Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4 won't arrive in 2020 (report)

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By Phillip Tracy
published

Expect an early 2021 Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4 release

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

Microsoft just unveiled the Surface Laptop Go and Surface Pro X (Gen 2), but what about the other crucial members of the Surface family? The company hasn't provided an update on the rumored Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4, however, a new report from Windows Latest gives us a bleak outlook. 

According to the report, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, the Surface Pro 8 and Surface Laptop 4 won't debut at an October hardware event — in fact, they won't be released in 2020 altogether. Instead, Microsoft is reportedly aiming to release its flagship tablet and laptop at a separate event in the first quarter of 2021. 

We hope the delay gives Microsoft the chance to bring the newly announced Intel 11th Gen Tiger Lake chips to its products. The Surface Laptop Go is powered by 10th Gen CPUs, which is understandable for such an affordable notebook. Launching the Surface Pro 8 or Surface Laptop 4 with outdated chips would put them on the back foot against rival systems, like the Dell XPS 13. 

Product delays have become commonplace since the coronavirus pandemic began and caused widespread production slowdowns. Windows Latest says these two products are being delayed due to the "economic crisis around the world." However, the site also says Microsoft's plans for releasing the products in early 2021 could change at any time. 

As Microsoft pauses the launch of its flagship models, the company released two new products: the Surface Laptop Go and a new Surface Pro X with SQ2 chips. 

The Laptop Go is the lightest and most affordable Surface laptop yet. The 12.4-inch clamshell laptop starts at only $549 and weighs just 2.45 pounds. It's powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU and has a rated battery life of 13 hours. 

Living alongside the Surface Pro 7 is a new Surface Pro X with SQ2 chips. This ARM-powered tablet starts at $1,499 and promises to fix the mistakes of its predecessor with faster performance and improved app support. 

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.