Rumor has it that Microsoft is planning to launch a new Surface tablet that’s smaller and cheaper than the current Surface Pro… and that smaller, cheaper tablet might have passed through the FCC this week.

If you’re wondering what corners Microsoft is going to cut to keep the price down, a report from WinFuture may have the answers.

The new tablet is expected to have a 10 inch display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, a less impressive stylus, a cheaper version of the optional Surface Type Cover, and a significantly less powerful processor — although there will allegedly be a few different CPU choices.

According to WinFuture’s sources, Microsoft will offer a cheaper tablet with an Intel Pentium Silver processor based on Intel’s low-cost/low-power “Gemini Lake” architecture, or a somewhat pricier version with a Pentium Gold chip based on 7th-gen Intel Core “Kaby Lake” architecture.

While it’s not entirely clear which Pentium Silver and Gold chips Microsoft would opt for, WinFuture guesses that we’re probably looking at a Pentium Silver N5000 quad-core Gemini Lake chip for an entry-level tablet and a Pentium Gold 4410Y or 4415Y dual-core chip for the higher-end model. All of those chips are 6 watt processors that could be used for thin-and-light, fanless machines like a Surface tablet with a 10 inch display.

There’s also a chance that the upcoming tablet will support 4G LTE, or at least have an LTE option.

Then again, there’s also a chance that WinFuture’s sources are incorrect and none of these details are set in stone. So take this with a grain of salt.

That said would you be interested in a $400ish Surface tablet with a Gemini Lake processor and/or a $500ish model with a Pentium Kaby Lake chip? Or at that point would you rather just spend a little more to get a Surface Pro?

Share this article: Share this: Facebook

Twitter

Reddit

Pocket

Tumblr

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Email

