Microsoft reportedly builds Surface Pro prototypes

Microsoft has apparently become more serious about offering at least some versions of its Surface Pro tablets powered by ARM-based processors. Right now, the Surface Pro 6 runs on an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor. According to Thurrott, Microsoft has built prototypes of the Surface Pro that run on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. The report says that Microsoft has considered stuffing some of its low-end Surface Pro models with a Snapdragon processor.

There also is speculation that the original plans for Microsoft’s iPad competitor, the Surface Go tablet, called for the device be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips. Intel reportedly pressured Microsoft to have the lower priced tablets run on Intel’s Pentium Gold Processors instead. If Intel doesn’t put the squeeze on Microsoft so hard this year, the second generation Surface Go models could end up with Intel outside and Qualcomm inside.

The Surface Pro line is supposed to get a major redesign with new models to be unveiled during the fourth quarter of this year. Thurrott’s Brad Sams says to expect thinner bezels, the long awaited USB-C port, new color options and some other changes. That would be the time to expect Microsoft to make the change to Snapdragon chips for the Surface Pro, starting with the lower-end variants of the tablet.

In a related piece of news, testing has started on the Firefox for Windows 10 ARM browser.