It’s been well over a year since the Surface Pro 11 was first announced, which means it’s time to start thinking about what’s next for Microsoft’s flagship 2-in-1 tablet line. Earlier this year, the company launched a new mid-range 12-inch Surface Pro variant, featuring a new design and accessories, and shipping alongside the flagship 13-inch Surface Pro 11.
While we don’t yet have any concrete information about the next flagship Surface Pro, we can attempt to read the tea leaves and speculate as to what Microsoft has in store for the Surface Pro 12. Plus, our wish list for what we want to see in the next flagship Surface Pro.
So, here’s everything we think we know so far. Check back for more information as it becomes available!
Price and release date
The Surface Pro 12 is likely going to start at a higher price tag compared to the Surface Pro 11, which originally debuted at $999. This is because the new 12-inch Surface Pro starts at $799, and the company will likely want a larger price gap between the midrange and flagship models for the lineup to make sense.
While we don’t know for sure what the price will be, we can assume it’ll likely match the Surface Pro 11’s current pricing, which now starts at $1,199. for the tablet only. The Surface Pro keyboard and pen will continue to be optional accessories that cost more money on top of the tablet.
In regard to a release window, Microsoft historically releases new Surface PCs in the fall. The Surface Pro 11 launched in June 2024, and so we’re well overdue a refresh at this point. Given history, we could potentially see a new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop announced in the October timeframe.
With that said, this depends entirely on whether Qualcomm is ready to ship its next gen chips. If there’s a delay, then the Surface Pro 12 will likely get pushed back. If a delay does happen, don’t expect to see the Surface Pro 12 until spring next year.
Processor and specs
Surface Pro 12 is likely going to be powered by Qualcomm’s new and upcoming Snapdragon X2 SoC, the successor to its first-generation Snapdragon X line of chips that power the Surface Pro 11. We don’t yet know much about the Snapdragon X2 range of chips just yet, but we do know it’s expected to focus better GPU performance, as well as better multi- and single-core performance to compete with Apple’s latest silicon.
I wouldn’t be surprised if we also eventually see an Intel variant of the Surface Pro 12, as we did with the Surface Pro 11. Microsoft seems to reserve Intel variants of its Surface PCs for business customers, which will likely remain the case with the Surface Pro 12.
Microsoft will only ship new Surface hardware powered by Copilot+ capable processors going forward, so if Intel has nothing new to offer in the next 12 months, we likely won’t see a Surface Pro 12 with an Intel processor.
Design and features
The Surface Pro 11 launched with the same design that the product line has been using since 2019, so the device is well overdue a design refresh at this point. Given the 12-inch Surface Pro features an all-new design with uniform bezels and built-in pen charging, it’s possible we’ll see the flagship Surface Pro 12 adopt this same new design, though this is yet to be confirmed.
A flagship Surface Pro with the same uniform bezels and thinner chassis would position the Surface Pro 12 as a viable iPad Pro 13-inch competitor. Complete with an updated Surface Pro Flex Keyboard, this would be the ultimate Surface Pro that trades blows with Apple’s best tablet offering.
Of course, we expect the Surface Pro 12 to feature both LCD and OLED display options with a 120Hz refresh rate, just like the Surface Pro 11. It’s also expected to continue to feature things like Windows Hello face unlock, an upgradable SSD, and built-in kickstand as a staple of the Surface Pro product line.
Some have asked for a larger Surface Pro variant, though we don’t expect that to happen with the Surface Pro 12. The device will likely continue to ship with a screen size of around 13-inches.
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