More details about the Surface Pro 9 have surfaced online, just a few days after rumours of the 2-in-1 featuring Intel Alder Lake-P series and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 processors emerged. As the images below show, Microsoft has certified a 'portable computing device' with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US, a key step towards a device's release. Predictably, the FCC does not provide too many details about the device, although Daniel Rubino of Windows Central believes that it is the Surface Pro 9 5G, the rumoured ARM-based version of the Surface Pro 9.
Set to be the Surface Pro X successor, the Surface Pro 9 5G is expected to launch with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, the same chipset found in Project Volterra. Undoubtedly, the device registered with the FCC is an ARM-based machine, seeing as it supports Qualcomm's Smart Transmit functionality. Additionally, the device features a modem for up to sub-6 GHz 5G and WiFi 6E connectivity. Reportedly, the Surface Pro 9 5G will also arrive with rounded edges than the Surface Pro X, as well as a thinner chassis. Moreover, Rubino alleges that the device could have USB Type-C ports on its left-hand side and Surface Connect on the opposite side, unlike the current Surface Pro X.
Furthermore, Microsoft is anticipated to equip the Surface Pro 9 5G and its Intel-based counterpart with 120 Hz displays, mirroring the Surface Pro 8. At the time of publication, Microsoft has not commented on the date of its next hardware event. Typically, Microsoft hosts Surface hardware events in mid to late autumn, although last year's occurred on September 22. According to WalkingCat, this year's event will commence on 12:00 EST (16:00 UTC) on October 11. Supposedly, Microsoft plans to launch not only the Surface Pro 9 series, but also the Surface Laptop 5, Surface Studio 3 and perhaps even the Surface Gaming Laptop.
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FCC via Liliputing, @_h0x0d_, Windows Central