Microsoft Surface Pro 4 12.3″ Tablet with 6th Gen Intel Core, up to 16GB RAM, up to 1TB SSD

Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 4 tablet brings several feature improvements over the previous Surface Pro 3, while being thinner and lighter at the same time. The new version has a slightly bigger screen, new 6th Generation Intel Core “Skylake” processors, increased maximal RAM and data storage capacity, improved keyboard cover and stylus, support for facial recognition-based system logins, and of course Windows 10 (Pro) OS instead of old 8.1.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 4 measures 0.33” in profile, down from previous 0.36”. Weight is a tad lower. It’s 1.69 pounds on models with the basic Intel Core m3 processor and 1.73 pounds on the Intel Core i5 and i7-based models, as opposed to Pro 3’s 1.76 lbs. The new Surface Pro retains the same form factor with an adjustable kickstand on the back and magnetic system for attaching the keyboard.

The 10-point multi-touch display now has a diagonal of 12.3 inches, up from 12”. Microsoft has squeezed in the bigger screen without increasing the footprint of the device by making the LCD bezel thinner. Screen size increase is followed by improved resolution. The PixelSense-branded panel has 2736 x 1824 pixels, up from 2160 × 1440, and retains the same productivity-centric 3:2 aspect ratio.

Under the hood, the tablet has either the basic Intel Core m3-6Y30 processor with Intel HD 515 integrated graphics, mid-range Core i5-6300U with Intel HD 520, or higher-end Core i7-6650U with Iris GPU. Besides 4GB and 8GB RAM options, Microsoft has made available a 16GB one for extreme multitasking. Storage choices are 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and new 1TB.

The rest of the specifications sheet includes stereo speakers, 802.11AC WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0 connections, an 8MP rear camera with auto-focus, 5MP front-facing cam, a full-size USB 3.0 port, mini DisplayPort video output, microSD card slot, a combo mic/headphones audio port, stereo microphones, and TPM chip for enterprise-class security.

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 starts at $899. Here’s a breakdown of configurations which are currently available for purchase:

Intel Core m3 / 128GB SSD / 4GB RAM – $899
Intel Core i5 / 128GB SSD / 4GB RAM – $999
Intel Core i5 / 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM – $1,299
Intel Core i7 / 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM – $1,599
Intel Core i7 / 256GB SSD / 16GB RAM – $1,799

Configurations with 512GB and 1TB storage aren’t offered yet.

The new keyboard cover, Surface Pro 4 Type Cover, has bigger gaps between the keys than the previous version, allowing more precise typing. Its touchpad is larger, too. The Type Cover is available in six different colors: black, dark blue, light blue, red, teal, and onyx-black. The onyx-black keyboard cover additionally has a built-in fingerprint reader. The Cover is still sold separately and costs $130, except the one with the fingerprint reader which is $160.

The new Surface Pen comes bundled with the tablet. It supports 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, has an eraser on the end, and can be magnetically attached to the side of Surface Pro 4.