Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 7 Plus has a larger battery, removable SSD and LTE

Microsoft is updating its Surface Pro line today with an updated Surface Pro 7 Plus model that is only available to businesses and schools. Although the design and the external screen remain the same as the Surface Pro 7, Microsoft revised the interior of the device to make way for Intel’s latest 11th generation processors, a larger battery, removable SSD and LTE connectivity.

This marks the return of LTE to the main Surface Pro line for the first time since 2015, but unfortunately there is no 5G connectivity as Microsoft is using Qualcomm’s old Snapdragon X20 LTE modem inside the Surface Pro 7 Plus.

Image: Microsoft

A variety of models will be available, starting with the Intel Core i3 (1115G4) and ending with the Intel Core i7 (1165G7). Only the Intel Core i5 (1135G7) model will have optional LTE starting at $ 1,149, and the basic Core i3 model comes with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage for $ 899. The Core i7’s main option (US $ 2,799) can also be configured with up to 32 GB of RAM and up to 1 TB of SSD storage.

Microsoft is now promising up to 15 hours of battery life on the Surface Pro 7 Plus, compared to the 10.5 hours the company claims on the original Surface Pro 7. A small part of this improvement in battery life will be thanks to Intel 11th Generation chips, but it is mainly a change in battery capacity from 46.5Wh to 50.4Wh.

The Surface Pro 7 Plus also comes with the same 12.3 inch (2736 x 1824) PixelSense screen found on the original Surface Pro 7, with a single USB-C port, a USB-A port, a 3.5-inch headset mm and Surface Connection port. Wi-Fi only models will include a MicroSDXC card reader, while LTE models will replace it with a nano SIM. This means that the Surface Pro 7 Plus does not yet have Thunderbolt connectivity.

Image: Microsoft

The Surface Pro 7 Plus also has some bigger changes than normal. “We’ve changed the interior quite substantially,” explains Robin Seiler, corporate vice president of program management for Microsoft devices, in an interview with The Verge. “In fact, it was necessary to turn the internal parts around to put the SSD here, so when we did that, we also updated the TDM (Thermal Design Model) to create more space for a larger size battery.”

The removable SSD works in the same way as on the Surface Pro X or Surface Laptop 3, allowing companies to exchange units for repairs.

So, why no major redesign with finer screen bezels? Microsoft says it’s mainly for consistency because companies want to standardize Surface Pro configurations and formats. “When you look at Surface Pro X, which has the thinnest bezels, there are quite substantial changes in terms of door locations that are driven by these bezels, ”says Seiler. “The thinning of the frames requires a significant change in terms of format and compatibility with the previous ones [models]. “

Image: Microsoft

This focus on business and LTE connectivity, at a time when domestic connections to the Internet may not support domestic demands, also explains why Microsoft did not choose the nickname Surface Pro 8 and made this device available to consumers. “This is simply an extension of a line with a commercial focus,” explains Seiler. “It was important for us to signal that this is an extension of Pro 7, to all customers who have standardized this.”

Still, it is disappointing that an updated model with the latest Intel processors and LTE connectivity is not available directly to consumers. Microsoft won’t say if that will change anytime soon, but it looks like the company is trying to draw a line between the business-focused Surface Pro and the Surface Go and Surface Pro X for consumers.

Microsoft is planning to start shipping Surface Pro 7 Plus to customers on January 15 in the U.S., and it will also be available in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and a large number of European countries.