The next generation Surface Pro has been rumored for some time and according to the FCC’s certification documents, it is coming within the year. Microsoft Surface Pro 9 will arrive in October with Windows 11 version 22H2, File Explorer tab, improved security, Wi-Fi 6, 5G chip, and ARM+Intel processor.
The FCC stands for Federal Communications Commission and they certify communication products for consumers in the country, meaning that the product has been approved by the US government for electromagnetic interference and other features related to communication.
According to FCC document C3K1997, the Surface Pro 9 can use built-in 5G connectivity, Bluetooth 5.0, and offers Wi-Fi 6. This listing explicitly mentions support for “multi-band 5G NR, 802.11b/g/n/ax wireless LAN” confirming our suspicions that the company’s next-generation hardware will support 5G.
It’s also worth noting that, according to the FCC document, the Surface Pro 9 will be powered by an ARM processor. The document also mentions Qualcomm’s Intelligent Transport 3.0, which aims to expand 5G coverage and increase uplink speeds. It also optimizes the transmission of cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas.
Of course, in addition to the Snapdragon chip, the Surface Pro 9 will also be available as a traditional model with a built-in Intel processor.
In one of the FCC listings, Microsoft states that Surface devices support “open and closed configurations”, a phrase previously used in the dual-screen Surface Duo filing. However, network certification suggests that the device in the filing is definitely not a phone. All of these changes should result in better battery, wireless and overall system performance compared to previous Surface Pros, particularly the Surface Pro X series.
The Surface Pro 9 is expected to be announced in October, although an official release date has yet to be announced.
The new devices are expected to include 128GB+ of storage (each offering a choice of 5G and Wi-Fi-only connectivity). Paired with 8GB or 16GB of RAM and 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage, one of the most powerful versions of the Surface Pro 9 is expected to come with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and it is not known for the time being whether there will be any significant changes to the screen size or overall design of the range.
It’s worth noting that this information is based on the list we’ve seen, and product details aren’t clear until the lineup is confirmed by Microsoft.