12-inch Surface Pro 3 tablet could join Surface Mini at Microsoft’s May 20 event

By Andy Boxall May 19, 2014

microsoft surface pro tablet review keybaord — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Check out our full written Micosoft Surface Pro 3 review.

Microsoft is holding a press event on May 20, where it’s expected we’ll meet the Surface Mini for the first time, but new rumors are spreading it may introduce another Surface Pro model too. Currently known as the Surface Pro 3, the tablet could have a large 12-inch screen, up from the 10.6-inch display found on the current Surface Pro tablets.

If the gossip is correct, there will be five different variations on the Surface Pro 3, giving power users plenty of choice. The basic version is likely to have an Intel i3 processor inside along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, all for around $800. Spend $1000, and the processor may switch to an Intel i5, along with the option to specify up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space.

Finally, a Surface Pro 3 with the Intel i7 processor may be announced with 8GB of RAM, and a total of either 256GB or 512GB of internal storage space. Expect to pay anywhere between $1550 and $1950 for the i7-powered devices. The rumor report also mentions a selection of new Type Cover accessories, which makes sense if Microsoft is going to increase the screen size.

While a new Surface Pro tablet will be an interesting addition to the range, all eyes will most likely be on the rumored Surface Mini, thanks to its potential mass appeal. We’ve been hearing about the little tablet for some time, and are expecting it to compete with tablets such as Apple’s iPad Mini. It may have a slightly smaller 7.5-inch screen, while other reports indicate an 8.5-inch screen is on the agenda. We should also look out for Kinect-style gesture controls. We’ve gathered together all the Surface Mini rumors here, so take a look ahead of Microsoft’s gathering.

The event starts at 10 a.m. in New York on May 20, and we’ll bring you all the news as it happens.

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Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…

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