Microsoft Surface Pro 4 release date, specs details revealed

Microsoft

As the rumored release date of the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 draws closer, the alleged specs of the highly anticipated next-generation laptop-tablet hybrid device from Microsoft is starting to circulate in full swing. 

Several reports claim that the Surface Pro 4 will be retailed after Windows 10 comes out in July, while others state that the multifunctional device will come out by as early as May 20. However, an early release of the hybrid device would only happen if the Redmond-based computer giant decides to use the early version of Windows 10. 

Meanwhile, The Motley Fool reported that Microsoft might choose to trade their usual Haswell processors from Intel with either a Skylake or a Broadwell chipset, also from Intel. Both chips have 14nm process, which makes them the tiniest but the most power-saving chips for computers today.

The Broadwell "Core M" chips were already in the market since late last year and were used by other leading computer devices like the Yoga Pro 3 from Lenovo and Apple's latest MacBook, while the Skylake will only be released on August 15. If Microsoft chooses to use the Skylake chips, it could delay the release of the Surface Pro 4 since, presumably, larger quantities of the chips will only come out in the later part of the year. 

Early rumors claim that the upcoming Surface Pro 4 will come out in two variants. One will be a 12-inch display model with an Intel Broadwell SoC chip while the other one will be a 14-inch variant equipped with an Intel i5 or i7 processor. Both devices will allegedly house 16 GB of RAM and will render displays of 2160 x 1440 pixel resolution.  They will also have an 8-megapixel rear-facing primary camera and a 3.5-megapixel front-facing snapper that users can utilize for video chats and selfies.