe core show. However, the core specs of the i5 and i7 are identical, and the enterprise model solely has extra considerable vPro vPro know-how.
The 5G model of the processor is Microsoft SQ3, which should be custom-made based mostly on the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3. Lenovo ThinkPad X13s has first launched it, and Huawei MateBook E Go additionally makes use of it.
Surface Pro 9 Hardware
The processor has four super-large core X1, four large-core A78 CPUs, a built-in Adreno 690 GPU, and the ability to run 1080p 120FPS video games, a built-in NPU neural unit, and AI computing energy elevated by Three occasions. However, I don’t know what features Microsoft has custom-made. Perhaps The frequency shall be more significant.
RAM & ROM
The reminiscence of the Wi-Fi model has been upgraded to LPDDR5, the capability is non-obligatory 8/16/32GB, and the exhausting disk is non-obligatory 128/256/512GB, 1TB. The 5G model nonetheless has LPDDR4X reminiscence, the capability is simply 8/16GB, and the exhausting disk is 128/256/512GB.
Bluetooth & Connectivity
The community is, in fact, very, totally different. All assist Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1, 5G model additionally helps GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Beidou positioning, nanoSIM bodily card, eSIM digital card, Sub-6GHz frequency band most obtain pace 2.8Gbps, mm The wave band can attain 4.2Gbps (four-carrier aggregation).
In phrases of interfaces, the Wi-Fi model has two Thunderbolt 4/USB4, and 5G can solely assist USB 3.2 due to processor limitations. The battery life of the Wi-Fi model is simply 15.5 hours, and the 5G model can obtain as much as 19 hours, which is, of course, the credit score of the SQ3 processor.
In phrases of value, the Wi-Fi model i5/8GB/256GB is 8488 yuan, i5/16GB/256GB 10588 yuan, i7/16GB/256GB 11988 yuan, i7/16GB/512GB 14088 yuan, and the 5G model has not been synchronized but.
Compared with the Surface Pro 8, the value of the four corresponding variations has elevated by 400 yuan.
Read Also: Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Exposed with I5-1235U/I7-1255U
What is the Different Surface Pro 9 and Surface Pro 8?
Surface Pro 9 vs Surface Pro 8: Which is the Best in 2022?
What’s new in the Surface Pro 9?
There’s so much that’s modified with the Surface Pro 9 compared to the Surface Pro 8, and at a similar time, possibly not as much as you would anticipate. The most extraordinary modifications undoubtedly come when you’ve been utilizing the Surface Pro X for the previous few years. Let’s take a more in-depth take look at what’s modified.
New Arm and Intel processors
Indeed, as we’ve talked about a few instances already, the essential information about the Surface Pro 9 is that it comes with both Intel and Arm-based processors. Microsoft is now not separating the standard Surface Pro household from the Surface Pro X.
As an alternative, now we have the Surface Pro 9 Wi-Fi mannequin – with Intel processors – or the Surface Pro 9 with 5G, powered by the Microsoft SQ3 processor primarily based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3.
Both fashions have additionally obtained necessary upgrades from their predecessors. The Surface Pro 9 Wi-Fi mannequin now comes with 12th-generation Intel processors, an enormous improvement from the earlier technology.
These new fashions include ten cores and 12 threads, up from 4 cores and eight threads within the Surface Pro 8, due to Intel’s brand new hybrid structure. There’s a mixture of effectivity and efficiency cores, which has similarities to what we see on Arm-based processors.
Angled view of the Surface Pro 9 with its Signature Keyboard and Surface Slim Pen 2, surrounded by pink flowers
Meanwhile, the Surface Pro 9 with 5G is a good, more excellent improvement compared to the previous Surface Pro X.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 – which the Microsoft SQ3 relies on – gives some enormous upgrades by way of efficiency compared to what we noticed within the final mannequin.
Qualcomm boasts 85% sooner CPU efficiency and 60% sooner GPU efficiency than the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2, which significantly increases. It helps clarify why Microsoft is bringing these merchandise below one product line.
5G help
Another main addition to the Surface Pro 9 is the help of the 5G mobile connectivity we discussed above. The Surface Pro X has primarily supported LTE since its inception in 2019, but it indeed by no means bought the improvement to 5G. Now, it’s lastly taking place, and Microsoft is going the additional mile to allow mmWave help in chosen markets.
