“Today, we are pleased to share the next step in our journey to support our business and education customers with the introduction of Surface Pro 7+ for Business,” Microsoft said in its announcement. “From small and medium size businesses to the largest organizations, Surface Pro 7+ is purpose-built with the needs of our business and education customers in mind. This next generation of Surface Pro stays true to its ethos – delivering on top customer requested updates while maintaining the same iconic design so customers can continue to leverage their existing investments.” The Surface Pro 7+ for Business features a 12.3-inch, 2736 x 1824-pixel PixelSense display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 267 pixels per inch density. Also, it has the same 11.5 x 7.9 x 0.3-inch chassis, aluminum look and chunky bezels like the Surface Pro 7 and weighs 1.7 pounds. Since its design is in-line with the consumer variant, the tablet works with accessories like the Surface Dock, Surface Pen and the Surface Type Cover keyboard. Coming to specifications, the Surface Pro 7+ for Business is powered by Intel’s new 11th Gen “Tiger Lake” processors, starting from Core i3 (1115G4) to Core i5 (1135G7) to Core i7 (1165G7). According to Microsoft, the new processors give up to 2.1 times faster performance than the previous model, and longer battery life of up to 15 hours, which is nearly 50% more endurance than Pro 7. The battery also supports fast-charging via Microsoft proprietary charging cable, allowing the tablet to recharge up to 80% in just under an hour. Microsoft is introducing optional LTE Advanced with the Surface Pro 7+ via the built-in Snapdragon X20 modem, which will help keep people stay connected at home if Wi-Fi bandwidth is limited or if they are in a remote location. With both USB-A and USB-C ports, Surface Pro 7+ offers the adaptability to dock into external displays and leverage the needed peripherals for a full workstation setup. The 2-in-1 device has integrated front and rear-facing cameras with 1080p full HD video along with Dolby Atmos speakers and dual far-field Studio Microphones. The 2-in-1 laptop also supports Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm audio jack, Microsoft’s Surface Connect port, and a MicroSDXC card reader in the WiFi-only models (the LTE models will replace this with a nano-SIM). Further, LTE models will not have MicroSD card expansion. Besides, there is no 5G support and the USB-C input is neither Thunderbolt 3 nor Thunderbolt 4. The Surface Pro 7+ will feature a removable SSD for data retention so that customers can be in control of their data. The SSD will also support the security and privacy needs of business and educational organizations. This feature, combined with Microsoft BitLocker protection, makes it easy for customers to retain sensitive data if something happens to their device. The tablet also features Windows Enhanced Hardware Security features enabled by default, which means it has protections against privilege escalation attacks that target the device’s memory. Further, the tablet is 23% lighter than the previous generation and is made from 99% natural fiber-based material, of which 64% is post-consumer recycled content. The Surface Pro 7+ Intel Core i3 model (8GB RAM + 128GB SSD storage) starts at $899.99, while the highest-end Core i7 model (32GB RAM + 1TB SSD storage) costs $2,799.99. Only the Intel Core i5 models will have optional LTE Advanced configuration starting at $1,149.99 for 8GB RAM + 128GB SSD storage Core i5 model and $1,649.99 for 16GB RAM + 256GB SSD storage Core i5 model. No Surface Pro Signature Type Cover keyboard is included in any configuration. The i3 and i5 models do not contain any fans, while the i7 model does need active cooling. Also, the Core i5 and Core i7 models will have Intel’s new Iris Xe graphics, while the Core i3 model will ship with Intel UHD graphics. The new Surface Pro 7+ will start shipping for Enterprise and Education customers via authorized resellers in the U.S. on January 15th. It is expected to become available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and a large number of European countries soon.
