Cheap Microsoft Surface Shows Up at the FCC

Credit: Microsoft — (Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft is reportedly getting ready to combat Chromebooks with a more affordable $400 Surface tablet. And that rumored product seems more real than ever, because there's now an FCC filing that appears to be for that device.

The filing, which was originally uncovered by WinFuture, primarily points at a low power 24W power supply. It also shows a Qualcomm Bluetooth and Wi-Fi module, suggesting that the device is using an Intel processor. Combine that with earlier reports about Microsoft preparing a new Surface tablet and it seems likely that this FCC filing has something to do with the company's latest-and-greatest addition to its Surface lineup.

Bloomberg reported in May that Microsoft was planning to release a Surface with a smaller, 10" display (the existing Surface Pro uses a 12" display) priced around $400. The new tablet is also expected to have rounded corners and USB Type-C connectivity, which the Surface tablet line has been missing. The Surface Book 2 does feature USB Type-C, though, so it was likely only a matter of time before it reached Surface tablets.

While many Microsoft OEMs have released low-cost laptops, this could be Microsoft's entry into a school market. The FCC filing could mean that testing is almost finished, and that the company will want to release this by back-to-school in September, or at least by the holiday season.

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Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads @FreedmanAE and BlueSky @andrewfreedman.net. You can send him tips on Signal: andrewfreedman.01