You don’t see several laptops with mmWave 5G help, and that’s mainly as a result of no Intel-powered units can do it. The few laptops that help mmWave 5G have Arm processors, which is why Microsoft additionally managed to do it right here. Of course, in markets where mmWave 5G isn’t out there, you’ll get sub-6GHz 5G along with help for LTE networks, as you’d anticipate.
At the same time, now that there’s a devoted model with mobile connectivity help, you’ll not discover Intel-powered fashions of the Surface Pro 9 with mobile connectivity. If you need LTE or 5G, getting the Arm-based mannequin is worthwhile.
A more excellent show for Arm
Because the Surface Pro 9 comes with each Arm and Intel processor, these units are essentially identical by way of specs. In contrast, not a lot has been modified for the Wi-Fi mannequin.
The 5G variant has a notable improvement within the show. It’s inheriting the enhancements Microsoft made in 2021 with the Surface Pro 8, so it now has a display with a dynamic refresh fee and as much as 120Hz, so animations and motion can look a lot smoother.
This panel also helps all the Surface Slim Pen 2 options and Tactile indicators. Microsoft uses this haptic suggestion to simulate a pen’s texture on paper. We discovered it to work impressively nicely in the final yr’s units, so it’s nice to see it come to the Arm-powered dummy, too.
Some options are unique to the Intel mannequin, like help for Dolby Vision IQ and Auto Color Management.
A thicker Arm mannequin and new colors for Intel
One of probably the most thrilling issues regarding the Surface Pro 9 is that it provides a splash of shade to the Surface Pro household. Two brand-new shade choices – Sapphire and Forest – are part of the prevailing Platinum and Graphite, the latter of which was solely out there on the Surface Pro X earlier.
That makes a total of 4 shade choices to select from, and Microsoft additionally gives Signature Keyboards to match, so you’ll be able to complete the look.
Colorful variations of Surface Pro 9
However, there’s a severe caveat right here. All the colors, aside from Platinum, are unique to the Wi-Fi mannequin of the Surface Pro 9.
If you’re shopping for the 5G model of the Surface Pro 9, you’ll be able to get it solely in Platinum, which is an odd alternative. After all, Graphite debuted on the Surface Pro X, and in reality, it was the one shade out there on the Surface Pro X until 2021. However, the Arm-based pill is now solely out within the signature Platinum.
What makes this much more unusual is that the 5G and Wi-Fi fashions now have identical exterior dimensions. With the almost equivalent chassis, it seems it ought to have been a lot simpler to make each variant in all of the out-there colors. However, that’s not the case. Maybe sooner or later, these shade choices will turn extra broadly out there.
In addition to the standard colors, Microsoft can launch the Surface Pro 9 Wi-Fi mannequin is accessible in a restricted version that includes a blue floral sample designed by Liberty, a British design studio. This particular version is supposed to have fun on the 10th anniversary of the Surface household.
No extra headphone jack
Something many will probably discover disappointing is that the Surface Pro 9 additionally does away with the three.5mm headphone jack, so you’ll be able to use it now, not headsets that depend on it. Again, that is an odd alternative contemplating the chassis is, in any other case, equivalent to the Surface Pro 8.
You’ll discover two Thunderbolt four ports (Wi-Fi)/USB 3.2 Type-C ports (5G) and Surface Connect. The Surface Pro X lacked a headphone jack but had a noticeably thinner chassis.
Windows Studio Effects (5G solely)
The digital camera and microphone {hardware} on the Surface Pro 9 have remained unchanged from earlier fashions. However, there is some information by way of processing on the 5G mannequin.
The Microsoft SQ3 chipset comes with a neural processing unit, or NPU, which may allow sure AI options for the webcam. We had already seen options like Eye Contact on the unique Surface Pro X. However. Windows now has a complete suite of choices referred to as Windows Studio Effects that leverage the NPU.
Windows Studio Effects settings in Windows 11
In addition to Eye Contact, Windows Studio Effects embrace Portrait Blur and digital camera auto-framing so that you can always keep it seen even when you transfer around at the entrance of the digital camera.
There’s additionally a Voice FOcus impact, which isolates and enhances your voice, eliminating background noise so others can hear you extra clearly throughout a name or assembly.
Where can I purchase the Surface Pro 9?
The Surface Pro 9 goes to be out there at most leading retailers, the place you’ll be able to usually discover Surface PCs, together with Amazon,
Best Buy, and the Microsoft Store. Not each configuration could also be available all over the place, however, for probably the most half. You need to be capable of discovering the mannequin you need at your most well-liked retailer. You can even purchase the Surface Pro 9 utilizing the hyperlink beneath.
