Microsoft quietly upgrades processor of Surface Pro 2

Microsoft Corp. has quietly started to ship an updated version of its Surface Pro 2 tablet with a new microprocessor inside. The new CPU works at higher clock-rate and provides better performance compared to the one that Microsoft used initially with its latest slate.

When Microsoft first introduced the Surface Pro 2 tablet back in late September, 2013, it was powered by a dual-core Intel Core i5-4200U “Haswell” microprocessor with 1.30GHz default clock-rate, 2.60GHz maximum Turbo frequency and 15W thermal design power (TDP). Starting from late December, Microsoft began to ship improved Surface Pro 2 slates with dual-core Intel Core i5-4300U central processing units (CPUs) that feature 1.90GHz default clock-speed, 2.90GHz maximum Turbo frequency and 15W TDP, reports The Verge.

The software giant did not make any formal announcements on the matter, but simply started to ship versions of the Surface Pro 2 slates with higher CPU performance. Keeping in mind that the price that Intel charges for Core i5-4200U and Core i5-4300U is the same $281 (official price for 1000-unit quantities), a higher-performance option makes a lot of sense for Microsoft, which is trying hard to make its tablets more competitive. Still, an upgrade of the product two months after its release is a surprising one.

“Microsoft routinely makes small changes to internal components over the lifetime of a product, based on numerous factors including supply chain partnerships, availability, and value for our customers. With any change to hardware or software, we work to ensure that the product experience remains excellent,” a statement by Microsoft reads.

Surface Pro 2 is based on Windows 8.1 operating system and was designed to correct disadvantages of the original Surface Pro that was released in early 2013. Surface Pro 2 is aimed mostly at business and enterprise customers who need compatibility with legacy programs developed for x86 microprocessors.

The Surface Pro 2 is available in 64GB, 128GB, 256GB and 512GB (where available) versions, with either 4GB or 8GB of DDR3 RAM. The business slate starts at $899 in the U.S. and £719 in the U.K.

KitGuru Says: A free upgrade is always welcome. But how do early adopters of Surface Pro 2 feel now with slower devices?

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