Surface Pro 8 vs Surface Pro 7: How much better is the new tablet?

During its latest come on consequence, Microsoft introduced the Surface Pro 8, aboard a handful of other products. If you ’ ve kept up with the newsworthiness, you ’ ll know the Surface Pro 8 is one of the biggest evolutions in the Surface Pro syndicate. But merely how much better is it ? Let ’ s compare the Surface Pro 7 and Pro 8 to find out. overall, the Surface Pro 8 takes some of the improvements of the business-oriented Surface Pro 7+, but adds some major changes on top of that besides. In the past, most generational Surface Pro refreshes haven ’ t warranted an upgrade if you had the previous model, but this year, it ’ s a different history .

Surface Pro 8 vs Pro 7: Specs

First off, let ’ s compare the spectacles in these two models. obviously, the Surface Pro 8 is going to have better hardware overall, but there are decidedly some points worth going over.

Performance: Tiger Lake is a big step up for the Surface Pro 8

The first of the upgrades in the Surface Pro 8 over the Surface Pro 7 is the processor, since it now comes with Intel ’ s 11th-generation ( Tiger Lake ) CPUs alternatively of the tenth generation. The Surface Pro 8 international relations and security network ’ t actually the first base Surface Pro to use Tiger Lake processors, as the Surface Pro 7+ besides had them, but that doesn ’ thyroxine make this upgrade any less impressive. Microsoft touts an over 40 % improvement in CPU performance over the Surface Pro 7, though this might besides be because the foundation consumer exemplar immediately comes with a Core i5 central processing unit alternatively of a Core i3. still. Intel Tiger Lake delivers a solid performance upgrade over the previous generation. here ’ s how the higher-end models compare, based on GeekBench benchmarks .

CPU performance international relations and security network ’ thymine all that ’ s improved either. Intel Tiger Lake processors come with a big jump in graphics performance excessively, thanks to the new Iris Xe Graphics GPU. According to this screen by LaptopMedia, the Iris Xe Graphics GPU in the Intel Core i7 processors scored about double the points in 3DMark Fire fall upon, with a score of 5,682. By comparison, the Iris Plus Graphics in 10th-generation CPUs scored merely 3,024 .

The Surface Pro 8 now comes with at least 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5 central processing unit with Intel Iris Xe Graphics .

not entirely that, but the new Surface Pro 8 finally does aside with the models with precisely 4GB of RAM. arguably, this hasn ’ t been adequate for a premium device for a while, so starting at 8GB makes a batch more common sense. however, the maximum configurations are the same across the two models, going up to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storehouse. Another bad blessing for the Surface Pro 8 is battery life, with Microsoft promising up to 16 hours of typical device usage on a charge. This is a massive addition from the 10.5 hours the caller promises for the Surface Pro 7. This is credibly helped by the fact that the Surface Pro 8 is slightly larger and chummy, which means it can accommodate a bigger battery . It ’ sulfur worth bringing up the price here because when you compare the start price of the Pro 8 with the Pro 7, the difference is bare. But that ’ s partially because the Surface Pro 8 has a a lot better basis configuration, with 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5 processor. If you wanted this shape in the Surface Pro 7, it would cost you $ 899, therefore the price leap out international relations and security network ’ thyroxine as large .

Display: The Surface Pro 8 is bigger and better

Another component contributing to the price increase for the Surface Pro 8 is the new display, which got its biggest upgrade in years. alternatively of a 12.3 edge display, the Surface Pro 8 now has a 13 inch expose, along with a represent increase in resoluteness — from 2736 x 1824 to 2880 ten 1920 — so it ’ s inactive merely as sharply. This matches the Surface Pro X line, and it helps the Surface Pro 8 feel a set more modern. Microsoft says this new display is besides bright and it supports Dolby Vision for HDR contented .

The Surface Pro 8 has a bigger and brighter display, with HDR accompaniment and a 120Hz refresh rate .

But that ’ s not all in terms of upgrades. The Surface Pro 8 besides supports a freshen pace of 120Hz, and it ’ s the first Surface personal computer to do it ( alongside the Surface Laptop Studio ). If you ’ ve used a modern high-end or evening mid-range earphone, you ’ re already familiar with high refresh rates, and they ’ re besides common in gaming PCs. however, Windows tablets seaport ’ t been graced with them until now, so this makes the Surface Pro 8 one of the best out there. Having a high refresh rate means animations, transitions, scrolling, and inking will all look smoother than ever, and it ’ s besides great for some games. The sound system has besides received a snatch of upgrade from the Surface Pro 7 to the Pro 8. There are inactive two stereophonic speakers on each slope of the display, but now each of them has 2W of might, up from 1.6W. The Surface Pro 8 besides tout subscribe for Dolby Atmos wall fathom, another new feature for the lineup . Turning over to the webcam, both laptops have a 5MP 1080p front-facing webcam, but Microsoft says it has improved the low-light performance of the television camera in the Surface Pro 8. The most celebrated upgrade is on the back, which now has a 10MP television camera adequate to of recording 4K video, whereas the Surface Pro 7 used an 8MP 1080p television camera. Both laptops have double far-field microphones, so the audio recording experience should be great on both .

