Surface Pro 1 vs. Surface Pro 8: Full specs comparison

We thoroughly analyzed technical specifications for Surface Pro 1 and Surface Pro 8 models, including CPU, memory, storage, battery life, display quality, and other features.

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Surface Pro 1 image

Surface Pro 1

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Surface Pro 8 image

Surface Pro 8

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Surface Pro 1 Pros

Reasons that Surface Pro 1 is better than Surface Pro 8.

Slightly more versatile connectivity

Surface Pro 1 has better versatile I/O connectivity than the Surface Pro 8. It has three versus two commonly used ports and slots on the Surface Pro 8.

PortsSurface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
headphone jackNoYes
microSD card slotYesNo
Mini DisplayPortYesNo
Thunderbolt 4NoYes
USB-AYesNo

Surface Pro 8 Pros

Reasons that Surface Pro 8 is better than Surface Pro 1.

Much newer manufacturing

2021 vs. 2012

Much faster CPU performance

Intel Core i7-1185G7 inside Surface Pro 8 has a 378% better multi-core CPU performance score than the Intel Core i5-3317U inside Surface Pro 1.

Geekbench 5 multi-core score
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i7-1185G7
4,864
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i5-1135G7
3,980
Surface Pro 8 - Intel Core i3-1115G4
2,445
Surface Pro 1 - Intel Core i5-3317U
1,017
Supports larger memory

Surface Pro 8 supports a larger memory capacity than the Surface Pro 1. It supports up to 32GB versus 4GB of system memory on the Surface Pro 1.

Max system memory size
Surface Pro 8
32 GB
Surface Pro 1
4 GB
Supports faster memory

Surface Pro 8 supports a faster memory speed than the Surface Pro 1. It supports up to 4267MHz versus 1600MHz of system memory on the Surface Pro 1.

Memory type and speed
Surface Pro 8 - LPDDR4X
4,267 MHz
Surface Pro 1 - DDR3
1,600 MHz
22% larger display

Surface Pro 8 has a 13-inch screen size 22% larger than the 10.6-inch Surface Pro 1.

Display size
Surface Pro 8
13-inch
Surface Pro 1
10.6-inch
Has one more port and slot

Surface Pro 8 has more ports and slots count than the Surface Pro 1. It has six versus five amount of ports and slots on the Surface Pro 1.

PortsSurface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
headphone jackNoYes
microSD card slotYesNo
Mini DisplayPortYesNo
SSD slotNoYes
Surface Charging ConnectorYesNo
Surface ConnectNoYes
Surface Touch/Type Cover ConnectorYesNo
Surface Type CoverNoYes
Thunderbolt 4NoYes x2
USB-AYesNo
Total56

Prices

Here are the latest price updates and offers for both devices.

Surface Pro 1 Price
Microsoft Surface Pro 9, 13" 2-in-1 Tablet & Laptop, Thin & Lightweight, Intel 12th Gen i7 Fast Processor for Multi-Tasking, 32GB Ram, 1TB Storage with Windows 11, Platinum Microsoft Copilot
 Microsoft Surface Pro 9, 13" 2-in-1 Tablet & Laptop, Thin & Lightweight, Intel 12th Gen i7 Fast Processor for Multi-Tasking, 32GB Ram, 1TB Storage with Windows 11, Platinum Microsoft Copilot
By Microsoft
$2,060.97
$2,599.99 21% OFF
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Microsoft Surface Pro Intel Core i5 4GB RAM 128GB SSD Windows 10 Newest Version (Renewed)
 Microsoft Surface Pro Intel Core i5 4GB RAM 128GB SSD Windows 10 Newest Version (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$181.00
$229.88 21% OFF
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Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Tablet, 13" - High-Performance Laptop with 10th Gen Core i7, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Pre-Installed Windows 11 Pro, Long Battery Life Platinum Finish QLQ-00001
 Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Tablet, 13" - High-Performance Laptop with 10th Gen Core i7, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Pre-Installed Windows 11 Pro, Long Battery Life Platinum Finish QLQ-00001
By Microsoft
$1,840.99
$2,699.99 32% OFF
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Microsoft Surface Pro 8 Price
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
 Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 128GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$737.99
$1,099.99 33% OFF
See at Amazon
Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Graphite (Latest Model) (Renewed)
 Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i5-8GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Graphite (Latest Model) (Renewed)
By Microsoft
$688.98
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Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i7-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
 Microsoft Surface Pro 8-13" Touchscreen - Intel® Evo Platform Core™ i7-16GB Memory - 256GB SSD - Device Only - Platinum (Latest Model)
By Microsoft
$957.99
$1,050.01 9% OFF
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Specs Comparison

