Microsoft's Budget Surface Tablet Makes FCC Debut With Rumored Intel CPU

The things that clue us in to the fact that this is an entry-level device is that it comes with a 24-watt power supply versus the 36-watt power supply found on the current-generation Surface Pro tablets. In addition, a 7.5v battery is used instead of a 7.66v battery. Both of these are indicators that the power needs of this tablet are as great as its Surface Pro siblings. 

WindowsFuture, which uncovered the FCC listing, also has surmised that the new Surface tablet has an Intel processor rather than a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 or Snapdragon 850 SoC. The publication came to this conclusion because that tablet uses a separate Qualcomm Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module, whereas a Snapdragon SoC would have those components integrated.  

A report from mid-May suggested that the new Surface tablet, codename Libra, will have a 10-inch display (down from 12 inches on the Surface Pro) and a more organic/curved design. This will also reportedly be the first Surface-branded device to come with native USB-C connectivity and will be available in 64GB or 128GB capacities. For those that want on-the-go LTE connectivity, that will be an option as well (just like on the Surface Pro).

The current Surface Pro starts at $799, and it's rumored that this entry-level model will retail for around $400. For comparison, Apple's 9.7-inch iPad starts at $329.