Design: The first big Surface Pro redesign since 2015

The overall design concept of the Surface Pro 8 is silent the same as the Surface Pro 7. It ’ s a pad with an adjustable kickstand, and you can attach a keyboard cover to turn it into a laptop have. But there are some celebrated differences, and this is the first time the Surface Pro production line has seen a significant redesign since the Surface Pro 4. As mentioned above, the Surface Pro 8 has a bigger display, but it besides has smaller bezels on the sides. As such, it ’ s actually slightly less wide-eyed ( in landscape manner ) than the Surface Pro 7, but it ’ s tall and compact. It ’ s slenderly heavier besides. This can affect portability reasonably, but the difference international relations and security network ’ triiodothyronine bad adequate to very matter for most users. But this design brings some other changes with it. First, the Surface Pro 8 is the first count Surface Pro to ever redesign the Surface keyboard connection. It now uses the same connection as the Surface Pro X, which means you need a newly Type Cover/Signature Keyboard if you used previous Surface devices. And the new Surface Pro Signature Keyboard is another big assemble of news since it includes magnetic storage and charging for the Surface Slim Pen 2 . And you need that storage because the Surface Pro 8 is no farseeing designed to attach the authoritative Surface Pen on the side, thanks to the curved edges of the chassis. now the Surface Slim Pen ( or Slim Pen 2 ) is the standard for all flagship Surface devices, including the Surface Pro 8. specifically, the new Surface Slim Pen 2 is ideal for the Surface Pro 8 thanks to the Microsoft G6 central processing unit inside the tablet. Using this processor and the haptic feedback inside the Surface Slim Pen 2, you can now get the feel of writing with a write on paper .

The Surface Pro 8 ultimately adds two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a beginning for the Surface Pro line.

Read more: Specs ASUS SABERTOOTH X99 Intel® X99 LGA 2011-v3 ATX Motherboards (90MB0L00-M0EAY1)

That ’ s not all. The Surface Pro 8 besides brings a long-awaited feature — Thunderbolt 4. alternatively of standard USB Type-C and Type-A ports, the Surface Pro 8 now has two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 back. This means you can connect Thunderbolt docks, external monitors, or even external GPUs to the Surface Pro 8. Yes, you can feasibly turn your Surface Pro 8 into a bet on personal computer and take advantage of that 120Hz display. This is probable another factor in the monetary value increase for the Surface Pro 8, as Thunderbolt license has costs associated with it. otherwise, the ports are the same. You placid get a Surface Connect port — so you can keep using a Surface Dock if you have one — and a 3.5mm earphone jack .

Connectivity: Now with LTE

Microsoft has normally offered some versions of its Surface Pro products with LTE support, but with the Surface Pro 7, that wasn ’ t the case. If you wanted LTE, you ’ d have to opt for the Surface Pro 7+, which included a few other upgrades. now you can get LTE on the Surface Pro 8 — but those models aren ’ triiodothyronine available just yet. Microsoft normally releases LTE versions later on, so this international relations and security network ’ t new. The LTE modem in the Surface Pro 8 is the Qualcomm Snapdragon X20, which promises theoretical download speeds of up to 1.2Gbps and uploads of up to 150Mbps. differently, radio receiver connectivity is like between the Surface Pro 7 and Pro 8. Both models support Wi-Fi 6, and the Surface Pro 8 besides comes with Bluetooth 5.1. This is an upgrade over Bluetooth 5.0 in the Surface Pro 7, but it ’ s not adequate to make it importantly better .

Bottom line: Worth the upgrade?

For years immediately, it ’ randomness been hard to recommend upgrading to the latest airfoil Pro exemplar if you already have the former one, or even the one before that. It ’ mho always just been a specification find, so unless you needed the operation, there wasn ’ metric ton much cause to spend that money. The fib is a bit different this time, since this is the biggest upgrade the Surface Pro line has received in many years. The specification demote is here adenine common, but you besides get a bigger, bright, and smoother display with HDR support, better speakers, and possibly most notably, Thunderbolt support. This gives you lots of new expansion options you couldn ’ thyroxine experience with just the Surface Dock. There ’ s more than one good reason to make the upgrade this time, so if you ’ ve been waiting for a reorganization, this is it. Whether it ’ s a necessity upgrade is, of course, inactive up to you. All those benefits are big, but you may or may not need them . And of course, if you don ’ t have a Surface Pro yet or you have an even older model, then this is surely the best meter to jump in. The ask price is higher than it ’ s ever been, but honestly, if you were buying the base model of the Surface Pro 7, you weren ’ thyroxine going to have a bounty know. The price addition international relations and security network ’ metric ton arsenic big as it may initially seem, but it ’ s decidedly still there. In our public opinion though, it ’ randomness worth the extra money you pay for it. careless, you can distillery choose your prefer model using the links below. For the Surface Pro 8, you can buy the tablet and the Surface Pro Signature Keyboard with the Slim Pen 2 using the links below. You can besides buy the Surface Slim Pen 2 by itself if you don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate want the keyboard .

Surface Pro Signature Keyboard with Surface Slim Pen 2

The Surface Pro Signature Keyboard complements the Surface Pro 8 with a keyboard and trackpad to make it feel more like a laptop. This bundle also includes the Surface Slim Pen 2.

Buy at Best Buy

As for the Surface Pro 7, you can buy it using the links below, including the Type Cover. You can besides add the Surface Pen to round out the experience .

Surface Pro 7 with Type Cover

The Surface Pro 7 is a lightweight premium Windows tablet with high-end Intel processors. This bundle includes a Surface Pro Type Cover, so you can easily turn it into a laptop-like experience.

Buy at Amazon

Surface Pen

The Surface Pen allows you to easily draw and write on Surface Pro devices. It features 4,096 levels of pressure and tilt support, making it a great option for digital artists.

Buy at Amazon

Read more: Is Far Cry 5 Cross Platform? Everything You Need To Know About