Availability

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Released20122021
Release Date
  • Introduced: June 18, 2012
  • Not available for pre-ordered
  • Released: February 9, 2013
  • Introduced: September 22, 2021
  • Pre-ordered: September 22, 2021
  • Released: October 5, 2021
Pricing
  • Intel® Core™ i5
    • $899 - i5 | 4 GB | 64 GB
    • $999 - i5 | 4 GB | 128 GB
  • $1,099.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 128GB
    Platinum only.
  • $1,199.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 256GB
  • $1,399.99 
    i5-1135G7 16GB 256GB
  • $1,399.99 
    i5-1135G7 8GB 512GB
  • $1,599.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 256GB
  • $1,899.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 512GB
  • $2,199.99 
    i7-1185G7 16GB 1TB
    Platinum only.
  • $2,599.99 
    i7-1185G7 32GB 1TB
    Platinum only.
Generations

Exterior

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Dimensions10.81” x 6.81” x 0.53” (275 mm x 173 mm x 13.46 mm)
Width: 10.81” (275 mm)
Height: 6.81” (173 mm)
Thickness: 0.53” (13.46 mm)
11.3” x 8.2” x 0.37” (287 mm x 208 mm x 9.3 mm)
Weight
  • 2 lbs (910 g)
1.96 lb (889 g)
Colors
Dark Titanium
Matte Black Platinum
Keyboard and Trackpad
  • Surface Type Cover
    • Not included
  • Keyboard:
    • Activation: Moving (mechanical) keys.
    • Layout: QWERTY, full row of function keys (F1-F12).
    • 4 directional keys; Windows and Media Controls Keys.
  • Trackpad:
    • Two-finger multitouch gesture trackpad.
  • Not included.
  • Compatible with 
    Surface Pro Signature Keyboard Surface Pro X Keyboard
  • Type Cover Features:
    • Activation: Moving (mechanical) keys
    • Layout: QWERTY, full row of function keys (F1-F12)
    • 4 directional keys; Windows, Brightness and Media Controls Keys;
    • LED backlighting
  • Trackpad:
    • Precision glass trackpad.
    • Trackpad size: 4 x 2 inches (101.6 mm x 50.8 mm)
    • Supports a five-finger multitouch gesture.
  • Surface Slim Pen Storage
    • Magnetic dock
    • Automatically wireless charge Surface Slim Pen

Display

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Size10.6 Inches13 Inches
Info
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (2M Pixels)
  • Density: 208 PPI
  • ClearType Full HDDisplay
  • Aspect ratio: 16:9
  • Touch: 10 point multi-touch
  • Surface Pen support (1st Gen)
  • Resolution: 2880 x 1920
    5.53M Pixels.
  • Density: 267 PPI
  • Refresh rate: 120Hz
    60Hz default.
  • PixelSense™ Flow Display
  • Aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Inking: GPU Ink Acceleration
  • Touch: 10 points multi-touch

Ports

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Surface Pro 1 Ports
Image Source: Microsoft
Left (1)
  • 1 x USB-A
    USB 3.0 (5 Gbps)
Right (3)
  • 1 x microSD card slot
  • 1 x Surface Charging Connector
  • 1 x Mini DisplayPort
Bottom (1)
  • 1 x Surface Touch/Type Cover Connector
Surface Pro 8 Ports
Image Source: Microsoft
Left (1)
  • 1 x headphone jack
    Headphone/Microphone
Right (3)
  • 2 x Thunderbolt 4
    40 Gpbs, USB 4.0 (40 Gbps), DisplayPort, Power Delivery
  • 1 x Surface Connect
    Charging, Docking
Bottom (1)
  • 1 x Surface Type Cover
Under Kickstand (1)
  • 1 x SSD slot
    M.2 2230 NVMe slot

