Microsoft Schedules Surface 2 Unveiling for Sept. 23

Well, it’s just about as official as it’s going to get. A post on the Verge reports that Microsoft is sending out invites for folks to come to an event on September 23 in Manhattan for what will be the unveiling of the Surface 2 and the Surface Pro 2. These are the upgraded versions of the existing Surface RT and Surface Pro, respectively.

We heard a bit about the new devices’ specs last week, though it seems there might be a few changes from what Neowin had alleged. According to the Verge’s reports, the Surface 2, which follows up 2012’s Surface RT, will not sport the Snapdragon 800 processor, but rather Nvidia’s Tegra 4 processor. In addition, the battery will last up to eight hours, and will get a boost from the Power Cover, which has a built-in battery along with a keyboard and case combo. Additionally, the Surface 2 will have a “two-stage kickstand,” which will offer users a couple of options for viewing angles, and could potentially solve the problems associated with using the device on uneven surfaces, like one’s lap, or a couch. Additionally, the WinSuperSite reports that the screen will be 10.6 inches, with 1080p ClearType Full HD resolution.

As for the Surface Pro 2, that new device will incorporate Intel’s Haswell processor, which will reportedly help the tablet PC’s dismal battery life. But according to the post, there won’t be that much help at all: while the current Surface Pro’s battery lasts roughly two hours, the new one will be bumped up to around four hours total. That’s…not great. But maybe I’m not looking at this correctly. Think of it this way: it’s twice as much battery life! There we go.

The onboard RAM has also been doubled, going from 4GB to 8GB. So when you consider the boost in power and the fact that the battery will last longer as well—not to mention the possibilities in the Power Cover, and the Surface Pro 2 may be just the tablet PC Windows users have been waiting for.

I’ve been getting to know my Dell Latitude 10 for a couple weeks now, and I’m a big fan of the various options having a tablet PC can offer. That said, I can always tell the ways its relatively weak Atom processor lets me down (except in the case of its exceptional battery life). So while I have a great tablet PC, I’m still looking longingly at the Surface…and with the Surface Pro 2, that longing grows, uh, longer.

We’ll have to wait and see what Microsoft unveils on September 23 for the official story on what they have in store for Windows users. Stay tuned.