Three Microsoft Surface models, two with 4k displays, are reportedly in the works
Last month I mentioned Microsoft could be targeting the all-in-one (AIO) market—including Apple’s horribly neglected iMac line—with a series of AIO PCs. Now details are emerging on just what Redmond has in the works.
Windows Central, which fueled the initial rumors, has updated the story with new details from its own sources on Microsoft’s AIO Surface devices. According to the report, which cites unnamed sources, Microsoft is currently testing three Surface AIOs:
- 21-in. with HD (1920x1080px) resolution
- 24-in. with 4K (3840x2160px) resolution
- 27-in. with 4K (3840x2160px) resolution
The report said there is no confirmation yet that Microsoft intends to launch its Surface AIO with all three display options available. It could change the offering before launch.
The report also said the device is supposed to be “elegant” and something you’d want to show off in your living room. Color me skeptical on that. I think if people let any tech into their living room, it’s a tablet because it’s small and mobile. But we’ll see.
Windows Central also had a little info on the next generation for Surface Book. They still believe it will be powered by Intel’s new Kaby Lake processors, which are specifically built for mobile devices and sport much better power consumption than the previous Skylake chips in the current model. It’s also believed that the new Surface Book will feature native support for USB 3.1 (Gen 2) and support for 3D and 4K graphics.
Also, Windows Central believes Microsoft is working on improving the unusual “fulcrum hinge” of the Surface Book, that strange curved hinge, by removing the gap created when the device is folded shut. The new design would be more akin to a traditional notebook, with the lid and body closed shut against each other.
These devices are still a way off, of course, and everything is subject to change, but it sounds like Microsoft is making a real effort in PC hardware, which is more than I can say for Apple these days.
