Microsoft Surface Pro 4 May Come In Two Sizes: Watch Out, MacBook Air

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 is going to be unleashed in October. However, there have been several sources that have reported that the device will come in two sizes: One with a 12-inch screen and one with a 14-inch screen. TechRadar explains why a 14-inch Surface Pro is appealing.

“If the Surface Pro 4 arrives with a larger screen, it would make markups easier. While writing on a webpage with a Wacom or N-Trig stylus is easy given the precision stylus tip, attempting to mark up a page with stubby fingertips is more challenging given the smaller screens on the Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3.”

The article adds that a 14-inch Surface Pro would make it easier to take notes with OneNote, which is — perhaps — the most important software title for the Note 4, given its advanced note-taking capabilities. International Business Times reports on other alleged specs of the Surface Pro 4.

“In addition, rumours have also pointed that the new Surface Pro 4 will come in different RAM and storage options, just like the current model. The RAM space is expected to go as high as 16GB, and storage up to 1TB in the high-end model.”

The article goes on to note that the Surface Pro 4 will have an improved version of the current N-Trig Stylus pen. Some Surface Pro users hope Microsoft will go back to having a Wacom stylus, which may not have as much accuracy as the N-Trig device, but feels more like an actual pen when writing. There are also rumors that the Surface Pro 4 will have a 4K screen. If so, that would give the laptop/tablet hybrid another advantage over the MacBook Air, which is considered the Surface Pro 4’s main competitor.

The 2016 MacBook Air could actually arrive in time for Christmas this year. In addition to having a Retina screen, MacRumors claims it will have Intel’s new Skylake processor.

“The 2.3GHz i5-6200U and the 2.4GHz i5-6300U chips are appropriate for the lower-end MacBook Air models, while the 2.5GHz i7-6500U and the 2.6GHz i7-6600U would be used in the higher-end MacBook Air models. All four chips include Intel HD 520 graphics.”

The Surface Pro 4 could also have a Skylake processor. Rumors that the next Surface Pro 4 will have a lower-powered Intel M processor seem unlikely, especially since the device would run a lot slower than the Surface Pro 3, which users love because of such great speed in such a small device. As the release date gets closer, expect more details about the Surface Pro 4 to be released soon.

[Photo by David Ramos / Stringer for Getty Images]