Internal Specs

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Processor
  1. Intel® Core™ i5-3317U
    2 cores, 4 threads, 1.70 → 2.60 GHz, 3MB SmartCache, 17W
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4
    2 cores, 4 threads, 3.00 → 4.10 GHz, 6MB SmartCache, 28W
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
    4 cores, 8 threads, 2.40 → 4.20 GHz, 8MB SmartCache, 28W
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7
    4 cores, 8 threads, 3.00 → 4.80 GHz, 12MB SmartCache, 28W
Integrated Graphics
  1. Intel® Core™ i5-3317U
    Intel® HD Graphics 4000
    16 Execution Units, 350 → 1.05 MHz
  1. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i3-1115G4
    Intel® UHD Graphics
    48 Execution Units, 400 → 1250 MHz
  2. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-1135G7
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    80 Execution Units, 400 → 1300 MHz
  3. 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1185G7
    Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
    96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz
Memory
4GB
Dual Channel Memory
8GB 16GB 32GB
4267 MHz LPDDR4X RAM
Storage
64 GB 128 GB
SSD
128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB
Removable SSD.

Connectivity

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Wi-Fi
  • Wi-Fi 4: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n compatible.
Wi-Fi 6: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax compatible.
Bluetooth
  • Bluetooth Wireless 4.0 technology
Bluetooth Wireless 5.1 technology

Battery

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Size42 Wh
  • 51.5Wh
    Nominal battery capacity.
  • 50.2Wh
    Minimum battery capacity.
Battery Life7-15 days of idle lifeUp to 16 hours of typical device usage
Power Supply
  • 48W proprietary power supply
    • USB-A output: 5W
    • Surface Charger: 43W
  • 60W power supply with USB-A (5W) (65W total)
  • Supports Fast Charge (0-80% in about one hour)

Software

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
OS
  • Windows 8 Pro
  • Upgradable Windows 10 Pro
Windows 11 Home
Built-in AppsMicrosoft Office 30-days trial
  • Preloaded Microsoft 365 Apps
  • Microsoft 365 Family 30-day trial
  • Preloaded Xbox app
  • Xbox Game Pass Ultimate one month trial

Camera & Audio

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
Camera
  • 720p HD LifeCam front-facing camera with TrueColor Technology
  • 720p HD LifeCam rear-facing camera with TrueColor Technology
  • Windows Hello face authentication camera (front-facing)
  • 5.0MP front-facing camera with 1080p Skype HD video
  • 10.0MP rear-facing autofocus camera with 1080p full HD and 4K video
Audio
  • Single microphone
  • Stereo speakers
  • Dual far-field Studio Mics
  • 2W stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos®

Misc

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
InkingSupports Surface Pen
1,024 levels of pressure
Wacom Active Pen technology
Can be attached to charging port
Included with purchase
  • Supports Microsoft Pen Protocol (MPP)
    4096 levels of pressure Tilt sensing Best in class latency Paper feel 0.1mm precision magnetic storage
  • Supports Tactile signals with Surface Slim Pen 2
Sensors
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Accelerometer
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Gyroscope
  • Magnetometer
  • Ambient Color Sensor (brightness and color)
Security-
  • Firmware TPM chip for enterprise-grade security and BitLocker support
  • Enterprise-grade protection with Windows Hello face sign-in
In the box
  • Surface Pro (1st Gen)
  • Surface Pro Pen
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
  • Surface Pro 8
  • Power supply
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Safety and warranty documents
Warranty
  • One-year limited hardware warranty
1-year limited hardware warranty
More
  • Casing: VaporMg
  • Kickstand: 1 position at 22°
  • Physical buttons: volumes, power
-

Key Features

Surface Pro 1Surface Pro 8
At Glance
Released in Mid
2012
16:9 FHD
10.6”
1080p 60Hz
Weight
2 lb
0.91 kg
Powered By
Intel Core i5-3317U
2C/4T, 1.70 → 2.60 GHz
Geekbench 5
460
Single Core
Geekbench 5
1,017
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® HD Graphics 4000
16 Execution Units, 350 → 1.05 MHz
4GB
1600 MHz DDR3
Surface Pro 1 Ports
Released in Late
2021
3:2 2.8K
13”
1920p 60~120Hz
Weight
1.96 lb
0.89 kg
Up to
Intel Core i7-1185G7
4C/8T, 3.00 → 4.80 GHz
Geekbench 5
1,404
Single Core
Geekbench 5
4,864
Multi-Core
With integrated
Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
96 Execution Units, 400 → 1350 MHz
Configurable up to
32GB
4267 MHz LPDDR4X
Surface Pro 8 Ports

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