Microsoft Rumored To Introduce ARM Processor Option with Surface Pro 9

[Uskompuf]

Microsoft is reportedly planning to merge its ARM-powered Surface Pro X brand into the main Surface Pro line starting with the upcoming Surface Pro 9. This would see the Surface Pro 9 being offered with the upcoming Microsoft SQ3 processor which is derived from the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3. Microsoft has previously announced a desktop ARM developer kit codenamed "Project Volterra" featuring the Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 SoC and a neural processing unit that should offer similar performance. The Surface Pro 9 is also expected to gain 5G connectivity when it is announced alongside updated Surface Studio, and Surface Laptop products in the coming weeks.



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[john_]

If Nvidia gets in the game of high performing SOCs for laptops like Surface Pro, things will start becoming interesting.

 

[ixi]

If Nvidia gets in the game of high performing SOCs for laptops like Surface Pro, things will start becoming interesting.

Wanted to say - overpriced?

 

[john_]

Wanted to say - overpriced?

LoL, yeah. Interesting and overpriced!

 

[Deleted member 185088]

Doesn't make any sense, unless they price it properly which they won't, making it a hopeless tablet, better get an iPad or Galaxy Tab.
A better idea would be to put a Ryzen APU, it is way more efficient and offers good GPU performance.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
Anyone actually buying surfaces ?

 

[john_]

Doesn't make any sense, unless they price it properly which they won't, making it a hopeless tablet, better get an iPad or Galaxy Tab.
A better idea would be to put a Ryzen APU, it is way more efficient and offers good GPU performance.

They probably want to keep the Windows on ARM alive, because, we never know. ARM could beat X86 in the future. Also I bet Microsoft is a little jealous of Apple using their own processors.

I believe that mixing the architectures under the same model name, will help the model to sell better. Especially if they keep a somewhat lower price compared to the X86 models, people will be buying it ignoring the difference between an ARM CPU and an X86 CPU the time of buying. Keeping a different name makes it easy to avoid it. Also using Microsoft's name instead of Qualcomms, it will be easier to convince consumers who lack knowledge, that they are not buying a tablet with a keyboard. Qualcomm's name would be ringing bells, even to people who generally ignore CPU branding and naming.

 

[AdmiralThrawn]

Hi,
Anyone actually buying surfaces ?

I probably sell 1-5 per day at the local computer shop I work at. Mostly to buisnesses that need travel availibility. I also get a lot of college students looking for them. I prefer the ROG flow personally. It is just a pimped out surface with a GPU and 12700 instead of 11th gen i5.

 

[Denver]

Less performance, compatibility, and probably efficiency, and all at a high cost...

Pointless product, honestly.

 

[Minus Infinity]

And will the rest of the Surface 9 range offer Rembrandt options? Knowing how Surface is always at least a gen behind we'd be lucky to get 5xxxx series APU's.

 

[Flanker]

I probably sell 1-5 per day at the local computer shop I work at. Mostly to buisnesses that need travel availibility. I also get a lot of college students looking for them. I prefer the ROG flow personally. It is just a pimped out surface with a GPU and 12700 instead of 11th gen i5.

Interesting. In your opinion, is it due to the lack of competition in windows tablets or does MS do anything particularly well with it?

I'm asking because in my case I would just buy a laptop from other manufacturers for better value, but if they are selling, something is probably being done right.

 

[AdmiralThrawn]

Interesting. In your opinion, is it due to the lack of competition in windows tablets or does MS do anything particularly well with it?

I'm asking because in my case I would just buy a laptop from other manufacturers for better value, but if they are selling, something is probably being done right.

From what I can tell, people prefer the hybrid capability. You can use it like a notebook with the pen, and in a few seconds convert it to a laptop type device. Another reason they sell so well is a lack of any competition. Outisde of Asus which makes a "gaming" version called the ROG Flow, they have 0 competition in the enterprise space. The flow is just a surface with better chasis, 12th gen chip, and a better display. As well as the inclusion of a discrete GPU.