Microsoft has officially announced the Surface Pro 2. The new tablet runs Windows 8.1, is more powerful, adds longer battery life and more.
Microsoft is taking the same approach it did when it announced its original Surface tablets last year. It is offering a version that runs a stripped down version of Windows 8.1, along with a professional model that runs the full desktop version of Windows 8.1.
Just like the Surface 2, the Surface Pro 2 doesn't stray from its original design. Also like its Windows RT-running sibling, the Surface Pro 2 comes with a two stage kickstand that allows users to use the tablet at two different viewing angles, which comes in handy when using the tablet on your lap. The tablet features a 10.6-inch full HD 1920 x 1080 display, which Microsoft claims provides 50 percent more color accuracy than the original. The company also upgraded the processor to a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 Haswell processor. The new processor is reportedly about 20 percent faster than the original Surface Pro, offers improved graphics performance, and has increased battery life by 75 percent. The tablet includes a USB 3.0 port, mini DisplayPort, Ethernet, and audio in/out.
The company wants to make it clear that the Surface Pro 2 is much more than a tablet, it's a "full power pc" than has the portability of a tablet and the power of a desktop.
The Surface Pro 2 still ships with a stylus and can use the new accessories Microsoft also announced. The new Power Cover adds a keyboard and standalone battery that increases battery life up to 2.5x the Pro 2's standard battery life. Microsoft also showed off a new Type Cover 2, which is now 1mm thinner than the original and is backlit.
Microsoft will start taking pre-orders for the Surface Pro 2 beginning on Sept. 24 and the slate will go on sale Oct. 22. The company will offer a base model, which includes 64GB of internal storage and 4GB of RAM for $899, but customers can choose different configurations of up to 512GB of storage and 8GB of RAM.
