Surface Pro 7: Everything you need to know

Surface Pro 7
Surface Pro 7 (Image credit: Windows Central)

The Surface Pro 7 is the latest in Microsoft's category-defining line of 2-in-1 PCs, and while its reveal was overshadowed by the Surface Duo, Neo, and Pro X, the Surface Pro 7 remains a formidable option for many.

The Surface Pro 7 doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does have a few nifty new features and subtle tweaks that elevate the overall package. If you're considering picking one up, here's everything you need to know.

Surface Pro 7 What's new?

When it comes to specs, the most noteworthy changes are the inclusion of 10th Gen Intel chips and, finally, USB-C. While it isn't full Thunderbolt (no external GPUs yet), you'll still get a ton of bandwidth for external devices, with similar data-throughput to the Surface Connect port itself.

The RAM has also been bumped up to DDR4. Microsoft says that the Pro 7 is up to 40 per cent faster than the previous Surface, with double the graphics processing power owing to Iris Plus. We won't know what that looks like in real terms until we go hands-on with our review unit in the near future, but it should be pretty impressive.

Speaking of the Surface Connect port, the new Pro 7 also sports Microsoft's fast-charging solution, which Redmond is calling Surface Connect+. This will allow the Pro 7 to go from 0 to 80 per cent battery in around an hour. Microsoft says the battery lasts around 10.5 hours, although real usage tends to fall short of manufacturer-listed durations. We'll have more information on that in the full review.

Finally, the displays have been updated to be more power efficient, while also being brighter. The Pro 7 also has dual far-field studio microphones, which should make it better at taking Cortana voice commands from across the room.

Surface Pro 7 Specs

The full specs list looks very familiar on the face of it, with Microsoft largely sticking to a persistent formula for the Pro 7.

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CategorySurface Pro 7
Operating SystemWindows 10 Home
Display12.3 inch Pixelsense, 3:2 aspect ratio, 2736x1824 (267 PPI)
Processor10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G1
10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G4
10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7
Memory4GB LPDDR4x
8GB LPDDR4x
16GB LPDDR4x
Storage128GB SSD
256GB SSD
512GB SSD
1TB SSD
Rear Camera8MP autofocus (1080p)
Front Camera5MP (1080p)
SecurityWindows Hello face authentication camera
ConnectivityBluetooth 5.0
Wi-Fi 6
Ports1x USB-C
1x USB-A
1x microSDXC
1x Surface Connect+
Surface Keyboard connector
3.5mm headphone jack
BatteryUp to 10.5 hours
WeightFrom 1.7 lbs (770g)
ColorsPlatinum
Black

Surface Pro 7 Release date and preorders

The Surface Pro 7 is available to preorder right now, and will begin shipping for an October 22, 2019 general release date.

Surface Pro 7 Which should you buy?

Microsoft's Surface Pro 7 devices start at a fairly modest $759, running all the way up to a beefy $2,299 owing to its i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD. The $749 model will make for a solid productivity device for Office and light entertainment, maybe even some low-end gaming. As you progress higher, you could probably play some well-optimized contemporary games like Fortnite, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch, while performing more intense tasks such as Adobe Premier video editing.

All models come in Platinum, but as of writing, only three come in black.

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ColorCPURAMStoragePrice
Platinum10th Gen Intel Core i3-1005G14GB128GB$749.00
Platinum10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G48GB128GB$899.00
Platinum
Black
10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G48GB256GB$1,199.00
Platinum10th Gen Intel Core i5-1035G416GB256GB$1,399.00
Platinum
Black
10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G716GB256GB$1,499.00
Platinum
Black
10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G716GB512GB$1,899.00
Platinum10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G716GB1TB$2,299.00
Jez Corden
Co-Managing Editor

Jez Corden is a Managing Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter @JezCorden and listen to his XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!