Microsoft Store

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

Last month, Microsoft apparently cut the price for the tablet-and-laptop workhorse, the Surface Pro 3, by offering a $100 discount on the tablet's different versions. The discount was only available for a limited time. The Redmond-based company also offered discounts on the base models and even started a trade-in program for older Surface variants. These offers, in turn, have started rumors that Microsoft is preparing for the inevitable release of the next workhorse in the lineup, the Surface Pro 4. 

Now, Microsoft came out with another deal on its Surface Pro 3 devices. Although the base model price remains the same at $799 in the Microsoft Store, other variants got as much as a $150-price slash. 

For example, the 128 GB Surface Pro 3 running with an Intel i5 processor is discounted by $100, pricing it at $899. Meanwhile, the 256 GB model can be bought for $1,149 or $150 less than the regular price; the same storage model but equipped with an Intel i7 is available for $1,399; and the 512 GB/ Intel i7 variant is available for just $1,799. 

As another indicator, PCWorld claims that Microsoft will come out with an upgraded version of the Surface Pro 3. The upgraded version will feature a 14 nm Broadwell chip from Intel, replacing the old Haswell chip on current versions. In changing to a newer chipset, the upgraded Surface Pro 3 will have better performance speed, sharper 3D graphics, and quicker video conversions. Battery life may also get upgraded by up to 1.7 hours. 

Meanwhile, rumors are also circulating that the new Surface Pro 4, when released, will feature the all-new Skylake processor. This means that since the new chipset is the successor to the old Broadwell one, Microsoft will have to build an entirely new motherboard, signaling an entirely new tablet with all-new specs. 

The Skylake processor is expected to have a built in LTE support and will introduce wireless charging. It is rumored to arrive in the second half of the year.