"Surface Pro 8" is now available. Keyboard change / new pen. Doubles performance with Thunderbolt 4 support

Support for the same keyboard as Surface Pro X, which breaks the keyboard compatibility that has been maintained since Surface Pro 4.

Since the first generation, Microsoft's Surface Pro series is a keyboard detachable type 2 that has gained the support of business users up to the latest products Surface Pro 7 (for general consumers / corporate) and Surface Pro 7+ (for corporate only). -in-1 type device. The biggest feature is that the bottom area (292 x 201 mm) of the tablet has been almost constant since Surface Pro 4 released in 2014, and the removable keyboard (type cover keyboard) has the same terminal and basically the same. Things were available as they were.

However, with this Surface Pro 8, the backward compatibility with the type cover keyboard that has finally been reused even in the new generation since the Surface Pro 4 is lost (that is, the keyboard up to the Surface Pro 7+ is Surface Pro It's not available in 8). This is because the bottom area is 287x208mm, the external size of the tablet has changed, and the keyboard terminals have also changed.

However, this new bottom area is the same as the Surface Pro X, which was launched as a Surface equipped with an Arm-based SoC two years ago, and the shape of the terminal is also the same as the Surface Pro X. In other words, it can be thought that the Surface Pro series equipped with Intel-based SoC has been unified to the same bottom area as Surface Pro X.

In addition, the thickness direction is 7.3 mm for Surface Pro X, while it is 9.4 mm for Surface Pro 8, but considering the structure of the type cover keyboard, the thickness direction of the main body affects compatibility. Since there aren't many, it can be considered that the keyboard for Surface Pro X can also be used for Surface Pro 8.

In fact, with the announcement of Surface Pro 8, Microsoft has named "Surface Pro X Signature Keyboard" (Surface Slim Pen with charging mechanism) and "Surface Pro X Keyboard" (Surface Slim Pen without charging mechanism). The keyboards for Surface Pro X that have been sold have been renamed to "Surface Pro Signature Keyboard" and "Surface Pro Keyboard," respectively, to support this.

For users who own Surface Pro 7+ or earlier, migrating to Surface Pro 8 will increase the burden because the keyboard will also be replaced, but from Surface Pro X to Surface Pro 8 and vice versa, Surface Pro 8 to Surface When migrating to Pro X, the advantage of being able to reuse the same keyboard will come out.