Microsoft has reportedly opted for an October 2015 release date for the rumored Surface Pro 4. But it might be wise to skip the new tablet and get the 2014 version instead - the Surface Pro 3.
DigiTimes of Taiwan said in a new report that the Surface Pro 4 will likely unbox at the start of Q4 2015. The publication, as always the case, cited its unnamed supply chain insiders as source of the information.
And unsurprisingly, Microsoft has yet to comment on the matter. The company, in fact, is completely silent on anything about the Pro 4. Mostly, the tech giant is generous on discussing the Windows 10 and the Lumia 940 and 940 XL.
However, the report from DigiTimes seems in line with an earlier declaration by Microsoft that in the aftermath of the Windows 10 July 29 global rollout, devices that run on the software will be issued in the coming months.
There will be "a breadth of new Windows 10 devices, including tablets, 2-in-1s, premium notebooks, gaming devices and all-in-ones," to come, the tech giant said as noted by BGR.
Provided DigiTimes is spot-on on its Surface Pro 4 forecast, it appears that the tablet is not too different from the Surface Pro 3 save for two key features - Intel's new Skylake processing beast and Samsung's latest SSD drive technology.
All said, Windows fans can expect "the same ultra-thin form factor, bezel size and large-size display as the predecessor model," the DigiTimes report noted. Other details such as specs, features and price remain elusive.
But according to Tech Times, it is likely that starting price of the Surface Pro 4 is $800, which is the cheapest price for a Surface Pro 3 model at the moment. If that is the case then the chance is very high the Pro 3 will get significant price cuts, across the board, once the Pro 4 becomes official. That would mean Microsoft's 2014 flagship slate will be cheaper than the Surface Pro 4 the moment the latter is unboxed.
That makes the Surface Pro 3 relatively cheaper but not necessarily inferior. The Pro 3 full range models include Intel Core i7 variants that pack power not to be sneered at. And Paul Thurrott, a well-known Microsoft watcher, said in a recent blog that with Windows 10 on the Surface Pro 3, the difference is hardly noticeable between the Pro 4 and the Pro 3.
Now this suggests that looking beyond the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 on its supposed October 2015 release date and getting the Surface Pro 3 instead would lead huge savings while practically getting the same package.