The Microsoft Surface Mini could run Windows RT thanks to a Qualcomm processor.
If you thought Windows RT was a dying breed, it looks like Microsoft has other plans and could bring it to the Surface Mini.
According to people with knowledge of the company’s plans that wish to remain anonymous, Microsoft’s heavily rumoured Surface Mini will be the first in the Surface series to feature a Qualcomm chip.
The Bloomberg report suggests the CPU could be of the Snapdragon variety, which would quash any hopes that the smaller iteration of the Microsoft Surface 2 will run full Windows 8.1 altogether.
There are obvious benefits of kitting the Surface Mini out with a Qualcomm chip. For a start the low-power Snapdragon CPUs would give the Windows RT Surface Mini a longer battery life compared to an Intel chip and allow the overall body of the tablet to be slimmer.
However, the introduction of a Qualcomm CPU would end the Surface’s history of featuring Nvidia chips.
Both the original Microsoft Surface and the newer Surface 2 use an Nvidia chip, with the latter using the latest Nvidia Tegra 4.
There was a rumour back in June 2013 that Microsoft was working on a Qualcomm-based Surface, but those rumours are looking more likely now.
Microsoft released press invites for a “small gathering” earlier this month, strongly teasing the launch of the Surface Mini on May 20.
Rumoured specs for the Surface Mini include a 7.5-inch 1440 x 1080p full HD display with a 4:£ aspect ratio, pitching it directly against the iPad Mini 2 Retina but with a lower image density.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
