Microsoft Surface Pro 5 release date, news: device to take on iPad Pro 2 this March?

The Microsoft Surface Pro 5 will go head to head with the Apple iPad Pro 2 in the coming months, if the latest reports are to be believed.

Digitimes reports — citing China-based Economic Daily News — that the laplet will arrive during the first quarter of the year. This means that from anytime now to March, the new Surface Pro could turn up.

While the report was not specific regarding the month (and that the claim itself is yet to be confirmed), a March launch for Microsoft Surface Pro 5 is very likely and has been rumored in the past as the Redmond giant is expected to take Apple head on once again like it did October last year.

The tech giant launched the new Microsoft Surface Studio last year, just a day before its Cupertino-based rival comes out with the new iMac and new MacBooks.

This proved effective and lucrative for Microsoft, which is why it is not at all shocking for the company to do it again with the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 in the hopes of eclipsing the new iPad Pros.

Apart from a showdown with Apple, Microsoft was already rumored to come out with the Surface Pro 5 sooner rather than later since the device was supposed to be out by October last year.

As fans know, the company chose to release an updated version of its current-generation Surface Pro. It is believed that Microsoft would not want users to wait longer for a full-on successor.

As for the specifications and features, Digitimes says that the next-generation Surface Pro will sport a 4K ultra high-definition (HD) display and a magnetic charging stylus.

The Taiwan-based Pegatron Technology will reportedly to handle the production although Quanta Computer is also being considered by Microsoft.

The Microsoft Surface Pro 5 is also expected to be powered by the Intel Kaby Lake processor, the successor of the Skylake that powers the latest Surface Pro laplets.